Previous Year Question
Arrange the following events in a chronological order and select the correct answer from the codes given below:
I. Appointment of Simon Commission
II. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
III. Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi March
IV. Death of Ferozshah Mehta
Codes:
IV, II, I, III
I, II, IV, III
II, III, IV, I
IV, III, II, I
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
The correct chronological order is Death of Ferozshah Mehta (1915) → Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919) → Appointment of Simon Commission (1927) → Gandhiji's Dandi March (1930).
The earliest of these events was the death of Ferozshah Mehta on 5 November 1915. He was one of the prominent early leaders of the Indian National Congress, a distinguished lawyer and an influential figure in the public life of Bombay. He was also popularly known as the “Lion of Bombay.”
Next came the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on 13 April 1919. A large number of people had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on the occasion of Baisakhi and in connection with protests against the Rowlatt Act and the arrest of local leaders. Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops to fire on the unarmed gathering.
The third event was the appointment of the Simon Commission in 1927. It was a seven-member Statutory Commission chaired by Sir John Simon. Since the Commission did not contain a single Indian member, it faced widespread opposition in India and “Simon Go Back” became a major slogan of protest.
The Simon Commission was appointed to review constitutional reforms and the progress of responsible government in India. Although the Commission came to India in 1928, it had already been appointed in 1927; therefore, 1927 is the relevant year for determining the chronology.
The latest event was Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi March, which began on 12 March 1930. Gandhiji left Sabarmati Ashram with his satyagrahis and reached Dandi, where he broke the salt law on 6 April 1930. It became one of the best-known opening actions of the Civil Disobedience Movement.