4. Social and Political Movements

• (a) Right to cultivate on the forest land
• ✓ (b) To get the right price for agricultural product
• (c) Protection of consumers
• (d) Building of dams

Answer: To get the right price for agricultural product is the main demand of farmers movement.

• (a) Water revolution
• ✓ (b) Green revolution
• (c) Industrial revolution
• (d) White revolution

Answer: To increase agricultural production and become self-sufficient with regard to food grains Green revolution was initiated.

• In the pre-independence period, the British government deprived tribal people of their right to livelihood on forest resources. This led to several tribal uprisings across the country, such as the Kolam from Chota Nagpur, Gond from Orissa, Koli, Bhilla and Ramoshi from Maharashtra, and Santhal and Munda from Bihar.
• The tribal struggle has continued since those years. The main demand of the modern tribal movement is to compel the government to accept their right over forests.
• They demand that they should be allowed to collect the products of forests and should also have the legal right to cultivate on forest land.

• The labour movement in India emerged in the background of industrialisation, particularly when textile industries and railway companies were established in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The first organisation for resolving workers' issues, the All India Trade Union Congress, was established in 1920.
• In the post-independence period, the movement started working more effectively and organised several agitations in the 1960s and 1970s. However, from the 1980s, the labour movement started getting disintegrated, largely due to the effects of globalisation.
• Today, the movement addresses various serious problems faced by workers, such as unstable employment conditions, contract labour, financial insecurity, absence of legal protection, unlimited working hours, and health hazards at the workplace.

• Environmental degradation is a serious problem at both national and international levels. At the international level, several movements are working to stop the deterioration of the environment with significant international cooperation.
• In India, many movements are actively working on different aspects of the environment to prevent ecological disasters.
• The environment movements take up crucial issues like the protection of bio-diversity, protecting different sources of water, and the protection of forests and green belts.
• They also actively campaign against the pollution of rivers, the use of harmful chemicals, and their ill effects on human health and nature.

• The farmers movement in India started during the British period due to the anti-agriculture policies of the colonial government, and was heavily inspired by the thoughts of Mahatma Phule, Justice Ranade, and Mahatma Gandhi.
• After the Green Revolution, the farmers movement became more active and effective. Though the Green Revolution aimed at increasing agricultural production, it did not benefit the poor farmers, leading to a divide between rich and poor farmers and causing dissatisfaction.
• The main demands of the modern farmers movement are: appropriate price for agricultural products, treating agriculture as an industry, implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, debt relief, debt cancellation, and a national policy for agriculture.

• In the pre-independence period, progressive men in India initiated the women's movement. The movement aimed at eliminating injustice against women and ending their exploitation.
• It fought to help women lead a respectful life and participate actively in social life.
• Reformists took initiative in ending cruel practices like Sati and child marriages.
• They also successfully fought for social reforms such as widow remarriage, women's education, and the right to vote for women.

Answer: True

• Different social problems come under discussion through these movements, forcing the government to pay attention to them.
• Leaders and activists of movements provide necessary information about issues to the government, which is very useful while making policies.
• Some movements aim at opposing a particular decision or policy of the government, and the right to protest is considered an important right in a democracy.

Answer: False

Reason: Movements need strong leadership because leaders decide the objectives, programme and strategy and keep the movement active and united.

Answer: True

• The consumer movement emerged in India after the Consumer Protection Act came into existence in 1986.
• Due to the changing nature of the social and economic system, consumers began facing different problems such as adulteration, increased cost of items, and frauds in weight and measures.
• The consumer movement works broadly to protect consumers from such types of frauds and malpractices.