Q. With reference to the 1920s and 30s, consider the following pairs:
Event/DevelopmentKey Aspect
1. Meerut Conspiracy Trial (1929)Targeted 31 labor leaders (including three Britishers) to curb the growth of the Workers and Peasants Party.
2. Bombay Industrial Disputes Act (1938)Introduced by the Congress Ministry to mandate compulsory arbitration, effectively making strikes difficult.
3. Whitley Commission (1929)A Royal Commission appointed to investigate the health, efficiency, and standard of living of industrial labor.
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Answer: C
Notes:
Explanation:
- Pair 1: Correct. The Meerut Conspiracy Case was a judicial trial in which the British Government arrested 31 labor leaders on charges of conspiracy to “deprive the King of the sovereignty of British India.” It was a deliberate attempt to suppress the rising influence of the Communist Party and the Workers and Peasants Party (WPP). Significantly, it involved three British communists—Philip Spratt, Ben Bradley, and Lester Hutchinson—which brought international attention to the Indian labor movement.
- Pair 2: Correct. While the Congress Ministries (1937–39) generally favored labor welfare, the Bombay Industrial Disputes Act of 1938 was controversial. It introduced a system of “compulsory arbitration” and a long cooling-off period before a strike could be declared. This was viewed by radical labor leaders as an attempt to restrict the workers’ right to strike and promote “class collaboration” instead of class struggle.
- Pair 3: Correct. The Whitley Commission (also known as the Royal Commission on Labour in India) was chaired by John Henry Whitley. It was appointed in 1929 to report on the existing conditions of labor in industrial undertakings and plantations in British India. Its recommendations later formed the basis for several labor reforms regarding working hours and workplace safety.
