Q. With reference to the book ‘Desher Katha’ (1904) written during the freedom struggle, consider the following statements:
1.It warned against the Colonial State’s “hypnotic conquest of the mind,” explaining how the British successfully colonized the Indian psyche.
2.It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays, folk songs, and the “Yatras” in Bengal.
3.The use of the word ‘desh’ by Deuskar was specifically meant to refer only to the region of Bengal and its linguistic identity.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 & 2: Correct. Deuskar was a Maharashtrian living in Bengal; his book was a powerful economic and psychological critique of British rule.
- Statement 3: Incorrect. Although written in Bengali, Deuskar used ‘Desh’ to refer to the whole of India (the nation), not just the province of Bengal. (This is a direct UPSC 2020 question).
