Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Workers interpreted 'Swaraj' based on their own needs and aspirations, not the Congress programme.

Example 1 – Plantation workers in Assam: Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, tea garden workers could not leave plantations without permission. For them, Swaraj meant the freedom to move freely and return to their villages. When the Non-Cooperation Movement began, thousands defied authorities and left the plantations, believing "Gandhi Raj" was coming and they would receive land in their villages.

Example 2 – Tribals: When tribals chanted Gandhi's name and demanded 'Swatantra Bharat', they imagined Swaraj as a time when all suffering would end — different from the Congress's political vision, yet emotionally connecting them to the national movement.

Source: Chapter 2, Section 2.3 – Swaraj in the Plantations

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• The examiner wants two clear examples with context — plantation workers and tribals are the most direct examples from the passage.
• Key contrast to highlight: their interpretation was local/personal (land, freedom of movement, end of suffering), not the abstract political Swaraj of the Congress.
• Mention the Inland Emigration Act for the Assam example — it shows why freedom of movement was their definition of Swaraj.
• Avoid writing about Dalits or Muslims here — the question specifically asks about workers' understanding.