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Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise static quiz : History and Culture MCQs on ‘Frontier Gandhi', speeches by freedom fighters and more (Week 117)
Are you preparing for UPSC CSE Prelims? UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on History and Culture to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at With reference to the freedom fighter Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, consider the following statements: 1. He started the newspaper Sudharak (The Reformer), which challenged both untouchability and casteism. 2. He along with Gopal Krishna Gokhale established the Deccan Educational Society in Pune. 3. He died while protesting against the Partition of Bengal. Which of the following statements is/are true? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 only (c) 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Gopal Ganesh Agarkar started the newspaper Sudharak (The Reformer), which challenged both untouchability and casteism. He along with Tilak established the Deccan Educational Society in Pune. In 1895, he passed away. Partition of Bengal was announced in 1905 by Lord Curzon. Therefore, b is the correct answer. (For more, refer: Pune's Fergusson College gets university status) Consider the following statements: 1. In March 1942, a mission led by Sir Stafford Cripps arrived in India to meet with leaders of the Congress and the Muslim League, and despite the promise of 'the earliest possible realisation of self-government in India,' Cripps offered only dominion status—not full independence. 2. Prime Minister Winston Churchill reached out to Indian leaders for help in the Second World War efforts following pressure from President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States, President Chiang Kai-shek of China, and leaders of the Labour Party in Britain. Which of the above given statements is/are true? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 In December 1941, Japan had attacked Britain's colonies in Asia, and advanced rapidly through Burma, the Malay peninsula, the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia), Singapore, and parts of Papua New Guinea, causing heavy losses, and taking huge numbers of prisoners of war. With the Japanese virtually on India's doorstep in the Northeast, and with Hitler's armies still holding the upper hand in the European and African theatres of the War, President Franklin D Roosevelt of the United States, President Chiang Kai-Shek of China, and leaders of the Labour Party in Britain built pressure on Prime Minister Winston Churchill to reach out to Indian leaders for help in the war effort. So, in March 1942, a mission led by Sir Stafford Cripps arrived in India to meet with leaders of the Congress and the Muslim League. Despite the promise of 'the earliest possible realisation of self-government in India', the offer that Cripps placed on the table was of Dominion Status — an autonomous community within the British Empire — rather than full independence. This was not acceptable to Gandhi and Nehru; more importantly, the Congress was opposed to a provision that allowed for the Partition of India. Therefore, c is the correct answer. (For more, refer: Quit India — A short history of a 'Do or Die' national struggle, Explained, The Indian Express.) Who coined the slogans 'Quit India' and 'Simon go back'? (a) Louis Fischer (b) Hasrat Mohani (c) Ramkinkar Baij (d) Yusuf Meherally The slogan 'Quit India' While Gandhi gave the clarion call of Quit India, the slogan was coined by Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist who also served as Mayor of Bombay. A few years ago, in 1928, it was Meherally who had coined the slogan 'Simon Go Back'. Therefore, d is the correct answer. (For more, refer: Explained: Recalling 'Quit India', when ordinary Indians took to the streets with a vow to 'Do or Die') Which freedom fighter wrote the book titled Diet and Diet Reform, The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism and Key to Health? (a) Mahatma Gandhi (b) Sarojini Naidu (c) Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy (d) Dr. M.A. Ansari Gandhiji was known for his experiments with food. He also wrote books on food and health like Diet and Diet Reform, The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism and Key to Health. Apart from his followers, Gandhiji often advised others on what to eat. In 1936, Gandhiji made a diet chart for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, one of his fiercest political opponents. In this chart, Gandhiji wrote: 'Leafy vegetables must be taken, better if taken as salads. Potatoes and starchy tubers should be taken sparingly. Garlic and onion in a raw state are strongly recommended in the West. I take raw garlic regularly for blood pressure. It is the best antitoxin for internal use. Dates are fine food for a healthy stomach, but raisins are more digestible. Tea and coffee I do not consider essential to health'. Therefore, a is the correct answer. (For more, refer: Gandhi at 150: A diet chart for Netaji and other interesting facts from the Mahatma's life) It is one of the ten Baha'i Houses of Worship in the world. The grand structure was designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba and was completed in 1986. He derived the most important architectural feature from the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Which monument is being referred to above? (a) Banaji Limji Agiary, Mumbai (b) Baha'i House of Worship, Bihar Sharif (c) The Lotus Temple, Delhi (d) None of the above The Baha'i have had a presence in India since the late 19th century. This unique community has found a new home in India among the spirit of peace and the tolerant ethos of the nation. The growing popularity of this peaceful religion can be observed from the fact that the 2011 Census of India recorded only 4,572 Baha'is, but it has been suggested that the number had surpassed 2 million by 2015. Today, the Lotus Temple in Delhi serves as the mother temple for all its activities in India and other centres in South Asia, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. India is also home to the Baha'i educational institutions located in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh through which they organise, promote and maintain their community. Recently, the ruling body declared a second site for a temple in India in Bihar Sharif, which will further promote their ideas of inclusion, peace and harmony. Trivia: · The grand structure was designed by an Iranian architect, Fariborz Sahba, and was completed in 1986. He derived the lotus motif from the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. · The Lotus Temple has nine sides, constructed using 27 independent petals made from marble in clusters of three. Counting the number of petals might be an interesting exercise. · The Lotus Temple in New Delhi can accommodate about 2,500 people. · The surface of the temple was built using Pentelikon marble from Greece, which was used in ancient monuments of Parthenon. · The Lotus Temple has won numerous awards for its architecture, including the GlobArt Academy 2000. · It is one of the 10 Baha'i Houses of Worship in the world. The others are located in Wilmette, Kampala, Sydney, Langenhain, Panama City, Tiapapata, Santiago, Battambang and Agua Azul. Therefore, c is the correct answer. (For more, refer:Know Your Monument: Lotus Temple and the number nine, The Indian Express) Consider the following statements with reference to Khan Abdul Gaffar: 1. His life was dedicated to the social reform of the Pukhtuns and he continues to be revered across the world by them. 2. He is known for his close association with Mahatma Gandhi and his leadership of the Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) movement from 1930-47 – one of the most successful and sustained Gandhian non-violent campaigns anywhere in the world. 3. Ghubar-e-Khatir (The Dust of Memories) is a collection of letters written by him. Which of the above given statements is/are true? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 His life was dedicated to the social reform of the Pukhtuns and he continues to be revered across the world by them. In India, he is known for his close association with Mahatma Gandhi and his leadership of the Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) movement from 1930-47 – one of the most successful and sustained Gandhian non-violent campaigns anywhere in the world. Ghubar-e-Khatir (The Dust of Memories) is a collection of letters written by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Therefore, a is the correct answer. (For more, refer: Frontier Gandhi's autobiography released in English) Consider the following statements: 1. Subhash Chandra Bose speech, 'Give me blood and I promise you freedom' was delivered in Burma to the members of his Indian National Army in 1944 2. Gandhi's iconic speech, which began with 'The light has gone out of our lives,' was delivered after the Jallianwalabagh tragedy. Which of the above given statements is/are true? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 1. India's iconic freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose or Netaji was known for his rousing, motivational speeches. His speech, 'Give me blood and I promise you freedom', delivered in Burma to the members of his Indian National Army in 1944, is among the most popular. 2. On January 30 in 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead. Gandhi had left his room at New Delhi's Birla House for a prayer meeting, a little after 5 pm, running late. As he made his way through the crowd, a young man walked up and greeted him. Even as Gandhi replied, the man fired three bullets straight into the frail body. The old man fell, 'Hey Ram' on his lips. The next few hours saw an outpouring of grief and confusion across the nation. At Birla House, crowds swelled, pressing at the gates. Jawaharlal Nehru, who had arrived only after his guru and mentor had breathed his last, came out to speak to the crowds. That speech has not been recorded. We know only that Nehru broke down thrice while he spoke. But soon after, the Prime Minister addressed the nation on All India Radio, speaking beautifully, movingly, about the man Indians had lost, and his teaching they needed to remember. This iconic speech began with 'The light has gone out of our lives'. Therefore, a is the correct answer. (For more, refer: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's famous speech 'Give me blood, I promise you freedom' ; This Quote Means: On Gandhi's death anniversary, remembering Nehru's iconic speech, 'the light has gone out of our lives') The 'Dancing Girl' figurine of the Indus Valley Civilization was first discovered by which of the following archaeologists: (a) Rafique Mughal (b) R.D. Banerji (c) Ernest McKay (d) Sir Mortimer Wheeler Discovering the Dancing Girl The Indus Civilisation (3300-1300 BC with its mature stage dated to 2600-1900 BC), also known as the Harappa-Mohenjodaro Civilisation, had been long forgotten till its discovery was announced in 1924. While sites and artefacts from the civilisation were in discussion since the early 19th century, it was not until the 1920s that they were correctly dated and recognised as part of a full-fledged ancient civilisation, much like the ones in Mesopotamia and Egypt. After the initial recognition as an ancient civilisation, a spate of excavations were conducted in the two major sites that were known till then – Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The Dancing Girl was discovered in one such excavation in 1926, by British archaeologist Ernest McKay in a ruined house in the 'ninth lane' of the 'HR area' of Mohenjodaro's citadel. Therefore, c is the correct answer. (For more, refer:What Mohenjodaro's Dancing Girl figurine tells us about the prehistoric civilisation) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than five years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called 'Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik' and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called 'LIVE with Manas'.His talks on 'How to read a newspaper' focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University's Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women's Studies by the Women's Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on 'Psychological stress among students' at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Net metering for solar makes electrical power generation more democratic
Photo by. Editor's note: The Reformer is publishing dual commentaries as Minnesota lawmakers consider changes to the state's net metering law. Read the competing commentary here. Our state net metering policy is what allows Minnesotans to install solar and be power producers, not just power consumers. Net metering requires that solar owners be fairly credited by the electric utility when the owner delivers solar power to the grid. But the first goal of a monopoly is to maintain their monopoly. This is why monopoly power utilities are constantly trying to weaken net metering. They want to be the only option when it comes to delivering power. The concept of net metering is fair and simple. Power produced by a small solar array — defined in state law as an array under 40 kW — is first consumed by the homeowner, small business or farmer who installed it. If there is any power they can't use, it goes to the grid, flowing to nearby power users. The utility charges the user for that power even though the utility did not produce it. The utility then credits the solar owner who produced the power that same amount. For the utility, this is an economic wash — the credit is equal to the income the utility generates for charging for the solar owner's power. Net metering is key to advancing small-scale solar, which benefits us all. First, it quickly adds renewable solar power to our energy mix. With the demand for electrical energy surging as more of our cars and appliances become electric, we need all the renewable energy we can get as soon as we can get it. Rooftop solar goes up in weeks, as opposed to utility scale solar — which takes years. Second, producing power closest to where it is used is most efficient. There is almost no line loss with rooftop solar, and it reduces the need for large transmission lines. Third, it allows Minnesotans to take control of their energy costs and become energy producers, not just consumers. Representatives of Minnesota's rural electric cooperatives and municipal power companies are proposing state legislation to gut net metering. They propose that when a solar owner shares electricity with the neighbor, a rural electric cooperative or municipal utility can still charge the neighbor full retail price, but for any credits the solar customer has at the end of the year, they will compensate them a small fraction of that. And rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities already can and do charge solar access fees just for having solar. They want to keep charging solar owners a fee for having solar and pay them a dramatically reduced rate for solar they deliver to the grid. I can see why they would want this change. I can't see how they can claim it is fair. Opponents of net metering like to bring up California, but that comparison actually makes the case for Minnesota keeping our current policy. California had such a successful net metering policy that they reached 2 million rooftop solar arrays (versus fewer than 25,000 in Minnesota) which by one analysis has saved utility customers as much as $1.5 billion in 2024 alone. But utilities succeeded in dramatically weakening California's net metering law by pushing a cost shift myth. As a result, the adoption of solar slowed and thousands of solar jobs were lost. (For a deep dive on this issue go to the Solar Rights Alliance website.) That isn't what we want here in Minnesota. Solar United Neighbors is a non-profit that works with folks throughout the state to help them go solar. The majority of people we work with are middle or lower income and small businesses looking to control energy costs and be a part of a carbon-free energy future. This is also what the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reports from their 2024 report on the income of solar adopters: 'Roughly 49% of solar adopters in 2023 had incomes below 120% of their area median income, a threshold sometimes used to define 'low-and-moderate income,' while 26% were below 80% of AMI, often used to define 'low-income.'' It's a myth that solar adopters are only wealthy. In fact, solar is a key way that middle and lower income folks can take control of their energy costs. Solar is still emerging and growing in Minnesota, especially in rural areas. The overwhelming majority of utilities in Minnesota have solar penetration that is less than 1% of customers with fewer than 500 small solar arrays in their service area. Changing our net metering policy now would reduce solar adoption dramatically just when it is most needed. Decentralizing and democratizing our energy production may threaten monopoly utilities, but it is clearly in the public interest and we should be proud that Minnesota has a simple and fair net metering policy that is making this possible.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
It's happening here: when book bans hit home
Some titles banned from the St. Francis High School library by the St. Francis school board's right-wing scoring system. Photo courtesy of Ryan Fiereck. If you're a reader, a student of history, or a writer, it's been appalling to watch book bans proliferate across the nation. As The Reformer reported last month, St. Francis High School and Independent School District 15 recently adopted a policy that defers to Booklooks, a website linked to the far-right group Moms for Liberty when evaluating which books to purchase or pull from shelves. The result: Hundreds of books are now either banned outright or will likely be pulled from shelves in the near future; this includes classics like The Handmaid's Tale, The Bluest Eye, and soon, perhaps the likes of 'Night' by Elie Wiesel and 'Slaughterhouse Five' by Kurt Vonnegut and hundreds of others. I graduated from St. Francis High School in 2001. I owe much of my career as a writer — I've written ten books and edited many more — to one of the soon-to-banned books. It was 'Slaughterhouse Five.' It was the year 2000. Frosted tips and Billabong shirts were everywhere. I picked up the book from a spinner in my journalism class. (That teacher was the best teacher I ever had.) I absorbed it, and I proceeded to read every other book by Vonnegut on the spinner, and then Ray Bradbury; soon I was reading Sylvia Plath and Richard Wright. A good book is a springboard to others; the best books lead to a lifetime of a reading. Rather than trot out generic arguments about why book bans are ill-advised, I want to talk about 'Slaughterhouse Five.' It's a fictionalized story, that like all truly great fiction, is, at its heart, true. Vonnegut was a G.I. in World War II. He was in the 106th Infantry Division and was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. To put that another way: The St. Francis school board wants to ban a novel written by an American serviceman and a member of the Greatest Generation. Vonnegut was forced to do manual labor in Dresden, and he survived the firebombing of the city in February 1945 by the Royal Air Force and the U.S. 8th Air Force. The resulting firestorm killed perhaps 35,000 people. 'Slaughterhouse Five' is superficially science fiction, but it's really about the insanity of war, the absurdity of surviving one, and more than anything, PTSD. Vonnegut's writing will last forever because he's irreverent, funny, and accessible, but he's also honest and fundamentally decent. That's why Vonnegut appeals to younger readers; kids aren't just picky eaters; they are picky readers. You have to meet them where they are in terms of attitude, interest, and style. By removing some of the most popular books among young people — classics and newer books alike — the district is depriving students of great books but also the love of reading and learning itself. And as a rule, if you're banning books, you're afraid of ideas: The Soviets were afraid of capitalism, religion, and freedom of speech. The Nazis loathed the Jews, 'inferior' races, modernism in all its forms, and were racist to their core. The Inquisition banned or targeted works by Copernicus and Galileo and Giordano Bruno because they feared their monopoly on cosmology was at an end. The ideas that Booklooks, and by extension, The St. Francis School Board, fear are plain. Even the most cursory look at its anonymous 'ratings' (available on Internet Archive) shows that the books it targets are by or about women, LGBTQ folks, Black and brown folks, or people who have a 'different' point of view. Like any attempt at censorship, it's an exercise in erasure. But I can promise you this: It won't work. As the packed school board meetings, recent student protests, and a pair of newly filed lawsuits against the district make clear, people care about the freedom to read, the First Amendment, and the books and characters they love. This misguided policy has already been an expensive debacle, and the district has made statewide news in the most embarrassing way. If the policy remains in force, it will continue to hurt the district's own students by depriving them of great works of art, and worse, giving them an incomplete, myopic view of the world.
