With reference to the book ‘Desher Katha’ written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during the freedom struggle, consider the following statements:
- 1.It warned against the Colonial State’s hypnotic conquest of the mind.
- 2.It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs.
- 3.The use of ‘desh’ by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
▶ Answer & Explanation
Correct answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar's 'Desher Katha' (The Story of a Country) was a seminal work that powerfully critiqued colonial economic exploitation and its psychological impact, thus warning against the 'hypnotic conquest of the mind'. The book's fervent nationalist appeal and its direct critique of British rule were instrumental in galvanizing public opinion and inspiring cultural resistance, including the widespread use of swadeshi street plays and folk songs to mobilize masses. While the book's ultimate aim was national liberation, the term 'desh' in Deuskar's context referred broadly to the motherland, encompassing more than just the specific region of Bengal, making statement 3 incorrect.
Source: UPSC gs1 2020