Question

__________ coined the term Harijan.
A. Mahatma Gandhi
B. Naoroji Furdoonji
C. Dadabhai Naoroji
D. Dr B. R. Ambedkar

Answer 1

Hint: -The person is also known as the father of the nation.
-He was a very important leader during the independence movement.
-He was also a social reformer.

Complete answer: The term Harijan was first used in the socio-political context in 1933 by a prominent Indian political activist to refer to the community of people who were generally regarded as the untouchables. His reasons for doing so had been seen differently by different historians. Some acknowledge that it was to remove the social stigma, while some attribute as a superficial step to cover his own guilt. Whatever be the cause, let us take a look at who used the term-
A. Mahatma Gandhi coined the term Harijan for the untouchables. He started using the term from the time after signing the Poona Pact. He also renamed his weekly newspaper Young India to Harijan in the year 1933. So, this is the correct answer.
B. Naoroji Furdoonji did not coin the term Harijan. So, this is not the correct option.
C. Dadabhai Naoroji too did not coin the term Harijan, so this too is not the correct option.
D. Dr B. R. Ambedkar did not use the term Harijan. In fact, he opposed the use of the term and called the community as the Dalits. So, this is not the correct option.
Therefore, the correct answer is Option A.

Note: -The term Harijan was first used by the medieval saint and poet Narsinh Mehta, but not with the same context as Gandhi used it.
-The name Harijan means ‘The children/people of God’.
-Dr B. R. Ambedkar, who was from the untouchable community himself, did not like the term at all and vehemently refused to use or acknowledge it.
-The Supreme Court of India has now declared the term to be derogatory and it is not to be used.