Question

Who declared “We do not seek our independence out of British ruin”?
A- Mahatma Gandhi
B- Jawaharlal Nehru
C- Bal Gangadhar Tilak
D- Bipin Chandra Pal

Answer 1

Hint:- This person was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist, who used nonviolent resistance to lead India's successful independence movement from British rule.
- He moved to South Africa in 1893, after two uncertain years in India, where he was unable to start a profitable law practice, to represent an Indian merchant in a lawsuit.
- He led them in questioning the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930, and later in calling for the British to quit India in 1942, introducing anti-colonial nationalism to the popular Indians. He was incarcerated for many years, upon many occasions, in both South Africa and India.

Complete answer:
With the outbreak of the war in 1939, Gandhi was pulled back into the political arena. In the First World War, he loyally supported the Empire. He had offered his services to the Empire out of a sense of patriotism in the Boer War, even though his political sympathies were with the Boers who were fighting for their freedom. His emotions were different now, but as he said, "my sympathies are wholly with the allies."
He was also aware of the anomaly in the position of Britain in fighting for liberty while refusing it to India. In India, there were many patriots who thought that this was the hour to strike, because India's chance was Britain's difficulty. But Gandhi declined to accept such a mindset saying,"We do not seek our independence out of Britain's ruin. That is not the way of non-violence."
Most of the leaders of Congress would accept involvement in the war effort, provided that India could do so as an equal partner with Britain. Gandhi did not believe in conditional non-violence, but he was sufficiently reasonable to realize that the bulk of the representatives of the Congress, who were at best patriotic politicians, not saints, could not be carried down the arduous road of utter non-violence. Nor was he vain enough to demand that the Congress recognize his terms as the price of his leadership, although he knew that the party could not do without him in the imminent political crisis.

Therefore, Option A) Mahatma Gandhi is the correct answer.

Note:- After this, Gandhi wiped himself and advised the nation to accept the Congress stand and pleaded with the British on its behalf.
- Gandhi was interned in the Aga Khan Palace near Poona.
- He was greatly perturbed by the terror reigning in the country and at the British Government's charge that he was responsible for violence.
- He entered into a long correspondence with the Government which ended in his fasting for twenty-one years.