Comprehension

”The British element is gone, but they have left the mischief behind”
It is no use saying that we ask for separate electorates, because it is good for us. We have heard it long enough. We have heard it for years, and as a result of this agitation we are now a separate nation ... Can you show me one free country where there are separate electorates? If so, I shall be prepared to accept it. But in this unfortunate country if this separate electorate is going to be persisted in, even after the division of the country, woe betide the country; it is not worth living in. Therefore, I say, it is not for my good alone, it is for your own good that I say it, forget the past. One day, we may be united ... The British element is gone, but they have left the mischief behind. We do not want to perpetuate that mischief. (Hear, hear). When the British introduced this element they had not expected that they will have to go so soon. They wanted it for their easy administration. That is all right. But they have left the legacy behind. Are we to get out of it or not?

Question: 1

Who is the speaker of this passage?

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Sardar Patel was one of the strongest voices in the Constituent Assembly against any measure that could further divide the nation, including separate electorates, which he saw as the root cause of the partition.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
  • B. Pocker Bahadur
  • R.V. Dhulekar
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the speaker of this famous speech delivered in the Constituent Assembly of India during the debates on minority rights.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
This passionate appeal against the continuation of separate electorates was made by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He was the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas. During the debates on 27 August 1947, he argued forcefully that separate electorates were a "poison" introduced by the British that had ultimately led to the partition of the country, and that they must be abolished in a free India to build a united nation. B. Pocker Bahadur was a member from Madras who argued in favor of continuing separate electorates for Muslims, and this speech by Patel was a powerful rebuttal to that demand.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The speaker of this passage is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
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Question: 2

According to the speaker, what was the consequence of the policy of a separate electorates?

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In reading comprehension, look for cause-and-effect language. Phrases like "as a result of" are clear indicators of a stated consequence.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • Free and fair election
  • Increase in nationalism in India
  • Freedom for India
  • The partition of India
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks what the speaker identifies as the direct result of the long-standing policy of separate electorates.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In the passage, the speaker states, "We have heard it for years, and as a result of this agitation we are now a separate nation..." The term "separate nation" is a direct reference to the creation of Pakistan, which happened through the partition of India. The speaker explicitly links the agitation for separate electorates to this outcome.
Step 3: Final Answer:
According to the speaker, the consequence of the policy of separate electorates was the partition of India.
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Question: 3

What is opposed by the speaker in the above passage?

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To find the main point of a passage, look for the idea that is repeated most often and with the most emotional or logical force. Here, "separate electorate" is the recurring subject of the speaker's criticism.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • The division of the country
  • The demand for separate electorate
  • The lapse of the British element
  • The demand for easy administration
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the main point of opposition in the speaker's argument.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The entire passage is a forceful argument against a specific policy. The speaker says, "It is no use saying that we ask for separate electorates...", "Can you show me one free country where there are separate electorates?", and "if this separate electorate is going to be persisted in... woe betide the country". The central theme is a passionate opposition to the continuation of the system of separate electorates in independent India. While the division of the country is mentioned as a consequence, the immediate policy being opposed is the demand for separate electorates itself.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The speaker is vehemently opposing the demand for a separate electorate.
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Question: 4

The mischief of separate electorates was left behind by:

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Identify the key actors mentioned in the text. The speaker explicitly names "The British element" as the source of the problem they are discussing.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • The Muslim League
  • The British Government
  • People leaving due to partition
  • The Nawabs and the Rajas
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks who, according to the speaker, is responsible for introducing the "mischief" of separate electorates.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The speaker makes this very clear in the passage: "The British element is gone, but they have left the mischief behind." And later, "When the British introduced this element they had not expected that they will have to go so soon." The speaker directly attributes the introduction and legacy of this policy to the British.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The mischief of separate electorates was left behind by the British Government.
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Question: 5

Why, according to the speaker, the British introduced the separate electorates?

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When a question asks "Why, according to the speaker...", search the text for explicit statements of motive or reason. The answer is often stated directly.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • For their easy administration
  • To strengthen the Indian polity
  • To protect the rights of the Indians
  • To provide a balanced political framework
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the reason the speaker gives for the British introducing separate electorates.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage provides a direct answer to this question. The speaker says, "When the British introduced this element... They wanted it for their easy administration. That is all right." This clearly states the speaker's view on the British motive.
Step 3: Final Answer:
According to the speaker, the British introduced separate electorates for their easy administration.
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