Which of the following leader given the term 'insenate waste' on the burning of the foreign clothes during the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Solution (By Examveda Team)

Rabindranath Tagore described the burning of foreign clothes during the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922) as an "insensate waste". He believed that destroying usable clothes, especially in a poor country like India, was not a wise or constructive method of expressing patriotism.

The Non-Cooperation Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, encouraged Indians to boycott British goods, institutions, schools, courts, and titles. As part of this movement, people publicly burned imported foreign clothes to promote the use of Swadeshi (Indian-made) goods and weaken British economic interests.

Although Rabindranath Tagore strongly supported India's freedom and opposed British colonial rule, he disagreed with the burning of foreign cloth. He argued that instead of destroying valuable clothing, it would be better to encourage the production and use of Indian-made products through positive and constructive efforts.

Tagore believed that true nationalism should be based on education, creativity, self-reliance, and moral values, rather than the destruction of useful resources. Therefore, he called the burning of foreign clothes an "insensate waste", meaning a senseless and unnecessary waste of valuable goods.

Exam Tip: Remember that while Mahatma Gandhi supported the boycott and public burning of foreign cloth as a symbol of resistance against British rule, Rabindranath Tagore criticized this particular method and coined the term "insensate waste". This difference in opinion is a frequently asked fact in competitive examinations.