Which of the following scholars described India's villages as a ‘den of ignorance, narrow-mindedness and communalism'?
The question requires identifying the scholar who characterized Indian villages negatively.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar provided a strong critique of Indian rural society.
He described villages as embodying ‘ignorance, narrow-mindedness and communalism’. This highlights his view on the social and intellectual limitations prevalent in these communities.
Analyzing the contributions of the scholars mentioned:
The statement directly corresponds to the critical perspective articulated by B.R. Ambedkar regarding the conditions in Indian villages.
Match the following national leaders in Column I with their views on village in Column II.
| Column I | Column II | ||
| National Leader | Views on Village | ||
| L | Jawaharlal Nehru | 1 | Villages are little republics, independent and yet interdependent. |
| M | B. R. Ambedkar | 2 | Village structure is not democratic, and marked by untouchability and exclusion. |
| N | M. K. Gandhi | 3 | In traditional village, the functions of each group or caste were related to functions of other castes [...] then society as a whole worked harmoniously. The ultimate weakness and failing of the caste system and the Indian social structure were that they degraded mass of human beings and gave them no opportunities [...] |
The concept of ‘footloose' labour is associated with______.