RAS question
Pritilata Waddedar, one of the first female revolutionary martyrs, participated in the raid on:
Correct answer: (D) Pahartali European Club, Chittagong.
Pritilata Waddedar led the raid on the Pahartali European Club in Chittagong on 24 September 1932.
Explanation
Pritilata Waddedar is linked to the Pahartali European Club raid in Chittagong, not to the more commonly remembered Chittagong Armoury raid. The question turns on that distinction: the armoury raid was in 1930, while her action was the 24 September 1932 club raid. She was a member of Surya Sen's revolutionary group and led the attack on a club remembered for the racist sign, "Dogs and Indians not allowed." After the raid, she consumed cyanide to avoid capture, becoming one of India's first female revolutionary martyrs. The biographical details in the explanation, including her work as a school teacher and her MA background, help identify her as part of the educated revolutionary network around Chittagong.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Chittagong Armoury raid belongs to 1930, whereas Pritilata Waddedar's identified action here was the Pahartali European Club raid in 1932.
- (B) The Writers' Building attack in Kolkata is associated with Benoy, Badal and Dinesh in 1930, not with Pritilata Waddedar.
- (C) The Central Assembly bombing in Delhi is associated with Bhagat Singh, while Pritilata Waddedar's action took place in Chittagong.
Concept
This tests Modern Indian History through personality-event matching within the revolutionary nationalist movement. It recurs in RAS because Chittagong-linked actions require precise chronology and attribution, not just recognition of famous revolutionary names.