RAS question
Who is known as the 'Father of the Marwar Praja Mandal' movement?
Correct answer: (D) Jai Narain Vyas.
Jai Narain Vyas is known as the Father of the Marwar Praja Mandal movement.
Explanation
Jai Narain Vyas is the answer because he founded the Marwar Praja Mandal in Jodhpur in 1934 and linked his politics to the demand for responsible government in Jodhpur State. The Constitution of India profile supports this Jodhpur-centred role: Vyas was born in the princely state of Jodhpur, started the Marwar Hitkarni Sabha in the early 1920s, and later founded organisations including the Jodhpur Praja Mandal, the Youth League and the Marwar Lok Parishad. The profile also records that he was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Jodhpur, became Prime Minister of the princely state of Jodhpur in March 1948, and later served twice as Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Vijay Singh Pathik was not the founder figure of the Marwar Praja Mandal; Jai Narain Vyas's Jodhpur-centred political organisations point to him instead.
- (B) Arjun Lal Sethi does not fit the evidence, which identifies Jai Narain Vyas with the founding of the Marwar Praja Mandal and with Praja Mandal activity in Jodhpur.
- (C) Gokulbhai Bhatt is not linked to founding the Marwar Praja Mandal; Vyas's leadership in Jodhpur political mobilisation is the relevant link.
Concept
This tests the Praja Mandal movements in Rajasthan's princely states, especially leadership and responsible-government demands in Marwar/Jodhpur. RAS repeats this theme because it connects regional freedom-struggle politics with the integration-era leadership of Rajasthan.