Which of the following motivated Rabindranath Tagore to return the 'Sir' (Knighthood) award to the British government?

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (C) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Explanation:
• On April 13, 1919, British troops under General Dyer fired upon an unarmed crowd in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, killing hundreds.
• In protest against this inhumane act, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood (which granted him the title 'Sir') in May 1919.
• He wrote a famous letter to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford, stating: "The time has come when badges of honour make our shame glaring in the incongruous context of humiliation."

Information Booster:
• Knighthood Awarded: Tagore received the Knighthood in 1915 by King George V for his contribution to literature (following his Nobel Prize in 1913).
• Hunter Commission: The British government appointed the Hunter Commission to investigate the massacre, which Indian leaders found unsatisfactory.

Additional Knowledge:
• Civil Disobedience Movement (Option A): Started in 1930 with the Dandi March, much later than Tagore's renunciation.
• Execution of Bhagat Singh (Option B): Occurred on March 23, 1931.
• Khilafat Movement (Option D): While concurrent (1919-1920), Tagore's specific reason for returning the award was the massacre.