Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct ?

(a) The Eka Movement was throughout supported and organized by the Congress while Bardoli Satyagraha was initially independent of Congress influence and was only in the last stages supported by the Congress.
(b) The Eka Movement was provided leadership by the taluqdars of Awadh, whereas the Bardoli Satyagraha was a movement of the landless labourers.
(c) The Bardoli Satyagraha was a campaign against the enhancement of land revenue, while the Eka Movement was a protest against excessive extraction of rents. ✓ UPSC's answer
(d) The Eka Movement was located in the Varanasi and Mirzapur districts of the present-day U.P., while the Bardoli Satyagraha took place in Saurashtra.

Why the answer is (c)

• The Eka (Unity) Movement of 1921–22 arose in Hardoi, Bahraich and Sitapur districts of Awadh among tenants protesting excessive rent demands, oppressive rent collection and evictions; it was led locally by Madari Pasi and slipped out of Congress control.

• The Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 in Surat district, Gujarat, was a peasant-proprietor campaign under Vallabhbhai Patel against a 22 per cent enhancement of land revenue.

• Option (c) states exactly this contrast — revenue enhancement at Bardoli versus excessive rent extraction in Eka — and is correct.

• Option (a) is wrong because Eka was not organised throughout by Congress, and Bardoli was led by Patel with Congress backing from the start.

• Options (b) and (d) are wrong: Eka's leaders were tenants, not taluqdars; Bardoli's participants were landholding peasants, not landless labourers; and the locations given are incorrect.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) The Eka Movement was throughout supported and organized by the Congress while Bardoli…: Eka broke away from Congress under Madari Pasi, and Bardoli was Congress-led from the outset under Patel.
(b) The Eka Movement was provided leadership by the taluqdars of Awadh, whereas the Bardoli…: Eka was a tenants' movement against taluqdars, and Bardoli was a movement of peasant proprietors, not landless labourers.
(d) The Eka Movement was located in the Varanasi and Mirzapur districts of the present-day…: Eka was in Hardoi, Bahraich and Sitapur (Awadh); Bardoli is in Surat district, Gujarat, not Saurashtra.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, held on 24 May 2026. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.