Though I have discarded much of past tradition and custom, and am anxious that India should rid herself of all shackles that bind and contain her and divide her people, and suppress vast numbers of them, and prevent the free development of the body and the spirit; though I seek all this, yet I do not wish to cut myself off from that past completely. I am proud of that great inheritance that has been and is, ours and I am conscious that I too, like all of us, am a link in that unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history in the immemorial past of India. The author wants India to rid herself of certain past bonds because

The correct answer is D because the passage explicitly states that the author wants India to rid herself of "shackles that bind and contain her and divide her people, and suppress vast numbers of them, and prevent the free development of the body and the spirit." This directly means these past bonds obstruct her physical and spiritual growth. Let's analyze each option: A) he is not able to see the relevance of the past: This is incorrect. The author clearly states, "I am proud of that great inheritance...and I am conscious that I too...am a link in that unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history." This shows he values and sees relevance in much of the past. B) there is not much to be proud of: This is incorrect. The author explicitly says, "I am proud of that great inheritance that has been and is, ours." C) he is not interested in the history of India: This is incorrect. His statement about being a "link in that unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history" demonstrates a clear interest and connection to India's history. He is selective about *which* aspects of the past to retain, not uninterested in history itself. D) they obstruct her physical and spiritual growth: This is correct. The passage states that the "shackles" (past traditions/customs) "prevent the free development of the body and the spirit," which is synonymous with obstructing physical and spiritual growth.