Correct answer: C. Protection of forests
Explanation: The direct answer is Option C: protection of forests. The Chipko Movement was a forest-conservation movement in which villagers, especially in the Himalayan region, resisted tree felling by embracing or holding on to trees. The word ‘Chipko’ means to cling or stick, and this action expressed the wish to save forests and the livelihoods and environment connected with them. Option C is correct because forest protection was the movement’s central objective. Option A, military recruitment, concerns joining the armed forces and has no connection with Chipko. Option B, the Salt Law, is associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt March and the Civil Disobedience Movement, not Chipko. Option D, princely integration, refers to the political merging of princely states into India after independence, not an environmental campaign. A useful exam cue is: Chipko means hugging trees, so connect it with forests, environmental protection and local community action.