The cultivators the Surat taluka were divided into two categories –

  • Kali Paraj- Kali means black, it contains black skinned people, lower caste, tribes, untouchables as other backward classes.
  • Ujta Paraj -these are white complexioned people, all upper class and high class like the Patidar, Brahmin belonged to this class.

Gandhiji observed the situation of the Kali Paraj in Bardoli and he found that their condition was not good. They had a meagre amount of land and income from them was unproductive.

Conditions that led Bardoli Satyagraha

In the year 1925 the Bardoli area of Gujrat suffered a massive flood and famine that caused the crop production to decrease and hence added to farmers misery but the Bombay presidency raised the tax to 30% in that year. It was Jayakar who was responsible for the reassessment of the land revenue who gave this recommendation of increased tax. 

The various bodies wrote to the presidency regarding the situation but the authorities refused to cancel the rise.

Claims of the peasants post the rise in the tax 

  • They regarded the increase in tax rate as unjust and it declared that the establishment was inappropriate and without proper Assessment of the on-ground situation.
  • Further they found the report to be inaccurate and hence felt that the rise in tax was meaningless.

Major events 

During the initial phase of the Satyagraha the following steps were taken by the Congress-

  • The Congress published a report highlighting the inefficient Assessment of the report and drafted a petition to the revenue member of state government.
  • Later on, non-recognition of their petition they decided to withhold the enhanced payment in 1927 conference at Bardoli.
  • In 1928 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was invited and the movement was launched. On Government’s reply of no concession the peasants adopted a resolution to not pay the assessment until an inquiry was set up wherein an impartial tribunal was set up to investigate or the old assessment was accepted.
  • Gandhiji indirectly supported the peasants by writing in his journal Young India 

Key features of the Satyagraha

  • Support to campaigners from various volunteers – Hindus, Muslims, Parsis.
  • Women also participated in the Satyagraha.
  • Various Satyagraha camps were organised, speeches regarding the meaning and the way if struggle was taught to the participants.
  • New bulletin and speeches were issued from. The headquarters is Bardoli village.
  • The entire taluka was divided into camps which were under the command of a leader.
  • Around 1500 volunteers were there who assisted the 100 political workers. 
  • Oaths were taken by the peasants in the name of khuda or Prabhu.
  • The main campaign included non-cooperation, resignation to offices, economic boycott and trespass.

Response of government

  1. The government acted aggressively and issued notices to pay the assessment or suffer loss of property or forfeiture of land.
  2. On refusal of peasants their lands were attached, along with crops, cattle and any other movable property.
  3. Hence a large chunk of land was confiscated by the Bombay government.

Response of the peasants and community

In retaliation to confiscation of land and property –

  • Key leaders like KM Munshi and Lalji Narnaji resigned from the Bombay legislative council.
  • The president of the council Vithalbhai Patel also gave a warning of resignation.
  • The Bombay textile mill workers went on strike.
  • Railway strike and the mass reach of the movement till Punjab led to the government taking a soft corner towards the peasants and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was contacted.

Agreement

The governor insisted on full payment prior to any inquiry and Patel accepted an official inquiry if it was judicial in nature and representative of people to be invited. Also, Patel put forth certain other demands like – discharge of all prisoners, restoration of forfeited land and payment of the confiscated movable items at marked price.

The campaigners and government agreed on the agreement and the demand of paying the original tax before inquiry was fulfilled.

Committee and Report

A committee was set up under the Judicial officer Broomfield and the other officer was Maxwell. The findings of the committee were that the increased tax rate of 30% from the previous 6% was unjustified and the government agreed to give back the confiscated land and properties and the 30% raise was cancelled for many years.

Conclusion

The Bardoli Satyagraha was a struggle at the local level but it added on to the objective of national struggle. It gave a new hope and strength to the freedom movement as it encouraged the other peasant movement. Despite this the Satyagraha is criticised due to its lack of attention towards basic problems of the peasants.