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When Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1915, he observed that indigo planters were oppressing the peasants in northern India. He, therefore, advised the same methods that he had used in South Africa to defy unjust labour practices imposed by the Indigo planters on the tenant farmers in the Champaran district of Bihar. The large zamindari estates of the Champaran district were under rich and influential landlords. The land for farming was leased out by the zamindars to Thikadars, mostly European Indigo Planters. The planters extracted rent for the land they took on lease from Zamindars by underpaying the peasants for indigo plantation. The emergence of the Champaran Satyagraha.
Change in the System of Farming
The farmers of Champaran followed the earlier Panchkathiya system for the plantation of Indigo, whereby five katas of land in a bigha had to be planted with indigo. The implementation of Tinkathiya was done by the local agitators and leaders like Sheikh Gulab, Harbans Sahay, Pir Mohammed Munsi, Sant Rawat, and Lomrah Singh to extract some concessions. The production and trade of Indigo were becoming terrifying for the poor peasants and had created an extra burden on them for their survival. They felt stuck and helpless as neither could they grow the regular food plantation on the land, not where they paid for the Indigo plantation.
Informing Gandhiji regarding the situation of Champaran
Raj Kumar Shukla worried about such a cruel system introduced by the agitators. He, therefore, wanted to transform the obnoxious agricultural labour prevailing in Champaran. Raj Kumar Shukla and Sant Raut met Gandhiji while attending the 31st Session of the Congress in Lucknow (held between December 26 and 30, 1916). They persuaded Gandhiji to seek help for the situation of Champaran and invited him to visit. Thus, the Champaran Satyagraha began.
The arrival of Gandhiji in Champaran
Gandhi reached Champaran on 10 April 1917. He stayed at Sant Raut’s house in Amolwa village and a team of proficient lawyers. Shortly after his arrival, he was sent a notice asking to leave the Champaran district at the earliest. However, Gandhiji disobeyed the order and later was sent a summons to appear before the court. The magistrate advised him to leave to withdraw the case against him for a penalty of disobedience, to which Gandhi refused. This was the first act of disobedience and thus marked the beginning of the Champaran Movement.
The motive of the Champaran Movement
- The Champaran movement was against the British planters, who exploited the peasants by underpaying them, charging them enormous land rent, and pressuring them to plant Indigo.
- Champaran Satyagraha ought to be a non-violent movement directed towards forming a new Agrarian Bill, thus eradicating the problem of increase in land rent and the obligation on peasants to grow indigo.
- The main objective of the Champaran Satyagraha was to make the peasants aware of the illegal practices and paying methods being imposed on them by the planters and standing up against them.
- Champaran Satyagraha was against the rise of poverty due dominance of planters on the peasants to offer the best part of the land and order of growing a particular crop. The planters were making huge profits behest of the hard work of the peasants who suffered great losses.
Reforms in the System after Champaran Movement
As Gandhi appeared before the court, the Government was left to admire his calm behaviour. They, therefore, agreed to Gandhi’s stay in the district and withdrew the case against him.
He was also granted permission to identify the grievances of the peasants and the victims of exploitation in the colonial era. Gandhiji wanted to reach the root cause of the problem faced by the peasants.
Therefore for a detailed study, he visited 2,841 villages in Champaran to interact with the peasants and British planters. This helped him gather the truths and facts more accurately.
A report was curated after discussions with peasants, planters, and British officials to identify the real cause of the suffering of the peasants. As a result of the report, a committee was set up with Gandhi.
Later, the Champaran Agrarian Bill was framed. Eventually, through Gandhi’s suggestions, many of the problems were resolved, resulting in a historical Victory for the farmers and the poor.
Conclusion
The Champaran movement stands a special spot in history as it preceded the beginning of the mass movement era. It is remembered as one of the glorious victories of a movement using non-violence and boycotts. Gandhiji emerged as a mass leader and was also involved in Ahmedabad Mill Strike and Kheda Satyagraha by 1918. By the end of the First World War in 1919, Gandhi was elected president of the Congress Party in 1921. The Champaran Satyagraha gave direction to India’s youth and freedom struggle illustrating the win of a movement by non-violence and noncooperation.
