Champaran satyagraha 1917
A Satyagrah occurred in 1917 in the Champaran district of Bihar under the
leadership of Gandhiji. It is known as Champaran Satyagraha. This was the first Satyagrah done in India under
Gandhiji's leadership.
Background and
Introduction
Thousands of landless
laborers and poor farmers, instead of food grains, NeelAnd were forced to cultivate other cash crops. There
was a lot of torture on farmers who cultivate the Nile. There was a lot of
exploitation by the British Some of the top garden owners were also
oppressing. Mahatma Gandhi reached there in April 1917 to take stock of
the situation of Neel Farmers of Champaran of Bihar on the invitation of
Rajkumar Shukla. Thousands of people got crowded for their
philosophy. The farmers showed all their problems. The police came
into action. The police superintendent ordered Gandhiji to leave the
district. Gandhiji refused to obey the order. The next day Gandhiji
was to appear in the court. Thousands of farmers were gathered outside the
court. Slogans were being raised in support of Gandhiji Given the
seriousness of the situation, the magistrate ordered Gandhiji to leave without
bail. But Gandhiji sought the punishment according to the law.
The decision was
postponed. His first objective was to introduce people to the basic
principles of 'Satyagraha'. They are the first condition to get freedom -
freedom from fear. Gandhiji sent many volunteers among farmers. Rural
schools were opened to educate the children of the farmers here. People
were taught how to live cleanly. All activities matched with Gandhiji's conduct.
During this time, Gandhiji had
learned how to make food for his colleagues such as Rajendra Babu, Acharya
Kripalani and Grace Babu and to do other work at home. Swayamsevaks took
away the dirty, washing, sweep-bhari. In this historic struggle of
Champaran Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. Grace Narayan Singh, Champaran's farmers played an
important role, including Acharya Kriplani, Brijkishor, Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh.
The British Government
got upset with this Gandhi campaign of Champaran. All India's attention
was now on the Champaran. The government was forced to appoint an inquiry
commission, Gandhiji was also made its member. The result was
the front. All wrong practices were abolished by making laws. A farmer
cultivating Neel for the benefit of the landlord now becomes the owner of
the land. Gandhiji gave a conch of the first victory of satyagraha in
India. Champaran itself became the birthplace of Satyagrah in
India. Thank you
Crisis
Many tenants alleged that
landlords had used a strong hand strategy for illegal convergence and
had done it to remove them in other ways. This issue was highlighted by
many lawyers/politicians and there was also an inquiry commission. Rajkumar
Shukla, and Sant Raut, a lender who took some land, persuaded Gandhi to go to
Champaran and thus, Champaran Satyagrah began. Gandhi reached Champaran on
10th April 1917 and stayed at home with Saint Raut's house in Amolwa village
with a team of prestigious lawyers: Brajakishor Prasad, Rajendra Prasad, Grace
Narayan Sinha Ramanavami Prasad, and JB Kripalani. [3]
Gandhi inaugurated the
basic school for the first time at the Barharwa Lakhansen village, 30
kilometers east of the district headquarter in East Champaran, Dhaka on
November 13, 1917, in which his experienced supporters and new volunteers of
the area was organized. [4] His handmade team of prestigious lawyers
[5] Rajendra Prasad, Dr. Grace Narayan Sinha, and Babu Brajakishor Prasad
organized detailed studies and surveys of villages, attributed to the horrific
episodes of atrocities and victims, in which the general situation of
humiliating life.
Building on the
confidence of the villagers, he started the construction of schools, schools
, and hospitals and encouraged the village leadership to undo the oppression of
purdah, untouchability and women. In the district, on 30th September 1917
and 17th January 1918, Gandhi established two more basic schools in Bhitiharawa
with the help of Sant Raut in West Champaran and Madhuban. The objective
behind the establishment of these schools was to fight illiteracy and create
awareness amongst the rural people. [4] He had joined many young
nationalists across India, including Brajakish Prasad, Rajendra Prasad, Grace
Narayan Sinha, Acharya Kripalani, Ram Navami Prasad and later Jawaharlal Nehru.
But their main attack
came because the police had arrested them for causing unrest and they were
ordered to leave the province. Hundreds of thousands of people protested
outside the prison, police stations and courts and demanded his release, which
the court reluctantly did. Gandhi organized attacks against the
landlords and who, with the guidance of the British Government, signed an
agreement to provide more compensation and control over the poor farmers of the
region, and till the end of the famine, revenue growth and collection
Canceled. It was during the agitation that for the first time Gandhi had
called Bapu (father) by Saint Raut and Mahatma
