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Page 1: Land Reforms in India_ Peasant Revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

7/4/2014 Land Reforms in India: Peasant revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

http://mrunal.org/2013/10/land-reforms-peasant-struggles-for-land-reforms-during-british-raj.html 1/32

Mrunal

polity | 15 9 months ago[Land Reforms] Peasant

Revolts for Land reforms

during British Raj

1. Prologue

2. Peasant struggles in British India

3. Peasant Revolts before 1857

1. Sanyasi Revolt, 1772

2. Pagal Panthi, 1830s-40s

3. Santhal, 1855

SEARCH B4 ASKING!

Search

नवीनतम �ट�प�णयाँ

ARCHANA { Sir can u

please suggest a site to

refer to for international

events. Eg for polity

prsindia.. } – [Disaster]

Cloudburst, Himalayan

Tsunami in

Uttarakhand, Dopper...

RANSWITZER { All the

very best guys for d final

result... If I get CISF then

only I am planning to join

it... } – [CAPF] UPSC

declares Written Result

of Assistant...

SAURABH { ADMIT

CARD IS PUBLISHED FOR

Economy

Current

Articles

Studyplans

Download

Toppers

Forum

Top

Page 2: Land Reforms in India_ Peasant Revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

7/4/2014 Land Reforms in India: Peasant revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

http://mrunal.org/2013/10/land-reforms-peasant-struggles-for-land-reforms-during-british-raj.html 2/32

4. Revolts after 1857′s Mutiny

1. Indigo Movement (1859-60)

2. Deccan Riots (1874-75)

3. Ramosi, 1877-87

4. No-Revenue Movements (1893-1900)

5. Birsa Munda’s Ulgulan (1899)

6. Rajasthan: 1913-17

7. Champaran Indigo Satyagraha

(1917)

8. Kheda Satyagraha (1918)

5. Peasant revolts in the 20s

1. Kisan Movement, UP (1920s)

2. Eka Movement (1920s)

3. Second Moplah Uprising (1921)

4. Bardoli Satyagraha (1928)

6. Peasant Revolts in the 40s

1. Tebhaga, Bengal, 1946

2. Telangana, Hyderabad State (46-51)

3. Varli, Bombay Province

7. Mock Questions

Prologue

This [Land Reforms] Article series will (try to) cover

following issues for UPSC Mains GS/Optionals:

1. Three land tenure system of the British:

Their features, implications. We saw in

previous article.

2. Peasant struggles in British Raj: causes and

consequences. Discussed in this article.

3. Land reforms, Before independence: by

SSC 2013 RE-EXAM FOR

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SSC-CR.ORG WEBSITE .FOR

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CGL-2013] Re-exam on

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[Reasoning] Syllogism

(All Cats are Dogs):

Method,...

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MAJID { Sir, i do not

know if it should be put

but thought it would be

Page 3: Land Reforms in India_ Peasant Revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

7/4/2014 Land Reforms in India: Peasant revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

http://mrunal.org/2013/10/land-reforms-peasant-struggles-for-land-reforms-during-british-raj.html 3/32

Congress governments in Provinces, their

benefits and limitations. Gandhi and Ranade’s

views on Land reforms, All India Kisan Sabha etc.

4. Land reforms, After independence: abolition of

Zamindari, Land Ceiling and Tenancy reforms.

Their benefits and limitations

5. Land reforms by non-governmental action:

Bhoodan, Gramdan, NGOs etc. their benefits and

limitations

6. Land reforms in recent times: Computerization

of land records, Forest rights Act, land reform

policy etc. their benefits and limitations.

Peasant struggles in Brit ish India

Can be classified into following groups:

Before

1857′s

Mutiny

East India: Sanyasi Revolt, Chuar and Ho

Rising, Kol Rising, Santhal Rising, Pagal

Panthis and Faraizis Revolt

West India: Bhil, Ramosis

South India: Poligars

After

1857′s

Mutiny

Indigo Movement (1859-60)

Pabna Agrarian Unrest (1873-76),

Deccan riots (1874-75),

No-Revenue Movement Assam,

Maharashtra, and Punjab: (towards the

end of 19th century)

Champaran Indigo Satyagraha (1917)

In the

20s and2nd Moplah, Awadh Kisan Sabha, Eka

movement, Bardoli etc.

better if link for OFCDs was

also put in. so... } –

[Current]MayW2/P2:

Polity- Form20, EVM

Totalizer, Pramati

Judgement,...

KUSHAL { Statement II.

Marked price is never

lower than Selling price. In

case of shortage of goods

selling price can be higher

then market price Sir,... } –

[Aptitude] Concepts of

Marked Price and

Successive...

DEEPTI { Fantastic

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[Current]MayW2/P2:

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In question no 9 Statement

I. Marked Price is always

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isn't if person want to clear

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Concepts of Marked

Price and Successive...

SAURABH

PRASHANT { No.I

asked him whether the

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he reiterated 2014!! May

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Page 4: Land Reforms in India_ Peasant Revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

7/4/2014 Land Reforms in India: Peasant revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

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30s

During

and

After

WW2

Congress Ministries in provinces such as

Bihar, UP and Bombay (will be discussed

separately in third article)

Faizpur Congress session (1936)

All India Kisan Congress

Tebhaga Movement in Bengal

Telangana Outbreak in Hyderabad

Varlis Revolt in Western India

Peasant Revolts before 1857

click to enlarge

Note: I’m also including some tribal revolts that had

connections with land settlement/tenancy systems.

Sanyasi Revolt, 1772

British government restricted people from

visiting holy places. Sansyasi got angry

Joined by farmers, evicted landlords, disbanded

soldiers

Focal point: Rangpur to Dhaka

Leader: Manju Shah Fakir

Sanyasis defeated a company of sepoys and

killed the commander. They overran some

aware. } – [ACIO] Result

for ACIO 2013 exam

declared,...

SUNIL GANDEWAR {

Congrats Rishi Sir.... Wish

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[Topper's Interview]

Rajarshi Raj Varma

(UPSC-2013 / ...

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– [ACIO] Result for ACIO

2013 exam declared,...

YOGESH MEENA { Sir

Norman lewis k alawa koi

Aur option nahi hai kya

vocabulary improve krte k

liye } – [Studyplan] SSC-

CGL English Vocabulary,

Grammar and

Comprehension:...

VIKRAM { Hii

saurabh..thanks 4 d info.. I

think the batch that has

begun cannot b of acio

2013..it could b of acio

2012 reserve list batch... }

– [ACIO] Result for ACIO

2013 exam declared,...

SANTOSH { Ruchi gupta

jee, Supreme court

'collegium' will be the

Page 5: Land Reforms in India_ Peasant Revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

7/4/2014 Land Reforms in India: Peasant revolts in British-Raj 4UPSC

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districts, virtually running a parallel government.

This rebellion continued till the end of the 18th

century.

Governor General Warren Hastings launched a

military campaign against Sansyasis.

From 1800, sanyasis probably joined the

Marathas to fight British.

Pagal Panthi, 1830s-40s

Reason: Zamindari Oppression

Area: North Bengal, Hajong and Garo tribes.

Leader: Karam Shah and his son Tipu

Result: Initially British agreed to Pagal Panthi

demand, made arrangement to protect the

cultivators from Zamindar

But later, launched massive military operation to

suppress Pagal Panthis

Santhal, 1855

Reason: oppression of police, atrocities of

landlords and moneylenders, ill-treatment of

small farmers by land revenue officials.

Government banned shifting cultivation in forest

areas.

Area: Raj Mahal hills

Leaders: Sindhu + Kanhu

Result: The government could pacified these

Santhals by creating a separate district of

Santhal Parganas.

some other revolts before 1857’s Mutiny:

penal authority in selection

of Judges of Supreme

court.Here What executive

did is ethically seemed to...

} – [Current]MayW2/P2:

Polity- Form20, EVM

Totalizer, Pramati

Judgement,...

अ��तम ितिथ

B a n k i n g S ec t o r

09-Jul: IBPS RRB 2014

21-Jul: RBI asst .(only

SPORTS quota)

11-Jul: Jharkhand Gramin

(Sep13 RRB Score)

11-Jul: Puducherry Gramin

(Sep13 RRB Score)

Co m m / H R / CA/ M B A

30-Aug: Accountant NIFFT

Ranchi

11-Jul: HR officers,NBBC

I T / Co m p u t er

30-Aug: IITD Delhi system

admin(3)

25-Jul: programmer

Lucknow Med.Uni.

25-Jul: programmer

Lucknow Med.Uni.

17-Jul: IT jobs NIHFW

15-Jul: System Op.Raebareli

10-Jul: Karnataka PC

operators

08-Jul: Ludhiana PC operator

06-Jul: IT engg. in CRIS (need

GATE2014)

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Bhil

1817 to 1819

Reason: agrarian hardship

Area: W.Ghats, Khandesh

Chuar and Ho

1820 to 1837.

Reason: famine, land Revenue

Area: Midnapur, Chhotanagpur,

Singhbhum

Tribes involved

Chuar=Midnapur

Ho and Munda= Chhota Nagpur

and Singhbhum

Faraizis

1838 to 1857

Reason: Zamindari Oppression

Area: East Bengal

Leader: Faraizis were followers of

a Muslim sect founded by Haji

Shariatullah of Faridpur

Kherwar/Sapha

Har

Against revenue settlements in

tribal areas.

Kol

Reason: British transferred of

land from Kol headmen (Mundas)

to outsiders like Sikh and Muslim

farmers.

Area: Chhota Nagpur, Ranchi,

Singhbhum, Hazaribag, Palamau

and western parts of Manbhum.

Mophah, First

uprising

1836-1854

Malabar.

by Muslim tenants against Hindu

Zamindars (Jemnis).

03-Jul: I IT-GNR Software

E n g i n eer s

23-Jul: MNIT Jaipur

Tech.asst .

15-Jul: ONGC Western

Tech.asst .

11-Jul: Powergrid Sr.Engg

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09-Jul: OIL Drilling Engg.12

03-Jul: I IT-GNR

03-Jul: AFCAT Airforce

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(GATE2014)

30-Jun: CPRI Engg. Banglore

P o l i c e/ D ef en c e/ I n t e l .

21-Jul: NDS(I I ) 2014

14-Jul: BSF Para-

Medic,Pharma

14-Jul: BSF Motor

transport

07-Jul: BSF ASI/H.Constables

06-Jul: Doctors in BSF

03-Jul: AFCAT Airforce

S p ec i a l i s t

B Co m / H R / M B A

15-Jul: ONGC

accountants(2)

09-Jul: HR Officers BEL

M ed i c a l / A l l i ed

18-Jul: Doctors in HAL

14-Jul: BSF Para-

Medic,Pharma

07-Jul: Haryana Doctors

06-Jul: Doctors in BSF

03-Jul: Doctors in various

central org.

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Poligars

Reason: land Revenue

Area: Dindigul, Malabar, Arcot,

Madras presidency

Tiru Mir

1782-1831

Bengal. Against Hindu land lords,

who imposed beard tax on

Farazis.

Revolts after 1857 ′s Mutiny

General features:

1. After 1857’s revolt, The British had crushed down

native princes and zamindars. Hence farmers

themselves became main force of agitations.

2. Target= sometimes government, sometimes

moneylender, sometimes landlord/ zamindar

3. Territorial reach. not organized on mass-scale

4. Often spontaneous. no coordination

30-Jun: Delhi Doctors

30-Jun: Medical Officer

Chandigarh(10)

30-Jun: AIIMS Jodhpur

L eg a l

07-Jul: Haryana Attorney

S c i en c e/ Ag r i . G r a d s .

30-Aug: Lab Attendent NIFFT

Ranchi

25-Jul: Himachal

Tech.Assistants

14-Jul: IHBT Himachal

10-Jul: Karnataka lab

assistant

10-Jul: Karnataka Horti.Field

Asst.

10-Jul: Scientist MP

05-Jul: DRDO scientists

05-Jul: SAIL technician

03-Jul: NIFTEM technician

04-Jul: Scientist Tamilnadu

003Jul: Dehradun

Scientist/Asst.

04-Jul: Assistants Tamilnadu

S p ec . O t h er s

07-Jul: Haryana Town planner

M i s c . D es k j o b s

30-Aug: clerks NIFFT Ranchi

31-Jul: NGT

Secretary,Steno,Translators

21-Jul: NIT Warangal asst .

10-Jul: NIT Patna Asst .

15-Jul: NIFT,Gandhinagar

15-Jul: Raebareli Deskjobs

07-Jul: Drivers AMU

03-Jul: I IT Gandhinagar

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5. lacked continuity or long term struggle.

6. never threatened British supremacy

7. farmers didn’t mind paying rent, revenue,

interest on debt but only agitated when they

were raised to an abnormal level.

8. lacked understanding of colonial economic

system or divide and rule policy of the British.

Farmers’ agitations were based within framework

of old social order, hence often failed because

government could woo a faction by granting

them concession and hence movement would

collapse.

Indigo Movement (1859-60)

European planters forced desi farmers to grow

the indigo in Eastern India, without paying right

price.

If any farmer refused- and started growing rice,

he was kidnapped, women and children were

attacked, and crop was looted, burnt and

destroyed.

If farmer approached court, the European judge

would rule in favour of the European planter.

The privileges and immunities enjoyed by the

British planters placed them above the law and

beyond all judicial control.

Finally Indigo peasants launched revolt in Nadia

district of Bengal presidency. Refused to grow

Indigo. If police tried to intervene, they were

attacked.

European Planters responded by increasing the

rent and evicting farmers. Led to more agitations

Deskjobs

L ec t u r e/ P r o f .

07-Jul: AMU

02-Jul: Baroda Univ .

W a r n i n g

DONOT wait til l last

date. Online Form Part1

stops working 2-3 days

b4 deadline.

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and confrontations.

Later got support from the intelligentsia, press,

missionaries and Muslims.

Result: Government issued a notification that

the Indian farmers cannot be compelled to grow

indigo and that it would ensure that all disputes

were settled by legal means. By the end of 1860,

Indigo planters should down their factories and

cultivation of indigo was virtually wiped out from

Bengal.

Harish

Chandra

Mukherji

editor of Hindu patriot. published reports

on indigo campaign, organized mass

meetings etc.

Din

Bandhu

Mitra

wrote a play ‘Neel Darpan’ to portray the

oppression of indigo farmers.

Pabna Agrarian Unrest (1873-76)

Area: East Bengal. Pabna=a jute growing district

Reason: Zamindars enhanced rents beyond

legal limits through a variety of cesses (Abwab),

Farmers had to face costly legal affairs and

forced eviction. Nuisance of moneylenders.

Leaders: Ishwar Chandra Roy, Shambhu Pal,

Khoodi Mollah.

Notable features

Agrarian league formed to fight legal battle

against the zamindars and organized

nonpayment of rent campaign.

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This league provided a sound platform to the

peasants at a time when there was no kisan

sabha or any political party to organize the

peasants.

by and large non-violent. No zamindar or agent

was killed / seriously injured. Very few houses

looted, very few police stations attacked.

Hindu Muslim unity, despite the fact that most

Zamindars were Hindu and farmers were

muslims.

farmers demanded to become ryots of British

queen and not of Zamindars.

Got support from Intellectuals: Bankim Chandra

Chettarji, RC Dutt, Surendranath Benerjee etc.

Result:

This unrest resulted into Bengal Tenancy Act of

1885.

But this act did not fully protect farmers from the

zamindari oppression

Even non-cultivators were given occupancy right.

It gave rise to a powerful jotedar groups.

Later some of the Jotedars became as

exploitative as the zamindars.

Deccan R iots (1874-75)

Area: In the ryotwari areas of Pune and

Ahmadnagar of Maharashtra

Reasons

the land revenue was very high

had to pay land Revenue even during bad

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seasons

1860: American civil war=boom in demand of

cotton export.

But In 1864, war ends=>cotton export declines,

yet government raised land revenue.

Farmers had taken loans from moneylenders,

but now they cannot repay=>Moneylenders took

away their land, cattle, jewelry and property.

Notable features:

1. The object of this riot was to destroy the dead

bonds, decrees, etc. in possession of their

creditors.

2. Violence was used only when the moneylenders

refused to hand over the documents.

3. villagers led by traditional headmen (Patels)

4. Involved social boycott of moneylender. and

social boycott of any villager who didn’t socially

boycott the moneylender.

5. Later got support from Poona Sarvajanik Sabha

led by Justice Ranade.

Result:

1. Initially government resorted to use of police

force and arrest. but later appointed a

commission, passed Agriculturists Relief Act in

1879 and on the operation of Civil Procedure

Code.

2. Now the peasants could not be arrested and

sent to jail if they failed to pay their debts.

Ramosi, 1877-87

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Reason: Ramosis of Maharashtra were the

inferior ranks of police in Maratha

administration.

After the fall of the Maratha kingdom, they

became farmers =>heavy land Revenue demands

by British.

Area: Satara, Maharashtra, Deccan

Leader: Chittur Singh (1822), Vasudev Balwant

Phadke (1877-87)

Result: Government gave them land grants and

recruited them as hill police.

No-Revenue Movements (1893-1900)

In the Ryotwari areas. Main reason: hike in land

revenue.

Assam

British increase land Revenue by 50 to 70

per cent in Kamrup and Darrang districts.

Villager decided not to pay Revenue. And

socially boycotted any farmer who paid

land Revenue.

Rural elites, Brahmin led the revolt. Social

boycott of anyone who paid taxes to

British.

Bombay

farmers wanted revenue remission under

famine code during 1896-1900.

Tilak, Poona Sarvajanik Sabha sent

volunteers to spread awareness among

farmers about their legal rights under

Famine code.

These campaigns spread to Surat, Nasik,

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Khera and Ahmedabad.

Punjab

Nuisance of moneylenders.

led to assault and murder of

moneylenders by the peasants.

Result: Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1902

which prohibited for 20 years transfer of

land from peasants to moneylenders and

mortgage.

Birsa Munda’s Ulgulan (1899)

South of Ranchi

Reasons

Tribals practiced Khuntkatti system (joint holding

by tribal lineages)

But rich farmers, merchants, moneylenders,

dikus, thekedars from Northern India came and

tried to replace it with typical Zamindari-tenancy

system.

These new landlords caused indebtedness and

beth-begari (forced labour) among the tribal.

Birsa Munda organized the Munda tribals,

attacked churches and police stations.

Result:

Birsa died in jail, while others shot dead, hanged

or deported.

Government enacted Chotanagpur Tenancy Act

1908.

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recognized Khuntkatti rights

banned eth Begari (forced labour)

Rajasthan: 1913-17

Bijolia Movement and No tax campaign against

Udipur Maharana

reason: The jagirdar levied 86 different cesses on

farmers.

leaders: Sitaram Das, Vijay Singh Pathik (Bhoop

Singh), Manik lal Verma

Farmers refused to pay taxes, migrated to

neighboring states

1922: Bhil movement against begari (forced

labour)

Champaran Indigo Satyagraha (1917)

Area: Champaran district of Bihar. Ramnagar,

Bettiah, Madhuban.

European planters forced Indian farmers to

cultivate indigo on 3/20th of their land holding.

Popularly known as tinkathia system.

Under this system, European planters holding

thikadari leases from the big local zamindars

forced the peasants to cultivate indigo on part of

their land at un-remunerative prices and by

charging sharahbeshi (rent enhancement) or

tawan (lump sum compensation)

if the farmer did not want to grow indigo, he had

to pay heavy fines

1916 A farmer Raj Kumar Shukla contacted Gandhi

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during Congress Session @Lucknow.

1917

Mahatma Gandhi launched an agitation.

Demanded a detailed enquiry and redressal of

farmers’ grievances.

Result:

1. Government appoints a committee, even

included Gandhi as one of the member.

2. Government abolishes tinkhatia system and pays

compensation to the farmers.

3. Gandhi gets new allies: Rajendra Prasad, JB

Kriplani, Mahadev Desai and Braj Kishore Prasad

Kheda Satyagraha (1918)

Severe drought in Khera District, Gujarat

Kanbi-Patidar farmers. Making decent living

through cotton, tobacco and dairy. But Plague

and famine during 1898-1906 reduced their

income. Yet government increased Revenue

demand.

Prices of essential commodities: kerosene, salt

etc increased because of WW1.

Farmers requested government to waive the land

Revenue. Government ignored.

Gandhi + Sardar Patel launched “no-revenue”

campaign

Result:

1. Government reduced revenue to 6.03%

2. Government ordered officials to recover Revenue

only from those farmers who were willing to pay.

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3. Gandhi gets new ally: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Peasant revolts in the 20s

General features

1. Often turned violent/ militant. Created a divide

between local leaders and Nationalist

Leaders/Congress/Gandhi

2. Sign of fear among middle-class leadership that

movement would turn militant.

3. Government used full police force and

suppression.

4. Farmers didn’t demand abolition of rent,

zamindari. They only wanted a fair system of

land tenancy.

Kisan Movement, UP (1920s)

Awadh farmers were suffering because:

1. Lack of occupancy rights on land in many

regions.

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2. Exaction by landlords of tributes, cesses, gifts,

forced labour and excessive rent.

3. Periodic revision of land revenue in ryotwari

areas.

4. Heavy indebtedness to the village land lords or

money lenders.

5. World war I = steep rise in the price of food

grains benefiting middlemen and merchants at

the cost of the poor.

6. Farmers had to pay Larai Chanda (War

contribution) during WW1.

7. To counter Gandhi/Congress’s influence, the

Government wanted to win over Talukdars in

Avadh. Hence, they gave free hand to Taulkdars

regarding rent collection, eviction etc.

8. As a result, Begari (forced labour) and Bedakhli

(evicting tenant for land) became a common

sight.

9. +caste domination: “Jajmani system” under

which, lower caste were oblighted to supply

ghee, cloths etc free/@discounted prices to

upper caste.

1918

UP Kisan Sabha setup.

by Home Rule leaders Gauri Shanker Mishra and

Indra Narain Dwivedi with the support of Madan

Mohan Malviya.

1920

Baba Ramchandra organized peasants of Awadh

against the landlords, using Ramayana and caste

sloghans.

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Methods of Awadh Kisan Sabha

1. asked farmers to stop working on bedakhli land

(i.e. from where earlier farmer was evicted)

2. asked farmers to stop giving Begari and Jajmani.

3. Social boycott of farmers who did not obey 1+2.

4. By 1921, this movement turned militant and

spread to districts of Eastern UP. involved

looting, ransacking, attacking zamindar

properties.

5. agitators raided the houses of landlords and

moneylenders, looted bazaars and granaries

Result: Government amended Awadh Rent Act in

1921 and AKS ceased violence.

Later All India Kisan Sabha emerged. Discussed

separately in third article along with Congress

Provincial government .

Eka Movement (1920s)

Eka=unity movement

Initially by Congress+Khilafat Leaders. Later

Madari Pasi and other low caste leaders.

Reason: oppression by Thekedar. High rents

Involved religious ritual, in which farmer would

take a tip in Ganges and vow not to do begari,

resist eviction etc.

Even included some small zamindars who were

unhapped with British demands for high

revenue.

By 1922 severe repression by government=Eka

Movement vanished.

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Second Moplah Uprising (1921)

Reasons:

1. Hindu Zamindars (Jemnis) exploiting Muslim

Moplah/Mappila farmers in Malabar (Kerala)

2. rumors that British military strength had

declined post WW1.

3. Khilafat movement and general hatred towards

British.

Tipping point: Police raided a mosque to arrest a

Khilafat leader Ali Musaliar.

Farmers attacked police stations, public offices

and houses, land records of zamindars and

moneylenders under the leadership of

Kunhammed Haji.

For months, British government lost control over

Ernad and Walluvanad taluks for several months.

This movement was termed as Anti-British, Anti-

Zamindars and, to some extent, as anti-Hindu.

Podanur Blackhole: British put 66 Moplah

prisoners into a railway wagon and completely

shut it down. They all died of asphyxiation.

Result: Hundreds of Moplah lost lives- as a result

they were completely demoralized and didn’t

join in any future freedom struggles or even

communist movements post independence.

Bardoli Satyagraha (1928)

Area: Bardoli, Gujarat

Reason: land Revenue increased by 22%.

Sardar Patel persuaded the farmers:

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not to pay Revenue, required them to take

oath in the name of their respective

Hindu/Muslim gods.

social boycott of anyone who paid revenue.

Resist eviction and Jabti (Confiscation). Lock

houses and migrate to Baroda State

social upliftment of Kaliparaj caste- who

worked as landless laborers.

KM Munshi resigned from Bombay Legislative

council.

Bombay communists and railway workers also

threatened strikes and boycotts.

Result:

Government setup Maxwell-Broomfield

commission.

Reduced land Revenue to 6.03%

Returned confiscated land back to farmers.

Vallabhbhai got the title of “Sardar”.

Civ il Disobedience Movement (CDM) 1930-31

In UP, Congress asked Zamindars not to pay

revenue to Government. (no-revenue)

And asked Farmers not to pay rent to Zamindars.

(no rent)

But Zamindars remained loyal to British =>as a

result only farmers participated in no-rent

movement.

Misc. Peasant Movements in the 1920 and

30s

Great Depression started in USA, spread in

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Europe=> agricultural prices crashed.

But Revenue, rents and taxes remained high,

impoverishing the peasants.

farmers emboldened by Success of Bardoli

Satyagraha of 1928

Many Zamindar leaders stood up in 1937’s

provincial elections on Congress tickets but they

were defeated =farmers even more emboldened.

Bakasht

MovementBihar

Barhaiya TalBihar. To restore Bakasht land. Leader:

Karyananda Sharma

Bengal, Bihar Refused to pay Chaukidari tax

Bihar

Kisan ran campaign to abolish Zamindari,

restore Bakshat lands. Matter Solved

when provincial congress government

passed act.

Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha, 1929

Bombay,

Central

Provinces

Against forest grazing regulations

Hajong

Tribals

in Garo hills. to reduce rent from 50% to

25%. Leader Moni Singh.

Maharashtra,

Karnataka,

Bundelkhand

No-Revenue movement

Malabar,against feudal levies, advance rents and

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Kerala eviction. Result: Malabar Tenancy act was

amended.

Punjab

Punjab Riyasati Praja Mandal (1928)

Against Maharaj of Patiala – he had

increased land Revenue by 19%

farmers wanted him to abolish his

land reserved for shikar (hunting)

for reduction of canal taxes.

Surat, KhedaFarmers refused to pay Revenue.

Migrated to Baroda State.

Peasant Revolts in the 40s

General features:

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During WW2, the peasant movements had

declined.

But after the end of WW2 (1945)- peasant leaders

anticipate freedom and new social order. Hence

new movements with renewed vigour.

Earlier kisan movements usually didn’t demand

abolition of Zamindari. They merely wanted a

fair system of land revenue and land tenancy.

But these new movements strongly demanded

for abolition of Zamindari.

Even when they were unsuccessful, they created

a climate which necessitated the post-

independence land reforms and abolition of

Zamindari.

Earlier movements were by and large non-

violent. But now they turned militant e.g.

Telangana movement in Hyderabad state and

the Tebhaga movement in Bengal. Similarly All

India Kisan Sabha openly preached militancy,

violance against Zamindars.

Tebhaga, Bengal, 1946

1. in this region: Rich farmers (Jotedars) leased the

farms to sharecroppers (Bargadar)

2. Flout Commission had recommended that

Bargadar should get 2/3 of crop produce and

jotedar (the landlord) should get 1/3rd of crop

produce.

3. Tebhaga movement aimed to implement this

recommendation through mass struggle.

Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha

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who

communist groups

lower stratum of tenants such as

bargardars (share croppers), adhiars and

poor peasants, tea plantation workers etc.

against

whom

zamindars, rich farmers (Jotedars),

moneylenders, traders, local bureaucrats

Suharwardy’s Government introduced Bargardari

Bill. But overall, Limited success:

1. Brutal police suppression.

2. difference of opinion

tribal elements wanted more militant protest

poor and middle level farmer support

declined

urban professional did not support (Because

many of them had given their village land to

Bargadars)

3. Riots started in Calcutta, demand for partition.

Telangana, Hyderabad State (46-51)

Who? Farmers of Telengana and Madras, Praja

Mandal org., Communist party.

Against whom? Nizam’s officials, landlords,

moneylenders, traders

Biggest Peasant guerrilla war in Modern Indian

history.

Reasons?

1. Under Asafjahi Nizam- bureaucratic domination

by Muslim and Hindu elites

2. Vethi: forced labour and payments in kind by

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Jagirdar. Tribals were turned into debt slaves.

3. high rents, forced eviction and other forms of

badass thuggary associated in a feudal area.

Why guerrilla war?

1. Arms act was implemented in slack manner.

Easy to buy country made guns.

2. Congress, Arya Samaj etc. did not want

Nizam/Razakars to setup an independent

Hyderabad country after independence. So they

gave moral support, funding.

Result

1. revenue and rent records destroyed

2. bonded labour/vethi disappeared, decline in

untouchability

3. Agricultural wages were increased.

4. Destroyed aristocracy/feudalism from

Hyderabad. Paved way for formation of Andhra

State and Vinoba’s Bhudan movement.

Why decline?

Operation Polo: In 1948, Indian government sent

army to overthrow Nizam.

even after liberation of Hyderabad, the

Communist had internal political difference. The

class war turned into petty murdering of forest

officials and moneylenders. As a result

movement lost support.

Varli, Bombay Prov ince

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Varli=tribals in W.India.

Kisan Sabha supported them. Later under the

influence of communists.

Against whom? forest-contractors, the

moneylenders, the rich farmers, landlords,

British bureaucracy.

Mock Questions

5 marks

1. Pabna movement.

2. Indigo Movement

(1859-60)

3. Deccan Riots

(1874-75)

4. Sanyasi Revolt

5. Bardoli Peasant

Movement (1921)

6. Indigo Movement

(1959-60)

7. Pagal Panthis and

Faraizis Revolt

8. Peasant

Movement in

Avadh

9. Baba Ramdev Chandra.

10. Eka Movement

11. Kheda Satyagraha

12. Ramosi Revolts

13. Birsa Munda’s contribution

in Freedom struggle

14. Tebhaga Movement

15. Telengana movement (1946-

51)

12 marks

1. The most important contribution of the peasant

movements that covered large areas of the

subcontinent in the 30s and 40s was that they

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created the climate which necessitated the post-

independence agrarian reforms. Comment

2. Write a note on Peasant movements under

Gandhi’s leadership

3. Write a note on Peasants movements under

Sardar Patel’s leadership.

4. Write a note on the characteristics of peasant

movements in India from 1857 to Second World

War.

5. Write a note on the growth of Peasant

movements after 1920s.

6. Underline the critical link between the long

history of the national and peasant movements

in India and the nature and intensity of the land

reform initiatives taken after independence.

7. What were the important peasant struggles that

took place on the eve of Indian independence?

In the next article, we’ll see the land reforms

initiated by Provincial Congress governments before

independence, role of All India Kisan Sabha, views of

Gandhi and Ranade on Land reforms etc.

Previous ly in this category

[Land Reforms] Consolidation of Land

Holdings, Cooperative Farming,

Computerization of Land records:

features, benefits, l imitations

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Lucent's Samanya GyanPB

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Lucent's General Know...

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Objective General Eng...

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A MODERN APPROACHTO...

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[Land Reforms] Bhoodan, Gramdan, Jan

Satyagraha 2012 & other Non

Governmental Movements:

Achievements, obstacles, limitations

[Land Reforms] Tenancy Reform,

Tenancy protection Acts in India,

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अब तक 15 कम��स िलखी गयी

features, benefits, obstacles,

limitations, impact, evaluation

[Land Reforms] Ceiling on Land

holdings: Reasons, Impact, Obstacles,

Limitations, Achievements

[Land Reforms] Post Independence:

Abolition of Zamindari, Reasons,

Impact, Obstacles, Limitations, First

Amendment

Rush 22/10/2013 at 00:52

Reply

::::::::::::::::::::)) Nice Bhai

Star 22/10/2013 at 01:01

Reply

Mrunar bhai when will you upload the CAPF Answer 2013

answer key please ?

Pankaj 22/10/2013 at 09:33

Reply

YES PLZ .. DO UPLOAD ANSWER KEY FOR CAPF 2013

J&K 22/10/2013 at 10:12

Mruanl sirji..Tussi great ho…ye dil mage more…..pls

publish two article on (i) “Admin/revenue system of

Mughals” (ii) Vedic literature and Upnishads….

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Reply

atul 22/10/2013 at 16:15

Reply

i can not download photo from flicker

CS 22/10/2013 at 16:46

Reply

Sir in this series of articles u have mentioned most of

things present in Bipin chandra book so better name it as

MODERN INDIA by Mrunal.Thanks sir for all ur efforts

nathan 22/10/2013 at 22:22

Reply

mrunal ji.. thanks for such a great task ..

surely your contribution to the future steelframes of india

will be recognised… thanks a lot..

being from tamilnadu, i wish our state govt will soon

implement hindi as one of language…

now, learning hindi to interact with our beloved mr.mrunal

ji…

Anwar 07/11/2013 at 17:12

Reply

Sir i m also from tamilnadu but even more

desprate to hv hindi here……all d best

Amit 23/10/2013 at 17:39

Sir

Please please upload a similar article for culture , heritage

, ethics

i am not able to concentrate on my other topics pending

the preparation for these topics.

Please just give a assurance that before mains-2013 you

will publish articles on these topics will also help.

I dont have time to thoroughly suty the vajiram’s notes on

ethics . Culture and Heritage is so boring and too much of

jargons. Not able to cope up with so much of names.

Please Please help

Thanks

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Reply

Dinesh 25/10/2013 at 20:51

Reply

Sir,

I have a doubt about santhal rebellion. In bipin, it is given

that it was brutally crushed. But here it is given that they

were pacified. Please throw some light on it.

piyush gondaliya 29/10/2013 at 11:17

Reply

Please provide soe brife material about 2nd ARC REPORT.

pratyush 04/11/2013 at 09:11

Reply

awesome compilation…

Azmeena Rashid 05/01/2014 at 21:06

Reply

Help full to me

Sachin Rajput 23/03/2014 at 12:29

Reply

Truly a Civil Service exams succeeding revolution

Dr.asha shrivastava 25/04/2014 at 17:29

Reply

very good knowledge.very important to me

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