Champaran Satyagraha Ncert
Mahatma Gandhi did many movements for India against the British government, such as Quit India Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement, just like them, Champaran Satyagraha was also a movement.
This movement was related to the interest of the farmers. And it started on April 19, 1917.
Champaran Satyagraha Movement History
Champaran is the name of a district which is situated in Bihar, and to provide justice to the farmers of Champaran district, Mahatma Gandhi started the Champaran Satyagraha movement.
At that time, the British government was forcing the farmers of Champaran to cultivate indigo. And for this reason the farmers there were very upset. Because the cultivation of indigo was affecting their lands.
Farmers had to cultivate indigo in most of their fields. And the farmers were not able to produce grains of their own free will.
At the time when this movement was going on, people like Bhagat Singh and Ashfaqullah Khan were also fighting for the freedom of India.
How Champaran Satyagraha Movement was started?
Both the moneylenders of Champaran district Raj Kumar Shukla and Sant Raut had a meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in Lucknow, in which he described atrocities on the farmers of Champaran.
At that time Gandhi refused to go to Bihar due to lack of time. But Raj Kumar Shukla and Sant Raut stubbornly convinced Gandhi to come to Bihar.
Gandhi told Raj Kumar Shukla that he would come to Bihar after visiting Kolkata. But despite Gandhi’s promise, Raj Kumar Shukla remained with Gandhi.
Indigo was also being cultivated on the land of Raj Kumar Shukla and Sant Raut. Therefore, both of them wanted to bring Gandhi to their district by any means, because they thought that only Gandhi could solve their problem.
The arrival of Mahatma Gandhi In Champaran
Mahatma Gandhi reached Champaran on 10 April, he had few other people with him like Braj Kishore Prasad, Rajendra Prasad, Narayan Sinha, and Ramnathvi Prasad.
After reaching there, Gandhi visited many villages and districts and spoke to the farmers as well, during which Gandhi came to know that most of the people there are illiterate, due to which the landlords exploit the illiterate people.
Gandhi did many things to improve the conditions of the people there, which are as follows.
- The people there were uneducated about not having a school. Therefore, Gandhi built some schools there. Out of this, 2 schools were built in a village named Barharwa Lakhansen.
- After building the school, he worked to create confidence in the people. And explained the importance of cleanliness to the people, and got the entire village cleaned.
- At that time, the women and people of lower castes had to face discrimination, for this also Gandhi did many things.
- Seeing these efforts, like many well-known leaders, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru also joined Gandhi’s campaign.
Case against Mahatma Gandhi
When Gandhi reached Champaran, a notice was issued by the magistrate there. In which he said that Gandhi could not live in the Champaran district, and advised him to return from there.
But Gandhi did not listen to the magistrate, therefore Gandhi was produced in the court. After this, the magistrate told Gandhi again that if you leave this district, then the case filed against him will be withdrawn.
But again Gandhi did not listen to the magistrate and said that “I have come to Champaran for humanity and national service. And Champaran is like my home and I will work for the people of Champaran”.
Arrestment of Mahatma
Gandhi was taken into custody by the police there on the charge of causing unrest in Champaran.
When the farmers came to know about Gandhi’s arrest, they demonstrated outside the police station and the court. Therefore, the court had to release Gandhi.
Champaran Agragarian Committee
The British government had become well acquainted with the power of Gandhi, so the British formed a committee for the farmers and Mahatma Gandhi also became a part of this committee.
Within a few months of the formation of this committee, the farmers were beginning to get a lot of relief, the landlords also reduced the dishonesty. Farmers were also given a little more compensation and control over farming, that’s how Gandhi helped the farmers.
Facts about Champaran movement
- This was Gandhi’s first disobedience movement. And because of this movement, the British government saw the power of Gandhi.
- During the Champaran movement, Sant Raut called Gandhi as “Bapu”, which means “father”. After this, other people also started calling him as Gandhi Bapu (Father Gandhi).
- After a hundred years of the Champaran Satyagraha Movement, the Government of India started the schemes related to cleanliness in Bihar. For this project, the Indian government will give Rs 1,000 crore Indian rupees.
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