Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo

a politician, delegate and a landlord.

Physcially strong.

Raj kumar Shukla is described as being ‘Resolute’ because he was fully determined to take Gandhi to Bihar. Being an illiterate and poor share-cropper from Champaran, he had come to apprise and complain Gandhi about the injustice of the land lord system in Bihar. He met-Gandhi in Lucknow session of the Congress. He was too committed to accompany Gandhi everywhere. Gandhi was very much impressed by his tenacity and fixed time for Calcutta. Months passed in waiting, Shukla was sitting on his haunches at the fixed place in Calcutta, till Gandhi was free. Finally both boarded a train to Patna.

From Calcutta both, Gandhi and Rajkumar Shukla reached the city of Patna. He led Gandhi to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad . He was out of town. His servants knew Shukla as a poor sharecropper from Champaran who troubled Prasad to take up the cause of indigo. Gandhi went there with Shukla for the first time. So they took him to be another peasant. The servants allowed both of them to stay on the ground.

Shukla called on Gandhi at Lucknow. Then Gandhi had an appointment in Cawnpore and was committed to go to the other parts of India. When Gandhi returned to his Ashram in Sevagram at Ahmedabad, Shukla followed him. Then, Gandhi went to Calcutta Shukla was sitting on his haunches at the appointed date. When Gandhi was free, both boarded a train to the city of Patna in Bihar. Then Gandhi went to Muzzafarpur enroute to Champaran from there he went to Motihari and the nearby village. Finally he returned to Champaran.

The peasants planted 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo. The entire indigo harvest was to be paid as rent to the landlords. In the meanwhile, the British landlords, learnt that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. So they obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them the compensation for the 15 per cent arrangement. It was because the price of natural indigo would fall with the arrival of synthetic indigo. It will diminish or block the demand of the indigo.

Gandhi was a man of principles and did not want to set a bad example as a lawbreaker but he wanted to render the humanitarian and national service. Gandhi was asked to quit Champaran. He received the notice but wrote on it to disobey. Next day he had to appear in the court. The peasants came to know about it and the town of Motihari became cloud with peasants in the morning. They demonstrated around the courthouse. It was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British. The authorities failed to control the situation and they sought Gandhi’s cooperation to regulate the crowd. His idea of non-violence and satyagraha came into operation. For him the Voice of conscience’ was above any law. Mean while Gandhi was allowed to remain at liberty. These instances link them to his ideas of nonviolence and satyagraha.

His basic theories of fighting for a just cause, self-reliance and non-violence through satyagraha became the greatest challenge to the might of Britishers ruling India.

The official Inquiry Commission agreed, in principle, to make refunds of the money illegally extorted from the sharecroppers. The landlords feared that Gandhi would demand the refund of the full money. But to their amazement he demanded only 50 per cent. He remained firm on his stand. Then the representatives of the big planters offered to pay 25 per cent, to which Gandhi agreed breaking the deadlock.

Gandhi explained that the amount of the refund was less important. More important to him was that the landlords were comfronted to surrender part of the money and with it the part of indigo-their prestige. The peasants realised their rights and it boosted their courage.

Till the agreement the British planters were behaving like lords above law. They were deceitfully and illegally extorting money from the planters. With the settlement they were obliged to surrender part of the money and part of their indigo prestige. By now the peasants gained courage and confidence. They knew their rights. By and by the British planters left their estates and the share-cropping disappeared forever.

The annual meeting of Indian National Congress was being held. Raj Kumar Shukla from Champaran apprised Gandhiji of appalling conditions of share-croppers there. Gandhiji reached there. He came to know that the large estates were owned by the Englishmen and the Indians worked as their tenant farmers. They were required to pay 15% of their land yields. Gandhiji and the lawyers investigated into the grievances of the farmers. The Britishers decided that 25 per cent of the money would be refunded. The farmers became bold when they got their rights. Within a few years, the landlords relinquished their claims over the estates and the farmers became the owners.

Gandhiji viewed the social, economic and cultural backwardness of the area. He appointed volunteers to teach the villagers. Kasturba taught the Ashram rules and personal cleanliness and community sanitation. A doctor volunteered his services for six months to improve the health conditions of the people. They realized the value of self reliance. The lawyers helped the peasants in their cases. Women offered him whole hearted support. The countrymen embarked on the task of national freedom movement. It became a turning point in Gandhiji’s life (Career).

On his way to Champaran, Gandhiji stopped at Muzzafarpur to obtain more information about the atrocities done to the share-croppers. There the lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him since they represented the peasant groups in the courts. They charged high fees for these cases. Gandhiji scolded them for this and advocated that it was useless to go to the law courts where the peasants were much fear-stricken.

When Gandhiji received summons to appear in the court, he telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come with some influential people from Bihar. Thousands of peasants gathered round the court house. Many prominent lawyers arrived and they conferred with him. Gandhiji asked them if he was sentenced to prison what would they do ? The senior lawyer replied that they had come to advice and help him. In case Gandhiji was sent to jail there would be none to advise them. Side by side they thought Gandhiji was a total stranger and yet he was ready for prison for the peasants. They considered that it would be a shameful abandonment for them. Then they all collected around Gandhiji and requested that they would follow him to jail. Gandhiji said that the battle of Champaran is won. This is how Gandhiji influenced the lawyers.

In the year 1917 the movement of freedom struggle was on its footing. The advocates of home-rule were moving throughout the country to encourage the common man to participate in it.

The peasants were leading miserable lives due to the atrocities of the landlords. Raj Kumar Shukla brought Gandhi to Champaran and he himself investigated the cases of misdeeds. He felt that the peasants were terror-stricken and exploited. The average Indian was indifferent to show sympathy to the advocates of the home rule. In order to gather more information and true picture about the share-croppers, Gandhi sent a telegram to Prof. J. B. Kripalani. He came there at the station with a large body of students. For two days Gandhi stayed at the house of Professo Malkani. Gandhi praised the courage shown by these people. In those days it was quite an extraordinary thing and a courageous act to give shelter to a man like Gandhi. The average Indians were afraid of mixing with such courage-ous people those who were the advocates as “home rule.” They preferred to remain aloof from such things.

For the success of any movement, cooperation and participation of all and sundry is a must. They make the movement not only a success but also lead to the pinnacle. When Gandhiji arrived in Muzzafarpur, the multitude of peasants blackened Motihari. They knew that the Mahatma who wanted to help them, was in trouble with the authorities. It was perhaps the first kind of spontaneous demonstration of Indian against the Britishers. Seeing the situation beyond control, they sought his help to regulate the unprecedented crowd. The Government was baffled. It has such an impact on the Government that the civil disobedience won for the first time in 1917 in modern India.

Side by side the Government hFor the success of any movement, cooperation and participation of all and sundry is a must. They make the movement not only a success but also lead to the pinnacle. When Gandhiji arrived in Muzzafarpur, the multitude of peasants blackened Motihari. They knew that the Mahatma who wanted to help them, was in trouble with the authorities. It was perhaps the first kind of spontaneous demonstration of Indian against the Britishers. Seeing the situation beyond control, they sought his help to regulate the unprecedented crowd. The Government was baffled. It has such an impact on the Government that the civil disobedience won for the first time in 1917 in modern India.

Yes, it is rightly said that freedom from fear is more important than the legal justice for the poor. It is because of fear that everyone develops an apprehension of something going enormously wrong and dangerous or even fatal. The fear of any kind, harasses the person and mars his capabilities, energies, powers, happiness and even the peace of mind.

In this lesson, one can note that the poor peasants were much afraids of the landlords. Even the lawyers were charging high fees for the cases. Gandhi chided them for charging the heavy fees even from the share-croppers. He advised that it was useless to go to the courts because the peasants were crushed and they were fear-stricken. In his campaign for the share-croppers Gandhi was ordered to leave Champaran immediately. The peasants came to know and blackened the town of Motihari. The officials battled and sought Gandhi’s cooperation. An official inquiry commission was set up. It ordered the landlords to refund the amount to the peasants. Consequently they learnt courage and realised their rights. It shows that freedom from fear is more important than legal justice.

After independence one can see that the poor are not free except some cases of scheduled caste, backward castes and scheduled tribes.

There are other poor people in India. They hardly keep their body and soul together. They pass their nights on the open footpaths and go without food. Small children and workers are exploited by industrialists. They work in horrible conditions devoid of any security and safety. They are beaten and thrown to dingy cells. In reality the present India is ruled by the rich, crooked politicians and dons of the under world.

A good leader is a torch bearer who shows the light to his followers and to the masses at large. He brings them from darkness to light, from ignorance to awareness, from fear to self-reliance and violence to non-violence.

A good leader is a model for all. He has the personality traits of fearlessness, bravery, initiatives, spot-decision making and hardwork directed to the public welfare. His feelings of sacrifice for his motherland and for his people, make him a charismatic personality for them.

A good leader must be a man of words, of high integrity and truthfulness. He is above all narrow feelings of caste, religion, colour, creed, sex or regionalism and language barriers. His punctuality, love for humanity, patriotism and sincerity to his people, are the models for others to follow. At the time of national calamity.

He sets examples for others and helps all through which and then. He is devoid of selfishness, greed and even comforts. Though he is an advocate of world peace, yet he is ready to sacrifice his life for his motherland.

The words used in the text related to legal procedures : Deposition, notice, summon, relief, agreement, compensation, comply, investigation, appear, order, record, trial, postpone, pleading, guilty, penalty, lawful, sentence, bail, reconvene, judgment, inquiry, statement, evidence, prosecutor, magistrate, document, illegal, appeal, defiance, imprison, jail, lawyer, advocate, inquiry, commission, deceitful, extorted, case, law-breaker, documents, official notice, sole member, unanimous, settlement, rights, associate, to brief, facts, delay, protest and duty, etc.

The other words that fall in this category : Cross examination, witness, prosecution, adjourn, accused, conviction, ruling, violation, disregard, law authority, procedure, proceeding, suit, offence, crime, violation, judge, justice, inspection, exhibit, objection, over-ruled, sustained, official appointment, official member, rule, victim, accused, convict, behind bars.

The sentences in the text used in ‘direct speech’ are:

1. He said, “I will tell you how it happened...”

2. A peasant came up ... and said, “I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran.”

3. Somebody had probably said, “Speak to Gandhi.”

4. He begged, “Fix a date.”

5. Gandhi said, “I have to be in Calcutta on such-and-such date.”

6. Gandhi commented, “It was an extraordinary thing in those days.”

7. He said, “I have come to the conclusion.”

8. Gandhi reports, “The commissioner proceeded to bully me.”

9. He exclaimed, “The battle of Champaran is won.”

10. One woman... said, “The sari I am wearing is the only one I have.”

11. He explained, “What I did was a very ordinary thing.”

12. He said, “You think that in this unequal fight it would be helpful...”

13. Rajendra Prasad comments, “He had read our minds correctly.”
The author uses the quotations in direct narration to put the real impact on the reader. They indicate that they were actually uttered by the speaker.

Comma (,) : It is a punctuation mark (,). It indicates a slight pause or break made for the sake of clarity in a sentence. It is also used to separate items in a list, etc.

The use of comma in sentences (a) and (c) points out a short interval between two actions.

2. The sentence (b) is in itself clear in its meaning straight forward. So it does not need use of any comma at all.

Students’ activity – They must:

2.Find out the facts of the case, like:

What happened, where happened, when happened.

How happened, what effects, what outcome, how much losses, what other related things.

3.Present your arguments, like:

How the lives of the poor were affected with special reference to – their residence (huts); means of income, food and clothes, lives of their children and other things.

4. Suggest a possible settlement, like:

Whose responsibility, how the damage took place,

Whose carelessness, what compensation or What relief, who to provide relief and how much relief essential for pulling on with life and other related things; the possible secure alternative for future.

The clear guidelines are provided above and the students might try even one of the two above stated issues that provoked a controversy as –

THE NARMADA DAM PROJECT (HINTS)

Hint : River in Central India; about 1290 km. long; east to west like Tapti and Mahanadi rivers; at Jabalpur Narmada Valley of Vindya and Satpura ranges, through M. P., Gujarat, into Arabian Sea at Gujarat. Sardar Sarover Project due from 1949 but started after 1980, generate power for entire part; shifting of poor people, former, villages but with or without providing proper housing facilities. Height more than 110 metres. Narmada Bachao Andolan. Medha Patekar—a social activist.

The author visited the ashram of Gandhi in Sevagram in 1942. The latter explained to him that in 1917 it came to his mind to urge the departure of the Britishers. In December 1916, Gandhi had gone to attend the annual convention of the Indian National Congress in Lucknow. There came Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor share-cropper from Champaran to complain Gandhi about the injustice of the landlords in Bihar. At his vehement insistence, Gandhi went there and saw the poor peasants in pitiable and terrified conditions. This episode made home in Gandhi and he decided that the British must quit India.

Raj Kumar Shukla apprised Gandhi in Lucknow convention about the atrocities done to the poor peasants in Champaran by the English Indigo-planters. He urged Gandhi to accompany but Gandhi had so many other engagements for the other parts of India. Being a resolute man, Shukla followed Gandhi every where. Then Gandhi asked him to see him in Calcutta. Months passed Shukla was sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot in Calcutta till he was free. His determination impressed Gandhi very much. Consequently, both boarded a train to Patna in Bihar.

Shukla used to see Rajendra Prasad about the cases of the share-croppers. So they knew him very well. Now Shukla was accompanying Gandhi. They took him to be another peasant. So they allowed both to stay on the ground. They even forbade Gandhi to draw water from the well lest some drops from his bucket should pollute the entire source.

Raj Kumar Shukla went to see Gandhi in Lucknow in the annual convention of the Indian National Congress. There he told Gandhi about the cruelties done over the peasants. He urged him that he had come to take him to Champaran so that he might see everything himself and keep the troubled peasants. Gandhi told him that he had to go to Cawnpore (Kanpur) and other parts of India. Then Gandhi returned to his ashram near Ahmedabad. Shukla followed him everywhere. After weeks at ashram, he begged to fix a date for Champaran.”

Shukla had already poured information about the troubles of the poor peasants. But Gandhi wanted to obtain more information about conditions than Shukla was capable of imparting. So he sent a telegram to Prof. J. B. Kripalani. He came at the station with his students. Gandhi stayed for two days at the house of Prof. Milkani. Muzzafarpur lawyers too called on Gandhi to brief him.

People of smaller localities and government servants were afraid to give shelter to people like Gandhi, Patel, Tilak and Maulana Azad. They were fighting for home-rule and the British police was after them. Those who harboured them were tortured. So people were afraid and the Government servants had the fear of losing job also.

During his stay at Muzzafarpur, the lawyers briefed Gandhi about the cases of poor peasants. They told about their cases and the size of fee. Gandhi chided them for collecting big fees from the share-croppers. He advised them to stop going to the law courts. He pointed out that the peasants were poor and fear-stricken. It was urgent to make them free from fear.

Gandhiji came to know about the share croppers plight at Champaran. There the landlords forced the peasants to plant indige on 15% of the holdings and all the harvest was to be surrendered to the planters as rent. They were also signing contracts for the compensation under compulsion. Gandhi held a demonstration against the government. The officials became helpless and the government was helped. A settlement was reached. The share croppers got 25% of their money back. In this way Gandhiji helped the peasants of Champaran.

The British planters learnt of the synethetic indigo prepared in Germany. It was cheaper than the natural indigo. It would reflect upon their income and sale. Being unprofitable the landlords wanted to free the peasants from the 15% agreement. For this they demanded compensation. Some signed willingly. Those who opposed, engaged lawyers and the planters hired thugs. The illegal and deceitful collection of money started the trouble. Some demanded their paid money back.

During investigations, Gandhi tried to collect facts from the Secretary of the British Landlords’ Association. He treated him an outsider and denied to give him any information. Secondly, the British official commissioner instead of giving any information, bullied Gandhi and advised him to leave Tirhut, the Champaran Headquarter at once. But a police messenger took Gandhi back and issued him a court notice.

When the Champaran peasants heard that a Mahatma, who wanted to help them, was in trouble with the authorities. By next morning the town of Motihari was black with the peasants. They demonstrated around the court house. The government baffled and the official felt powerless without the cooperation of Gandhi. Gandhi helped them to regulate the crowd. Gandhi gave the concrete proof about the might of the British.

The crowd at the Motihari courthouse compelled the proscution to postpone the trial. The magistrate did so but Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement pleading himself guilty and asked the penalty due. He was not willing to get a bad example of law breaker. He worked according to the voice of his conscience. He told that he had come to render the humanitarian and national service.

The Government was baffled and the officals became helpless at the demonstration of peasants outside the courthouse. The judge was requested to postpone the trial. The pressure of the people was mounting on the government. In order not to aggravate the situation, the judge did not deliver his judgement for several days. Rather he allowed Gandhi to remain free.

Initially they concluded if Gandhi was sent to jail, they would have none to help and advise for which they came. In that case they would go back home. But Gandhi asked what would happen to the injustice done to the sharecroppers. Then they realised if a stranger Gandhi was ready to go to jail against the injustice to the peasants, they could not bear going away. They told Gandhi they were all prepared to court arrest if he was sent to jail. Gandhi said, “The battle of Champaran is won.”

In Motihari court trial, the magistrate said he would not deliver judgement for several days. Gandhi was allowed to remain free. But several days later the written communication from the magistrate informed Gandhi that the Lieutement Governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped. Thus, the civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.

The official Commission of Inquiry found a crushing mountain of evidence against the big planters. It proved their atrocities and found that they had collected illegal and deceitful rent money from the share-cropper peasants.
The settlement was unanimously adopted to refund the money collected.

Gandhi explained that the amount of the refund was less important. More important was the fact that the landlords were made to return part of the money, so their prestige. They had so far behaved as lords above law. The peasants saw that they had rights, defenders and also courage. Within few years British planters left the estates for the peasants. Share-cropping was only a tale now. It changed the conditions of the peasant completely.

To do away with the social and cultural backwardness, Gandhi appealed for teachers. The two new young disciples, Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh with their wives, volunteered for the work; several more from Bombay, Poona and other distant places joined. Devdas and his mother Kasturbai also joined. She taught the rules of cleanliness and community sanitation.

A doctor volunteered his services for six months. There were three medicines available, castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment. Persons with coated tongue were given a dose of castor oil. Those with malaria fever got quinine plus castor oil. Others with skin eruptions got ointment plus castor oil. Mrs. Gandhi taught women individual and general cleanliness.

In early Champaran action, Charles Freer Andrew, the English pacifist, became a devoted follower of Gandhi. Before going on a tour to duty to Fizi islands he came to bid Gandhi farewell. Gandhi’s lawyer friends wanted him to stay and help them. Gandhi strongly opposed it. If they get an Englishman on their side it would show the weakness of their heart. They must rely on themselves to win the battle.

The success of the battle of Champaran, paved the path of the Indians to participate in the freedom movement. Women gave up their honestly comforts and worked with their leader. There were mass movements like freedom struggle, salt movement, Quit India movement and Satyagraha. These came ordinary poople at the back and call of Gandhiji.

The success of Champaran marked the first victory of the civil disobedience in modern India. The English landlords were forced to surrender part of the money. The Indian peasants renew that they had rights. It was rather the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British. Now the Britishers could be challenged by the Indians.

One Raj Kumar Shukla from Champaran, on the annual meeting of Indian National Congress, apprised Gandhiji about the appalling condition of share-croppers there. Gandhiji reached there and came to know that the large estates were owned by the Englishmen and the Indians worked as their tenant farmers and they had to pay 15% of their land. After the investigations by Gandhi and the lawyers into the grievances of the farmers, it was decided by the Britishers that 25% of the money would be refunded. The farmers learnt that they had their rights and they became courageous. Within a few years the landlords relinquished their claims over the estates and the farmers became the owners.

Gandhi saw their social, economic and cultural backwardness of the area. He appointed volunteers to teach the villagers. Kasturba Gandhi taught the Ashram rules and personal cleanliness and community sanitation. He got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months to improve the health conditions of the people.

They realised the value of self-reliance. The lawyers helped the peasants in their cases. Women gave Gandhi whole hearted support and the countrymen embarked in the national freedom movement. It became a turning point in the career of Gandhiji.

As per fixed schedule, Gandhiji and Raj Kumar Shukla booked seats in a train for Patna from Calcutta. At Patna both went to the house of Rajendra Prasad who was out of the town at that time. Since the servants of Prasad did not recognise Gandhi, they thought him as another farmer. So they allowed to stay them on the ground. Even the water was not allowed to be drawn lest it should get polluted.

In order to collect more and more information, Gandhi moved to Muzaf’farpur for Champaran. Prof. J. B. Kriplani of the Arts College alongwith his innumerable students received Gandhi at the railway station. For two days he stayed at the house of Professor Malkani who was a Government servant. The lawyers from Muzzafarpur briefed Gandhiji about the losses and atrocities of the share-croppers. The peasants too started crowding there. The Secertary of the British landowners refused to Gandhiji and ordered him to leave Champaran at once. Instead of leaving, Gandhiji went to Motihari alongwith the lawyers. There he made his head quarter and started his investigations.

During his stay at Muzaffarpur, Gandhiji found the share-croppers crushed and fear-stricken. The share-cropping agreement was irksome to them even though many of the peasants had signed it willingly. The Britishers took help of thugs and were subjecting the peasants to torture. Their lawyers, were failures to protect their interests. Gandhi took up their case and appeared in Motihari court. Gandhiji was in trouble with the authorities. The peasants in large number surrounded the court. The government got baffled and had to seek the help of Gandhiji to regulate the crowd. The British landlords were forced to refund their part of money along with their indigo prestige. The Britishers left their estates and the peasants became owners of their land. This was the healthy solution of their problems.

After his arrival at Motihari, Gandhiji used a house as the headquarter so that he can have complete investigation for the sharecroppers. At that time there came a report about mal-treating a peasant. Next morning Gandhiji went to see him but he was overtaken by the police superintendent’s messanger with an order to return back. When he reached home, Gandhiji was asked to quit Champaran at once. Gandhiji signed the order but wrote to disobey the order.

Next day Gandhi appeared in the court. That night Gandhiji telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come with the influential friends. When the peasants knew that Gandhiji was in trouble with the authorities, the court ground of Motihari became black with peasants. The officials felt powerless and they had to seek his help. The trial was postponed but Gandhiji protested the delay. In between he was left at liberty. Now Gandhiji asked the prominent lawyers what they would do in case he was sent to jail. They told that they would follow Gandhiji and give the court arrest. Gandhiji exclaimed : “The battle of Champaran is won”.

Gandhiji saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages. In order to educate them he made an appeal for teachers. His two new young pupils Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh and their wives offered to work. Several more teachers came from Bombay (Mumbai), Poona and other distant parts of India. His youngest son Devdas and Mrs. Gandhi (Kasturba) also arrived from the Ashram.

Primary schools were also opened in six villages to teach children. Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. In order to improve the miserable health conditions Gandhiji got a doctor. He volunteered his services for six months.

Kasturba talked to the women to get rid of their filthy state of clothes. During his long stay at Champaran, Gandhiji taught people self-reliance and freedom from the fear of the British. Thus he paved the path for the freedom oflndia.

Sir Edward Gait, the Lieutenant Governor appointed a commission of inquiry to give details about the indigo sharecroppers situation. It consisted of (a) Landlords, (b) Government officials, and (c) Gandhi, as the sole representative of the peasants. The official inquiry collected very crushing proofs against the big planters. They all agreed in principle, to make refunds to the peasants. ‘But how much must we pay ?’ they asked Gandhi. He asked only 50 per cent. Thinking probably that he would not change his stand, they offered to refund to the extent of 25 per cent. To his surprise Mr. Gandhi took him at his word breaking the deadlock.

He explained to the peasants that the amount of refund was less important. More important was that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money, and with it part of indigo - their prestige. Till today the big planters behaved like the big planters lords. Now the peasants saw that they had rights and defenders, and courage. Within few years the British planters abandoned their estates. The peasants became the owners of the land.

Most of the cultivating land of Champaran district was divided into large estates owned by the Englishmen. It was worked by Indian tenant peasants, for which they paid rent. Indigo was the chief commerical crop. The English planters compelled all peasants to grow indigo in three-twentieths or 15 per cent of their land holdings. The entire indigo harvest was to be surrendered as rent to the British landowners. The landlords came to know that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. Thereupon they obtained agreement, from the share-croppers to pay them the compensation. This share-cropping arrangement was irksome to the peasants. Some signed it willingly and those who opposed engaged lawyers. The landowners hired thugs who forcefully collected the compensation amount.

It was at this point Gandhi reached Champaran. Gandhi’s civil disobedience and peasants spontaneous demonstration compelled the Lieutenant Governor to appoint a commission of inquiry into the share-croppers situation. The official inquiry concluded that the landlords had to refund the part of the money to the peasants. After a few years they abandoned their estates. The indigo share-cropping disappeared completely.

Whenever Gandhi had ‘conflict of duties’ he always preferred to render the greater ‘humanitarian and national service’. In obedience to the higher law of human being, he obeyed the voice of his conscience.

In everything Gandhi tried to mould a new free Indian, who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages. In order to educate them he made an appeal for teachers. His two new young pupils Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh and their wives offered to work. Several more teachers came from Bombay, Poona and other distant parts of India. His youngest son Devdas and Mrs. Gandhi (Kasturba) also arrived from the ashram.

Primary schools were opened in six villages to teach children. Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. In order to improve the miserable health conditions Gandhi got a doctor. He volunteered his services for six months.

Kasturba talked to the women to get rid of their filthy state of clothes. During his long stay at Champaran, Gandhi kept a long distance watch on the ashram financial accounts and the general keep-up. He taught people self-reliance and freedom from the fear of the British. Thus, he paved a path for the freedom of India.

Sevagram Ashram

25 December, 1917

Dear Vaibhav,

You will feel amazed at the determination and the patience of a poor, emaciated peasant from Champaran. In the annual Congress party session held at Lucknow, he came there to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar. He met Gandhi and said, “I am Rajkumar Shukla, a peasant from Champaran. I have come to take you there to help the poor share-croppers.” Gandhi told him about his appointments in Cawnpore and other parts of India. But Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere. After weeks of remaining at Gandhi’s side, he begged Gandhi, to Fix a date.” Gandhi was impressed by his tenacity. He detailed him about his Calcutta meeting. Months passed in waiting when Gandhi went to Calcutta, he found the peasant sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot. He waited there till Gandhi was free. Then both boarded a train to Bihar. Really I feel proud of such a determined devoted and peaceful man engaged in the welfare of all. We must learn the lessons of devotion to duty and sincerity in life. You will find more details in my next letter.

Your truly

Manish

Rajkumar Shukla was a poor and emaciated peasant from Champaran. In the annual Congress party session held at Lucknow, he came to complain about the injustices of the landlord system in Bihar. He met Gandhi, introduced himself and told him that he had come to take him there to help the poor share croppers.

Gandhi told him about his appointments in Cawnpore and other parts of India. But Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere After weeks of remaining at Gandhiji’s side, he begged Gandhi to fix a date. Gandhi was impressed by his ten city. He detailed him about his Calcutta meeting. Months passed. When Gandhi went to Calcutta he found the peasant sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot. He waited there till Gandhi was free. Then both boarded a train to Bihar Shukla’s persuasion engaged Gandhi in the welfare of the share croppers.

Gandhiji came to know about the injustices of the landlords in Bihar. He accompanied Raj Kumar Shukla to Champaran. He learnt that the peasants planted 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo. The entire indigo harvest was to be paid as rent to the land-lords. Gandhiji desired to render them lawful service. He was asked to quit Champaran when he desired to investigate the facts behind the maltreatment of a peasant. The Secretary of the British Landlords’ Association refused to give information to an outsider. The British official commission of Tirhut division asked Gandhi not only to leave but bullied him also. Gandhiji proceeded to Motihari, when Gandhi was going to a nearby village, the police superintendent sent him a message who served him an official notice to leave champaran immediately. Gandhiji signed the notice but wrote to disobey the order. Consequently he got a summon to appear in the court the following day.

Gandhiji faced the above difficulties at Champaran.

Raj Kumar Shukla is described as being ‘resolute’ because he wanted that Gandhiji should reach Champaran for their welfare. He accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. When Gandhiji returned to his ashram Shukla followed him there also. He even went to Calcutta to take Gandhiji along with him.

The Champaran episode is considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence because, for the first time, farmers and peasants rose against the Britishers. The English landlords had owned most of the arable land in Champaran. The Indian tenants worked on the land. The chief commercial crop was indigo. The English planters compelled all sharecroppers to plant 15% of their holdings with indigo. They had to surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent to the landlords. Later, it was found that the Germany had already developed synthetic indigo. The British Landlords realised that the plantation of natural indigo was no more a profitable business for English landlords. So, they decided to free the Indian sharecroppers from the 15% contract. They were to pay compensation for this freedom. The peasants saw through the trick and fraud of the landlords. Therefore, they wanted their money back. The peasants had always been oppressed by their British landlords, but they lacked the courage to revolt. Now, under the leadership of Gandhiji, they became aware of their rights. Thousands of peasants demonstrated courageously. Soon, a commission of enquiry was set up and its findings forced the landlords to agree to refund the money to the peasants. The surrender of landlords declared the victory of the peasants and the victory of the Civil Disobedience in India. 

The commission of enquiry decided to make refunds to the peasants.Gandhi asked for 50%. But the representative of planters offered to refund to the extent of 25%. In order to break the deadlock, Gandhiji agreed to 25 percent refund to the farmers.
For Gandhi, it was not the money but the principles that were of utmost importance. In his belief, the submission of British landlords was more significant than the percentage of refund. He wanted the poor farmers to realise that they too had rights and that they need not really live in fear of the British landlords.
The conflict between the British planters and the peasants changed the plight of the peasants. Within a few years, after the settlement, the British planters abandoned their estates and returned them to the peasants for goods. Thus, indigo sharecropping disappeared.

Rajkumar Shukla was determined to take Gandhiji to Champaran to bring into his notice the problem of the sharecroppers. Though Gandhiji had a foregoing obligation to go to Kanpur, Shukla followed him. He was so determined to take Gandhiji with him that he stood in Ahmedabad for three days and left when Gandhi assured him that he would be there on a certain day. Not only this, he also waited for him at the appointed spot in Calcutta.