Bardoli Satyagraha : 1928
In Bardoli taluka of Surat district (Gujarat), a movement was launched by farmers for non-payment of rent, which later came to be known as Bardoli Satyagraha. In fact, this movement was also a product of the non-cooperation movement.
Fundamental Rights : Article 23 – 31
- The root cause of this movement was 30% increase in rent by the government.
- The foundation of Bardoli Satyagraha was laid only in 1922, at this time the local leaders Merta brothers (Kalyanji and Kuwarji) and Dayalji started the work of gathering public opinion for the non-cooperation movement.
- In this movement, not only the landowners of upper class castes like Kunbi-Patidar (Ujalipraj community) but also tribal, lowly, untouchable and black tribes (Kaliparaj community) also participated. 60% of the people in this area belonged to the Kaliparaj community. The Kaliparaj community, also known as 'lean tribals', used to till the land of Kunbi-Patidar class people.
- The Kunbi-Patidar community also published a magazine named 'Patidar Yuvak Mandal' and 'Patel Bandhu'.
- The credit for connecting the people of Kalipraj tribe with the movement goes to Kuwar ji Mehta and Keshav ji Ganesh ji, who learned the language of the tribals and interacted directly with them. He raised his voice against the social evils prevailing in the tribal area and created 'Kalipraj literature'.
- Every year after 1922, Kaliparaj Sammelan started here. It was presided over by Gandhi ji in 1927, in which he changed the name Kalipraj to 'Ranipraj', which meant - the dweller of the forest.
- In Kalipraj community, 'Hali method' means bonded labor was described as inhuman and exploitative method.
- In 1927, a delegation of farmers led by Bhimbhai Naik and Shivdasani went to meet the head of the revenue department of the Bombay government. The matter of increase in rent was also raised in the Legislative Council.
- In July 1927, the government reduced the rent increase to 21.97%, which did not satisfy the farmers.
- Thereafter, a meeting of representatives of 60 villages was held in Vamano village of Kakod division, in which Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was invited to lead the movement and in the last week of January 1928 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a member of Kisan Samiti and a local leader, was invited. Went to Ahmedabad to invite him to come to Bardoli.
- Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel reached Bardoli on February 4, 1928 and held a meeting with the representatives of farmers and constitutionalists. After the meeting, he returned to Ahmedabad and wrote a letter to the Governor of Bombay for an unbiased inquiry into the error in assessment of revenue.
- On February 12, 1928, Patel ji returned to Bardoli and asked the farmers not to pay the rent until an impartial tribunal was constituted by the government.
- Mumbai's Parsi women Mithuben Petit, Bhaktiba (wife of Darbar Gopala Das), Maniben Patel (daughter of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel), Shardaben Shah and Sharda Mehta specially participated in Bardoli Satyagraha to make women aware.
- Seeing the progress of the Bardoli Satyagraha, Viceroy Irwin ordered Bombay Governor Wilson to settle the matter quickly.
- Here the Congress leaders requested the 'Servant of India Society' to investigate the complaints of the farmers.
- On the other hand, under pressure, a judicial officer Broomfield and a revenue officer Maxwell were asked to investigate the matter. After the completion of the investigation, he declared the 30% rent increase wrong and reduced it to 6.03%.
- The 'New Statesman', published in London on May 5, 1930, wrote - "The report of the inquiry committee is a slap on the face of the government, and it will have far-reaching consequences."
- At the time of Bardoli Satyagraha itself, the women of Bardoli conferred the title of 'Sardar' to Vallabh Bhai Patel due to his efficient leadership.
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