Kheda Satyagraha: The struggles of Kheda, Champaran, and Ahmedabad marked Mahatma Gandhi's entry into the national movement for Independence. These three movements offer a glimpse into the Gandhian form of struggle. Kheda Village, located in the Bardoli District, became the first successful and complete example of Non-Cooperation, where peasants under the leadership of Gandhi Ji refused to pay the increased rents of 23%. The movement involved non-payment of inflated rents, payment of fair amounts, and the rejection of forced labor and unjust practices. The impact of the Kheda movement resonated across the nation, leading the British Government to establish a committee to investigate and revise excessive rents. Aspiring candidates should be well-informed about the Kheda Satyagrah and other details related to the national movement for Independence.
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Table of content
What is Kheda Satyagraha ?
Features of Kheda Satyagraha
- 1918's drought caused the Kheda area of Gujarat's crops to fail.
- Farmers had a right to remission under the Revenue Code if the harvest was less than one-fourth of the customary yield.
- The top provincial legislative body received a petition from the peasant-dominated Gujarat Sabha asking them to postpone the 1919 revenue assessment.
- On the other side, the government persisted and vowed to confiscate the farmers' assets if the taxes weren't paid.
- Gandhi requested that the farmers forgo paying taxes. Gandhi, though, acted primarily as the movement's spiritual leader.
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and several other enthusiastic Gandhians, such as Narahari Parikh, Mohanlal Pandya, and Ravi Shankar Vyas, organised the villagers as they travelled through the villages, gave them directives, and supplied the crucial political leadership. Patel and his coworkers organised the tax revolt with the assistance of the numerous castes and ethnicities that make up Kheda.
- The insurrection was well known for its commitment to coherence and discipline.
- Even when the government stole their land, possessions, and means of subsistence due to unpaid taxes, the vast majority of farmers in Kheda remained with Sardar Patel.
- Protecting the families and possessions of the protesting peasants was a contribution made by Gujaratis from other parts of the state who supported the rebellion.
- Indians who made an attempt to buy the seized land were socially rejected.
The government finally made an effort to negotiate with the farmers. It consented to minimise the rate rise, postpone the tax for the current year and the following year, and return all confiscated property.