Champaran Satyagraha was held in which year?
VerifiedAnswer: 19 April 1917
Explanation:
The Champaran Satyagraha began on 19 April 1917, marking a pivotal moment in India's freedom struggle and Mahatma Gandhi's rise as a national leader. This movement took place in the Champaran district of Bihar and was Gandhi's first major civil disobedience movement in India.
The movement was triggered by the exploitation of indigo farmers by British planters who forced them to grow indigo under the oppressive tinkathia system. Under this system, farmers were compelled to cultivate indigo on 3/20th of their land and sell it at prices fixed by the planters, often below market rates.
Gandhi was invited to Champaran by Raj Kumar Shukla, a local farmer who approached him during the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress in 1916. When Gandhi arrived in Champaran in April 1917, he was initially asked to leave by the British authorities, but he refused and was prepared to face arrest.
The satyagraha involved systematic investigation of the farmers' grievances, legal resistance, and mobilization of public opinion. Gandhi was supported by prominent leaders like Rajendra Prasad, who later became India's first President, and other dedicated volunteers who helped document the farmers' problems.
The movement achieved remarkable success when the British government appointed an inquiry committee with Gandhi as a member. The committee's recommendations led to the abolition of the tinkathia system and provided relief to the farmers through partial refund of the illegally collected money.
The significance of the Champaran Satyagraha extends beyond its immediate success. It established Gandhi's method of non-violent resistance as an effective tool against British rule and demonstrated that organized civil disobedience could bring about meaningful change. This movement also marked the beginning of Gandhi's mass leadership in India's independence movement and showed that satyagraha could address local issues while building momentum for the larger freedom struggle.
