Question

Find out more about the Champaran movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s role in it.

Answer 1

Hint: The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi in India and is considered a historically important revolt in the Indian Independence Movement. The main focus of the Champaran movement was to address the plight of the farmers of Champaran.

Complete answer:
When the indigo production collapsed in Bengal, the European planters of Indigo shifted their operations to Bihar. The farmers of Champaran, a village in Bihar, were forced to grow indigo by the European planters instead of the food crops which were necessary for their survival. The European planters were destroying the productivity of the land which was the main reason for the protest. Mahatma Gandhi was invited by some of the peasants to look after their misery. Gandhiji accepted an invitation and started a mass movement after seeing the plight of the indigo cultivators.

Mahatma Gandhi’s role in Champaran movement:
i) Mahatma Gandhi’s visit in 1917 marked the beginning of the Champaran movement against the indigo planters.
ii) The European planter oppressed the peasants. Gandhiji witnessed the miserable conditions of the peasants.
iii) Gandhiji established an ashram here and handpicked lawyers like Dr. Rajendra Prasad to work for the betterment of the villages.
iv) He started a peaceful and non- violent movement.
v) The district officials ordered him to leave Champaran but he refused to comply with the orders and started the Satyagraha movement.
vi) As a result, Gandhiji was arrested but he did not leave champaran.
vii) Finally, a law was passed to protect the farmers from the indigo planters.

Note: Indigo is a deep and rich color close to the color wheel blue, as well as to some variants of Ultramarine, based on the ancient dye. The word indigo comes from the Latin for “Indian”, as the dye was originally imported to Europe from India.