The Champaran Triumph: Gandhi's Masterstroke Against British Oppression

 

It's February 8th, 2024, and while my friends are buzzing with excitement for Valentine's Day, I find myself consumed by stress over the looming CBSE BOARD EXAM. The first exam is set for February 22nd, 2024, marking what may very well be my final encounter with my English textbooks. Throughout the year, English classes seemed to drift past in a blur of boredom, with my attention rarely fully engaged. It became a familiar pattern: the night before an exam, I'd hastily flip through my reference book, speed-reading chapter summaries in a frantic attempt to cram, yet somehow managing to secure decent marks in the end. But February 22nd held significant weight—it was the ultimate test, the culmination of my efforts. So I reasoned with myself: "Why not prepare in advance and spare myself the last-minute panic?". Additionally, with the exam covering the entire syllabus, I knew I had to give it my all, pushing myself to give 200%. Uncertain of where to begin, I resorted to chance, randomly flipping through pages until my fingers landed on a chapter titled "Indigo by Louis Fischer". Admittedly, throughout the year, I hadn't even bothered to glance at the author's name. Taking note of it, I delved into the chapter, determined to make the most of my preparation time.

The narrative unfolds with a man named Rajkumar Shukla, who was (as given in the textbook) like other poor and emaciated people of his origin and the place he belonged to called "Champaran" which is modern-day Bihar.  He was illiterate but resolute. In Lucknow, during an event of the Indian National Congress, he met Gandhi. He solicited Gandhi to accompany him to Champaran to resolve the problems faced by sharecroppers of his district. Though Gandhi initially cited prior commitments, he did not dismiss Shukla's plea outright. Gandhi then reached Cawnpore (modern-day Kanpur which is 125 km away from Lucknow) and he noticed a man familiar to him sitting on his haunches and eagerly waiting to speak to him. That man was none other than Rajkumar Shukla! Gandhi, impressed by the man's tenacity asked him about the issue which we will talk about in a while. After patiently listening to him, Gandhi told him to come along with him to Calcutta (modern-day Kolkata), and from there they would leave for Champaran. Shukla followed the itinerary and both of them reached Champaran by train as planned.



There, they were received by Professor J.P. Kirpalani and his students, of the Arts College Muzzafarpur, which was en route to Champaran. Gandhi stayed at the residence of Professor Malkani, a teacher in a government school. He was kind enough to host them at his residence. It may seem to be an easy task today to host someone in your house. However, at that time, the Britishers had imposed martial law, under which no 2 Indians or more could talk to each other or talk in groups. This was done to curb the uprising feeling of nationalism among fellow Indians. Anyone who went against the law had to face severe punishment. So all this was done in secrecy. Gandhi, appreciating Professor Malkani, said "It was an extraordinary thing for a government professor to harbor a man like me who advocates of rule.". It wasn't an easy journey for Gandhi either. Before he arrived at Muzzafarpur, he wanted to inquire about the situation in Champaran with a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad, who later became the President of the Congress Party and of India.  Rajendra Prasad was out of town, but the servants knew Shukla as a poor man who pestered their master to help the indigo sharecroppers. Since Gandhi was accompanying Shukla, the servants thought him to be another peasant. Gandhi wasn't allowed to draw water from the well lest some drops from his bucket pollute the entire source. This was very unpleasant. And I am sure Gandhi ji was disturbed all his way to Muzzafarpur.



Long story short, Gandhi inquired about lawyers who represented peasant groups in court. They told him about their cases and reported the size of their fee. Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting big fees from the sharecroppers. He made them realize that this struggle is not just for the peasants, but for us as well. He came to the conclusion that they should stop going to law courts. When the peasants are so crushed and fear-stricken, law courts are useless. The real relief is from fear. 



Coming to the main issue, most of the arable land in the Champaran district estates was owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. Landlords compelled all the tenants to plant 15 percent of their holdings as indigo and pay that as rent. The sharecropping arrangement was irksome to the peasants. Meanwhile, the landlords learned that Germany had developed a synthetic indigo. They, thereupon, cunningly obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being released from the 15 percent arrangement. Many peasants willingly signed it to get rid of it once and for all while some didn't accept this and engaged lawyers. For them, the landlord hired thugs. You may ask why didn't some accept this compensation? The peasants were already burdened with heavy rents and were living in poverty. Paying additional compensation would further exacerbate their economic hardship. The peasants did not trust the landlords or the British authorities. They were skeptical that the compensation scheme was fair and worried that they might be exploited further.  Change often brings uncertainty and fear, and the peasants may have been resistant to the idea of a new compensation scheme, especially if it meant giving up traditional practices or customs.



It was at this moment when Gandhi arrived at Champaran. He first collected facts. He visited the British official commissioner of the Tirhut division in which the Champaran district lay. The commissioner bullied him and advised him to leave with immediate effect. The next day he proceeded to Motihari, the capital of Champaran. On the way, a report came in that a peasant had been maltreated in a nearby village. Gandhi decided to go and see but the police superintendent's messenger overtook him and ordered him to return to town. Gandhi complied. The messenger drove him home where he served him with an official notice to quit Champaran easily. But Gandhi relented. He signed and wrote on the receipt that he would disobey the order. Consequently, he received a summon to appear in court the next day. A vast multitude of people came to go against the verdict of the court. In fact, these people weren't aware of Gandhi's record in South Africa. They simply heard that there was a Mahatma (in English: Great-souled ) who wanted to help them. The people in thousands protested and their spontaneous demonstration around the courthouse made the British officials feel helpless and powerless. The crowd was reaching out of control. It was Gandhi who helped them regulate the crowd. He was giving them proof that their might, hitherto dreaded and unquestioned, could be challenged by Indians.



Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement pleading guilty. He was involved, he told the court, in a "conflict of duties", where on one hand he didn't want to show himself as a law offender; on the other hand, to render "humanitarian and national service" for which he had come. Gandhi asked for the penalty due. The magistrate announced that he would pronounce the sentence after a 2-hour recess and asked him to furnish bail for those 120 minutes. Gandhi refused. The judge released him without bail. Gandhi had 4 protracted interviews with the Lieutenant- governor who, as a result, appointed an official commission of inquiry into the indigo sharecroppers' situation.  The official inquiry assembled a crushing mountain of evidence against the big planters, and when they saw it, they agreed, in principle, to make refunds to the peasants. "But how much must we pay? " they asked Gandhi. It was at this moment that he executed a masterstroke that brought the British officials to their knees. British officials thought that he would demand the full price which they had illegally and deceitfully extorted from the sharecroppers. However, to their surprise, he asked for 50% only! There he seemed adamant. The British representative thought a lot about it. They offered 25 % and to their amazement, Gandhi took him at his word, thus breaking the deadlock.



Some of you might wonder, why 25 % only? Why not the full amount? Well... listen to the reason from the man himself: Gandhi explained that the amount of the refund was less significant than the fact that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and, with it, part of their prestige. Now the peasant saw that he had rights and defenders. He finally learned courage and the power of protests. Such events justified Gandhi's position. He just didn't become "Father of the Nation" overnight. 



A question to ponder...  what would have been the aftermath, if Gandhi demanded full price? Would that act be still justified? Well, I thought a lot about it, and here are some potential outcomes :

1. The British officials might have resisted paying the full amount, leading to a deadlock or confrontation between Gandhi and the authorities. This could have prolonged the issue, leading to further tensions and possibly violence.

2. While demanding the full amount could have potentially resulted in more money returned to the peasants, it might not have had the same symbolic impact as Gandhi's eventual compromise. By accepting a partial refund, Gandhi demonstrated a willingness to negotiate and compromise for the greater good, which could have had a positive psychological impact on the peasants, empowering them and instilling a sense of hope and courage.

3. Demanding the full amount might have led to legal battles or political repercussions. It could have escalated the conflict and drawn more attention from higher authorities, potentially complicating Gandhi's broader political agenda.

 In our daily lives, it's not uncommon to encounter situations where we must relinquish things that hold significant value to us for the greater good. Reflecting on Gandhi's choices, I believe that accepting full compensation would have offered him short-term benefits but tarnished his legacy in the long run. Perhaps he wouldn't even merit a mention in our textbooks today. Nonetheless, having delved into this chapter, I'm pleased to have gleaned invaluable insights from Gandhi's actions. I hope you, too, find inspiration in his example. I regret not delving into this chapter sooner; it has spurred me to explore and analyze every prose and poem in my textbook. To my fellow juniors entering 10th or 12th grade, I urge you to dive into the textbook—it's truly worth it =D.