Discover the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917, Gandhi’s first civil disobedience movement. Learn about the plight of peasants under the tinkathia system, Gandhi's defiance of authorities, and the eventual outcomes, including the abolition of the system and compensation for peasants. This pivotal event marked Gandhi’s entry into the Indian independence struggle and set the stage for future non-violent resistance.
Gandhi was requested by Rajkumar Shukla, a local man, to address the problems faced by the farmers in Champaran, Bihar.
The European planters had forced peasants to grow indigo on 3/20 of their land (known as the tinkathia system).
With the advent of German synthetic dyes in the late 19th century, planters demanded high rents and illegal dues from peasants, trying to maximize their profits before the peasants could shift to other crops.
Peasants were also compelled to sell their produce at prices fixed by the European planters.
Upon arrival in Champaran with associates Rajendra Prasad, Mazharul-Haq, Mahadeo Desai, Narhari Parekh, and J.B. Kripalani, Gandhi faced an order from authorities to leave the area.
Gandhi chose to defy the order and face the punishment, employing passive resistance or civil disobedience—a novel method at the time.
The authorities eventually retreated and allowed Gandhi to conduct an enquiry into the situation.
The government appointed a committee to investigate the issue, with Gandhi as a member.
Gandhi successfully convinced the authorities to abolish the tinkathia system and compensate peasants for the illegal dues extracted from them.
As a compromise, it was agreed that only 25% of the money would be refunded to the peasants.
Within a decade, the planters left Champaran, marking Gandhi's victory in the first battle of civil disobedience in India.
Other notable leaders associated with the Champaran Satyagraha included Brajkishore Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Ramnavmi Prasad, and Shambhusharan Varma.
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