BARDOLI SATYAGRAHA

1. Background

• Satyagraha is fundamentally a way of life, which guides the modes of political activism undertaken by the Satyagrahis. 
• On an individual level, it involves a life committed to truth, chastity, non-attachment and hard work. 
• On the political front, Satyagraha involves the utilization of non-violent measures to curb the opponent, and ideally to convert him rather than coerce him into submission. 
• A Satyagrahi wants to make the evil-doers see the evil that they are indulging in, and realize the injustice they are committing. 
• It involves encouraging them to acceptance of the right, and if that fails, then at least stop them from obstructing the right. 
• Picketing, non-cooperation, peaceful marches and meetings, along with peaceful disobedience of the laws of the land were typical modes of resistance adopted by Satyagrahis. A true Satyagrahi had to resist and bear all hardships, including physical assault with patience, not ever stopping to anger, and defend the faith even at the cost of one’s life. 
• Satyagrahis had to have extreme inner strength and moral courage to do that. Satyagrahis needed to maintain a pure and simple life. 
• Gandhi made his own life a veritable example of his teachings and also turned his ashram at Sabarmati into a haven for individuals who chose to maintain a life based on his teachings. The violence of all forms was to be resisted and refrained from. 
• Abuses and swearing were strictly prohibited and all forms of abstinence from sensual pleasures were highly advocated. 
• Everyone was meant to work for his or her food and clothes, which Gandhi called bread-labour. Wearing Khadi and leading a simple life was prescribed. 
• Absolute secularism and eradication of every shade of untouchability were also distinct characteristics of his Satyagraha. 
• Through this, Gandhi believed that the Indians would be strong enough to tread the paths of a truly non-violent revolution. 
• It is never the intention of a Satyagrahi to embarrass the wrongdoer. The appeal is never to his fear; it is, must be, always to his heart. 
• The Satyagrahi’s object is to convert, not to coerce, the wrongdoer. 
• Gandhi envisioned Satyagraha as not only a tactic to be used in the acute political struggle but as a universal solvent for injustice and harm. 
• He felt that it was equally applicable to large-scale political struggles and one-on-one interpersonal conflicts and that it should be taught to everyone.

2. The Concept of Satyagraha

• According to Gandhi Satyagraha was one of the most powerful methods of direct action a Satyagrahi (practitioner of Satyagraha) can resort to. 
• A Satyagrahi will therefore constantly and continually approach the constituted authority, will appeal to public opinion, educate public opinion, state his case calmly before everybody who wants to listen to him, and only after he has exhausted all these avenues will he resort to Satyagraha. 
• He further elaborated that his experiences had taught him that a law of progression applies to every righteous or just struggle. 
• But in the case of Satyagraha, the law amounts to an axiom. 
• As a Satyagraha struggle progresses onward, many other elements help to increase its force and worth, and there is a constant growth in the results to which it leads. 
• This is inevitable and is bound up with the first principles of Satyagraha.

3. Bardoli Satyagraha

• The Bardoli Satyagraha was mainly an agrarian movement led by Sardar Vallabhai Patel in 1928 to support the farmers in Bardoli, Gujarat who were protesting against the exorbitant increase in taxes.
• In 1925, the Bardoli District of Modern-Day-Gujarat was badly affected by floods and famines. 

• Because of this, the crop yield fell significantly and farmers' financial situation worsened. 
• But, the Bombay Presidency enhanced the tax rates by 22 %, not paying any heed to the situation of the farmers. 
• Many civic groups and peasants pleaded with the government to reconsider the increased tax rates, but despite all of this, the government went ahead with its decision. 
• Initially, the ‘Merta Bandhus‘ (Kalyan Ji and Kunwar Ji) and Dayal Ji of Bardoli Taluka started the movement in 1922 to support the cause of the farmers. 
• Later, this movement was moved ahead under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhai Patel when the farmers of Bardoli approached Sardar Patel in 1928 to formally launch a protest against the increase in tax rates despite their economic distress. 
• The local congress party also published a report in 1927 to depict the economic distress of the farmers, but the Bombay Presidency Government didn’t reconsider its decision.
• Finally, this protest of the peasants in Bardoli, Gujarat led by Sardar Vallabhai Patel came to be known as the Bardoli Satyagraha. 

• The peasants of Bardoli assured Gandhiji that they would observe complete nonviolence during their protest. 
• Sardar Patel also informed the peasants about the possible repercussions of the Satyagraha, for example, the confiscation of land and property and imprisonment.

4. Key Features of Bardoli Satyagraha

• Both the land-owning peasants belonging to the ‘Kunbi-Patidar’ Castes and those belonging to the ‘Kaliparaj’ tribe (Black-skinned people) participated in the Bardoli Satyagraha. 
• Gandhiji also provided his support to the Bardoli Satyagraha by writing articles on Bardoli Satyagraha in his magazine ‘Young India’. 
• About the Bardoli Satyagraha, Gandhiji said “Whatever the Bardoli struggle may be, it is not a struggle for the direct attainment of swaraj. That every such awakening, every such effort as that of Bardoli will bring swaraj nearer and may bring it nearer even then any direct effort is undoubtedly true.” 
• Sardar Patel on behalf of the Bardoli farmers, met the officials of the Bombay Presidency Government and appealed to them to reconsider their decision. 
• But, the British Government didn’t pay any heed to the demands of Bardoli Satyagraha and didn’t agree to reduce the tax rates. 
• Sardar Vallabhai Patel heroically led the Bardoli Satyagraha in a very peaceful and non-violent way. 
• He divided the entire District or Taluk into various camps. 
• Each camp had hundreds of men and women of various cultures and religions who interacted with Sardar Patel. 
• Many volunteers from various communities like Hindu, Muslim, and Parsis also participated in the Bardoli Satyagraha. 
• With the help of camps, hundreds of men and women made speeches, and released news bulletins & campaigns to educate the masses. 
• The large number of women who participated in the Bardoli Satyagraha gave Vallabhai Patel the title of ‘Sardar’. 
• Peasants also took oaths in the name of God that they will never pay the taxes. 
• And those peasants who supported the Britishers or paid the taxes, were boycotted socially. 
• Bardoli Satyagraha also took a stand for the emancipation of the Kaliparaj Caste (landless farmers). 
• Bardoli peasants refused to offer non-essential goods to the government offices in Bardoli District.
• The peasants of Bardoli Satyagraha also tackled possible eviction and confiscation attempts of the government officials very efficiently. 
• These peasants of Bardoli had informers in the British Government Offices, who informed these peasants on a prior basis if any confiscation notice was issued. 
• Then, these Bardoli peasants moved to a different place together and the government officials encountered an empty village when they reached the village to confiscate the properties of Bardoli peasants. 

5. Effects of Bardoli satyagraha

• The ‘Surveillance of India Society’ on behalf of the Moderate Faction of the Congress, requested the British Government to listen to the demands of the peasants at Bardoli. 
• Also, a daily magazine titled ‘Bardoli Satyagraha’ was also published. 
• The Indian leaders in the Bombay Legislative Council also resigned to show their support for the Bardoli Satyagraha. 
• The issue raised at Bardoli Satyagraha was also debated in the UK Parliament. 
• Thus, Lord Irwin directed the Governor of Bombay, Wilson to expedite the matter. 
• Gandhi reached Bardoli on 2 August 1928 to offer alternative leadership support to the Bardoli Satyagraha when Sardar Patel had the possibility of getting arrested. 
• On the other hand, seeing the possibility of the arrest of Patel, Gandhiji reached Bardoli on 2 August 1928 for alternative leadership. 
• Finally, the British Government in the Bombay Presidency was forced to set up the Maxwell-Broomfield Commission when they sensed the situation was getting out of hand. 
• Hence, a compromise was reached between the Government Officials and Bardoli Peasants and the revenue demand was lowered to 6.03 %. 
• Also, the peasants of Bardoli got back their confiscated lands. 
• The Huge Success of Bardoli Satyagraha helped Sardar Vallabhai Patel to emerge as a national leader and a leader of the masses. 
• Sardar Patel learned a lot from the Bardoli Satyagraha and further used his leadership and diplomatic skills to negotiate with the Princely States during the period of India’s Independence in the late 1940s.

6. Shortcomings of Bardoli satyagraha

• Bardoli Satyagraha laid greater emphasis on improving the condition of the rich and middle-class farmers while paying lesser attention to the problems faced by the poor farmers. 
• The Bardoli Satyagraha also ignored the issue of ‘Hali Pratha’ at large, which was a kind of bonded labour system.

7. Summary

• The Bardoli Satyagraha was led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and this was an important movement with non-violence as its hallmark. In 1928, the taluka contained 137 villages with some parts of it rich in crops like cotton, rice etc. 
• The peasants of the region were agitated by a large increase in land revenue announced by the British government. 
• The non-violent movement started after two years of petitioning and protesting. 
• The peasants moved a resolution on non-payment of taxes until the government considered withdrawing the increase in revenue.
• a Large number of men and women participated in this Satyagraha movement. 
• They were threatened by the government that their land would be forfeited. 
• An iron will is said to have prevailed in Bardoli were village headmen and the subordinate officers resigned in large numbers. 
• After a four-month agitation and a spate of observations, threats of arrests and continuous assessment of the situation, peace was opted for and led to the reinstatement of the headmen and release of arrested Satyagrahis. 
• The Following scrutiny of official records and taking stock of the situation, the government annulled the increase which they had tried to enforce at any cost. 
• The leadership abilities of Patel were recognized by one and all and earned him much respect and he was called a true disciple of Gandhi.