Why did Gandhiji go to Lucknow in December, 1916 ? Who met him there and why ?
Gandhiji went there to attend the annual convention of the Indian National Congress. A poor peasant named Rajkumar Shukla met him there. He was from Champaran. He wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran and help the poor sharecroppers.
Why did Rajkumar Shukla go to meet Gandhiji ?
Rajkumar Shukla was a poor peasant from Champaran. He went to meet Gandhiji at Lucknow. He wanted him to come to Champaran and help the poor sharecroppers.
Why did Rajkumar Shukla want to take Gandhiji to Champaran ?
The peasants of Champaran were sharecroppers. They were bound by an ancient agreement with the British planters. Rajkumar Shukla was one of the peasants. He wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran and help the poor peasants in their fight against the unjust landlord system in Bihar.
How did Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran ?
Shukla was a resolute person. He accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. He did not leave him until the latter gave his consent to visit Champaran. At last, Gandhiji had to say, ‘‘I will be in Calcutta on such and such a date. Come and meet me and take me from there.
What did Rajkumar Shukla tell Gandhiji about the landlord system in Bihar ?
Rajkumar told Gandhiji that in Bihar, there was a cruel landlord system. The peasants were sharecroppers. They were exploited by the British planters. Rajkumar wanted Gandhiji to come and see the situation for himself.
How did Rajkumar meet Gandhiji in Calcutta and where did they go from there ?
When Gandhiji arrived in Calcutta, Rajkumar was already waiting for him at the appointed spot. When Gandhiji was free, they boarded a train for Patna. There Rajkumar took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad who later became the President of India.
How was Gandhiji treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house ?
At the time, Rajendra Prasad was out of town. However, the servants allowed Shukla and Gandhiji to stay on the grounds of the house. The servants mistook Gandhiji for an untouchable. They did not permit him to draw water from the well.
How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute ?
Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to accompany him to his district named Champaran. Gandhiji was busy at that time. He had several engagements. But Shukla never left Gandhiji’s side. He followed him wherever he went. At last, Gandhiji had to find time to go with him. Thus Shukla established that he was resolute. He achieved what he wanted.
What happened when Rajkumar took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad in Patna ?
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How were Shukla and Gandhiji received in Rajendra Prasad’s house ?
At that time, Rajendra Prasad was out of town. However, the servants allowed the two to stay on the grounds of the house. The servants mistook Gandhiji for an untouchable. They did not permit him to draw water from the well.
Why do you think the servants thought Gandhiji to be another peasant ?
Gandhiji was very simple in his dress and manners. He never made himself out as a great leader. Moreover, he was thin of body and had a dark complexion. That was why the servants thought him to be another peasant.
Why did Gandhiji decide to go to Muzzafarpur ? Where did he stay there ?
Muzzafarpur was on the way to Champaran. Gandhiji wanted to have a true picture of the zamindari conditions in the district. That was why he decided to go there. He stayed there at the house of Professor Malkani who was a teacher in a government school.
List the places that Gandhiji visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.
Gandhiji’s first meeting with Shukla was at Lucknow. Then the two met at Calcutta. From there, the two went by train to Patna. Shukla took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad but the latter was out of town. Now Gandhiji decided to go to Muzzafarpur. There he stayed at Professor Malkani’s house. Lastly, he went to Champaran.
What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent ? What did the British want now instead and why ? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo ?
The peasants had to grow indigo on fifteen per cent of the land. All the produce went as rent. But when synthetic indigo was developed, the landlords did not want to grow natural indigo. The prices had fallen. Now the landlords wanted compensation for not growing indigo on their land.
What were the terms of the indigo contract between the British landlords and the Indian peasants ?
By an ancient agreement, the peasants had to grow indigo on 15 per cent of the land and surrender it as rent to the British landlords. But when Germany developed synthetic indigo, the British planters no longer wanted the indigo crop. So they forced the peasants to give compensation for releasing them from the contract.
Why did Gandhiji chide the lawyers and what conclusion did he come to ?
The lawyers were charging very high fees from the poor peasants. Gandhiji chided them for this. He also said that it was no good going to court. When the peasants were fear-stricken, law courts were useless. Therefore, the first need was to rid the peasants of their fear.
Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless ?
Gandhiji felt that it was no good going to the court. When the peasants were fear-stricken, law courts were useless. Therefore, the first need was to rid the peasants of their fear.
What did Gandhiji do about the social and cultural upliftment of the Champaran villages ?
Gandhiji opened primary schools in six villages. His wife, Kasturbai, taught the rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. Health conditions were miserable. Gandhiji got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. Thus Gandhiji arranged for the education, health and hygiene of the poor peasant families of Champaran.
What happened when the British planters asked the peasants for compensation for releasing them from the 15 per cent agreement ?
The sharecropping agreement was irksome to the peasants. Therefore, many of them signed willingly. But others engaged lawyers to fight their cases. The landlords hired thugs.
Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of mere 25 per cent refund to the peasants ?
The British planters wanted some excuse to prolong the dispute with the peasants. But Gandhiji proved too wise for them. He at once ended the deadlock by accepting what the planters wanted. The British had to surrender part of the money and with it their prestige.
Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life ?
This episode proved that the British could not order Gandhiji about in his own country. He was ordered to leave Champaran, but he refused. Gandhiji was summoned to appear before the court. Gandhiji presented his case forcefully. At last, the government had to drop the case.
How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers ?
Gandhiji influenced the lawyers by his example of selfless service. He was prepared to go to jail for the sake of the poor peasants who were quite strangers to him. The lawyers were deeply impressed. They too became ready to go to jail.
What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards the advocates of ‘home rule’ ?
The average Indian in smaller localities was scared of the British. He had not the courage to say anything against the rulers. Naturally, the average Indian was afraid to show sympathy for the advocates of home rule.
Though the sharecroppers of Champaran received only one-fourth of the compensation, how can the Champaran struggle still be termed a huge success and victory ?
The sharecroppers of Champaran had received only one-fourth of the compensation. But even then, the Champaran struggle is considered a huge success. It was so because the peasants had now gained courage. They saw that they had rights and they had also defenders of their rights.
How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran ?
Gandhiji fought a long battle for the poor peasants of Champaran. At last, after one year, he was able to get justice for them. Gandhiji worked on the social level also. He arranged for the education, health and hygiene of the poor peasant families.
Why was Gandhiji opposed to C.F. Andrews helping him in Champaran ?
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Why did Gandhiji not accept C.F. Andrews’ help during the Champaran movement ?
C.F. Andrews was an English pacifist and was a devoted follower of Gandhiji. But Gandhiji wanted to win the battle of Champaran on the grounds of truth and justice. He did not want to use any Englishman as a prop. So he was opposed to the idea of C.F. Andrews helping him in Champaran.
Write a brief note on the sharecropping system in Champaran.
There were big indigo estates in the district of Champaran. All these belonged to the British planters. The peasants working on these estates were all Indians. By an ancient long-term contract, the planters had bound the peasants to a cruel system. Under this agreement, the peasants had to plant indigo on fifteen per cent of the land. The entire produce went as rent to the landlords. This system was irksome to the peasants, but they were helpless. Then it came to be known that synthetic indigo had been developed by Germany. The British planters now found that producing natural indigo on their lands was not profitable. So they forced the peasants to give compensation for releasing them from the contract. It was a grave injustice and the peasants opposed it. There was a long struggle under Gandhiji’s leadership. The landlords agreed to return 25 per cent of the compensation they had extracted illegally. Thus at last, the sharecropping system came to an end. By and by, the British planters left their estates. These lands came back to the actual peasants.
What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent ? What did the British now want instead and why ? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo ?
The peasants were bound under a long-term contract with the British planters. According to this contract, the peasants had to grow indigo on fifteen per cent of the land. The entire produce went to the planters as rent. This system was very irksome to the peasants but they were helpless. Then it came to be known that synthetic indigo had been developed by Germany. Naturally, it was much cheaper and the prices of natural indigo fell unexpectedly. Now the British planters did not want to plant indigo on their land. But they were cunning people. They forced the peasants to give compensation for releasing them from the contract. It was a grave injustice and the peasants opposed it. After a long struggle under Gandhiji’s leadership, the sharecropping system was at last abolished.
Who was Rajkumar Shukla ? How did he take Gandhiji to Champaran and why ?
Rajkumar Shukla was a poor peasant from Champaran. He was a man of iron determination. He met Gandhiji in December, 1916 at Lucknow. It was during the annual convention of the Indian National Congress. He requested Gandhiji to accompany him to Champaran. There he wanted him to see the miserable plight of the sharecroppers. Gandhiji was very busy at that time. He had to go to several parts of India. But Shukla followed Gandhiji wherever he went. Impressed by Shukla’s tenacity, Gandhiji asked him to meet him in Calcutta. On the appointed day and place, the two met at Calcutta. From there, they went by train to Patna. Shukla wanted to introduce Gandhiji to Rajendra Prasad there but the latter was out of town. Now they proceeded to Champaran. On the way, Gandhiji stayed at Muzzafarpur. There, he wanted to collect all the information he could about the plight of the sharecroppers. Thus at last, Shukla was able to take Gandhiji to Champaran.
What qualities of Gandhiji as a political leader and a social reformer are revealed in the chapter, ‘Indigo’ ?
As a political leader, Gandhiji was fearless and tactful. During his Champaran visit, he infused courage into the poor peasants. He encouraged them not to resort to violence to have their demands fulfilled. He fought for them, using the weapon of Satyagraha. And finally, he succeeded in getting the peasants justice. He emerged as the messiah of the poor who was ready to make all out efforts to champion their cause. On the other hand at the social front, he played the role of a social reformer. he noticed cultural and social backwardness in Champaran villages. He opened primary schools in six villages. He got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He arranged for the health and hygiene of the poor peasant families. Thus we see that his qualities of a political leader as well as a social reformer are ostensibly revealed in the chapter, ‘Indigo’.
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How did the court scene at Motihari change the course of India’s struggle for freedom ?
The British Commissioner of Tirhut ordered Gandhiji to leave the town forthwith. But Gandhiji did not leave. Instead, he proceeded to Motihari, the capital of Champaran. At the railway station, thousands of people greeted him. A report came that a peasant had been maltreated in a nearby village. Gandhiji decided to go there. But an official messenger came with a notice for Gandhiji. He was ordered to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhiji received the notice but wrote on it that he would disobey the order. Gandhiji was summoned to the court the next day. In the morning, the whole town of Motihari was overflowing with peasants. The government was confused. Gandhiji helped the authorities to regulate the crowd. At the court, he presented his case in an effective manner. He said that he was no lawbreaker. But he had his moral duty to his people. At last after several days, the case against Gandhiji had to be dropped. This victory of Gandhiji against the British changed the course of India’s struggle for freedom.
Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life ?
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Why is the Champran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for Independence ?
Champaran was a new experience for Gandhiji. Here he came to understand the common Indian people and the British rulers in a better manner. He saw that the common Indians could be taught to be brave. They had the courage to fight for their rights. They followed him faithfully. They understood him well. The Champaran episode also broke the myth of the dreadful British power. Gandhiji was ordered first to leave Tirhut but he refused. Again he got the notice to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhiji received the notice but wrote on it that he would disobey the order. At the court, he gave sound reasons for it. He said that he was no lawbreaker. But he had to do his moral duty to his people. Thousands of people rallied in support of Gandhiji. The government was confused. At last, the case against Gandhiji had to be dropped. Thus Gandhiji found that the British could not order him about in his own country. The myth of their dreadful power was broken.
Why did Rajkumar Shukla invite Gandhiji to champaran ? How did Gandhiji solve the problems of the indigo farmers ?
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How did Mahatma Gandhiji help the Champaran peasants ?
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How did Gandhiji succeed in getting justice for the Indigo sharecroppers ?
The peasants of Champaran were sharecroppers. They were bound by an ancient agreement with the British planters. Rajkumar Shukla was one of them. He wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran and help the poor peasants in their fight against the unjust landlord system in Bihar. At Champaran, he listened to the peasants’ problems. He also met the secretary of the British landlords’ association. But the secretary gave him no information. Gandhiji was ordered first to leave Tirhut but he refused. Again he got the notice to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhiji received the notice but wrote on it that he would disobey the order. At the court, he gave sound reasons for it. He said that he was no lawbreaker. But he had to do his moral duty to his people. Thousands of people rallied in support of Gandhiji. The government was confused. At last, the case against Gandhiji had to be dropped. He started a dialogue with the planters. They offered a 25 per cent refund of the money they had extracted illegally from the farmers. Gandhiji at once agreed to this. The British had to surrender part of their money and also their prestige. By and by, the British planters left their estates. These estates came back to the peasants.
What did Gandhiji do in respect of the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages ?
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Gandhiji’s loyalty was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human beings. Why did Gandhiji continue his stay in Champaran even after indigo sharecropping had disappeared ?
Gandhiji noticed the cultural and social backwardness prevailing in the Champaran villages. He wanted to do something about it. He appealed for teachers. Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh were two young men who had just joined Gandhiji as disciples. They and their wives volunteered themselves for the work. Several more came from Bombay, Poona and other parts of the country. Gandhiji’s wife Kasturbai and his youngest son, Devadas, arrived from the Ashram. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturbai taught the rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. Health conditions were miserable. Gandhiji got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. Three medicines were available — castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment. Anybody who showed a coated tongue was given a dose of castor oil. Anyone with malaria fever received quinine plus castor oil. And one with skin eruptions received ointment plus castor oil.
Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers ? How did it influence the peasant-landlord relationship in Champaran ?
When the official inquiry assembled a mountain of evidence against the big planters, they agreed to make refunds to the farmers. They asked Gandhiji how much they would have to pay. Gandhiji asked only 50 per cent. But the representative of the planters offered to pay only 25 per cent. In fact, the British planters wanted some excuse to prolong the dispute with the peasants. But Gandhiji proved too wise for them. He at once ended the deadlock by accepting what the planters wanted. He explained that the amount of the refund was not important. The landlords had to surrender some of the money and with it their prestige. So far the British planters had been behaving as lords above the law. But now the peasants saw that they had rights and also their defenders. They learned courage. By and by, the British planters left their estates. These estates now came to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping had disappeared for ever.
Relate in your own words the episode related to Charles Freer Andrews.
Charles Freer Andrews was an English pacifist. He had become a devoted follower of Gandhiji. He was leaving on a duty tour to the Fiji islands. Gandhiji’s lawyer friends thought it would be a good idea if Andrews stayed in Champaran and helped them. Andrews was willing if Gandhiji agreed. But Gandhiji was strongly opposed to such an idea. He said, ‘‘You think it would be helpful if we have an Englishman on our side. This shows the weakness of your heart. Your cause is just. You must rely upon yourselves to win the battle. You should not seek a prop in Mr Andrews because he happens to be an Englishman.’’ In Gandhiji’s struggle of Champaran, self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound together.
Gandhiji said, “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” How does it become clear from the lesson ‘Indigo’ that freedom from fear is an essential condition for justice ?
Gandhiji was absolutely correct in this statement of his that ‘freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor’. It becomes very much clear from this lesson. Gandhiji went to Champaran to help the poor sharecroppers who were being forced to pay compensation to the British landlords for not planting indigo on the 15 per cent land. The sharecroppers thought that the British power could not be challenged. But Gandhiji proved to them that the British power was not unchallengeable. He openly defied the government order asking him to leave Champaran immediately. Seeing Gandhiji doing so, the sharecroppers also rose against the authorities. They gained much courage. At last the landlords agreed to pay back the compensation they had illegally collected. Thus we see that as long as the sharecroppers had the fear of the unjust British planters in their hearts, they could never think of standing against them. But once they got rid of this fear, justice came to them itself. It proves that freedom from fear is an essential condition for justice.
When and why did the author say that civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India ?
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How did Civil Disobedience triumph at Motihar ?
When Gandhiji was at Champaran, he received a report that a peasant had been maltreated at a nearby village. He set out to see what the matter was. On the way, he was served with an official notice to leave Champaran immediately. But he refused to do so. Consequently, he was summoned to appear in the court the next day. Next day, Gandhiji told the court that he didn’t want to set a bad example as a lawbreaker. He asked the judge for due penalty. The magistrate announced he would pronounce the sentence after a two-hour recess and asked Gandhiji to furnish a bail for those 120 minutes. Gandhiji refused. The judge released him without bail. When the court met again, the judge said that he would not deliver the judgement for several days. Meanwhile, Gandhiji was allowed to remain at liberty. Several days later, the lieutenant-Governor of the province ordered the case to be dropped. At this point, the author said that civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India.
Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor indigo farmers were exploited by the British landlords to which Gandhiji objected. Even after our independence, we find the exploitation of unorganized labour. What values do we learn from Gandhiji’s campaign to counter the present-day problems of exploitation ?
In the present-day materialistic world, money has become the be-all and end-all of every person. Man wants to have more and more. There is no end to his desires. He has an insatiable lust for money. He wants to grow rich by fair or foul means. This lust for money, coupled with a total loss of moral values, gives rise to many social evils like exploitation, corruption, nepotism, etc. We can find exploitation of unorganized labour even today after so many years of our independence. To deal with the present-day problems of exploitation, we should follow Gandhiji’s ethics which he used during the Champaran episode. He didn’t break any law. He stuck to his duty towards his people. He taught them to be brave and have the courage to fight for their rights. But unluckily, even after so many years the situation remains the same. Now the need of the hour is that we should organize ourselves and assert our collective will to forge an India sans poverty and exploitation.
How did Gandhiji use satyagraha and non-violence at Champaran achieve his goal ?
During his Champaran visit, Gandhiji infused courage into the poor peasants. He encouraged them not to resort to violence to have their demands fulfilled. He fought for them using the weapon of satyagraha — non violent protest for truth. Gandhiji listened to the peasants’ problems. He also met the secretary of the British landlords’ association. But the secretary gave him no information. Gandhiji was ordered first to leave Tirhut but he refused. Again he got the notice to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhiji received the notice but wrote on it that he would disobey the order. At the court, he gave sound reasons for it. He said that he was no lawbreaker. But he had to do his moral duty to his people. Thousands of people rallied in support of Gandhiji. The government was confused. At last, the case against Gandhiji had to be dropped. He started a dialogue with the planters. They offered a 25 per cent refund of the money they had extracted illegally from the farmers. Gandhiji at once agreed to this. The British had to surrender part of their money and also their prestige. By and by, the British planters left their estates. These estates came back to the peasants. Thus using non-violence and satyagraha, Gandhiji succeeded in getting justice for the Indian sharecroppers.
