INDIGO
By Louis Fischer
About the author
Louis Fischer, the son of a
fish peddler, was born in Philadelphia on 29 February 1896. After studying at the Philadelphia School of Pedagogy from 1914 to 1916, he became a school teacher. He
served as a volunteer in the British Army but he made his career as a
journalist and worked for different newspapers. Louis Fischer taught about the Soviet
Union at Princeton University until
his death on January 15, 1970.
The famous American journalist Mr. Louis
Fischer came to India in May 1942. He was in India for two months. The world
war was in full swing. In the scorching heat of June he spent one week with Gandhi
in his Ashram. Gandhi gave him one hour daily. He could also talk with Gandhi
during other activities such as eating, walking, etc. Fisher wrote a book
"seven days with the Mahatma". In this famous book he has described
the Ashram life and Gandhi’s likes and dislikes in a very touching way. He
wrote that he never felt afraid in Gandhi’s presence. His association with Gandhi
was warm, healthy, full of joy and cordial. He found Gandhi a cultured, able
and always refreshing and sweet person. Louis Fisher has described the wonders
of Gandhi’s personality in the book.
Introduction
In this story, Louis describes Gandhi’s
struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran who were the sharecroppers with the
British planters. They led a miserable life and were forced to grow indigo
according to an agreement. They suffered a great injustice due to the landlord
system in Bihar. Gandhi waged a war for about a year against their atrocities
and brought justice to the poor peasants.
Characters
Raj Kumar Shukla: A sharecropper
Charles Freer Andrews: A follower of Gandhi
Kasturba: Wife of Gandhi
Devdas: youngest son of Gandhi
Summary
This story describes Gandhi’s struggle for
the poor peasants of Champaran. In those days most of arable land in the Champaran
district was divided into large estate owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian
tenants. The chief commercial crop was Indigo. The landlords compelled all
tenants to plant 15% of their Indigo and surrender the entire Indigo harvest as
rent. This was done by long term contract. The British didn't need the Indigo
crop any more when Germany had developed synthetic Indigo. Just to release the
peasants from the 15% agreement they demanded compensation. Some illiterate
peasants agreed but the others refused.
One of the sharecroppers named
Raj Kumar Shukla met Gandhi in this regard and compelled him to visit Champaran
because of the long term injustice of landlords. Then the two of them boarded a
train for the city of Patna in Bihar. From there Shukla led him to the house of
a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad. Mahatma Gandhi's humble and simple attire made
the servants mistook him as another poor peasant. He surveyed before taking any
vital step in order to get those peasants justice. It was the time when British
government punished those who in any condition gave shelter to national leaders
or protesters.
Gandhi's arrival and the
nature of his mission spread like a wildfire. Many lawyers and peasant groups
came in large numbers to support him. The lawyers accepted the fact that their
charges were high and for a poor peasant it will be irksome. Gandhi rebuked
them for collecting big fee from the sharecroppers. He stressed on counseling
as this would give the peasants enough confidence to fight their fear. He managed to get justice after a yearlong battle for
the peasants. He also made arrangements for the education, health, and hygiene
for the families of the poor peasants. He gave them the lesson of self-reliance.
Main
points
1. Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor sharecropper wished
to meet Gandhi to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in
Champaran.
2. Shukla followed Gandhi everywhere and begged
him to fix a date to come to his district. 3. Gandhi was much impressed and
fixed a schedule.
4. Gandhi and Shukla reached Patna to meet Dr.
Rajendra Prasad but he was out of town.
5. Then decided to go to Muzzafarpur first to
get detailed information about Champaran sharecroppers.
6. Sent telegram to J B Kriplani and stayed in
Prof. Malkani’s home - a government servant.
7. Indians afraid to show sympathy to the
supporters of home rule.
8. The news of Gandhi’s arrival spread-
sharecroppers gathered in large number to meet their champion.
9. Gandhi chided the Muzzafarpur lawyers for
taking high fee from poor sharecroppers.
10. Champaran district was divided into estate
owned by English people, Indians were only tenant farmers.
11. Landlords compelled tenants to plant 15% of
their land with indigo and surrender their entire harvest as rent.
12. In the meantime Germany had developed
synthetic indigo –British landlords freed the Indian farmers from the 15%
arrangement but asked them to pay compensation.
13. Many signed, some resisted, engaged
lawyers, landlords hired thugs.
14. Gandhi reached Champaran- visited the
secretary of the British landlord association to get the facts but denied as he
was an outsider.
15. Gandhi went to the British Official
Commissioner who asked him to leave Trihut. Gandhi disobeyed, went to Motihari
the capital of Champaran where a vast multitude greeted him, continued his
investigations.
16. Visited maltreated villagers - stopped by
the police superintendent but disobeyed the order.
17. Motihari black with peasants - spontaneous
demonstrations - Gandhi released without bail - Civil Disobedience triumphed.
18. Gandhi agreed to 25% refund by the
landowners, it symbolized the surrender of the prestige.
19. Gandhi worked hard towards social economic
reforms.
20. Gandhi taught a lesson of self-reliance.
Short
Answer Type Questions
Q1. Why was Gandhiji impressed with Rajkumar Shukla’s
tenacity and determination?
Ans. Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor Sharecropper from
Champaran requested Gandhi in Congress Session in Lucknow to fix a date to
visit Champaran where the sharecroppers were subjected to injustice. Till Gandhi
fixed a date, he did not leave him rather he accompanied him wherever he went. Gandhi
was impressed by his tenacity and determination and finally agreed to go there
from Calcutta.
Q2. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers who represented the
interests of group of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting
big fees from the sharecroppers to fight their case in law courts. He felt
taking their case to law courts would do little good when they were so crushed
and fear stricken. So his first priority was to free them from fear.
Q3. What were the conditions of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. The peasants of Champaran were tenants of
British landlords. Under long term sharecropping arrangement, they were growing
Indigo on 15 percent of their holding and surrendering the harvest as rent to
the British landlord. But when Indigo price fell due to synthetic Indigo
developed in Germany, the landlords obtained agreement from the peasants to pay
them compensation which some of the peasants resisted and fought their case in
court.
Q4. What made the British realize that the Indians could
challenge their might hither to unquestioned?
Ans. The spontaneous demonstration around the
court house by the peasants of Motihari on knowing that Gandhi was in trouble
was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British which made the
British realize that now the Indians can challenge their might.
Q5. How
did Gandhi make the peasants fearless and self-reliant?
Ans. Gandhi made the
peasants fearless by letting them know about their rights, fighting their case
and by obtaining the refund of compensation made to the British landlords who
were behaving as lords above the law.
Q6. Why
is Raj Kumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute'?
Ans. Raj Kumar Shukla was a
poor, illiterate sharecropper from Champaran who having heard of Gandhi came to
Lucknow to seek his assistance. He was illiterate but resolute. He wished to
bring the plight of the sharecroppers of Champaran to the notice of Gandhi and
followed him everywhere till he finally agreed to go to Champaran.
Q7. Why
do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans. Gandhi was committed
to accompany Raj Kumar Shukla to Champaran to address the tribulations of the
sharecroppers of that area. En route to Champaran from Calcutta, Raj Kumar Shukla
made Gandhi stop in Patna to meet a lawyer called Rajendra Prasad who later on
became the first President of India. The servants thought that Gandhi was
another peasant as he had come with an illiterate peasant.
Q8. Why
did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Ans. Gandhi agreed to a
settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers just to break the deadlock.
Gandhi felt that the amount was less important than the fact that the landlords
had been obliged to surrender a part of the money and along with it a part of
their pride.
Q9. How
was Gandhi able to influence the lawyers? Give instances.
Ans. Gandhi’s sincerity of
purpose, convincing argumentation and a logical approach deeply influenced the
lawyers. Chiding them for over-charging the peasants, he encouraged them to
court arrest for the poor peasants’ cause, if he himself got imprisoned.
Q10. What
was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards
advocates of ‘home rule’?
Ans. In the smaller
localities, Indians were afraid to show sympathy with advocates of ‘Home Rule’.
Thus it was surprising for Gandhi that he received support from Professor J.B.
Kripalani of the Arts College of Muzzafarpur. He met him at the station with a
large group of students and also housed him for a couple of days.
Q11. How
do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Ans. Freedom movement is
the story of the contribution and sacrifices of countless unknown and unsung
heroes like Raj Kumar Shukla and other Champaran sharecroppers. But for their
active support and show of solidarity, the first victory of Civil Disobedience
in India would not have been possible.
Long
Answer Type Questions
Q1. Why was the share-cropping
arrangement irksome? What was its fate?
Ans. Most of the
cultivating land of Chaniparan district was divided into large estates owned by
the Englishmen. It was worked by Indian tenant peasants, for which they paid
rent. Indigo was the chief commerical crop. The English planters compelled all
peasants to grow indigo in three-twentieths or 15 per cent of their land
holdings. The entire indigo harvest was to be surrendered as rent to the
British landowners. The landlords came to know that Germany had developed
synthetic indigo. Thereupon they obtained agreement, from the share-croppers to
pay them the compensation. This share-cropping arrangement was irksome to the
peasants. Some signed it willingly and those who opposed engaged lawyers. The
landowners hired thugs who forcefully collected the compensation amount.
It was at this point Gandhi reached Champaran.
Gandhi’s civil disobedience and peasants’ spontaneous demonstration compelled
the Lieutenant Governor to appoint a commission of inquiry into the
share-croppers situation. The official inquiry concluded that the landlords had
to refund the part of the money to the peasants. After a few years they
abandoned their estates. The indigo share-cropping disappeared completely.
Q2. How did Gandhiji win the battle of Champaran?
Ans. After his arrival at Motihari, Gandhiji
used a house as the headquarter so that he can have complete investigation for
the sharecroppers. At that time there came a report about mal-treating a
peasant. Next morning Gandhiji went to see him but he was overtaken by the
police superintendent’s messanger with an order to come back. When he reached
home, Gandhiji was asked to quit Champaran at once. Gandhiji signed the order
but wrote to disobey the order. Next day Gandhi appeared in the court. That
night Gandhiji telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come with the influential
friends. When the peasants knew that Gandhiji was in trouble with the
authorities, the court ground of Motihari became black with peasants. The
officials felt powerless
and they had to seek his help. The trial was postponed but Gandhiji protested
the delay. In between he was left at liberty. Now Gandhiji asked the prominent
lawyers what they would do in case he was sent to jail. They told that they
would follow Gandhiji and give the court arrest. Gandhiji exclaimed: “The
battle of Champaran is won”.
Q3. How did a visit to Champaran become
a turning point in Gandhi’s life? How does this show Gandhi’s love and concern
for the common people of India?
Ans. After having clues from Raj Kumar
Shukla, Gandhi reached Champaran to understand the appalling conditions of
sharecroppers. He found that the large estates were owned by the Englishmen
where Indians worked there as their tenant farmers and they paid 15% of their
land yield. After great tussel, Gandhi and the lawyers made the Britishers
agree to refund 25 percent of the money. Thus farmers became bold and got their
rights. Within few years, the landlords left chains over the estates and the
farmers became the owners. On finding backwardness of the people there, he
appointed volunteers to teach the villagers. Kasturba taught the ashram rules
and personal hygiene and community sanitation. A doctor helped the villagers in
their health problems. The people realized the value of self-reliance. The
countrymen embarked on the task of national freedom movement. It was a turning point
in Gandhi’s life. All his activities were expressing his love and concern for
the Indians.
Q4. What were the steps taken by
Gandhiji to solve the problems of social and cultural backwardness in the villages
of Champaran?
Ans. Gandhiji saw the cultural and social
backwardness in the Champaran villages. In order to educate them he made an
appeal for teachers. His two new young pupils Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh and
their wives offered to work. Several more teachers came from Bombay (Mumbai),
Poona and other distant parts of India. His youngest son Devdas and Mrs. Gandhi
(Kasturba) also arrived from the Ashram. Primary schools were also opened in
six villages to teach children. Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal
cleanliness and community sanitation. In order to improve the miserable health
conditions, Gandhiji got a doctor. He volunteered his services for six months. Kasturba
talked to the women to get rid of their filthy state of clothes. During his
long stay at Champaran, Gandhiji taught people self- reliance and freedom from
the fear of the British. Thus he paved the path for the freedom of India.
Q5. “Freedom
from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” Do you think that
the poor of India are free from fear after Independence?
For
the motion
I think that in the present day, the poor in
India have been relatively free of fear for the following reasons:
(a) Ours is a democratic
country encouraging the values of individual freedom.
(b) The Constitution of
India guarantees freedom to every citizen in India and this makes a
man fearless in his attitude compared to the situation that had prevailed
in this country under British domination.
(c) The legal system in
the country is impartial and sympathetic towards people’s rightful
privileges and demands. This gives the poor in India a voice and a sense
of fearlessness.
(d) The Press in India is
ever vigilant and makes it a point to report instances of the abuse of freedom.
It is a widely watched medium among both the urban and rural poor and gives
them the moral courage to resist curbs on their freedom.
(e) A sound system of
administration ensures that the poor in India are given legal and
personal protection.
Against
the motion
(a) Despite being the world’s
biggest democracy, the poor in India live in denial of
fundamental freedoms because they are afraid to raise their voices against
injustices committed against them.
(b) Economic suppression
and the lack of social security measures make the poor live in abject fear of
falling a prey to disease and death or of being a victim of state and police
atrocities.
(c) Women are in constant
fear of their personal safety in both cities and villages irrespective
of their age, their education and other empowering tools.
(d) Corrupt practices and
male dominance make their lives oppressive and fearful, for they
are denied their basic right to existence if they raise their voices
against acts that are committed by their superiors.
(e) The poor are soft
targets for vote bank politics and they dare not oppose the local mafia
for fear of the fallout and flack that will come upon him, his villages
and his family members.
Q6. 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 exploitation of
unorganized labour. What values do we learn from Gandhi’s campaign to counter
the present day problems of exploitation?
Ans. Exploitation is a universal phenomenon.
It exists since the origin of the society. The mighty rules the poor. It makes
a strata of society slaves and the other one rule them. Since the British rule,
this phenomenon is on. They exploited Indians in each and every possible way.
Most noticeable was the exploitation of the poor Indigo farmers. They had been
getting nothing for their hard work. Gandhiji taught them to speak against it
using the power of truth, education, peace and non-violence. The condition is
even same in today’s scenario. Labourers are still being exploited in
unorganized sectors. They Work for long hours but do not get paid according to
labour laws. They need to remain united, come ahead and fight for their rights.
Legal paths should be followed to get what they deserve. No one should be ready
to work in unhygienic and improper working conditions. Togetherness, strength
and self-determination will definitely bring fruitful results to the labourers
in every field.