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IDEOLOGY OF PEASANT MOVEMENTS IN INDIA BEFORE INDEPENDENCE

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IDEOLOGY OF PEASANT MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

BEFORE INDEPENDENCE

Amit Kumar Tiwari

Research Scholar,
Centre for Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies,
Central University of Gujarat,
Gandhinagar, 382029,
Gujarat, India

The present paper is a part of the chapter of my M.Phil. dissertation ‘Indian National Congress and Peasant
Movements; A Study of Eka Movement in Awadh’ Central University of Gujarat, 2016. I am grateful to the
Centre for Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies at Central University of Gujarat. I am also grateful to my
supervisor, Mr. Smruti Ranjan Dhal under whom supervision, I conducted my M.Phil. work. I am also thankful
to my new supervisor, Dr. Beryl Anand under whom supervision, I am conducting my Ph.D. work. I am
thankful to Dr. Anand because of her help and support in the publication of the paper.

ABSTRACT
India is an agricultural country. Agricultural production has been the means of the live of the Indian people
since ages. In ancient and medieval India, states formed and abolished because of agricultural production. The rich
agricultural production situation attracted many invaders to attack on India. Agricultural revenue was the main source
of income for the states in India. In ancient and medieval India, states became powerful Due to the revenue collection.
But, during medieval period, tax revenue collection was not oppressive. Therefore, peasants’ movement did not appear till
medieval period. But, the arrival of European companies, brought new revenue collecting pattern. Their objective was to
get more benefits because the foundation of those companies was done for doing business. The British East India
Company of England conquered India by politically as well as economically. It imposed high taxes on the peasants and
interfered in their social, political, economic and religious matters. Because of these reasons, the peasant movements
emerged in India.
The present paper will focus on those ideologies which play role in the peasant movements in India. In this paper,
main focus will be on some questions like ‘what is peasant movement?’, ‘What is peasant society?’ and what are the
circumstances that lead peasant movements? This paper will focus on mainly two ideologies of peasant movements in
India such as Gandhian ideology and the Communist ideology. The paper will also give a short introduction to the
peasant movements which were based on these two ideologies.
KEY WORDS: Gandhian ideology, Marxist ideology, peasant movements, land-revenue, non-violence, Satyagraha.

INTRODUCTION India. First, those agrarian movements which are

Peasant movements are the movements which done by the poor agriculture labourers and marginal
are done by the peasants because of agrarian reasons. farmers, and these kinds of movements are known as
Ideology of class conflict also plays an important peasants‟ movement. Second, those agrarian
role in peasant movements. Karl Marx considers the movements which are done by the owners of the land
peasantry to be passive, while Lenin, Fanon and Mao and these are known as farmers‟ movement. The first
have placed peasantry at the centre of the revolution type of agrarian movements are led by political
(Rao, 2000. xviii). Dipankar Gupta argues about the parties such as Kisan Sabha, Communist Party of
two kinds of agrarian movements in independence India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-

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M), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) which the population consists chiefly of agriculture
(CPI-ML) etc. The second type of agrarian production who have rights in the land that cultivate
movements are led by political parties such as, and produce primarily for own subsistence needs
Bharatiya Kisan Union which is active in west UP, though also for exchange and forms part of a state-
Punjab, Haryana; the Shetkari Shangathan in organized political system‟ (Goldschmidt and
Maharashtra and Rajya Ryota Sangha in Karnataka. Kunkel, 1971. 1058). Stephen P. Dunn has
The basic difference between these two groups of considered peasantry as „a category of people whose
parties is that the first group of party works for the connection with the land is so intimate and organic
poor peasants, and the second group of the party, that they cannot be deprived of all access to it, or of
works for the landholders (Gupta, 2002.192-195). all rights to its products, without thereby ceasing to
PEASANT MOVEMENT be peasants and becoming something else - slaves,
Peasant movements are the movements which landless agricultural laborers, potential or actual
are done by those sections of society which are industrial worker, or declassed lumpen - proletarians‟
involved in agriculture work. These movements are (Dunn, 1976. 639). Redfield argues about peasantry
social movements. Ideology of class conflict also as „culturally unsystematic, unreflective,
play an important role in peasant movements. Karl unsophisticated and non-literate, constituting the
Marx has considered the peasantry to be passive, mosaic of the “little tradition” (Redfield quoted in
while Lenin, Fanon and Mao have placed peasantry Singharoy, 2005. 5505). After studying these
at the centre of the revolution (Rao, 2000. xviii). definitions about the peasants, we can say that, the
Dipankar Gupta argues about the two kinds of peasants are the group of people who get
agrarian movements in independence India. First, employment from agriculture. They have rights on
those agrarian movements which are done by the agriculture land and do cultivation for their own
poor agriculture labourers and marginal farmers, and need. But in Indian context, we see different
these kinds of movements are known as peasants‟ situation regarding the peasantry. In Indian society
movement. Second, those agrarian movements which most of the peasants were landless agriculture
are done by the owners of the land and these are labourers before independence. The land belonged to
known as farmers‟ movement. The first type of a certain class of the big landowners. But after
agrarian movements are led by political parties such independence, the land reform bill was passed by the
as Kisan Sabha, Communist Party of India (CPI), government in which zamindari system was
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), abolished. The Indian government did some reforms
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI- in landownership. The lands were distributed among
ML) etc. The second type of agrarian movements are the depressed sections of the society.
led by political parties such as, Bharatiya Kisan IDEOLOGY OF PEASANT
Union which is active in west UP, Punjab, Haryana; MOVEMENTS IN INDIA
the Shetkari Shangathan in Maharashtra and Rajya Peasant movement is a kind of social
Ryota Sangha in Karnataka. The basic difference movement, therefore, by and large, peasant
between these two groups of parties is that the first movements have same reasons and ideologies which
group of party works for the poor peasants, and the play their role in other social movements. Indian
second group of the party, works for the landholders peasant movements can be classified into two
(Gupta, 2002. 192-195). categories on the basis of ideology. First, peasant
Definition of the peasantry: movements based on Gandhian ideology. Bhoodan
Peasants are the people who engage in Movement of Vinoba Bhave and Sarvodaya of Jai
agrarian work. Peasants groups have a well-known Prakash Narayan can come under Gandhian
history in the social movements in India and the Ideology. Second, peasant movements based on
world around. Irfan Habib defines peasants as, “A Communist ideology. Telangana peasant movement,
person who undertakes agriculture on his own, Tebhanga peasant movement and Naxalite
working with his own implements and using the movements are guided by Communist ideology (Rao,
labour of his family” (Habib, 2007. 109). In the same 2000. xviii).
way another definition about peasantry has been GANDHIAN IDEOLOGY OF THE
given by Gough who defines peasants as, “people PEASANT MOVEMENT
who engage in agriculture or related production with Gandhi is, perhaps, the first Indian leader who
primitive means and who surrender part of their tried to organise the masses for freedom. Gandhi, at
produce... to landlords or to agents of state” (Gough first, tried to understand the nature of Indian masses
quoted in Singh, 2000. 93). Engels has a more and then he formed certain methods which he used
balanced view about the peasantry. He is of the view during the national movement. Gandhi‟s ultimate
that the peasantry is as an internally divided value-goal was „Truth‟ which was very much related
unorganized and politically important unless with „Ahimsa‟ or non-violence. For Gandhi, non-
mobilized by the organized working class (Engels violence was a wider name of fraternity, Swaraj or
cited in Dhanagare, 1983. 1-5). Goldschmidt and liberty. He propagated the methods of performing a
Kunkel have defined peasantry as, „the community in value-creating function which would achieve

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ultimate values like purity. Gandhi was very much argued that when we do violence, we cannot
influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and understand the truth. He said that if one wants to
other non-violent religions. Gandhi adopted a finish the enemy, he should finish the enemy from
practical ideology which he developed during his within (Gandhi, 1932. 6). Gandhi considered non-
political career (Bandyopadhyay, 1973. 17-21). violence as his God. He wrote in Young India in
Gandhian ideology was based on Satyagraha. Gandhi 1925 that, „Ahimsa is my God, and Truth is my
defines Satyagraha: God.‟ When I look for Ahimsa, Truth says, „Find it
„Satyagraha is soul force pure and simple, through me.‟ (Gandhi, Undated. 5). Gandhi not only
and whenever and to whatever extent there is room talked about the result but he also talked about the
for the use of arms or physical force, there and to path that lead to the result. Gandhian ideology was
that extent is there so much less possibility for soul more concerned about the means. For Gandhi end
force. There are purely antagonistic forces in my depends on means therefore, means should be
view, and I had full realization of this antagonism focused more. If our mean is clear then our end will
even at the time of the advent of Satyagraha‟ also be clear. He was of the view that we do not have
(Gandhi, 1928. 105). control on the end but we have control on means
For Gandhi, Satyagraha is free from the use of (Gandhi, 1924). Gandhi was the most important
any kind of force. A Satyagrahi should not use the leader of Indian National Congress at that time,
physical force but he or she should use the force of therefore, those movements which were led by
their soul. According to Gandhi, Satyagraha is based Indian National Congress, were based on Gandhian
on Non-violence. Gandhi has drawn distinction Ideology. The Indian National Congress under the
between Satyagraha and Passive resistance. leadership of Gandhi, mobilised masses. The Indian
According to Gandhi, „we are week and helpless and National Congress emerged as a nationalist political
therefore offer passive resistance, our resistance organization under the leadership of Gandhi (Heeger,
would never make us strong‟. He saw „passive 1972. 1).
resistance‟ as a „weapon of the week‟. He writes, „we PEASANT MOVEMENTS BASED ON
are Satyagrahis and offer Satyagraha believing GANDHIAN IDEOLOGY
ourselves to be strong‟ (ibid. 123). Many peasant movements occurred in India
Gandhi used his ideology of Satyagraha and which were based on Gandhian ideology. We can
Ahimsa (non-violence) in those movements which he take examples of few peasant movements such as
led. Gandhi was not in favour of using arms in the peasant movement in United Province. United
movements. Gandhi claimed that, „I can definitely Province was one of the most important province of
assert that in planning the Indian movement there British government. Peasant movements occurred in
never was the slightest thought given to the various parts of United Province, especially in
possibility or otherwise of offering armed resistance‟ Awadh, after the emergence of Gandhi in Indian
(ibid. 122-123). Devi Prasad perceives Satyagraha as politics. In 1921 the peasants of Awadh started
the way to live truthfully and constructively. He movements against colonial government with the
considers Satyagraha as a war against injustice. For help of Indian National Congress and Kisan Sabha.
Prasad, Satyagraha is the process of transformation The peasants of Faizabad district, Rae Bareli district
of society (Prasad, 2005. 44). Hettne suggests that it and Sultanpur district, started movement. Earlier,
is very difficult to translate Gandhian Satyagraha these peasants adopted violent method and looted
because it has many meanings like, „Ahimsa‟ i.e. bazars, shops, attacked on the houses of landlords
non-violence which is the context of Satyagraha and and they also opposed police. The same situation
„Tapasya‟ i.e. self-suffering. Gandhi‟s Satyagraha is occurred in Agra province also. These peasant
also based on love, Tapashya and constructive action movements became known in national politics at that
(Hettne, 1976. 227). Abha Pandey argues that time, therefore, the nationalist leaders like Gandhi,
Gandhi did not distinguish trusteeship from passive Nehru1 and many other local leaders paid their
resistance. Gandhi was of the view that the attention towards these movements. Gandhi went to
trusteeship would solve all conflicts among the the peasants of Awadh in February 1921, and told
classes (Pandey, 1978. 1077). After coming back to them that as they were fighting for attaining Swaraj,
India in 1915, Gandhi followed the same policy to they would have to follow some principles in their
not use force in any movements. Gandhi used truth movements. Gandhi provided some oaths to the
and non-violence in all the peasant movements in peasants so that they would not be violent. The oaths
which he participated. Gandhi was very clear about were like, they would not hurt anyone, they would
the path which he had to follow in the peasant not loot any shop, they would show kindness, and
movements in India. He always talked about heart- they would not refuse to give taxes to the
change. He was of the view that that the non-violent government and landlords. Peasants were also
heart of human being can do any movement non- suggested to complain about their problems against
violently. Therefore, he was not in favour of
violence. Gandhi had a very clear view regarding 1
In this paper, ‘Jawaharlal Nehru’ and ‘Nehru’ have
why one should follow the path of non- violence. He
been used interchangeably.

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zamindars to Pandit Motilal Nehru, they would treat (Hardgrave, Je. 1977. 57-62). They rose their voice
zamindars as their friends. These oaths were against both the British Government and Hindu
especially to those peasants of Awadh who were landlords. All India Home Rule League (AIHRL)
engaged in the violent actions and activities in the and District Congress Committee (DCC) started
movements. In this way Congress, under the participating in these movements against the
guidance of Gandhi, tried to lead these peasant exploitation of Mappilla peasants. Many Indian
movements peacefully (Pandey, 2010. 143-155). National Congress leaders along with Gandhi,
The main cause behind the peasant‟s participated in this movement. Gandhi gave his
movements in Bihar was the effect of indigo support to this movement in early phase but soon this
cultivation on the land fertility. The peasants were movement became violent. Many Congressi leaders
forced to cultivate indigo in a fixed area of their land. argued that the British government was responsible
Gandhi came to Champaran and saw the situation of for making this movement violent, but, finally
the peasants on the request of Rajkumar Shukla, a Gandhi decided to withdraw from this movement.
local peasant of Champaran. After Gandhi‟s visit at Gandhi did not want to lead any movement which
Champaran, the colonial government constituted a was based on violence (ibid. 85-93). Gandhi has
committee to see the situation of the peasants and to been criticized by E.M.S. Namboodiripad because he
solve peasants‟ problems (Mittal and Dutt, 1976. 25- stopped supporting the Mappilla rebellion
34). In 1930s, the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (Namboodiripad, 2010. 12).
(BPKS) played very important role in building a Peasant Movements started at Mewar in
rural base for Indian National Congress in Bihar. Rajasthan in 1905. This movement was against
Kisan Sabha convinced Indian National Congress to Parmar Rajput who was a jagirdar of Bijolia Jagir.
look into the peasants‟ issues (Singh, 1992. 21-25). This movement was done by the peasants. There
Peasant‟s movements followed non-violent path were 86 different cases on the peasants, therefore,
during Non-Cooperation Movement in Bihar. the peasants started protest in 1905. But this
But peasants‟ problem did not end in Bihar movements could not continue for long time. It was
because peasants were continuously opposed by the stopped by the local power but again it started in
zamindars. This act of zamindars became the cause 1913. This time this movement was led by some
of another movement which is known as „Santhal leaders like Sitaram who was a sadhu. In 1915, some
Bataidars‟ in Puranea district of Bihar in 1938. This new leaders joined this movement. They started „no
movement continued till 1942. Bihar Province Kisan tax campaign‟. Later, the leaders of this movement
Sabha led this movement (Chakravarati, 1986. 1900). joined Indian National Congress unit in Rajasthan
Many peasants‟ movements occurred in (Singh, 1985. 31-32). Again, the peasant movement
Orissa during and after the Non-Cooperation started by the tribal peasants in this state which was
Movement. These movements were also led by the known as Bhil tribal peasant movement. Gandhi
Indian National Congress. The reason behind participated actively in this movement. Later, this
peasants‟ movement in Orissa was the exploitation of Bhil movement also merged in national movement.
peasants by the zamindars and the colonial There were no violent incidents in this movement
government. The Utkal Provincial Congress and the leaders were related with the Indian National
Committee played very significant role in these Congress, therefore, this movement was also
peasant movements. Utkal Union Conference was supported by Indian National Congress.
also a peasants‟ organization which participated in Bhoodan Movement was launched by Vinoba
these movements. The leaders like Lala Hansraj, Bhave after Independence in 1951. This movement
A.V. Thakkar, and Mohanlal etc. participated in was started in Telangana. Bhave appealed to the
these peasant movements. Gopabandhu Das opened landlords that „we are all brothers. Give us an equal
„Satyabadi School‟ in Orissa province. Gandhi share. We conceive dan, that is, charity, as an equal
appreciated the role of Gopabandhu in these peasant distribution of one‟s riches‟ (Anonymous
movements (Acharya, 2008. 49-52 and Pati, 1983. Correspondent, 1970. 1517). Vinoba‟s intention was
25). The peasant movements in Orissa were based on to change the heart of the big zamindars and
Gandhian ideology because these movements landlords. Vinoba had very clear view about land
followed the path of non-violence. holding. He refused to accept less than two acres
In Kerala, Mappilla revolt occurred during the from those landholders who had hundred or more
Non-Cooperation Movement. Mappillas were the acres land. He wanted social justice for all. He
Muslim community of Malabar district of Kerala. initiated this movement at the old age of sixty years.
Earlier, they were in good position and their trade Vinoba appealed to the big landowners to show
developed, but after the arrival of European colonial charity for the poor peasants. Nehru said about
power in India, Mappillas became peasants and lost Vinoba Bhave that he was the true successor of
their command on trade. But after the establishment Gandhi. Vinoba also followed the Gandhian
of British government their condition became too Ideology of peace and appealed for heart change.
pitiable. High taxation and establishment of After independence, the Congress government
zamindari system became the cause of their problems

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started the policy of „instrument of accession‟2 which 2000. 149-150). They started peasant movements in
was very much based on the idea of Bhoodan some parts of India like Bengal and Telangana.
movement (ibid. 1517). The aim of Vinoba Bhave These peasant movements continued for very long
was to create a casteless, classless and stateless time and after independence, they led many peasant
society which should be based on love and non- movements. There are some important peasant
violence. Therefore he adopted the idea of utopian movements which were based on communist
society, based on Bhoodan, Shram Dan, Buddhi Dan ideology such as Telangana movement, Naxalbari
and Prem Dan. He also developed the concept of movement and Tebhaga movement. If we see
Gram Dan3. His idea of Bhoodan was based on the communist ideology in Indian context, we find that
concept of Sarvodaya. He found that the problem of the differences in the Indian communist ideology
land is one of the most serious problems in Indian resulted in the establishment of three political
society and there was only one solution to this parties, namely, the Communist Party of India (CPI),
problem that the land should be distributed among the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and
all. Vinoba was not in favour of taking land by force the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-
but he said that if a landlord has five sons then he ML). These three political parties have some
should consider them six and the sixth part should be ideological differences. The CPI believes in armed
given to the landless (Srivastava, 1967. 206-209). struggle and applied this in Telangana during 1950s.
The Bhoodan movement was successful and many The CPI-M does not believe in armed struggle and it
landlords gave their land as a charity. supports the struggle according to constitutional
A movement may be based on violence or method. The CPIML believes in armed struggle and
non-violence. As far as the peasants movements are it believes that the methods may be changed
concerned which happened under the Gandhian according to the situation. Communist ideology
ideology, they were based on non-violence. If believes that social movements can start with protest
Gandhi saw that any movement was going on and then it can take its different ways like armed
violently, he withdrew from that movement. Gandhi struggle (Rao, 2000. 149-150). Sumanta Banerjee
had a very clear view about non-violence. Indian has seen Naxalbari movement in north Bengal as a
National Congress, under the leadership of Gandhi, peasant movement (Banerjee, 2002. 125-188). He
tried to initiate the movement through non-violent has discussed the role of Left parties in Naxalbari
way. Gandhi insisted on non-violent methods movement. In his article „Naxalbari and the Left
because he was of the view that violence took us Movement‟ Banerjee has discussed some speeches
away from the truth. So for him, everyone should which were spoken by left thinkers. He has cited the
follow the non-violent path to know the truth. speech, given on Radio Peking broadcast on the
COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY IN THE Naxalbari uprising on 28 June 1967. The speech was
PEASANT MOVEMENTS „this is the front paw of the revolutionary armed
Communist or Marxist ideology is one of the struggle launched by the Indian people under the
most important ideologies of the world which have guidance of Mao Tse Tung‟s teachings‟. Another
played a very important role in social movements as statement is cited by him is, „Naxalbari has shown us
well as peasant movements all over the world. the way to the Indian people‟s democratic revolution
Communist ideology presents an economic system in as much as it has unmasked the true face of the neo-
theory which will satisfy all the needs of the society revisionists….‟. This statement is a part of the
without exploiting any of its member (Bowles, 1962. declaration of the revolutionaries of the Communist
553). Marxist ideology was the product of industrial Party of India (Marxist) on November 1976 (ibid,
development in Europe and it emerged against 2002. 125).
capitalism. This ideology was against class based PEASANT MOVEMENTS IN
differences. Communist ideology came into TELANGANA
existence in India during 1920s with the Telangana peasant movement was based on
establishment of Communist Party of India communist ideology. Earlier, Telangana was a part
(Marxist). The communist ideology focused on class of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana was under the control
struggle and started movements against the capitalist of Nizam whereas Andhra was under the control of
powers. They also focused on peasants‟ problems British government where the government had
and tried to solve them by armed struggle. (Rao, introduced raiyatwari system. The first communist
group entered Telangana politics in 1939-40. This
group was illegal and they functioned under the
2
Instrument of Accession is a legal document. umbrella organisation called Andhra Mahasabha and
Through this process Maharaja Hari Singh had their aim was to promote the cultural and political
merged Jammu and Kashmir in India. interests of Telugu-speaking people of Hyderabad.
3
Gramdan movement was also a part of Sarvodaya During mid-1946, the movement had become a part
of Vinoba Bhave in which the whole of a major part of the national liberation struggle and the people of
of a village land was to be donated by not less than Telangana wanted to be free from the Nizam‟s rule.
75 per cent of the villagers. In this situation, the C.P.I. established its effective

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organization in this area and started armed struggle Tebhaga movement took place in Bengal in
in Telangana. The communist power emerged in mid-1940s. This movement was based on left wing
Telangana after the end of nationalist movement. ideology. This movement happened because of the
The Nizam had refused to merge his state into India „permanent settlement‟ in Bengal which became the
which also became a reason for the movement. This cause of the peasants‟ problems. The permanent
movement followed the same nature as the Chinese settlement created a big gap between the landlords
Revolution. This movement was supported by China. and the peasants. The peasants of Bengal became
The Chinese leader Liu Shao-chi announced that „the organised during 1920s under the left wing
road of Mao Tse-tung was the path for other colonial enthusiasm. Nalini Gupta and Muzaffar Ahmad were
countries and armed action was the main form of the main communist leaders who played important
struggle whenever and wherever possible‟ (Ram, role in this movement. Ryot-Krishan Sabha was an
1973. 1025 -1026). Telangana peasant movement organization of rich farmers which was conservative
was based on communist ideology. But after in nature. Another organization was also working in
independence, Indian government forced Nizam to Bengal which was known as The Krishan Proja Party
merge his state into Indian state and when Nizam did and this organization was also led by rich peasants.
not agree, the government decided to use armed Its leaders opposed communism. This party was led
forces against Nizam. After the intervention of by leader Fazlul Huq.
Indian army, Hyderabad merged into Indian state. The Bengal Kisan Sabha (BKS) was
The communist party continued its movement in this established in 1936, and it played an important role
area and adopted armed protest. But in October to give platform to the Leftist forces. Its leaders were
1951, this movement was withdrawn by the mainly from either non-cultivating classes or jotedar4
communist leaders (ibid. 1025-1030). families. In the beginning, its leaders focused on
NAXALBARI MOVEMENT local issues. In 1937 election, the Proja Party
This movement was started in West Bengal promised that it would abolish landlordism but it did
under the guidance of CPI-M which came into the not fulfil its promise, therefore, Kisan Sabha changed
power in Bengal in 1967. Bengal has also the same its attitude towards agriculture problems. Both
problem of land reform as it was in other parts of Hindus and Muslims participated in this movement.
India. Harekrishna Konar, the minister in charge of This movement performed some actions of violence.
the land and revenue, announced that the land would Some clashes occurred between the police and the
be distributed soon among all peasants. But, this was peasants in various parts of Bengal, like Danapur
not easy because of some reasons such as, first, the district and Mymensingh district. Many peasants
Marxist government had no planning about the land along with many communist leaders were arrested in
distribution, and second, Marxists were aware about these areas. In 1946, the peasants started massive
the fact that the landlords would not give land easily. protest and boycott against the zamindars. Dhanagare
Therefore, there was difficult position before CPI-M argues that this movement had some limitations also.
(Banerjee, 2002. 125-126). One member of He argues that the Muslim peasantry did not
Naxalbari movement argued, in the meeting of participate effectively in this movement because of
Kishan Sabha in 1964, Konar had accepted that they the communal politics in Bengal (Dhanagare, 1983.
would follow the path of armed struggle because 155-175). Bandyopadhyay argues that the leadership
without it they could not solve the problems of the of communist party was mainly in urban areas and
peasants. In 1967 election, CPI-M found itself in a their most of the members were from urban areas.
new position of responsibility and they supported They had little base in rural areas of Bengal
revolutionary methods. They thought that the (Bandyopadhyay, 2001. 3907).
mobilization of the peasants would be the challenge CONCLUSION
before Indian National Congress. Darjeeling District Peasant movement is a very important part of
Committee (DDC) was dismissed and the members social movements. Social movements happen
of this party were excluded from the party. The because of the social exploitation of the lower
Communist Party of China (CPC) supported the sections of the society. Peasant movements in India
armed methods in Naxalbari movement. There were happened because of many reasons like the
many other groups in this movement whose ideology exploitation by the colonial government, exploitation
was based on explicit Maoist ideology. They by landlords and zamindars and other elite sections
opposed CPI-M. Naxalbari movement was based on of the society. Peasant movements have also the
extremism in which the leaders adopted the methods same nature and ideology which the social
like hunger strikes, hartals and armed revolution. The movements have. Peasant movements have also
Central government also tried to stop this movement some concepts like collective mobilization,
by force but this movement could not be stopped organization, leadership, ideology, nature etc.
(Mukherji, 2000. 17-83). If we see peasant movements in Indian
TEBHAGA MOVEMENT AND context, we find that the peasant movements in India
COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY
4
Jotedars were peasants with small landholders.

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 EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) | ISSN (Online): 2455 -3662 | SJIF Impact Factor: 5.148

have been discussed by three categories of scholars 12. Gandhi, M.K. (n.d). Truth is God. Ahmedabad: Navajivan
such as Marxist scholars, nationalist scholars and Publish House.
subaltern scholars. The peasant movements in India 13. Gandhi, R. (1924). Means and Ends. www.mkgandhi.org.
Accessed on 5th January 2016.
were guided by two ideologies such as Gandhian
14. Goldschmidt, W. and Kunkel, E.J. (1971). The structure of
ideology and Communist ideology. Both ideologies the Peasant Family. American Anthropology, New Series,
have some differences in nature. Gandhian ideology 73(5), 1058-1076.
focuses on non-violence and Satyagraha. This 15. Gupta, D. (2002). Farmers’ movements in Contemporary
ideology emphasises on non-cooperation with the India. In G. Shah (Ed.), Social Movements and State. New
ruling class. Gandhian Satyagraha has no possibility Delhi: Sage Publications.
for the violence or any kind of physical force. In 16. Habib, I. (2007). Essay in Indian History: Towards a
Gandhian ideology, the Satyagraha is a process of Marxist Perception. New Delhi: Tulika Books.
transformation. Gandhian ideology is based on heart 17. Hardgrave, R.L, Jr. (1977). The Mappilla Rebellion, 1921:
change, therefore, in many movements, Gandhi Peasant Revolt in Malabar. Modern Asian Studies, 11(1),
57-99.
believed that the heart of the ruling class would
18. Heeger, G. (1972). The Growth of the Congress Movement in
change. Gandhian ideology was used by many Punjab, 1920-1940. The Journal of Asian studies, 32(1),
leaders of Indian National Congress like Gandhi, 39-51.
Nehru, Patel and many local leaders of the various 19. Hettne, B. (1976). The vitality of Gandhian Tradition.
parts of the country. Those peasant movements Journal of Peace Research, 13(3), 227-245.
which were based on Gandhian ideology, followed 20. Mittal, S.K. and Dutt, K. (1976). Raj Kumar Shukla and
non-violence. The Indian National Congress did not the Peasant Upsurge in Champaran. Social Scientist, 4(9),
support those movements which were based on 25-36.
violence. 21. Mukherji, P.N. (2000). Naxalbari Movement and the
Indian communist ideology is divided into Peasant Revolt in North Bengal. In M. S. A. Rao (Ed.),
Social Movements in India: Studies in Peasants, Backward
three party such as C.P.I., C.P.I-M., and C.P.I-ML.
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Communist ideology does not believe in non- Delhi: Manohar Publishers and Distributers.
violence methods. The nature of communist ideology 22. Namboodiripad, S.M.E. (2011). The Mahatma and the Ism.
depends upon the situation. In communist ideology, New Delhi: Naya Rasta Publishers.
achieving goal is important, therefore, the 23. Pandey, A. (1978). Gandhi and Agrarian Classes. Economic
communist peasant movements are based on armed and Political Weekly, 13(26), 1077-1079.
struggle. We can take the example of Telangana 24. Pandey, G. (2010). Peasant Revolt and Indian Nationalism:
peasant movement, Tebhaga peasant movement and The Peasant Movements in Awadh, 1919-22. In Ranajit G.
Naxalbari peasant movements. All these movements (Ed.), Subaltern Studies 1st. New Delhi: Oxford University
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