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Bardoli Satyagraha – Aims, Effects, and Criticism

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Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a prominent Indian independence fighter who led a successful tax abolition campaign known as Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928. The campaign was launched in response to heavy taxes imposed by the British colonial government on farmers in Bardoli, Gujarat. 

Patel mobilized locals to resist the tax and organized boycotts against government officials and institutions. After months of protest and negotiations, the British government had no choice but to ease and reduce the tax burden. Bardoli Satyagraha became a symbol of successful nonviolent resistance and cemented Patel’s reputation as a leader in the Indian independence movement.

Bardoli Satyagraha

Bardoli Satyagraha

Aim of Bardoli Satyagraha

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s no-tax campaign, also known as the Bardoli Satyagraha, was a civil disobedience movement launched in 1928 in the Bardoli taluka of Gujarat, India. The main aim of the campaign was to protest against the high taxes imposed by the British colonial government on the farmers in the area, which were causing significant economic hardship and distress.

The farmers, who were predominantly poor and heavily indebted, were unable to pay the taxes, which resulted in the seizure of their lands and properties by the government. Patel, who was a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress and a staunch supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, organized the Bardoli Satyagraha to resist this oppressive taxation and to protect the rights of the farmers.

The campaign involved a nonviolent resistance movement, which included non-payment of taxes, a boycott of government offices, and peaceful protests. Farmers refused to pay taxes and instead donated to a general fund used to support the families of those whose property was confiscated. Gandhiji also supported the movement through his writings in “Young India” magazine.

Bardoli Satyagraha, Patel was able to negotiate with the British authorities and he was able to secure a compromise that included tax relief and the return of confiscated lands to farmers. The success of Bardoli Satyagraha made Patel a prominent leader in the Indian independence movement and an activist for the rights of farmers and rural communities.

Role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in organizing the Bardoli Satyagraha, also known as the “Tax Abolition Campaign” in 1928 in Bardoli Taluk, Gujarat, India. As Speaker of the National Assembly of India, he supported the campaign’s goal of defending farmers’ rights and resisting the British colonial government’s unfair tax policy. Patel worked closely with other leaders and activists, such as Mohandas Gandhi, to mobilize a grassroots movement that eventually forced the government to negotiate and lower taxes, earning him the title “Sardar”, Hindi meaning leader or leader.

Bardoli Satyagraha Effects

The government set up the Maxwell-Broomfield commission, in the fear that things would go out of hand by the Bardoli Satyagraha. The revenue was reduced to around 6.03% and the peasants came to return the lands which were confiscated from them. Patel emerged as a National leader after the success of Bardoli Satyagraha.

Importance of Bardoli Satyagraha

The Bardoli Satyagraha was an important peasant movement in India against British colonial taxation in 1928. Its success demonstrated the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance in achieving political goals and inspired future Indian independence movements. It also led to reforms in the tax system, giving farmers greater control over their economic lives. Overall, Bardoli Satyagraha contributed to the growth of the Indian independence movement and reinforced the concept of nonviolent resistance as a powerful tool for bringing about social and political change.

Criticism of Bardoli Satyagraha

The movement received several criticisms as well. The movement focused mostly on the conditions of the rice and the middle-class farmers and largely neglected that of poor farmers and did not raise serious issues like bonded labor system. The movement was considered as an experiment of satyagraha and did not address the problems of peasants in totality.

Related Links

  1. Rowlatt Satyagraha
  2. Idea of Satyagraha
  3. How did Jyotirao the Reformers Justify their Criticism of Caste Inequality in Society?

FAQs on Bardoli Satyagraha

Que 1. Who led the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928?

Answer:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel started and led the Bardoli Satyagraha.

Que 2. Who started Bardoli Satyagraha and why?

Answer:

Bardoli Satyagraha started after the increased and unfair taxes which were imposed on the farmers of Bardoli by the British government. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel started the Bardoli Satyagraha. 

Que 3. Where was Bardoli Satyagraha started?

Answer:

The Bardoli Satyagraha was started in the State of Gujarat.

Que 4. Who played the major role in Bardoli Satyagraha What title was he given?

Answer:

Vallabhbhai Patel eventually led this Satyagraha and its success gave him the title ‘Sardar’.


Last Updated : 21 Jan, 2024
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