Summary
Explanation
Questions and answers
When I first visited Gandhi in 1942 at his ashram in Sevagram, in central India, he said, “I will tell you how it happened that I decided to urge the departure of the British. It was in 1917.”
The author had first gone to meet Gandhiji in 1942. He met him at Sevagram which is located in central India. Gandhiji had told that he would explain to author how he had come to the conclusion to ask British to go from India. It had happened in 1917.
He had gone to the December 1916 annual convention of the Indian National Congress party in Lucknow. There were 2,301 delegates and many visitors.
Gandhiji had gone to Lucknow in December 1916. It was to attend the yearly meeting of Indian National Congress party. 2301 representative of congress and many visitors had come there.
During the proceedings, Gandhi recounted, “a peasant came up to me looking like any other peasant in India, poor and emaciated, and said, ‘I am Rajkumar Shukla. I am from Champaran, and I want you to come to my district’!’’
Gandhiji recalled that while meeting was going on, a farmer came to him. He was looking like any other farmer of India – poor and thin. The farmer told his name – Rajkumar Shukla to Gandhiji. He requested Gandhiji to come to his district – Champaran
Gandhi had never heard of the place. It was in the foothills of the towering Himalayas, near the kingdom of Nepal.
Gandhiji was hearing name of that place for the first time. Champaran is at the base of a very high mountain Himalayas. It is near Nepal.
Under an ancient arrangement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers. Rajkumar Shukla was one of them. He was illiterate but resolute.
Farmers of Champaran had to share crop of their field with owners of the field. This was an old arrangement. Rajkumar Shukla was also a sharecropper. He was illiterate but a determined person.
He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar, and somebody had probably said, “Speak to Gandhi.”
Rajkumar wanted to complain that owners of land were doing injustice to farmers. He had come to the meeting for this reason. Probably somebody had advised him to talk to Gandhiji.
Gandhi told Shukla he had an appointment in Cawnpore and was also committed to go to other parts of India. Shukla accompanied him everywhere.
Gandhiji told Shukla that he had an appointment to go to Cawnpore. (This is the old spelling of Kanpur). Gandhiji had already agreed to visit other places in India also. Shukla went with Gandhiji to each place.
Then Gandhi returned to his ashram near Ahmedabad. Shukla followed him to the ashram. For weeks he never left Gandhi’s side. “Fix a date,” he begged.
After all his visits, Gandhiji came back to his ashram. His ashram was near Ahmedabad. Shukla also came to ashram. He was with Gandhji for many weeks. He requested Gandhiji to fix a date to visit Champaran.
Impressed by the sharecropper’s tenacity and story Gandhi said, ‘‘I have to be in Calcutta on such-and-such a date. Come and meet me and take me from there.”
Gandhiji was impressed by the story and determination of Shukla. He said to Shukla that he would be in Calcutta on a particular date. He asked Shukla to meet him there and take him to Champaran from Calcutta.
Months passed. Shukla was sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot in Calcutta when Gandhi arrived; he waited till Gandhi was free.
After many months Gandhji came to Calcutta. Shukla was sitting on the ground at the agreed place to wait for Gandhiji. He waited till Gandhiji was free.
Then the two of them boarded a train for the city of Patna in Bihar. There Shukla led him to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad who later became President of the Congress party and of India.
Gandhiji and Shukla got into a train. They reached Patna – a city in Bihar. In Patna Shukla took Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer. Name of lawyer was Rajendra Prasad. He later became president of Congress party. After independence he became first president of India.
Rajendra Prasad was out of town, but the servants knew Shukla as a poor yeoman who pestered their master to help the indigo sharecroppers. So they let him stay on the grounds with his companion, Gandhi, whom they took to be another peasant.
Rajendra Prasad was not in the town. His servants knew that Shukla was a small farmer. They also knew that Shukla used to repeatedly request their master to help indigo sharecroppers. So they allowed him and Gandhiji to stay on the ground. (Means they did not give them a cot or a bed) They assumed that Gandhiji was also a farmer.
But Gandhi was not permitted to draw water from the well lest some drops from his bucket pollute the entire source; how did they know that he was not an untouchable?
But servants did not allow Gandhiji to draw water from the well. They thought that Gandhiji could be an untouchable person. They did not want to pollute all the water of the well. They did not know that Gandhiji was not an untouchable.
Gandhi decided to go first to Muzzafarpur, which was en route to Champaran, to obtain more complete information about conditions than Shukla was capable of imparting.
Gandhiji wanted to get complete information about sharecropping. He thought that Shukla was not capable to give him complete information. So Gandhiji decided to first go to Muzzafarpur town. This town was on the way to Champaran.
He accordingly sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani, of the Arts College in Muzzafarpur, whom he had seen at Tagore’s Shantiniketan school.
So Gandhiji sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kriplani. He was a professor at the Arts College in Muzzafarpur. Gandhiji had met him at Shantiniketan School. This school was being run by Rabindra Nath Tagore.
The train arrived at midnight, 15 April 1917. Kripalani was waiting at the station with a large body of students. Gandhi stayed there for two days in the home of Professor Malkani, a teacher in a government school.
The train reached Muzzafarpur at the midnight of 15th April 1917. Prof. Kriplani was waiting at the station for Gandhiji. A large number of students were also present. At Muzzafarpur, Gandhiji stayed at the house of Prof. Malkani for two days. He was a teacher in a government school.
‘‘It was an extraordinary thing ‘in those days,’’ Gandhi commented, “for a government professor to harbour a man like me”. In smaller localities, the Indians were afraid to show sympathy for advocates of home-rule.
Gandhiji said that during those days, government professors were not giving shelter to people like him. So it was an extraordinary thing. In smaller towns, Indians were afraid to show sympathy to supporters of home-rule movement.
The news of Gandhi’s advent and of the nature of his mission spread quickly through Muzzafarpur and to Champaran. Sharecroppers from Champaran began arriving on foot and by conveyance to see their champion.
The news of arrival of Gandhiji and his goal spread in whole Muzzafarpur. This news also reached Champaran. Many sharecroppers started coming on foot and in vehicles to meet their leader – Gandhiji.
Muzzafarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him; they frequently represented peasant groups in court; they told him about their cases and reported the size of their fee.
Lawyers of Muzzafarpur met Gandhiji. They explained to him that they were frequently fighting court cases for peasants. They also told him about their cases and the fees they were taking from peasants.
Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting big fee from the sharecroppers. He said, ‘‘I have come to the conclusion that we should stop going to law courts. Taking such cases to the courts does litte good.
Gandhiji mildly scolded lawyers for charging huge fees from sharecroppers. He told them that he had come to a conclusion. We should not go to courts of law. Because taking this type of cases to court does not do anything good.
Where the peasants are so crushed and fear-stricken, law courts are useless. The real relief for them is to be free from fear.’’
Here farmers are exploited. They are frightened. Hence law courts are not useful. The real solution is to make them free of fear.
Most of the arable land in the Champaran district was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo.
In Champaran, most the land suitable for agriculture was divided into large area or large property. Englishman were owners of the land. Indians were working as tenants. The main crop grown and sold was Indigo.
The landlords compelled all tenants to plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. This was done by long-term contract.
Owners of the land forced tenants to grow indigo on 15 percent of their land. This crop was taken by landlords as the rent. There was long term contract for this arrangement.
Presently, the landlords learned that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. They, thereupon, obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement.
Recently landlords came to know that artificial indigo had been developed in Germany. So demand of natural indigo had reduced. The crop was not needed. After this, landlords wanted to free the sharecroppers of the 15 percent agreement. But they wanted some money from sharecropper to cancel the agreement.
The sharecropping arrangement was irksome to the peasants, and many signed willingly. Those who resisted, engaged lawyers; the landlords hired thugs.
For every peasant, the sharecropping arrangement was irritating and troublesome. So many peasants signed to cancel the agreement. They paid compensation to landlords. Some peasants opposed paying compensations. So they engaged lawyers to fight cases in court. The landlords hired goons to threaten such peasants.
Meanwhile, the information about synthetic indigo reached the illiterate peasants who had signed, and they wanted their money back. At this point Gandhi arrived in Champaran.
During the same time, uneducated farmers also came to know about artificial indigo. But they had already signed new agreement and paid compensation to landlords. Now they wanted landlords to return their money. In this situation Gandhiji arrived at Champaran.
He began by trying to get the facts. First he visited the secretary of the British landlord’s association. The secretary told him that they could give no information to an outsider.
Gandhiji started his work by trying to obtain truth. First he met secretary of British landlord’s association. The secretary refused to give any information. He told Gandhiji that he was an outsider. Gandhiji replied that he was not an outsider. Gandhiji did not get any information from him.
Gandhi answered that he was no outsider. Next, Gandhi called on the British official commissioner of the Tirhut division in which the Champaran district lay. ‘‘The commissioner,’’ Gandhi reports, ‘‘proceeded to bully me and advised me forthwith to leave Tirhut.’’
After that Gandhiji met commissioner of Tirhut division. Champaran was in the Tirhut division. The commissioner scolded Gandhiji. He advised Gandhiji to immediately leave Tirhut.
Gandhi did not leave. Instead he proceeded to Motihari, the capital of Champaran. Several lawyers accompanied him. At the railway station, a vast multitude greeted Gandhi.
Gandhiji did not leave Tirhut. He went to Motihari. It was the capital of Champaran district. Many lawyers went with him. At railway station of Motihari, a large crowd had come to welcome Gandhiji.
He went to a house and, using it as headquarters, continued his investigations. A report came in that a peasant had been maltreated in a nearby village.
He stayed in a house in Motihari. That house became his main office. He continued his inquiry to find facts. A report came to him that a peasant had been beaten in a village.
Gandhi decided to go and see; the next morning he started out on the back of an elephant. He had not proceeded far when the police superintendent’s messenger overtook him and ordered him to return to town in his carriage.
Gandhiji decided to meet him. Next morning he started for the village on an elephant. He had gone to a small distance. A messenger of police superintendent came to him. He ordered Gandhiji to return to Motihari in his vehicle.
Gandhi complied. The messenger drove Gandhi home where he served him with an official notice to quit Champaran immediately. Gandhi signed a receipt for the notice and wrote on it that he would disobey the order.
Gandhiji obeyed his orders. He came back to Motihari in the vehicle of the messenger. The messenger gave a written order to Gandhiji. The order asked Gandhiji to leave Champaran district immediately. Gandhiji wrote on the copy of the order that he would not obey the order. Signed it and gave to the messenger.
In consequence, Gandhi received a summons to appear in court the next day.
As result of disobeying, Gandhiji was ordered to come to the court next day.
All night Gandhi remained awake. He telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come from Bihar with influential friends. He sent instructions to the ashram. He wired a full report to the Viceroy.
Gandhiji did not sleep that night. He gave telegram to Rajendra Prasad. Gandhiji requested him to come to Motihari with his prominent friends. Gandhiji sent some instruction to his ashram. He sent a report to the Viceroy through telegram.
Morning found the town of Motihari black with peasants. They did not know Gandhi’s record in South Africa.
In the morning large number of peasant had reached Motihari. (In the town everywhere one could see people. Since their hair were black, the town looked filled with black colour). The peasants did not know what Gandhiji had done in South Africa.
They had merely heard that a Mahatma who wanted to help them was in trouble with the authorities. Their spontaneous demonstration, in thousands, around the courthouse was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British.
The peasants had come to know that a Mahatma had come to Motihari. He wanted to help them. But the officers were troubling him. The immediate arrival of peasants in large number was the starting point for their freedom from fear of British.
The officials felt powerless without Gandhi’s cooperation. He helped them regulate the crowd. He was polite and friendly. He was giving them concrete proof that their might, hitherto dreaded and unquestioned, could be challenged by Indians.
It was difficult for officers to control the crowd. So they requested help of Gandhiji. He helped officials in controlling the crowd. He remained polite and friendly. Till that time everybody feared the authority of British. Their authority was certain and accepted by everyone without any doubt. Gandhiji gave British officials solid proof that their authority could be challenged by Indians.
The government was baffled. The prosecutor requested the judge to postpone the trial. Apparently, the authorities wished to consult their superiors.
The government was confused. Lawyer of the government requested the judge to postpone the case. It seemed like authorities wanted to take advice of their officers.
Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement pleading guilty.
Gandhiji objected for delaying the case. He gave a statement in the court saying that he was at fault.
He was involved, he told the court, in a “conflict of duties”— on the one hand, not to set a bad example as a lawbreaker; on the other hand, to render the “humanitarian and national service” for which he had come.
Gandhiji told the court he had two opposite duties to fulfil. The first duty was to obey the law. He did not want to break the law and set a bad example. The second duty was to perform service to human beings and to his nation. He had come to Champaran for this duty.
He disregarded the order to leave, “not for want of respect for lawful authority, but in obedience to the higher law of our being, the voice of conscience”. He asked the penalty due.
He did not want to insult the lawful authority by disobeying order to leave Champaran. But he was obeying his inner voice, which is a much higher law. He requested the court to punish him.
The magistrate announced that he would pronounce sentence after a two-hour recess and asked Gandhi to furnish bail for those 120 minutes. Gandhi refused. The judge released him without bail.
The magistrate announced that he will declare the punishment after a break of two hours. He asked Gandhiji to submit a bail for the time of recess. Gandhiji declined to submit the bail. And judge released him without bail for the duration of two hours.
When the court reconvened, the judge said he would not deliver the judgment for several days. Meanwhile he allowed Gandhi to remain at liberty.
When the court restarted, the judge did not give his judgement. He said that he would give judgement after many day. He allowed Gandhiji to remain free till that time.
Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishor Babu, Maulana Mazharul Huq and several other prominent lawyers had arrived from Bihar. They conferred with Gandhi. What would they do if he was sentenced to prison, Gandhi asked. Why, the senior lawyer replied, they had come to advise and help him; if he went to jail there would be nobody to advise and they would go home.
Many influential lawyers had come from Bihar. Gandhiji had a discussion with them. Gandhiji asked them what they would do if he were sent to jail. They replied that they had come to help Gandhiji. If Gandhiji went to jail, they would go to their homes.
What about the injustice to the sharecroppers, Gandhi demanded. The lawyers withdrew to consult.
Gandhiji asked them what they would do about the injustice to the sharecroppers. All the lawyers separately had a discussion among themselves.
Rajendra Prasad has recorded the upshot of their consultations — “They thought, amongst themselves, that Gandhi was totally a stranger, and yet he was prepared to go to prison for the sake of the peasants; if they, on the other hand, being not only residents of the adjoining districts but also those who claimed to have served these peasants, should go home, it would be shameful desertion.”
Rajendra Prasad has recorded the conclusion of their discussions. They thought that Gandhiji was ready to go to prison for the benefit of farmers though he had come from outside. While they all were from nearby districts. They were also claiming that they were helping the farmers. In this situation if they went home, it would be a shame on them and they would be deceiving farmers.
They accordingly went back to Gandhi and told him they were ready to follow him into jail. ‘‘The battle of Champaran is won,’’ he exclaimed.
After their discussion, they went to Gandhiji. They told him that they were ready to go to the jail with him. Gandhiji then expressed that that battle of Champaran was won.
Then he took a piece of paper and divided the group into pairs and put down the order in which each pair was to court arrest.
Then Gandhiji made groups of them. He wrote their names group wise on the paper. He made a sequence of the groups in which they will ask court to arrest them.
Several days later, Gandhi received a written communication from the magistrate informing him that the Lieutenant-Governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped. Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.
After many days Gandhiji received a letter from the judge. It informed him that the Lieutenant Governor had given orders to close the case. This was the first victory of Civil Disobedience in modern India.
Gandhi and the lawyers now proceeded to conduct a far-flung inquiry into the grievances of the farmers. Depositions by about ten thousand peasants were written down, and notes made on other evidence.
Gandhiji and lawyers continued their detailed inquiry about complaints of farmers. They wrote written statements of about ten thousand farmers. They made their own notes about other proofs.
Documents were collected. The whole area throbbed with the activity of the investigators and the vehement protests of the landlords.
They collected many documents. The whole area was full of activities of investigators. There were strong opposition from landlords.
In June, Gandhi was summoned to Sir Edward Gait, the Lieutenant-Governor. Before he went he met leading associates and again laid detailed plans for civil disobedience if he should not return.
Sir Edward Gait was the Lieutenant Governor. He called Gandhiji to his office. Before going to meet him, Gandhiji met his main colleagues. Gandhiji made a detailed plan about what they should do if he was arrested. It was another round of civil disobedience.
Gandhi had four protracted interviews with the LieutenantGovernor who, as a result, appointed an official commission of inquiry into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation. The commission consisted of landlords, government officials, and Gandhi as the sole representative of the peasants.
Gandhiji had four lengthy discussion with Lieutenant Governor. The LG appointed a commission to conduct an inquiry about situation of sharecroppers. Members of the commission were landlords, government officials and Gandhiji. Only one representative from the side of farmers was Gandhiji.
Gandhi remained in Champaran for an initial uninterrupted period of seven months and then again for several shorter visits.
Gandhiji initially stayed in Champaran continuously for seven months. After that he visited Champaran many times for shorter duration.
The visit, undertaken casually on the entreaty of an unlettered peasant in the expectation that it would last a few days, occupied almost a year of Gandhi’s life.
The first visit of Gandhiji was on the request of an uneducated farmer. Gandhiji had not committed anything to the farmer. He had made that visit informally. He had expected that the visit would be for some days. But it engaged him for about a year.
The official inquiry assembled a crushing mountain of evidence against the big planters, and when they saw this they agreed, in principle, to make refunds to the peasants. “But how much must we pay?” they asked Gandhi.
The enquiry commission gathered large amount of proofs. These proofs were against the landlords. When landlords saw these proofs, they agreed to return money to farmers. They asked Gandhiji that how much money they should return.
They thought he would demand repayment in full of the money which they had illegally and deceitfully extorted from the sharecroppers. He asked only 50 per cent.
Landlords thought that Gandhiji would demand to refund the total amount. This amount they had forcefully taken without any law by cheating sharecroppers. But Gandhiji asked to refund only half of the amount.
“There he seemed adamant,” writes Reverend J. Z. Hodge, a British missionary in Champaran who observed the entire episode at close range.
Reverend J.Z. Hodge was a person living in Champaran for preaching Christianity. He was observing the full incident in details. He had written that Gandhiji appeared rigid about refund of 50 percent of the amount.
“Thinking probably that he would not give way, the representative of the planters offered to refund to the extent of 25 per cent, and to his amazement Mr. Gandhi took him at his word, thus breaking the deadlock.”
Representative of landlords offered to refund 25% of the amount. He probably thought that Gandhiji would not agree to this small refund. But to his surprise, Gandhiji accepted the offer. Thus the disagreement was removed.
This settlement was adopted unanimously by the commission. Gandhi explained that the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and, with it, part of their prestige.
The agreement was accepted by every member of the commission. Gandhiji explained that through this agreement, landlords were forced give some money and their prestige. According to him this was more important that the amount of refund.
Therefore, as far as the peasants were concerned, the planters had behaved as lords above the law. Now the peasant saw that he had rights and defenders. He learned courage.
Earlier farmers were convinced that landlords were behaving as if they were above the law. [Meaning that whatever they said was the law. No action could be taken against them.] Now peasants understood that they also had rights. They also had a person who would protect them. The peasants now became courageous.
Events justified Gandhi’s position. Within a few years the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared.
The future events proved that the opinion of Gandhiji was correct. Within some years, the British landlords left their land. Thus the peasants became owner of their land. The sharecropping did not exist now.
Gandhi never contented himself with large political or economic solutions. He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do something about it immediately.
Gandhiji never wanted to win a big political and financial solution of the situation. He understood the backwardness of the society of Champaran. He wanted to improve it immediately.
He appealed for teachers. Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh, two young men who had just joined Gandhi as disciples, and their wives, volunteered for the work. Several more came from Bombay, Poona and other distant parts of the land.
He requested teachers to come to Champaran. Mahadev Desai and Nrahari Parikh and their wives came to Champaran. They were followers of Gandhiji. They agreed to do the work without taking any fees. Many more people came from other far parts of the country like Bombay and Poona.
Devadas, Gandhi’s youngest son, arrived from the ashram and so did Mrs. Gandhi. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturbai taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation.
Gandhiji’s youngest son Devadas came from the ashram. Wife of Gandhiji also came. They opened primary schools in six villages. Kasturbai, wife of Gandhiji, taught them about personal cleanliness and how to keep society clean.
Health conditions were miserable. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. Three medicines were available — castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment.
Health of people of Champaran was very bad. Gandhiji requested doctors to help residents without any fees. Three medicines were arranged — castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment.
Anybody who showed a coated tongue was given a dose of castor oil; anybody with malaria fever received quinine plus castor oil; anybody with skin eruptions received ointment plus castor oil.
Anyone whose tongue was of bad colour, was given one type of medicine (castor oil). Those who had malaria were given another set of medicines (quinine and castor oil). Those who had boils on their skin or had other skin problems were given another set of medicines (sulphur ointment and castor oil).
Gandhi noticed the filthy state of women’s clothes. He asked Kasturbai to talk to them about it. One woman took Kasturbai into her hut and said, ‘‘Look, there is no box or cupboard here for clothes. The sari I am wearing is the only one I have.”
Gandhiji observed that condition of women’s clothes was very bad. He requested his wife to talk to women about it and do something. One woman told Kasturbai that she did not have any almiraha or box at his hut. She had only one sari which she was wearing.
During his long stay in Champaran, Gandhi kept a long distance watch on the ashram. He sent regular instructions by mail and asked for financial accounts.
When Gandhiji stayed at Champaran for long duration he was far from his ashram. Still he was taking care of his ashram also. Regularly he sent his instructions through letters. He also asked them to give details of expenses and money received.
Once he wrote to the residents that it was time to fill in the old latrine trenches and dig new ones otherwise the old ones would begin to smell bad.
Once, through a letter Gandhiji had asked those living in the ashram to fill the old pit of latrine and to make new pits. He wrote that otherwise the old pits would start giving bad smell.
The Champaran episode was a turning-point in Gandhi’s life. ‘‘What I did,” he explained, “was a very ordinary thing. I declared that the British could not order me about in my own country.”
The event of Champaran was an important change in the life of Gandhiji. He told that he did very simple thing. He declared to the British that they could not order him in his own country.
But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to alleviate the distress of large numbers of poor peasants.
The events of Champaran were not started as a disobedience or opposition. These were the attempts to reduce the pain and suffering of poor farmers.
This was the typical Gandhi pattern — his politics were intertwined with the practical, day-to-day problems of the millions. His was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human beings.
This was the regular working method of Gandhiji. Daily practical problems of millions of people were included in his politics. He was not devoted to unreal situations. He was devoted to improving living conditions of human beings.
In everything Gandhi did, moreover, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free.
Gandhiji tried to make India a new free India. An India that was self-sufficient and hence truly a free country.
Early in the Champaran action, Charles Freer Andrews, the English pacifist who had become a devoted follower of the Mahatma, came to bid Gandhi farewell before going on a tour of duty to the Fiji Islands.
Charles Freer Andrew was a strong follower of Gandhiji. He was a British. He did not believe in violence. He was going to Fiji islands for official duty. He came to Champaran to say good bye to Gandhiji.
Gandhi’s lawyer friends thought it would be a good idea for Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. Andrews was willing if Gandhi agreed. But Gandhi was vehemently opposed.
Some of friends of Gandhiji were lawyers. They thought that it would be beneficial if Andrews helped them. Andrews was ready if Gandhiji agreed. But Gandhiji strongly objected to this proposal.
He said, ‘‘You think that in this unequal fight it would be helpful if we have an Englishman on our side. This shows the weakness of your heart. The cause is just and 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’’.
He asked them if they thought that in the fight among unequal, having an Englishman would be useful. He said that it was weakness of their mental strength. The reason of the fight is true. Therefore we must depend on ourselves to win it. We should not seek support of Mr Andrew because he is a British.
‘‘He had read our minds correctly,’’ Rajendra Prasad comments, “and we had no reply… Gandhi in this way taught us a lesson in self-reliance’’.
Rajendra Prasad said that Gandhiji had understood their thoughts and feelings correctly. We could not reply to Gandhiji. He had taught us to depend on our own abilities.
Self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound together.
In the method adopted by Gandhiji, all the three factors self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were included.
Summary
'Indigo', an extract from The Life of Mahatma Gandhi takes us on a visit of pre-independence India where the farmers of Champaran were being exploited and ill-treated by the British landlords in the name of a system named indigo sharecropping. The account also highlights the significant role played by Gandhiji to win the pride back for Indian tenants. Indigo was the chief commercial crop produced by the Champaran peasants. The British landlords compelled Indian farmers to produce indigo on 15 % of their holdings. When Germany developed synthetic indigo, the landlords very cleverly wished to give up the sharecropping and asked for a compensation for releasing peasants' lands. Here Gandhiji led the lawyers in a battle of civil disobedience against the British landlords. Depending on the morals of self-reliance, perseverance and patience Gandhiji brought an unexpected victory to Indian farmers where they not only received a part of compensation money but also regained their lost pride and courage. Gandhiji put in his best efforts for social and cultural upliftment as well. Considering education a necessary equipment of social progress, he opened schools in six villages and convinced teachers from different parts for their volunteer services. A doctor was arranged to improve health conditions. Thus in his typical manner of politics Gandhiji helped the Champaran peasants politically, economically, socially and above all morally.
Question & Answers of the lesson
1. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being 'resolute'?or
How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla wanted to take Gandhiji to Champaran to solve the problems faced by sharecroppers. Gandhiji was busy at that time. But Shukla never left Gandhiji's side. He followed him wherever he went. At last impressed with his tenacity, Gandhiji agreed to go with him. All this shows that he was very resolute.
Or
Rajkumar Shukla had come to the congress convention to take Gandhiji to Champaran. He repeatedly requested Gandhiji to fix a date. Shukla followed him wherever he went. And finally Gandhiji agreed to come to champaran. Owing to his determination to take Gandhiji to Champaran, he is described as ‘resolute’.
2. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans. The servants knew that Rajkumar Shukla was a poor farmer who pestered their master to help the indigo sharecroppers. Since Gandhiji accompanied Shukla and was dressed like a simple man, they mistook him for a peasant. Or
The servants knew that Shukla was a farmer. Gandhiji was with him. Gandhiji always used to wear simple clothes. So servants thought that Gandhiji is also a peasant.
3. List the places that Gandhi ji visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran?
Answer: They had first met at Lucknow. Gandhiji visited Cawnpore and some other parts of the country. He visited his ashram in Ahmedabad. Then he had come to Calcutta. He visited Patna, Muzzafarpur and then went to Champaran.
4. 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?
Answer: Peasants were paying all the crop of Indigo grown on 15% of their land as a rent. They had to do so because they had been bound to do so by a long term contract. Now British wanted to free the peasants of this long term agreement. But they wanted a compensation from peasants for this. Because due to synthetic indigo, demand of natural indigo had reduced Development of synthetic indigo would reduce the price and demand of natural indigo.
5. The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can you identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of Satyagraha and non-violence?
Answer: Before taking up cause of peasants, he collects evidences and finds the truth. He pleads guilty in the court for refusing to accept the orders. He sends all the evidences to various authorities. These instances speak about his belief in truth and satyagraha. When large number of people had gathered outside the court room, he helped officials in controlling the crowd. He found a solution of the problems of peasants through a peaceful talk. These are the instances of his belief in non-violence.
6. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Answer: Gandhiji had demanded refund of 50% while landlords offered to pay 25%. To break deadlock in the discussion Gandhiji accepted refund of 25% money. Thus landlords were forced to give some money and their prestige. According to Gandhiji this was more important than the amount of refund.
7. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Answer: The peasants gathered in large numbers outside the court to show their support to Gandhiji. They had started thinking that they also had a right to express themselves. This was the first change. By getting a refund, they got the lesson that they too have a right. This was the second change. The landlords had to come to the discussion. They agreed to refund some money. Eventually the sharecropping vanished. It eliminated the fear in farmers. This was the third change. Finally, a social and cultural change was brought in the society. Schools were opened and healthcare facilities were started. This was made possible through voluntary work of many people.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1.Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning- point in his life?
Answer: It was an attempt to remove problems of poor farmers. Gandhiji got support from lawyers, teachers and thousands of farmers. Gandhiji had said that he had done very simple thing. He proved that he could not be ordered by British in his own country. All these laid foundation to his future struggle for freedom of India. Therefore Champaran episode was the turning-point of his life.
2. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Answer: Gandhiji scolded lawyers for charging fees from poor farmers. Gandhiji was ready to go to prison for the cause of local farmers. This motivated lawyers to give full support to Gandhiji. By refusing to accept support of Andrews, Gandhiji taught a lesson of self-reliance.
3. “What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule’?
Answer: Local people were very afraid to provide any support or sympathy to those who advocated home-rule movement.
4. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Answer: Prof JB Kriplani came with large number of students, to receive Gandhiji at Muzzafarpur. Many sharecroppers came to meet Gandhiji. Several lawyers met Gandhiji and supported him. A large crowd had gathered outside the court room. These instances indicate that ordinary people had also contributed to the freedom movement.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following:
1. “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? Answer: During Champaran episode, Gandhiji had worked for getting recognition for the rights of farmers. It was very important part of the event that fear of farmers was removed. They started believing that their voice could be heard. And finally they got justice. The sharecropping disappeared. Even today, the poor continue to live in fear. They are always scolded and given unequal treatment in society. The basic human and constitutional rights are denied to them. Their life is an endless misery. Poor are becoming poorer. Situation of small farmers is also bad. They continue to live in fear of money lenders and powerful people. More often than not, common people are adversely affected by the influential people of the society. It is matter of pity and shame that poor and common people of India continue to live in fear.
2. The qualities of a good leader.
Answer: A leader is someone who inspires his team to achieve something they had themselves not thought of. He demonstrates quality of hard work, dedication and perseverance. A leader believes in himself and his team. Many times people are engaged in non-critical activities and thus fail to achieve the goal. The leader should be able to differentiate between the two to remain focused. The leader must show respect to every member of his team. He should be a guide and mentor to his team.
Additional Questions
1. Why did Gandhiji go to Lucknow in December, 1916? Who met him there and why?Ans. 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, a district in Bihar. He wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran and help the poor sharecroppers.
2. Who was Rajkumar Shukla? Why did he go to meet Gandhi?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a poor peasant from Champaran. He wanted to meet him to complain to him about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar. He wanted him to come to Champaran and help the poor sharecroppers.
3. Why did Rajkumar Shukla want to take Gandhiji to Champaran?
Ans. The peasants of Champaran were sharecroppers. They were bound by an ancient agreement with the British planters. Rajkumar Shukla was one of those peasants. He wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran and help the poor peasants in their fight against the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.
4. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being 'resolute'?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to accompany him to his district named Champaran and help the poor sharecroppers. 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. All this shows that he was very resolute.
5. How did Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran?
Ans. 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 he had to find time to go with him.
6. What did Rajkumar Shukla tell Gandhiji about the landlord system in Bihar?
Ans. 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.
7. How did Rajkumar meet Gandhiji in Calcutta (Kolkata) and where did they go from there?
Ans. Gandhiji had asked Shukla to meet him in Calcutta. When Gandhiji arrived in Calcutta, Rajkumar was already waiting for him at the appointed spot. When Gandhiji was free, he met Gandhiji. Then they both boarded a train for Patna. There Rajkumar took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad who later became the President of India.
8. What happened when Rajkumar took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad in Patna?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad. At that time, Rajendra Prasad was out of town. But the servants knew Shukla as a poor yeoman. So, they allowed them to stay on the grounds of the house. The servants took Gandhiji for an untouchable. They did not allow him to draw water from the well lest it get polluted.
9. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhiji to be another peasant?
Ans. Gandhiji followed simplicity in his life. He was very simple in his dress and manners. He never showed himself 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.
10. Why did Gandhi decide to go to Muzzafarpur first? Where did he stay there?
Ans. Muzzafarpur was on the way to Champaran. Gandhiji decided to go there first because he wanted to get complete information about the zamindari conditions in the district. There he stayed at the house of Professor Malkani who was a teacher in a government school.
11. List the places that Gandhiji visited between his first meeting and his arrival at Champaran.
Ans. Gandhiji's first meeting with Shukla took place at Lucknow. Then the two met at Calcutta. From there, the two went by train to Patna. There Shukla took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad but the latter was out of town. Gandhiji decided to go to Muzzafarpur. There he stayed at Professor Malkani’s house. In the end he went to Champaran.
12. 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?
Ans. The peasants had to plant 15 percent of their holding with indigo and pay the entire indigo to the British planters as rent. But when they came to know that Germany had developed synthetic indigo and the prices of the natural indigo were going to fall, they wanted the peasants not to grow indigo, instead pay them compensation.
13. What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?
Ans. Germany had developed synthetic indigo. This synthetic indigo was much cheaper than the natural indigo. As a result, the prices of the natural indigo were naturally going to fall.
14. Why did Gandhiji chide the lawyers and what conclusion did he come to?
Ans. Gandhiji chided the lawyers for taking very high fees from the poor peasants. He concluded that it was not good to go to law courts. He also said that when the peasants were fear-stricken, law courts were useless. The real relief for them was to be free from fear.
15. What did the landlords compel the peasants to do as per the terms of a long-term contract?
Ans. The landlords compelled the peasants to plant 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo. The entire indigo had to be surrendered as rent. This was done by a long-term contract. It was very irksome for them.
16. What did the landlords do when they came to know that synthetic indigo had been developed by Germany?
Ans. The landlords learnt that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. They also say that now it was no longer profitable to produce natural indigo as the synthetic one was much cheaper. So they asked the poor peasants give them compensation for releasing them from the 15 percent arrangement.
17. What happened when the British planters asked the peasants for compensation for releasing them from the 15 per cent arrangement?
Ans. The sharecropping arrangement was irksome to the peasants. They felt themselves helpless and, many of them signed unwillingly. Those resisted engaged lawyers. The landlords hired thugs.
18. Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters' offer of a 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Ans. The landlords wanted some excuse to prolong the dispute with the peasants. But Gandhiji proved too wise for them. He accepted what the planters wanted and thus at once ended the deadlock. The British had to surrender not only part of their money but and also their prestige.
19. Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
Ans. Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life, because it was the first satyagraha movement in India and it had given back courage and self-reliance back to the Champaran peasants. Hence, Gandhi considered it important in his life and in the course of Indian independence.
20. How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers?
Ans. 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.
21. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of 'home-rule'?
Ans. 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 India afraid to show sympathy for the advocates of home-rule.
22. How did the episode of the refund of compensation change the plight of the peasants?
Ans. The peasants now gained courage. They saw that they had rights and they had also defenders of their rights. By and by, the British planters left their estates. These estates came back to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared for ever.
23. How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran?
Ans. 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.
24. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the movement?
Ans. The ordinary people stood with Gandhiji at every juncture. At Motihari, they gathered in thousands when they came to know that the Mahatma had some trouble with the authorities. They were ready to do anything at his bidding. Thus, the ordinary man's contribution to the freedom movement was no less in any way.
25. Why did Gandhiji ultimately go with Shukla to Bihar?
Ans. Shukla wanted Gandhiji to come to Champaran and help the poor peasants in their fight against the unjust landlord system in Bihar. Gandhiji was very busy at that time and had several engagements in different parts of India. But Shukla never left Gandhiji's side. He followed him wherever he went. Gandhiji was impressed by his determination and ultimately went with him to Bihar.
26. Where did Gandhiji decide to go first and why?
Ans. Before going to Champaran, Gandhiji decided to go to Muzzafarpur. In fact, Muzzafarpur was on the way to Champaran. And Gandhiji wanted to have a true picture of the zamindari conditions in the district. That was why he decided to go there.
27. How did Civil Disobedience triumph in India?
Ans. Gandhiji came to Champaran to help the poor peasants in their fight against the unjust landlord system. He was ordered to leave Champaran, but he refused. Gandhiji was summoned to appear before the court. Gandhiji presented his case forcefully. He said the British could not order him about in his own country. At last, the government had to drop the case. This was for the first time in modern India that Civil Disobedience had triumphed.
28. Why did the British authorities ask Gandhiji to help them in controlling the crowd?
Ans. Thousands of peasants gathered around the court house when they came to know that Gandhiji was arrested. The British authorities felt powerless without Gandhiji’s cooperation. Therefore, they requested Gandhiji to help them in controlling the crowd.
29. Gandhiji was not a lawbreaker. Then why did he disobey the government order to leave Champaran?
Ans. Gandhiji felt there was a higher law to follow. It was the law of conscience and he decided to follow this law.
30. Where is Champaran district situated? What did the peasants grow there? How did they use their harvest?
Ans: Champaran district of Bihar is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas, near the kingdom of Nepal. Under an ancient arrangement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers. They had to grow indigo on 15 per cent of the land and give it to the English estate owners as rent.
31. How did the development of synthetic indigo affect the English estate owners and the Indian tenants?
Ans: The English estate owners came to know that Germany had developed synthetic indigo and the prices of the natural indigo were going to fall. So, they wanted money from the sharecroppers as compensation for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement. They obtained agreements from them and extorted money illegally and deceitfully.
32. How did the Indian peasants react to the new agreement released them from sharecropping arrangement?
Ans: The sharecropping arrangement was troublesome to the peasants. Many of them signed the new agreement willingly. Some resisted and engaged lawyers. Then they came to know about synthetic indigo. The peasants wanted their money back.
33. Why do you think Gandhi was not permitted to draw water from Rajendra Prasad's well at Patna?
Ans: The servants of Rajendra Prasad thought Gandhi to be another peasant. They did not know him. They were not certain whether he was an untouchable or not. They feared that some drops from his bucket might pollute the entire well. So, he was not permitted to draw water from the well.
34. Why did Gandhi decide to go first to Muzaffarpur before going to Champaran?
Ans: Gandhi wanted to obtain more complete information about conditions than Shukla was capable of imparting. Muzaffarpur lawyers, who frequently represented peasant groups in courts, brief Gandhi about their cases.
35. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers? What according to him was the real relief for the sharecroppers?
Ans: Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting big fee from the poor sharecroppers. He thought that taking such cases to the court did little good to the crushed and fear-stricken peasants. The relief for them, according to Gandhi, was to be free from fear.
36. How did Gandhi begin his mission in Champaran? How far did his efforts prove successful?
Ans: He began by trying to get the facts. First, he visited the secretary of the British landlord's association. He told Gandhi that they could give no information to an outsider. Then Gandhi called on the British official commissioner of the Tirhut Division. The commissioner tried to bully Gandhi and advised him to leave Tirhut.
37. How did Gandhi react to the commissioner's advice? Where did he go and how did people react to his arrival?
Ans: Gandhiji did not leave Tirhut division. Instead, he went to Motihari, the capital of Champaran. Several lawyers accompanied him. At the railway station, a very large crowd of people greeted Gandhi.
38. Where did Gandhiji want to go? What happened to him on the way?
Ans: Gandhiji wanted to go to a nearby village where a peasant had been maltreated. He had not gone far when the police superintendent's messenger overtook him and ordered him to return to town in his carriage. Gandhiji obeyed the order and returned with him.
39. 'In consequence, Gandhi received a summons to appear in the court next day. Which events of the previous day led to this state of affairs?
Ans: The police superintendent's messenger served an official notice on Gandhi. It ordered him to quit Champaran immediately. Gandhi signed a receipt for the notice. He wrote on the receipt that he would disobey the order. Hence, he was summoned to appear in the court.
40. What according to Gandhi was the beginning of the poor peasants' 'Liberation front fear of the British'?
Ans: The next morning the town of Motihari was black with peasants. They had heard that a Mahatma who wanted to help them was in trouble with the authorities. They spontaneously demonstrated, in thousands, arround the courthouse. Gandhiji called their action of protest as their liberation from fear of the British
41. Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless?[Delhi 2014]
Ans: Gandhiji felt that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless. Because the real relief for the peasants would come only when they become fearless. The peasants were in acute panic.
42. What was the "conflict of duties" in which Gandhi was involved?
Ans: Gandhi ji told the court that he was involved in ‘conflic of duties. ’First, he did not want to set a bad example as a law breaker. Second, he wanted to render the "humanitarian and national service for which he had come. He respected the lawful authority, but disregarded the order to leave to obey the voice of his conscience.
43. What according to Rajendra Prasad, was the upshot of the consultations of the lawyers regarding the injustice to sharecroppers?
Ans: They thought that Gandhi was a total stranger. Yet he was ready to go to prison for the sake of the peasants. On the other hand, the lawyers were the residents of nearby districts. They also claimed to have served these peasants. It would be shameful desertion if they should go home then.
44. "Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India." How?
Ans: A case against Gandhi was initiated for disregarding government orders. The spontaneous demonstration of thousands of peasants baffled the officials. The judge was requested to postpone the trial. Gandhi refused to furnish bail. The judge releasedhim without bail. Several days later Gandhi received an official letter. The case against him had been dropped. Thus, civil disobedience had triumphed.
45. What do you think, led Gandhi to exclaim "The battle of Champaran is won"?
Ans: Gandhi was ready to go to jail fighting against the injustice to the sharecroppers. Many prominent lawyers had come from all over Bihar to advise and help him. At first, they said they would go back if Gandhi went to prison. Later, they had consultations. They told Gandhi they were ready to follow him into jail. This support made Gandhi extremely happy and confident. This confidence led him to exclaim that the battle of Champaran was won.
46. How did Gandhi and the lawyers try to secure justice for the sharecroppers?
Ans: They started conducting a detailed enquiry into the grievances of the peasants. Depositions by about ten thousand peasants were written down. Notes were made on other evidence. Documents were collected. The whole area came alive with the activities of the investigators. The landlords raised loud protests.
47. What was the reaction of Gandhi and his associates when he was summoned to the lieutenant governor?
Ans: In June, Gandhiji was summoned to Sir Edward Gait, the Lieutenant Governor. Anything could happen. Gandhi met his leading associates before going. Detailed plans for civil disobedience were chalked out in case he should not return.
48. What was the outcome of the four protracted interviews Gandhiji had with the Lieutenant Governor?
Ans: An official commission of enquiry into the sharecroppers' situation was appointed. This commission consisted of landlords, government officials and Gandhi as the sole representative of the peasants.
49. Why did the big planters agree in principle to make refund to the peasants?
Ans: The official inquiry assembled a huge quantity of evidence against the big planters. The crushing evidence forced the big planters to agree in principle to make refund to the peasants.
50. What amount of repayment did the big planters think Gandhi would demand? What did Gandhi ask? What amount was finally settled?
Ans: They thought Gandhi would demand repayment in full of the money they had extorted from the sharecroppers. Gandhi asked only 50 per cent. The planters offered to refund up to 25 per cent. Gandhi was adamant on 50 per cent. The deadlock was broken when Gandhi agreed to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to peasants.
51. HQW did the refund-settlement influence the peasant-landlord relationship in Champaran?
Ans: Before the settlement of the refund, the planters had behaved as lords above the law. Now the peasant saw that he had rights and defenders. He learned courage. Within a few years, the British planters abandoned their estates. The peasants became masters as the land. There were no sharecroppers now.
52. Which other spheres besides political or economic fields received Gandhi's attention during his long stay in Champaran?
Ans:The cultural and social backwardness of the Champaran areas pained Gandhi. He appealed for teachers. Several persons responded to his call. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. With the help of a doctor and three medicines, they tried to fight the miserable health conditions.
53. " This was typical Gandhi pattern" observes Louis Fischer. What do you learn about Gandhian politics from the extract 'Indigo"?
Ans: Gandhi's politics was intermixed with the practical, everyday life of the millions of Indians. This was not a loyalty to abstractions. It was a loyalty to living human beings. In everything Gandhi did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free.
54. Which other spheres besides political or economic fields received Gandhi's attention during his long stay in Champaran?
Ans: The cultural and social backwardness of the Champaran areas pained Gandhi. He appealed for teachers. Several persons responded to his call. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. With the help of a doctor and three medicines, they tried to fight the miserable health conditions.
55. "This was typical Gandhi pattern" observes Louis Fischer. What do you learn about Gandhian politics from the extract 'Indigo'?
Ans: Gandhi's politics was intermixed with the practical, everyday life of the millions of Indians. This was not a loyalty to abstractions. It was a loyalty to living human beings. In everything Gandhi did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free.
56. How did Gandhi teach his followers a lesson of self-reliance?
Ans. During the Champaran action, Gandhi's lawyer friends thought it would be good if C.F. Andrews stayed on in Champaran and helped them. Gandhi opposed this idea as it showed the weakness of their heart. Their cause was just and they must rely upon themselves to win this unequal fight. They should not seek the support of Mr Andrews because he happened to be an Englishman.
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