INDIGO BY LOUIS FISCHER

1. Rajkumar Shukla meets Gandhi. A poor emaciated Champaran peasant meets Gandhi at Annual
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convention of INC in 1916 Dec. at Lkourges Gandhi to visit ChamparanGandhi committed to visit
Kanpur and other placescouldnt go at once.
Shukla the resolute: Shukla illiterate but determinedaccompanied Gandhi wherever he wentfinally
reached Ahmadabad begged Gandhi to fix a dateGandhi promisedasked him to meet in Calcutta
and take him from there.
The plight: Champaran peasants all share-croppersentire arable land owned by British landlords
peasants compelled to grow indigo on fifteen percent landsurrender entire indigo crop as rentdone on
long term contract basis.
Development of synthetic indigo: Germany developed synthetic indigoprices in the international market
crashedBritish planter illegally and deceitfully extorted money and obtained agreements from share
croppers to pay compensation for being released from fifteen percent arrangement.
Ghandi begins his action: visited Secretary of British Landlords Associationsought informationgot no
informationcalled an outsidervisited British Official Commissioner of Tirhut Div.got no
cooperationCommissioner threatened Gandhiasked him to leave Tirhut.
Gandhi at Motihari: Gandhi moved to Motihariaccompanied by several lawyersstarted operating
from a housedecided to visit a nearby village to see a maltreated peasant.
Official notice to Gandhi: Gandhi intercepted by the messenger of the Superintendant of Policestopped
from visiting the maltreated peasantdriven back to townofficial notice ordering Gandhi to leave
Champaran served on himGandhi signed the notice and wrote that he would disobey the order
summoned to appear in the court the next day.
Gandhi spends a sleepless night: remains awake all nightwired Rajendra Prasad to come with
influential friendssent instructions to Ashramwired full report to the Viceroy.
Champaran reacts: spontaneous demonstrationsnews of Gandhi being in trouble with authorities spread
fastevery inch of Motihari packed with peasantgathered around the court housepeasant shook off
the fear of the British officials helplesssought Gandhis help to control crowdsBritish power no
longer unchallengeable.
Court authorities puzzled: proposal to postpone trialconsult superiorsGandhi pleaded guilty
disobeyed the court order not for want of respect for law and authority but in obedience to higher law
the voice of consciencefor the sake of national and humanitarian serviceasked for penalty duecourt
had no courage to pronounce judgmentpostponed judgment indefinitelyfinally the case was dropped
civil disobedience triumphed first time in modern India.
The battle of Champaran is won: Gandhi inspires lawyersthey realize Ghandhi being a stranger- still
ready to go to jailwhereas they not only lived in adjoining districts but also represented their cases in
courtsit would be disgraceful for them if they left Gandhi alonepromise to follow him into jail.
Gandhi strikes back: meets Lieutenant Governor Sir Edward GaitInquiry Commission formedhuge
evidence against landlords collectedagreed to pay back the moneyGandhi demanded fifty percent
landlords offered refund to the extent of twenty five percent.
Justification: amount of refund not important landlords obliged to surrender money as well as part of their
prestigevictory of peasants taught them couragestrength to raise their own voice and fight back
injusticelater Gandhi proved to be rightlandlords abandoned their estatesland reverted to peasants
indigo cropping disappeared.
Gandhi acts further: not satisfied with political and economic solutionsaimed at improving Champaran
culturally and sociallygot voluntary teacheropened schools in six villagesKasturbai taught Ashram
rules and hygienehealth conditions- miserablea doctor volunteersmedicinescastor oil, quinine,
and sulpher ointment.
Champaran episode a turning point: not an outcome of defiance of authorities but a result of a simple
effort to alleviate or reduce sufferings of the massesthe British could not order Indians in Indiaurged
British to leave India for the first timeplaced Gandhi on the forefront of national movement
transformed Gandhi from a mere social worker into a fierce freedom fighter.

16. Politics with a difference: Gandhis politics not founded on abstract, philosophical ideasbut intertwined
with the day to day problems of the millions of Indiansloyalty to living human beingsefforts to make
free Indians who would liberate India from shackles of slavery.
17.Gandhithe Charisma: a multi-faceted personalitydrew crowdshumble and unassumingvisited
Champaran on request of a very poor peasantknew the power of the common manbrought them on
one platformtaught them couragegave them a voicenot only ensured justice against exploitation of
British landlords but made the Camparan peasant that he had rights and he learned courageGandhi was
bold and fearless in his disobedience of the court order and very polite and empathetic with the poor
massesnot satisfied with large political and economic solutions but wanted to promote social and
cultural living of the poverty stricken massesan epitome of sacrifice and humanity.