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The Vice-President addressed the convocation at Mahatma Gandhi Central University in Motihari, honoring the city as the birthplace of the 1917 Champaran Satyagraha.

About Champaran Satyagraha  

The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was not just an agrarian protest; it was the laboratory where Mahatma Gandhi tested the weapon of Satyagraha (Truth-Force) on Indian soil for the first time.

The event marks the transition of the Indian National Movement from elite petitioning to mass-based resistance.

Historical Background 

The unrest in the Champaran district of Bihar was rooted in the exploitative indigo plantation system introduced by European planters.

The Tinkathia System: Under this, tenant farmers (ryots) were legally forced to cultivate indigo on 3/20th (three kathas per bigha) of their landholdings.

Economic Impact of German Dyes: By the early 20th century, the invention of synthetic German dyes had rendered natural indigo unviable. 

• To cover their losses, European planters began cancelling the Tinkathia agreements but forced farmers to pay heavy compensation (known as tawan) and illegal cesses (abwabs) in return for being released from the obligation.

The Trigger: The farmers were trapped—forced to grow an unprofitable crop or pay extortionate sums to stop. This led to widespread peasant unrest in the region.

Timeline of Events 

The Invitation (1916): At the Lucknow Session of the Congress, a local agriculturist named Raj Kumar Shukla persistently requested Gandhi to witness the plight of the farmers.

Arrival and Defiance (April 1917): Gandhi arrived in Motihari, the district headquarters. 

• He was immediately served an official order by the District Magistrate to leave Champaran by the "next available train" under Section 144 CrPC. 
• Gandhi defied the order, stating he would face the penalty of "civil disobedience" rather than leave.

The Inquiry: Facing massive public support, the government withdrew the case and allowed Gandhi to investigate. 

• Gaandhi and his team (including Rajendra Prasad, J.B. Kripalani, Mahadev Desai, and Brajkishore Prasad) recorded statements from approximately 8,000 peasants.

Champaran Agrarian Committee

Instead of an immediate agitation, Gandhi insisted on a thorough, data-driven inquiry. The government was eventually forced to constitute the Champaran Agrarian Enquiry Committee, with Gandhi as a member.

The Compromise: The committee found the planters guilty of exploitation. 

• A compromise was reached where the planters agreed to refund only 25% of the money they had illegally taken from the farmers. 
• Gandhi accepted this, arguing that the planters surrendering a part of their money—and with it, their prestige—was more important than the full amount.  

Legislative Outcome: The recommendations led to the passing of the Champaran Agrarian Act, 1918, which formally abolished the Tinkathia system.

Significance of the Champaran Satyagraha

First Civil Disobedience: It was the first successful execution of Civil Disobedience (refusing to obey an unjust law) in India.

Emergence of Mass Politics: It shifted the freedom struggle from the conference rooms of lawyers to the fields of peasants. For the first time, the "masses" were integrated into the national movement.

Psychological Victory: The partial refund broke the myth of the British planters' invincibility and taught the peasantry that they had rights.

Leadership Development: It created a cadre of leaders like Rajendra Prasad and Anugrah Narayan Sinha who would lead Bihar and India in later years.

Source: DDNEWS