Kisan Sabha Movement, History, Causes, Objective, Sahajanand Saraswati and Outcomes

The Kisan Sabha movement began in Bihar under the leadership of Sahajanand Saraswati. Read all about Kisan Sabha movement, History, Causes, Objective, Sahajanand Saraswati and Outcomes for UPSC Exam.

Table of Contents

Kisan Sabha Movement

The Kisan Sabha Movement was a peasant uprising that took place in the former United Provinces’ Awadh area (U.P). The poor living circumstances of the U.P. peasants brought on by the policies of the British Government and the Awadh Taluqdars were the primary cause of this movement. After the political transfer of India from the East India Company to the British Crown, the land income of the entire country of India gradually increased. The Kisan Sabha Movement (1857) will be covered in this article, which will be beneficial for UPSC exam preparation.

Read More: Ahmedabad Mill Strike

Kisan Sabha Movement History

In the wake of the 1857 uprising, the Awadh taluqdars recovered their lands. This consolidated the power of the province’s large landowners, known as taluqdars. The majority of farmers had to deal with high rents, bedakhalis (summary evictions), unjustified levies, renewal fees, or nazrana. The First World War had raised the price of food and other essentials. The situation of the UP peasantry was made worse by this.

The major centers of activity were located in the districts of Rai Bareilly, Faizabad, and Sultanpur. The Awadh Rent (Amendment) Act and government persecution both played a role in the movement’s rapid decline.

Read More: National Education Policy

Kisan Sabha Movement Causes

The taluqdars, or big landowners, tightened their control over the province’s agrarian society in the second half of the nineteenth century after Avadh was annexed in 1856. The majority of farmers now had to endure exorbitant rents, unlawful levies, renewal fees, or nazrana, and arbitrary evictions, or bedakhli. The oppression was made worse by the high cost of food and other necessities during and after World War I, so the residents of Avadh were ready to spread a message of defiance.

Read More: Surat Split

Kisan Sabha Movement Outcome

Activists for Home Rule were mainly responsible for the organisation of Kisan Sabhas in UP. Indra Narayan Dwivedi and Gauri Shankar Mishra established the United Provinces Kisan Sangh in February 1918. They had the support of Madan Mohan Malaviya in their endeavours. By June 1919, the UP Kisan Sabha had 450 branches.

The other notable figures included Baba Ramchandra, Durgapal Singh, and Jhinguri Singh. In June 1920, Baba Ramchandra encouraged Nehru to travel to these villages. Nehru developed strong relationships with the villagers during these visits. The Awadh Kisan Sabha was established in October 1920 as a result of disputes among nationalists.

The Awadh Kisan Sabha urged farmers to boycott anyone who refused to accept these conditions, abstain from offering hari and begar (forms of unpaid labour), and resolve their differences through panchayats. Looting of bazaars, homes, and granaries, as well as altercations with the police, quickly replaced previous forms of mass meetings and mobilisation in January 1921.

Read More: Indian National Movement

Kisan Sabha Movement and Sahajanand Saraswati

Sahajanand Saraswati, who established the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS) in 1929 to organise peasant complaints against zamindari attacks on their occupancy rights and launch India’s farmers’ movements, is credited with starting the Kisan Sabha movement in Bihar. Over time, the peasant movement gained momentum and spread throughout the remainder of India.

While Swami Sahajanand Saraswati and his Kisan Sabha had a clear legal vision for the development of Indian society through the empowerment of peasants and workers, they lacked a vision for the constitution of the newly sovereign country of India. The All India Kisan Sabha was a well-known farmer uprising against the Zamindari System that started in the twentieth century. It improved the living circumstances of farmers, peasants, and other agricultural and rural laborers.

Read More: Vernacular Press Act

Kisan Sabha Movement UPSC

Even under colonial authority, farmers frequently protested for their rights. The Kisan Sabha Movement was characterised by the inclusion of kisans from both the higher and lower castes. In response to government repression, the Kisan Sabha Movement rapidly disintegrated. The campaign was also stifled by the Awadh Rent (Amendment) Act. Read all about kisan Sabha Movement in details for UPSC Exam Preparations.

Read More: Ilbert Bill

FAQs

Who started Kisan Sabha movement in 1918?

Indra Narayan Dwivedi, Madan Mohan Malviya, and Gauri Shankar Mishra founded the Uttar Pradesh Kisan Sabha in Lucknow in 1918.

Who formed the Kisan Sabha in 1920?

Jawaharlal Nehru started touring the towns in Awadh in June 1920, speaking with the locals and attempting to ascertain their complaints. The Oudh Kisan Sabha was established by October and was led by Baba Ramchandra, Jawaharlal Nehru, and a few others.

Who led the Awadh Kisan Sabha movement?

In the 1920s and 1930s, Indian trade unionist Baba Ram Chandra (1864/1875-1950) organised the farmers of Awadh to create a unified front to fight against the abuses of landlords.

Which is the first Kisan Sabha in India?

Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was elected as the All India Kisan Sabha's first president at the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress in April 1936, marking the culmination of all these radical events on the peasant front.

Who was the founder of Earth Kisan Sabha?

Jawaharlal Nehru, Baba Ramachandra, and other individuals founded the Oudh Kisan Sabha, also referred to as the Awadh Kisan Sabha. It was established to combat the talukdars and landlords who wanted exorbitant taxes and rents.