Rebellion in the Countryside: The Tribals
Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the idea of swaraj in their own way. In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, a militant guerrilla movement spread in the early 1920s — a form of struggle the Congress could not approve. The colonial government had closed large forest areas, preventing people from grazing cattle or collecting fuelwood and fruits, and had forced them to do begar for road building. This enraged the hill people, who felt their traditional rights were being denied.
Their leader was Alluri Sitaram Raju, who claimed special powers — that he could make astrological predictions, heal people, and survive bullet shots. He talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking, but he asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence. The Gudem rebels attacked police stations and carried on guerrilla warfare. Raju was captured and executed in 1924 and became a folk hero.
Swaraj in the Plantations
Workers too had their own understanding of swaraj. For plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space of the tea gardens, and to retain a link with their home villages. Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not permitted to leave the tea gardens without permission, which was rarely given.
When they heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of workers defied the authorities, left the plantations and headed home, believing that Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land. But they never reached their destination — stranded by a railway and steamer strike, they were caught by the police and brutally beaten.
Chauri Chaura and the Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation
These movements were not defined by the Congress programme — the participants interpreted swaraj in their own ways, imagining a time when all suffering would end. Yet by chanting Gandhiji's name and raising slogans for 'Swatantra Bharat', they were relating to an all-India agitation beyond their locality.
In February 1922, at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur (UP), a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar turned into a violent clash with the police, and a police station was set on fire. Hearing of the incident, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement. He felt the movement was turning violent in many places, and that satyagrahis needed to be properly trained before they were ready for mass struggles.
Questions and Answers
Q1. How did the tribals of the Gudem Hills interpret swaraj? Ans. The Gudem hill people, angered by the closing of forests and forced begar, launched a militant guerrilla movement under Alluri Sitaram Raju. They wore khadi and admired Gandhi, but believed India could be freed only by the use of force, attacking police stations for swaraj.
Q2. What did swaraj mean to the plantation workers of Assam? Ans. For Assam's plantation workers, swaraj meant the right to move freely in and out of the tea gardens (denied by the Inland Emigration Act of 1859) and to keep a link with their home villages.
Questions and Answers (continued)
Q3. Why did Mahatma Gandhi withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement? Ans. In February 1922, at Chauri Chaura, a peaceful demonstration turned violent and a police station was set on fire. Gandhi felt the movement was turning violent in many places and that satyagrahis were not yet properly trained for mass struggle, so he withdrew it.
Q4. Who was Alluri Sitaram Raju? Ans. He was the leader of the militant tribal guerrilla movement in the Gudem Hills. He claimed special powers, admired Gandhi and promoted khadi, but believed in the use of force. He was captured and executed in 1924 and became a folk hero.