The Bardoli Resolution: A Watershed in the Indian Freedom Movement (20 Century)
The Bardoli resolution is one of the major events in the freedom movement of India. The resolution was introduced in 1928 as a result of British persecution in Bardoli of the Surat district of the Gujarat region. It epitomized the theme of civil resistance that Mahatma Gandhi would later carry forward in implementing his non-cooperation policy of seeking freedom from British colonial rule. The Bardoli Satyagraha and the Bardoli Resolution that followed gave the Indian freedom struggle a new turn for the course that it would take. In this article, we trace a structured format detailing background, important personalities involved, significance, and long-term impact about the Bardoli Resolution.
Background: Policies of the British government in India and Economic persecutions
Colonial Economic Exploitation:-
The economic condition of the Indian peasantry had badly declined in the 1920s under colonial exploitation. Taxes were high, revenues from the agricultural sector were extracted at high levels, and policies were pursued that benefited the British administration and not Indian farmers.
Impact on Agriculture:-
The agricultural farms of regions such as that of Gujarat, where Bardoli was located, were seriously taxed. While successive famines due to bad yields of agricultural produce had become the routine of Indian agricultural life, British governments at New Delhi were inexorably unyielding about showing an easy wage of their tax economy.
Government’s High-Handedness:-
In Bardoli, the government raised land revenue by 22% in 1928, when drought conditions were acute and crops were failing across the region. It was a high-handed demand and not based on the agricultural scenario of the region. This demand for greater taxes became the immediate mobilizing cause for Bardoli movement.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the Congress
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:-
Often referred to as the “Iron Man of India,” Patel played a very critical role in organizing and leading the Bardoli Satyagraha. According to reports, the peasants of Bardoli had first solicited Gandhi’s intervention, but it was Patel whom Gandhi recommended lead the movement. Patel’s organizational acumen and leadership during this agitation elevated him to the title of “Sardar” or leader.
Indian National Congress:-
The Congress supported the Bardoli Satyagraha and passed resolutions against the oppressive taxation policies of the British. The Bardoli case was to become a test case for the methods of non-violent resistance adopted by the Congress.
Although he was not in direct control of leading the movement, it was Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and civil disobedience that created Satyagraha. Gandhi believed the Bardoli Satyagraha could represent the power collective non-cooperation against unjust laws could have.
The Bardoli Satyagraha 1928
The Bardoli Satyagraha began in January 1928. Under Sardar Patel, local farmers refused to pay the revenue raised and enhanced. The village councils (Gram Sabhas) collectively agreed to not pay the government’s revenue demands.
Civil Disobedience:-
The Satyagraha movement was based on the philosophy of non-violent resistance. Thus, the farmers of Bardoli did not give any violent resistance but declined to follow the directives issued by the British authorities. Instead, they gave passive resistance by boycotting British goods and refusing to cooperate with government officials.
Retaliation The British government replied by repressive measures, land, properties, and cattle in defiance the farmers were confiscated. Such actions resulted in attempting to arrest some of the prominent leaders. Patel and his team of leaders did well to retain the movement amiable despite such provocation.
The Bardoli Resolution was Drafted and Adopted
Why the Resolution Was Needed:-
At this juncture, it was felt that a formal resolution was needed, so that the demand of the peasant could be written down and to pen down their grievances against the British government. Hence, the Bardoli Resolution was taken to give expression to the precise reasons for Satyagraha and to present the grievances of the peasantry in an official manner.
Bardoli Resolution:-
The Bardoli Resolution consisted of several specific points:-
It condemned the British for their arbitrary hike in revenue.
It called for an immediate rollback of the 22% tax increase.
It reaffirmed the commitment towards non-violent protest as a weapon for resisting unjust laws.
It called for protection of peasant rights and return of confiscated property.
The resolution also reflected the economic distress of the farmers and their exploitation at the hands of the colonial regime.
Role of Women in the Movement
Empowerment of Women:-
Women participated in full force in Bardoli Satyagraha, and in this movement, they supported men and carried the momentum. Women in Bardoli participated in many protests, gave speeches, and even organized the resistance.
Spiritual Leadership:-
A few of the women leaders were spiritual leaders, like Kasturba Gandhi, the wife of Mahatma Gandhi; therefore, their participation guaranteed that the movement was strictly peaceful and according to Gandhian philosophy.
Success of Bardoli Satyagraha
Victory of Farmers Satyagraha Bardoli Succeeded:-
Satyagraha Bardoli ended well for the farmers with grand success. By August 1928, six months had elapsed with peaceful resistance, at which point the British government decided to cancel the hike in revenue and called an inquiry commission to scrutinize it. The report proved to be in favor of the farmers; therefore, the unjust tax demands were rolled back.
Return of confiscated properties:-
In the settlement, properties and lands confiscated by the British were returned to farmers. The success at Bardoli rejuvenated the Indian independence movement’s morale enormously.
Importance of Bardoli Resolution
The victory at Bardoli enormously strengthened the position of Congress and its leadership. Sardar Patel’s contribution to Bardoli Satyagraha enhanced his position inside the party, and the Congress became more confident in resorting to civil disobedience as a tactic against British rule.
Non-violent resistance:-
It became a success of non-violent resistance. It demonstrated that even in the face of most grave repressive measures, it was possible to succeed non-violently. Success at Bardoli further stuck to him the view that non-violence was the foundation of the freedom movement.
Source of Future Movements:-
The Bardoli Resolution and the Satyagraha which led to it was rather a prototype of movements to come. It becomes an inspiration for other places and communities which followed the same type of action against British oppression, especially in the peasants’ sectors. Then Bardoli methods were emulated later on in other significant movements including the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement.
Peasant Mobilization:-
The movement was significant because it was the first mass peasants’ mobilization. Indian farmers were united against colonial rule for the first time, and the success proved that the agrarian sector could be a powerful force in the national struggle for independence.
Long-Term Impact of the Bardoli Resolution
The Bardoli Satyagraha made Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel one of the foremost leaders of the Indian independence movement. His victory in Bardoli earned him a sobriquet as “Sardar,” and he emerged as one of the chief architects of free India.
Policy Reforms in British India:-
The Bardoli victory also compelled the colonial government to change its tax policy and governance. At this juncture, it was very clear that the colonial government could not increase the taxes indefinitely as formulated by them.
Post-Independence Economic Reforms:-
With the peasant rights and advocacy for agrarian reforms through the Bardoli Satyagraha, it was only in the vision of the post-colonial Indian government in the new state that land reform along with the abolition of the Zamindari system would eventually take shape within the post-colonial Indian government’s agenda on agrarian reform policies.
Icon of Resistance:-
Bardoli happened to become an icon of resistance and victory against oppressive British rule. It was as powerful as to propagate collective action, which is led by strong leadership, can go a long way even against such an overwhelming power of colonial empires.
Conclusion:-
The Bardoli Resolution, along with the Bardoli Satyagraha, forms one of the most unforgettable and signature chapters in India’s fight for independence. It was more than a local protest; it turned into the symbol of Indian people’s endurance capacity and their ability to resist colonial exploitation through non-violent means. The movement showcased the power of collective action, and the Bardoli Resolution, stating the demands of the farmers, formed a foundation for future satyagrahas.
The Bardoli Satyagraha has succeeded while the result of the Bardoli Resolution has reverberated long after 1930. It was this success that paved the path for the final and most credible stage of India’s freedom movement, which finally led her to gain independence in 1947. Now, a tourist town Bardoli is remembered as testimony to unity, non-violence and fierce struggle by ordinary people for justice and dignity.
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