Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 81

Out of this Weiter, Kisan Sabha came out as a rival organization to Congress in Gujarat. In the teeth of great dissatisfaction caused by the Congress, the downtroddens turned rebellious and prepared for a class war. Sahajanand Saraswati, Professor Ranga and Indulal Yagnik threatened class conflict. In April, 1938, Khedūt Sangh was founded under the presidentship of Indulal Yagnik to give action-oriented programme to lower cadres. The actual uprising took place in Panch M hals in central Gujarat against crop-sharing system.14
The Congress session was to be convenned at Haripura village in the Surat district in 1938. Khedūt Sangh brought various territorial units under one umbrella, organized demonstration to be made at Haripura. D. M. Pangarkor a notable Kisān leader of Maharashtra, Nanubhai Desai, a prominent social leader, Nanubhai Naik a teacher, both belonged to Surat and of Anavil caste, Vanibhai Patel of Anand took leadership. Some 10,000 peasants shouting slogans against Jamindari, Hali system and share-cropping system encamped near the Haripura Congress Campus. 15 They sang songs. One tribal Ramjibhai Chodhri sang the following song, 16
“unfurl the flag of Peasants' liberation We will bury imperialism and destory capitalism
We will install workers' and Peasants' Raj' Another song written by Narsinhbhai Akabhau in tribal dialect was loudly sung :
"Kisan Sabha me Avajara, Kaine Kaiy Huja Shahukar Ounder foli Khadha, Kisan Sabha
Manjara Padhkara'. 17 This song meant that it was better to attend the Kisan Sabhā. We learn a lot from it. The money lenders in the form of rat had husked us until now, but the Kisan Sabha has appeared in the garb of a cat to frighten the mouse and rescue us.
Vallabhbhai reacted sharply and criticised severely the leaders of Kisan Sabha. He metaphorically said in anger, “Kisan Sabha tries to throw bones in the honyfire-Yagna".18
In the wake of 1942 movement the poor peasants had become militant. They were ready to enter into class conflict on the spur of the opportune time.
III
The situation was explosive during the war years. The people were waging the war of perves. In 1942, there was a widespread rumour that the British collapse was imminent. The entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 dramatically changed the situation. The people feared attack of Japan in India through east and west coasts. The industrialists, merchants and businessmen were afraid of scarch earth policy followed by the British at the time of evacuation as they did in South-east Asia. 19
Peasant's Assertion in Gujarat and Quit India Movement of 1942 1
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