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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
only cruel but also inhuman. Many freedom fighters were wounded heavily. A British officer behaved so brutally, that there was a saying in Dholera salf satyagraha that “wherever there is flecher, there is stracher.” The slogans of the people were, “Hindustan Ho Azad, Nokarshahi Ho Barbad."19 Moreover the people of Saurashtra had participated in the four satyagrahas held in 1931 at Morbi, Dhrol, Vanod and Dhrangadhra.
. During 1937 to 1939 Rajkot and Limbadi satyagrahas and three peasant satyagrahas were staged. In Rajkot agitation people of all walks of life participated. The peasants also had become fearless and were not afraid of the atrocities of the state.' The gramya-kooch was a significant feature of this agitation. One Mr. Savdas Patel of Gunda village was inspiring and encouraging the peasants of his village. He was so brutally beaten that he died. Thus this peasant was the first martyr of this movement. Even the women had participated in it. Bhakti Lakshmi Desai had taken the leadership of a vast rally. She was the wife of Darbar Gopaldas, ruler of Dhasa and Ray Sankli states, which were escheated by the British Agency for actively joining the freedom struggle. He was the only ruler who had joined this national movement - Kasturba, Maniben Patel and Mrudulaben Sarabhai were other women leaders who were imprisoned. Even Gandhiji had joined Rajkot Satyagraha and he had fasts at Rashtriya Shala. So the local or regional movement took a national shape. Rajkot proved a priceless laboratory for Gandhiji.20
In Limbadi Satyagraha of 1939 people's participation was unimaginable. The state police manhandled Chanchalben Dave, a widow of Shiyani and was thrown in mud. Even Lilavatik. Munshi had participated in this movement. As a novel experiment of bringing pressure on the state, Limbadi Cotten Boycott Committees were established all over India. It had a great impact on the economy of the state. About 800 persons were wounded in assaults.21 Hundreds of people (about 6000) made "Hijarat” 22 Limbadi state exhibited an example of “organised Gundashahi' but still people were firm in their struggle. Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramaiyya has noted that "the atrocities of Limbadi' were more than that of Jalianwala Massacre."23
The peasants of Panch-Talavada village of Bhavnagar state were awakned. They had attended the Khedut Conference held at Antalia in 1937. It was attended by Indulal Yagnik (Ahmedabad) and Fulchand Shah (Wadhwan). They inspired and encouraged the peasants to protest against the unlawful taxes and injustice. So they had satyagraha at Charodia, Pattabhi Sitaramaiyya, U.N.Dhebar, Balwantrai Mehta etc. visited Panch-Talavada and inspired them to be fearless. Due to firm protests Anantrai Pattani, the new Diwan. Of Bhavnagar state compromised and the freedom fighters were freed from jail. This was the second peasants satyagraha of Saurashtra. The third was held at Vala (vallabhipur) state in June 1938. It had heavy and unbearable taxes. Yuvak Sangh was active at Vala. Its members were ready to sacrifice everything. Many people participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement held in 1938. The peasants with their families and their ox and ploughs had a sitting satyagraha before the palace of the king. As the movement was taking a serious turn and it may effect the neighbouring states, so British Political Agent, Mr. Egerton, interfered and forced the state to
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Burl : y. 24, vis 3-8, vsel. 2000 - Hal, 2004
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