Science & Technology Prelims Question

The peasants of Kheda district were in extreme distress due to the failure of crops and that their appeals for the remission of land revenue were being ignored by the Government. Enquiries by the members of the Servants of India Society, Vithalbhai Patel and Gandhiji confirmed the validity of the peasants case. This was that, as the crops were less than one-fourth of the normal yield, they were entitled under the revenue code to a total remission of the land revenue.
The Gujarat Sabha, of which Gandhiji was the President, played a leading role in the agitation. Appeals and petitions having failed, Gandhiji advised the withholding of revenue and asked the peasants to fight unto death against such a spirit of vindictiveness and tyranny, and show that it is impossible to govern men without their consent.
Vallabh Bhai Patel and Indulal Yagnik joined Gandhiji in touring the villages and urging the peasants to stand firm in the face of increasing Government repression, which included the seizing of cattle and household goods, and the attachment of standing crops.
The cultivators were asked to take a solemn pledge that they would not pay, those who could afford to pay were to take a vow that they would not pay in the interests of the poorer ryots, who would otherwise panic and sell off their belongings or incur debts in order to pay the revenue. However, if the Government agreed to suspend collection of land revenue, the ones who could afford to so could pay the whole amount.
The peasants of Kheda, already hard pressed because of plague, high prices and drought, were beginning to show signs of weakness when Gandhiji came to know that the Government had issued secret instructions directing that revenue should be recovered only from those peasants who could pay. A public declaration of this decision would have meant a blow to Government prestige, since this was exactly what Gandhiji had been demanding. In these circumstances, the movement was withdrawn. Gandhiji later recalled that by this time ‘the people were exhausted’ and he was actually casting about for some graceful way of terminating the struggle.

The peasants of Kheda district were in extreme distress due to the failure of crops and that their appeals for the remission of land revenue were being ignored by the Government. Enquiries by the members of the Servants of India Society, Vithalbhai Patel and Gandhiji confirmed the validity of the peasants case. This was that, as the crops were less than one-fourth of the normal yield, they were entitled under the revenue code to a total remission of the land revenue.
The Gujarat Sabha, of which Gandhiji was the President, played a leading role in the agitation. Appeals and petitions having failed, Gandhiji advised the withholding of revenue and asked the peasants to fight unto death against such a spirit of vindictiveness and tyranny, and show that it is impossible to govern men without their consent.
Vallabh Bhai Patel and Indulal Yagnik joined Gandhiji in touring the villages and urging the peasants to stand firm in the face of increasing Government repression, which included the seizing of cattle and household goods, and the attachment of standing crops.
The cultivators were asked to take a solemn pledge that they would not pay, those who could afford to pay were to take a vow that they would not pay in the interests of the poorer ryots, who would otherwise panic and sell off their belongings or incur debts in order to pay the revenue. However, if the Government agreed to suspend collection of land revenue, the ones who could afford to so could pay the whole amount.
The peasants of Kheda, already hard pressed because of plague, high prices and drought, were beginning to show signs of weakness when Gandhiji came to know that the Government had issued secret instructions directing that revenue should be recovered only from those peasants who could pay. A public declaration of this decision would have meant a blow to Government prestige, since this was exactly what Gandhiji had been demanding. In these circumstances, the movement was withdrawn. Gandhiji later recalled that by this time ‘the people were exhausted’ and he was actually casting about for some graceful way of terminating the struggle.

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