THE STRUGGLE FOR

FREEDOM

LOUIS FISCHER

PREPARED BY :DEEPSHIKHA GHAI

 Appropriate, to the point and suggestive.
 Focuses on central issue-the exploitation of the
indigo sharecropper peasants by British planters.
 The Britishers forced the peasants to grow indigo
on 15% land, then surrender the entire harvest.
 After synthetic Indigo, British planters extracted
money as compensation to release them from
the agreement.
 Gandhi ji helped the sharecroppers to regain
their land, self respect, confidence and 25% o
the compensation amount.
 Tribute to the leadership shown by Mahatma
Gandhi to secure justice.
 Gandhi had a magnetic attraction and great
persuasive power.
 Inspired even ordinary people to join him in
freedom struggle.
 He emerged as a champion of the downtrodden
and the oppressed.
 He does not want to be a lawbreaker, yet wanted
to render the humanitarian and national service
in obedience to the higher law of our being, the
voice of conscience.
 He believed in self- reliance, just cause and
purity of means to achieve India’s Independence.
 The extract highlights the injustice of the
landlord system in Bihar.
 The Champaran peasants, the sharecroppers
were exploited by the rich and influential
English Landlords.
 The initiation of Civil Disobedience Movement,
Non- Cooperation Movement and Indian fight of
freedom.
 The lesson highlights that the struggle for the
noble cause never goes unrewarded.
 Raj Kumar Shukla apprised of the landlord system
in Bihar.
 Raj Kumar Shukla- one of the sharecroppers.
 Gandhi ji- busy but Rajkumar followed him unless
he promised to visit Champaran.
 Gandhi ji on way to Mujjafarpur stopped at the
house of Rajendra Prasad.
 Met J.B. Kriplani for more information.
 Meeting advocates in Mujjafarpur and chided
them.
 Share- cropping system oppresses the farmers.
•Introduction of Synthetic Indigo in Germany led
to extortion of money from the peasants by
landords.
•Gandhi ji’s arrival in Champaran-meeting with
the representative of landlords and
Commissioner of Tirhut.
•His clash with police superintendent- Civil
Disobedience Movement.
•He was summoned to appear in the court- his
plea-
•He was in conflict of duties- whether to obey
law or respect inner conscience.
•Disobeyed the legal orders to be obedient to
mankind.
•Demonstration of thousands of peasants and
helplessness of the British Government plans JAIL
BHARO AANDOLAN with the help of lawyers.
•British drop the case against Gandhiji thus the
battle of Champaran won.
•Report of official commission inquiry.
•Refund of 25% of money.
•Landlord surrender and peasants gain courage,
learn he has defenders and rights.
•Social work, education, health and cleanliness in
the village addressed by Gandhi ji.
•Champaran episode became a turning point for
Gandhi’s life.
•Learning : Self reliance, Indian independence
and help to sharecroppers were all bound
together.
 Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25%
refund to the farmers?
 How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers?
Give instances.
 How did the development of synthetic Indigo
affect the English estate owners and the
Indian tenants?
 Why was Gandhiji not permitted to draw
water from Rajendra Prasad’s well at Patna?
 How did Gandhiji Teach everyone a lesson on
self relianc.