Understanding Gandhi's Peasant Movements

The question asks about a specific movement led by Mahatma Gandhi where he worked to secure rights for peasants regarding their land tenure and the freedom to choose which crops to cultivate. Let's examine the options provided to identify the correct movement.

Analyzing the Options

• Chauri Chaura: This incident occurred in 1922 during the Non-Cooperation Movement. It involved violence at a police station, leading Gandhi to halt the movement. While related to the broader freedom struggle, its direct focus was not on peasant tenure or crop choice in isolation.
• Ahmedabad Satyagraha: This movement in 1918 involved textile mill workers in Ahmedabad demanding better wages and working conditions. It was an industrial dispute, not primarily focused on peasant issues like tenure or crop choice.
• Kheda Satyagraha: This movement took place in Kheda, Gujarat, in 1918. It involved peasants who were unable to pay land revenue due to crop failure caused by plague and drought. The demand was for the suspension of revenue collection. While a peasant movement, the primary focus was revenue relief, not specifically security of tenure or freedom to choose crops, although these were underlying issues of peasant distress.
• Champaran Satyagraha: This movement, considered Gandhi's first major Satyagraha in India, took place in 1917 in the Champaran district of Bihar. Here, peasants were forced by British planters to cultivate indigo on a fixed portion of their land (the 'Tinkathia' system) and sell it at prices fixed by the planters. This system severely restricted their freedom to cultivate other crops for their sustenance or for better market prices, and also involved exploitative terms that affected their land rights and security. Gandhi's intervention aimed to abolish this oppressive system, thereby granting peasants the freedom to cultivate crops of their choice and addressing issues related to their security of tenure on the land.

The Champaran Satyagraha: Securing Peasant Rights

The Champaran Satyagraha directly addressed the grievances of peasants under the Tinkathia system. Under this system, peasants were compelled to plant indigo on 3/20th of their land. This not only forced them to grow a particular cash crop against their will but also subjected them to unfair prices and terms, impacting their economic stability and control over their land.

Mahatma Gandhi's investigation and subsequent Satyagraha in Champaran led to the enactment of the Champaran Agrarian Act of 1918. This act abolished the Tinkathia system, providing immense relief to the peasants. By ending the forced cultivation of indigo, the act effectively granted them the freedom to cultivate crops of their choice. Furthermore, by challenging the exploitative practices of the planters which were tied to land use, the movement indirectly contributed to improving the security of tenure for the peasants by removing oppressive conditions associated with their land holding.

Therefore, the Champaran Satyagraha is the movement where Mahatma Gandhi specifically worked towards obtaining for the peasants security of tenure and freedom to cultivate the crops of their choice.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the historical context and the objectives of each movement, the Champaran Satyagraha aligns with the description of Mahatma Gandhi's efforts to secure security of tenure and freedom to cultivate chosen crops for peasants.

Revision Table: Key Gandhi Movements

Additional Information: Peasant Rights and Satyagraha

Mahatma Gandhi's involvement in peasant movements like Champaran and Kheda was crucial in connecting the national freedom struggle with the everyday grievances of ordinary Indians, particularly in rural areas. Satyagraha, meaning 'truth force' or 'soul force', was his principle method of non-violent resistance. In these movements, he applied Satyagraha by:

• Investigating the situation on the ground and gathering facts directly from the affected people.
• Organizing peaceful protests, demonstrations, and civil disobedience.
• Negotiating with the authorities and landlords based on the moral strength of the peasants' demands.

These movements highlighted the deep-seated issues faced by Indian peasants under colonial rule, including unfair land revenue systems, exploitation by landlords and planters, lack of rights, and economic distress. Gandhi's success in movements like Champaran not only brought specific relief but also empowered peasants and demonstrated the effectiveness of non-violent mass mobilization, paving the way for broader agrarian reforms and integrating peasants into the national movement.