CBSE Class 12 English Indigo Notes Set E

About the Author

Louis Fischer (1896 – 1970) was a Jewish-American journalist. Among his works were a contribution to the ex-Communist treatise The God that Failed (1949), Life of Mahatma Gandhi (1982), as well as Life of Lenin, which won the 1965 National Book Award in History and Biography. The following is an excerpt from his book The Life of Mahatma Gandhi. The book has been reviewed as one of the best books ever written on Gandhi by Times Educational supplement.

Theme

The leadership shown by Mahatma Gandhi to secure justice for oppressed people through convincing argumentation and negotiation.

Justification of the Title

The title ‘Indigo’ focuses our attention on the issue of exploitation of indigo sharecroppers at the hands of cruel British planters. The British compelled them through a long term agreement to plant indigo on 15 per cent of their land and surrender the entire harvest as rent. After the development of synthetic indigo by Germany, the British planters extracted money from the peasants as compensation for being released from the 15 per cent agreement. The peasants who wanted their money back filed civil suits. Rajkumar Shukla persuaded Gandhi to take up the case of Indigo sharecroppers. So indigo sharecropping exemplifies the injustice of the British and the Indians’ submission to British authority. The Champaran movement that centred on indigo sharecropping led to social and cultural upliftment of the peasants. Thus, the title ‘Indigo’ is highly suggestive and appropriate.

Message

The story ‘Indigo’ highlights the unequal economic system that existed during colonial British rule. It resulted in Indian peasants suffering, while the British planters exploited them. It also highlights the importance of Gandhi’s decision to take up their case, which exposed the unjust system.

Summary

Indigo is written by Louis Fischer, who narrates Gandhiji’s struggle at Champaran for the poor people. The peasants at Champaran were sharecroppers with the British planters. The peasants produced Indigo on 15% of the land area and according to an old agreement, they had to give it as rent to the landlords. It was around 1917, the Germans started developing synthetic Indigo and this mitigated the requirement of Indigo for British planters. In order to release the peasants from the 15 per cent old agreement, the British landlords demanded compensation from them. Most of the illiterate peasants agreed to it except a few. During that period, Gandhiji appeared in Champaran.

He looked into the matter, stood by the side of the poor peasants and fought a long battle of one year, managing to get justice for them. This made the peasants courageous and made them aware of their fundamental rights. Gandhiji’s work at Champaran wasn’t just confined to political or economic struggle. He also worked on social issues like arrangements for education, health and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants. He taught them lessons of self-reliance and self-dependence.

CHAPTER IN A NUTSHELL

Role of Rajkumar Shukla

• Poor, emaciated peasant from Champaran.
• Contacted Gandhi in 1916 in Lucknow.
• Gandhi dismissed him.
• Shukla came to complain about the injustice and the landlord system in Bihar.
• Shukla followed Gandhi to Cawnpore later at Calcutta.
• Impressed by the sharecropper's tenacity and story Gandhi relented.

The Issue

• Arable land in Champaran divided into estates owned by Englishmen, worked by Indian tenants.
• Chief commercial crop indigo.
• Tenants to plant on 15% indigo.
• To surrender entire indigo as rent.
• Synthetic indigo in market.
• Landlords force new agreements.
• Ask for 15% compensation.
• Peasants resist, widespread unrest.

How Gandhi reached Champaran

• Went to Muzaffarpur with Shukla.
• Obtained complete information.
• Discussed with Kriplani.
• Met lawyers, chided them, understood legal angle.
• Met peasants sensed unrest.
• Realised peasant fear-striken.
• Feels he should arm them with the tool of courage, fearlessness.

Role of Lawyers

• They represented cases in courts, collected fee.
• Gandhi criticised them for duping/misguiding the peasants.
• They gave legal support.
• However, they were non-committed if he was arrested.
• Gandhi appealed for justice for sharecroppers when arrested.
• Lawyers feel guilty of desertion.
• They supported Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience Movement.
• They helped him file grievances against landlords.

Steps taken by Gandhi

• Approached British landlord association.
• Commissioner, cold shouldered.
• Proceeded to Motihari, got mass support from peasants, continued investigation.
• Served official notice to leave Champaran.
• Signed, said would disobey the order.
• Served summons, Motihari black with peasants.
• Peasants demonstrate outside courtroom.
• Officials powerless, government baffled.
• Gandhi was encouraged by mass support.
• Court arrest, says obeying voice of conscience.
• Convinces lawyers to join movement.
• Continues to collect legal evidence.
• Government forced to set up Inquiry Commission.
• Meeting, deadlock over compensation.
• Agrees to 25%, landlords learned they were not above the law, peasants got courage.
• Battle of Champaran won.

Qualities of Gandhi

• Appreciates loyalty/commitment.
• Understands the issue e.g., meets Kriplani/lawyers/peasants.
• Connects with masses.
• Organised e.g., civil disobedience plan.
• Fair leader e.g. won lawyers’ support.
• Visionary e.g., improves social, cultural backwardness of Champaran.