Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Bardoli Satyagraha

1. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the Bardoli Satyagraha Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a resident of Bombay, wrote to Leslie Wilson in February 1928 that the tax collection arrangements for the Bardoli district should be reviewed. Otherwise, farmers would not pay taxes. The DIPF organized a tour of the best-selling biographer, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Bharat Ratna, best award and honorary in India) across four cities in the United Kingdom to remember this historic start to the Bardoli Satyagraha. The Sardar Patel nomination for peace unity award is one of India's most prestigious awards. It recognizes, acknowledges and celebrates the outstanding services and significant contributions of individuals, corporations, nonprofits and philanthropists who have greatly contributed to social change in India. Sengupta gave a detailed account of Sardar Vallabhbhai's life and legacy during the talks that attracted hundreds of attendees. Sengupta stated that Sardar Patel was the ultimate architect of India's cartographic imagination. His achievement in uniting the Indian nation- state was unprecedented for its ambition, scale, and relative ease of operation. We celebrate his life as a founding pillar for Indian democracy. Bardoli Satyagraha ● Floods and famines adversely affected the crop yield at Bardoli Taluka, modern- day Gujarat, in 1925. The farmers were financially affected. ● The Bombay Presidency ignored the problems of farmers and increased tax rates by 22%. ● Despite appeals by farmers and civic groups to reconsider this unfair increase in tax rates, the government continued tax collection. ● The local Congress Party published a 1927 report to prove that farmers couldn't bear the increased assessment. The authorities refused to change their minds.

2. ● Bardoli farmers invited Vallabhai Patel to start the protest movement in January 1928. All of them decided not to pay taxes. ● They also assured Gandhiji of their non-violence. ● After receiving assurances from farmers about their commitment to the movement, Patel agreed to assume the leadership role. He warned them about the potential consequences of their decision, including confiscation of land or property and imprisonment. ● Patel reached out to the government and informed them of the situation. The government told Patel that they were not willing to make any concessions. ● Patel was an outstanding commander of his nonviolent 'army' in Bardoli. ● He split the taluk into several camps and organized hundreds of people under these camps. ● Volunteers also came from Hindu, Muslim, and Parsi communities. ● Volunteers from the camps issued news bulletins and campaigns and made speeches to educate the public about discipline and preparation for austerity. Bardoli Satyagraha Efficacy ● The government was concerned that things might get out of control and set up the Maxwell–Broomfield Commission to investigate the matter. ● The revenue decreased to 6.03%. ● The land was returned to the peasants. ● After the Bardoli Satyagraha's success, Patel was elected as the national leader. His remarkable organizational skills were evident. Bardoli Satyagraha Criticism ● The movement was primarily focused on the conditions for the wealthy and middle- class farmers and neglected the poor farmers. ● It didn't raise the issue of Hali Pratha, a type of bonded labor system. ● According to some, the movement was an experiment in Satyagraha, a method of freedom fighting. The fundamental problems of the peasants weren't addressed. Related Link - https://sites.google.com/view/sppu-award/home