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Home , Bhoodan Movement, Sarvodaya, Vallabhbhai Patel, Vinoba Bhave

Odisha Review August- 2014

The Sarvoday Movement in Odisha after Independence

Dr. Atul Chandra Pradhan

The Origin of the Sarvoday movement is the saplings, cattle-tending, apiculture (bee-keeping), Gandhian movement for all-round development and training for promotion of cottage industries. of all, in Odisha as elsewhere in , can be Organisational measures for promotion of traced back to pre-independence era. While had been adopted since the inception of Non- leading the movement for , had cooperation. In 1947, with ’s placed before the Congressmen and the nation a permission, Utkal Khadi Mandal was formed constructive programme as an essential under the chairmanship of Gopabandhu component of the programme of the movement. Chaudhury. When independence appeared imminent, Gandhi Way back in 1923, for constructive work, wanted Congressemen to engage themselves in an all-India organisation, called Gandhi Seva nation-building through constructive work instead Sangha had been formed with as of running after power. But many Congressmen President. Later on K L Mashruwala took over did not heed his instruction. Only a few of those from him. From 1934 onwards this organisation who had carried on constructive work before opened constructive work centres in different independence shunned politics and carried on places of Odisha. In 1941, in the village Kujendri, Sarvoday movement. situated in Gunupur Taluk, which was mostly In June 1934, at Bhadrak, at the end of inhabited by Saora Adivasis (aborigines), Hariyan , Gandhi asked workers to go Biswanath Pattanayak opened a centre for back to villages and carry on constructive work constructive work. In 1955, on visiting this centre there, following this instruction Gopabandhu , the Sarvoday leader called it the Chaudhury, the staunch Gandhian and his wife actual reflection of Swaraj. Before opening this Ramadevi, with some workers, established an centre Bishwanath had stayed at Bari for two which was known as Sevaghar (the years for receiving orientation in Khadi abode of service) in the village Bari, situated in a programme and rural industrialisation flooded area of the present district of Jajpur (Gramodyoga). In 1938 The Government of between the rivers-Kharsuan and Birupa. This Odisha set up the Board of Basic Education with Ashram took up such works as village sanitation, Gopabandhu Chaudhury) as president. In 1941 making of latrines removal of untouchability and Utkal Maulik Shiksha Parishad (Odisha Council communalism, agricultural uplift, planting of of Basic Education) was formed with Acharya

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Harihar Das as President. In March 1938, in the communal unity, removal of untouchability, and Beraboi village of Puri district, the annual session caste distinction, prohibition, promotion of Khadi of Gandhi Seva Sangha was held; this session was and rural industries, basic Education, village attended by such top all-India leaders as Mahatma sanitation, treatment of man and woman on equal Gandhi, , Maulana Abul footing, hygiene and cleanliness, development of Kalam Azad, , Shankarrao Deo, different local languages, removal of provincialism, Kishore Lal Mashruwala, Kaka Kalekar and Jaya propagation of as national language, Prakash Narayan, for spreading ideas on economic equality, agricultural development, constructive work. Gopabandhu Chaudhury organisation of workers, amelioration of brought out Odia Journals like Gandhi Seva aborigines, organisation of students, service to Sangha Patrika (1938) and Grama Sevak (1947). lepers, cattle rearing, service to the distressed and During the of 1942 the poor and spread of naturopathy, Kishorlal police raided the Sevaghar ar Bari and arrested Mashruwala was made the president of this some leaders. Sarvoday Samaj. The above meeting was the first session of the Sarvoday Samaj which was In 1945, after the death of Kasturba attended by the following persons from Odisha- Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s wife a charitable trust Gopabandhu Chaudhury, Ramadevi, Ishwarlal was instituted in her name. For the management Vyas, Purubai, Krupasindhu Hota and Golok of this trust, from each province, a woman Charan Patra.1 representative was nominated from Odisha Ramadevi was nominated, for the purpose. This The second session of the Sarvoday trust established centres for training lady workers Samaj was held in the summer of 1949 at a place, rendering social service. In Odisha such centres called Rau Gan near Indore. It was attended by were opened in places like Bari, Satyabhamapur Gopabandhu Chaudhury, Gunanidhi Mohanty, and Dumriguda (Koraput district). Towards the Acharya Harihar Das, Manmohan Chaudhury and end of 1947 A V Thakkar, the prominent associate ten others from Odisha. of Gandhi visited Odisha. According to his advice, As per Gopabandhu Chaudhury’s in October 1948, Utkal Navajivan Mandal was invitation the third session was held in Odisha in set up with Sarangadhar Das as President and April 1950; it was held in a mango grove at Angul Gopabandhu Chaudhury as secretary for dealing in front of Baji Rout Chhatrabas. More than 2000 with the various problems of aborigines (Adivasis). delegates attended this meeting. On this occasion the memorable events of Odishan history were Before his assassination Mahatma Gandhi pictorially displayed. had planned to convene a meeting of constructive workers at in February 1948. After In the meeting of all-India Sarvoday his death his associates and co-workers convened Samaj, held at Angul Gopabandhu Chaudhury this meeting on 13 March 1948. To this meeting was elected as the main Coordinator of the Rajendra Prasad, and Maulana Organisation. In this capacity, for organising Azad were specially invited. In this meeting, as Sarvoday activities Chaudhury had to visit proposed by Vinoba Bhave, Gandhi’s foremost different places of India. spiritual disciple it was decided to form Sarvoday In April 1951 Vinoba Bhave started Samaj for the fulfilment of the following goals- Bhoodan (land gift) movement. This movement

17 Odisha Review August- 2014 opened a new chapter in the history of Sarvoday Keonjhar and got assurances of land gift for the organisation. landless. The workers of the allied Gandhian On 7 April 1951 at Shibarampalli of organisations such as Memorial Telengana the annual conference of Sarvoday Trust, Utkal Khadi Mandal Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Samaj met. It was held for seven days. At that and Utkal Navajivan Mandal worked for the time, in Telengana, led by the Communists the cause of land gift movement. In Koraput district landless peasants were involved in fight with land Bishwanath Pattnayak, The President of owners. Vinoba Bhave went to Pochampalli Navajivan Mandal and the workers of Kujendri village to make an on-the-spot assessment of the centre worked simultaneously for the welfare of conflict. There a land-owner, named Adivasis and Bhoodan. Ramachandra Reddy declared to donate one Towards the end of January 1953 all the hundred acres of land for the landless. Then inhabitants of the Manpur village in the present Vinoba went on a padayatra (foot journey) in Kendrapada district donated their lands to the Telengana and found many land owners willing to . On the Buddha Purnima donate lands for the landless. Hence he decided day, in 1953, the lands were distributed among to carry forward his land gift movement which the villagers in the presence of Gopabandhu became famous as Bhoodan Movement. Chaudhury, Ramadevi, Acharya Harihar Das and In Odisha, to assess people’s attitude other Sarvoday activists. This land distribution was towards land gift movement, Gopabandhu widely highlighted. Donation of lands by all Chaudhury and Ramadevi started a foot journey villagers which is called Gramdan in Sarvoday from Puri on 24 December 1951. They returned Vocabulary, in this village was the second of its to Cuttack after tour in Puri, Ganjam, Koraput, kind in India. In this village a centre for Kalahandi, Balangir Patna and Sambalpur constructive work was opened. But the Gramdan districts. The Sarvoday couple became hopeful programme could not long continue in this village, of the success of the land gift movement in Odisha. After Gopabandhu Chaudhury’s death in 1958, The female workers of Kasturaba Gandhi at the instigation of vested interest, the villagers Memorial Trust propagated the objectives of land withdrew their consent for land gift. gift movement in villages. To give government Gramdan idea is a higher stage than support to the movement the Chief Minister simple land gift (Bhoodan). It was considered Nabakrushna Chaudhury, Gopabandhu’s younger necessary for village reconstruction, Gramdan brother got Bhoodan Yajna Act passed in the concept has been elaborated by Manmohan Odisha State Legislature in 1953. A provincial Chaudhury in the following words: Bhoodan Yajna Committee was constituted “Gramdan is based on four conditions: according to the provisions of the Act. Because of the Younger Chaudhury’s interest in the land (1) All the villagers joining Gramdan should gift movement during his tenure as Chief Minister renounce their ownership of land; Land will The movement made good progress in Odisha. become the collective property of the village and can neither be sold nor mortgaged. On 2nd October 1952 Gopabandhu and Ramadevi went on Padayatra again, they toured (2) One- twentieth of the land belonging to in Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanja and the villagers before Gramdan should be distributed

18 August - 2014 Odisha Review among the landless or those having small amount On 26 January 1955, after completing his of landed property; the remaining nineteen- tour in West , Vinoba Bhave arrived at twentieth of the land will be cultivated by the Laxmannath, a place on the Odisha side of the previous land owners. border with a railway station and one of the oldest (3) A village council comprising all adult High schools of Odisha. There, in a well-attended villagers should be formed. The village council public meeting, it was announced that in Odisha would plan the development of village. It should the Bhoodan/Gramdan movement has got a ensure that nobody remained hungry, donation of one Lakh acres of land and forty six 4 unemployed, illiterate or sick. villages. Vinoba undertook a Padayatra in Balasore, Mayurbhanja, Keonjhar and Cuttack (4) Every villager would contribute a portion districts and arrived at Puri on 20 March 1955 to of his income i.e. one-twentieth to the village attend the all-India Sarvoday Conference. Staying council. That will be used as capital for the at Puri for twelve days Vinoba went towards south development of agriculture and industry in the Odisha. On 31 May 1955 he started his village. Padayatra in the Adivasi dominated Koraput If seventy five percent of adult land district. In this district, in 1952 the Sarvoday owners opt for Gramdan and at least fifty percent leaders had organised a to give the of land is made available (for Gramdan) the village Adivasis legitimate rights over the land. At the would be treated as Gramdan village. If less than appeal of the Chief Minister Nabakrushna 50% of the land is made available, the village would Chaudhury the Satyagraha was stopped and the be treated as a partial Gramdan village or a village Adivasis got justice through courts. Vinioba toured family. 2 Analysing the opinion of Sarvoday leaders in Koraput district for four months. He stayed for about Gramdan Vishwanath Tandon holds the seven days in the Kujendri centre of Bishwanath following view. Pattanayak. “The Sarvoday thinkers in view of their A number of Sorvoday activists – circumstances have generally concerned Gunanidhi Mohanty, Monmohan Chaudhury, themselves with the reconstruction of rural India. Ramadevi, Ratan Das, Shanti Devi, Brundaban They advocate village proprietorship over land, Jena, Alekh Patra, Nishakar Das, Baji though they do not prescribe any particular type Mahammad and Bishwanath Pattanayak worked of farming. It has been left to villages to experiment for the success of Bhoodan/Gramdan movement and discover for themselves the most desirable in the Koraput district. type of farming. However the prevailing trend in While working for this movement they full Gramdan villages is to reserve some land for strove for the eradication of a dreadful disease, collective cultivation and divide the rest between called ‘Yaws’. For this purpose the Sarvoday and families on the basis of their needs and the principle Navajivan Mandal workers had to receive special of equality. After some periods this distribution is training. Dr. Nirmal Chandra Das, a physician, expected to be revised in view of the then changed belonging to Rajkanika, who worked as a conditions. Vinobaji’s personal preference is for Sarvoday worker in Koraput district has pointed cooperative farming but he would begin it with out that within three months four thousand ‘Yaws’ voluntary service cooperatives.3 patients were cured. Like Leprosy ‘Yows’ could

19 Odisha Review August- 2014 make a man invalid. For the treatment of this the allied Gandhian organisations like Gandhi disease, through World Health Organisation, a Memorial Fund, Kasturba Memorial fund or training camp was opened at Malkangiri. The land Utkal Khadi Mandal and they would on collect gift movement got a gift of nearly one thousand funds from the people for their work.7 Tantra villages in Koraput district. In 1957, in a large Mukti meant that their would be no centralised meeting, held in Jaypur, Shankarrao Deo, the direction to Bhoodan workers and that the latter, Sarvoday leader declared the Koraput district a on their own initiative, would organise the people ‘Zilladan district’ i.e. a district, wholly donated to on the basis of their good will and fraternity; the the land gift movement. Soon at Vinoba’s call basic assumption behind Tantra Mukti was that Annasaheb Sahasrabuddhe took up rural revolution could not be imposed from above; it reconstruction in Koraput district. About the should spontaneously arise from below. 8 In fact progress of the land gift movement in Koraput the principle of Tantra Mukti called for a high district Ratan Das, the Sarvoday activist who degree of civic consciousness and public spirit worked in this district has made the following which could be roused by leaders from above. observation; “The Gramdan movement was In October 1956 Nabahrushna actively supported by the Adivasis, To share each Chaudhury resigned from the office of Chief other’s happiness and distress is an essential Minister; he also resigned from the Congress feature of their living. Hence it was easy to collect Party. He joined the Sarvoday movement and was lands from them and entrust the same to the village made the President of all-India committee. The Gramdan villages, i.e. the villages organisation (All India Sarba Seba Sangha). After donated to the Bhoodan movement in Koraput Nabakrushna’s resignation from the office of Chief district were highest in India. I have toured in the Minister the land gift the office of Chief Minister entire district for the cause of Gramdan. I was the land gift movement could not get support or the organiser for the district. During Vinobaji’s patronage from government because his Odisha tour in 1955, when he was on Padayatra successor- Chief Minister Harekrushna Mahtab in Koraput district, there was a flow of Gramdan. was opposed to the Bhoodan movement which, The enthusiasm that was seen at that time is he said, was distributing poverty by distribution 6 indescribable. of lands on the basis of equality. Earlier he had In the Balasore district through the efforts also ideological difference with the elder of Acharya Harihar Das, Ramadevi, Ishwarlal Vyas Chaudhury. Padmacharan Nayak, the biographer and Sharat Chandra Maharana 90,000 acres of of Naba Krushna Chaudhury holds the following land was collected and distributed among 3100 view about the result of the adverse attitude of landless peasants. Mahatab towards the Bhoodan Movement. In the Sarvoday conference, held at Äfter his (Mahtab’s) entry into the office Palani, Tamilnadu in November 1956 Vinoba of Chief Minister those who had signed donations gave two important orientations to the Bhoodan under pressure did not part with their lands. On workers- Nidhi Mukti and Tantra Mukti which the whole, after Nabakrushna Chaudhury’s exit gave a crucial turn to his movement. According from the office of Chief Minister there was an to Nidhi Mukti the Bhoodan workers would cease anti-Bhoodan wave. In Koraput district where to get monthly allowance or travel allowance from about 800 Gramdans were said to have taken

20 August - 2014 Odisha Review place and where Volunteers from Odisha and the By 1960 the Bhoodan movement in rest of India had created a new awakening among Koraput district had lost its strength and tempo. the aborigines and had been able to dispel fear This weakening of the movement is attributed to from people’s minds, after Nabakrushna the conspiracy of vested interests and inactivity Chaudhury’s exit from Chief Ministership Vested of the Government machinery. In 2003 an interests like Government servants and money observer, associated with the Bhoodan lenders became very vociferous against Bhoodan Movement pointed out : and Gramdan and the Volunteers engaged in such works.” According to Nayak; in nearly fifty “Up to 1965 Vinoba’s Gramdan villages of the Koraput district. “even today there movement proceeded slowly. By 1970 almost are some impressions of Gramdan.”9 16,000 villages of the country were within the purview of the movement. But to implement it in Vinoba Bhave instructed the Bhoodan terms of records and concrete reality was very workers all over India to finish collection and difficult. Only a few villages transferred their lands distribution of lands by 1957 and then engage to the village council. Hence the movement could themselves in rural reconstruction. In 1958 Utkal Sarvoday Mandal was organised. On 29 April not assume its full shape. Even today in 100 1958 Gopabandhu Chaudhury died at Thoriasahi, villages this programme is at work. These villages Cuttack. After his death the Bhoodan movement have remained representative symbols of 11 progressed in slow pace in mainly four districts Gandhian movement”. Koraput, Ganjam, Balasore and Mayurbhanja. The Gramdan Movement had two stages- In Koraput district Government cooperation collection of lands and distribution of the same. could be possible because of Sadashiv Tripathy’s In both the stages there were lacunae. Many who interest. Fakir Mishra made efforts for the had given verbal commitment for donation of lands collection of funds. On 15 August 1958, at the did not actually sign Gramdan resolution. age of eighty, despite failing eye sight Acharya Manmohan Chaudhury writes; "sometimes it was Harihar Das started Padayatra from the Nampo being complained that many Gramdan resolutions village of Balasore district. were not genuine and were only fabricated to In August 1963 Vinoba Bhave came to show the number. Such complaints were being Odisha for the second Padayatra. After Padayatra made mostly about government employees and in Mayurbhanja, Balasore, Cuttack, Dhenknal, also about ordinary workers.12 At the time of Bonai Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Balangir Patna and collection of lands Vinoba Bhave did not think of Kalahandi he went towards Madhya Pradesh. In their distribution. The real problem arose at the 1969 Vinoba came to Odisha for third time. By time of distribution. that time Naxalites had started mobilising the Adivasis according to their own ideology and In principle the Bhoodan movement was programme. In October 1969 in the Garanda based on people’s involvement and collaboration. Village of Koraput district Dinabandhu Chaudhury But “Vinoba always wanted government was killed. Some people attributed the murder to employees’ cooperation in the 'Bhoodan- the Naxalites.10 At last, being disappointed with Gramdan movement.' He wanted that "they should the failure of Bhoodan movement, the Sarvoday join hands with Sarvoday workers political leader Nabakrushna Chaudhury got interested in workers and other volunteers for Bhoodan- the Naxalite activities. Gramdan propagation and collection of lands.”

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Assignment of Bhoodan work to government difference of opinion in the Sarvoday organisation employees kept in tact the strength of the old on stand. Binoba Bhave welcomed power structure.13 The Government employees Indira Gandhi’s act as a necessary disciplinary were legally obliged to their authorities. It was measure (Anushasan). On the other hand, the impolitic to expect them to implement the Sarvoday leader Jaya Prakash Narayan gave directions of Sarvoday Samaj which was an leadership to the Movement unconstitutional and revolutionary organisation. against Indira Gandhi. In Odisha the Sarvoday In a democratic system the government leaders like Naba Krushna Chaudhury, Malati is guided by the principles and directives of the Devi and Manmohan Chaudhury, supported Jaya party in power. In 1963, during Vinoba Bhave's Prakash Narayan. Harmohan Pattanayak the second Padayatra in Odisha, at Talcher Dr. Sarvoday leader from Dhenkanal opposed Jaya Harekrushna Mahtab, the former Chief Minister Prakash Narayan’s stand. of Odisha met the former and asked him about In conclusion, let us spell out the basic the political ideology of the Bhoodan Movement. objectives of Sarvoday movement in general and In reply Vinoba defined it as attainment Bhoodan/Gramdan movement in particular. These of decentralised democratic socialism by non- are all-round development of the society, rural violent and peaceful means.14 but this ideology reconstruction and establishment of dignity of was not acceptable to all parties. Although the labour. Villages are the backbone of our socio- Bhoodan ideologies and communists believed in economic structure. The development, nay the socialism, the communists did not socialism, the survival of the country can not be conceived communists did not want to attain their goal by without the development of agriculture and rural peaceful means. industries. The Gramdan Movement lost its purpose and direction almost from the beginning. There seems to be a want of clarity It was even alleged that the Bhoodan workers regarding the relation between the Sarvoday became corrupt. A Bhoodan worker told this Samaj and government. Theoretically committed writer that there are some ex-Bhoodan workers to truth and non-violence the Sarvoday Samaj in Koraput district who have appropriated was a moral and revolutionary organisation. Being politically motivated the parties in power might Bhoodan lands. do something which their opponents would Quite a number of Gandhian leaders and consider objectionable. In 1975, after young enthusiasts had joined the Bhoodan/ High Court judgement which declared Prime Gramdan movement. A lot of hopes had been Minister Indira Gandhi’s election from Rae Bareli generated. Now everything appears to have parliamentary constituency void, the non- ended in smoke. Naxalism is viewed by some as Congress opposition parties threatened to launch a reaction to the failure of Gramdan. What we civil disobedience movement to oust her from the need today more than ever before a well-thought office of Prime Minister. To counteract the out plan for rural development and total opposition parties Indira Gandhi proclaimed involvement of the public and government Internal Emergency according to article 352 of machinery in it. There is no scope for cynicism the Constitution. At that time there was a and despondency at all. It is high time to implement

22 August - 2014 Odisha Review what Gandhi said in 1934- Let us go back to 7. Gopinath Mohanty, op.cit., p.473. village. 8. Manmohan Chaudhury, Kasturi Mruga Sama (Odia) Cuttack, 1995, p.314. References: 9. Padma Charan Nayak, Anirvana; Navakrushna th 1. 39 Sarvoday Samaj Sammilani, 2003, Smaranika Chaudhury’s Jivan O Samay (Odia) Bhubaneswar, (Odia), p.24 1996. P, 204. Golok Charan Patra, “Mo Jivan Upare 10. Arnapurna Maharana, Amruta Anubhava (Odia), Sarvodayara Prabhav.” Shiksha Sandhan, Bhubaneswar, 2005 p. 367. 2. Manmohan Chaudhury, Rachana Sangraha (Odia), 11. 39th Sarvoday Samaj Sammilani, p 62, Dr. Brajabhai, Pratham Khanda, Pratham Bhaga (1956-1988), “Swarajyaru Sarvoday”. Shiksha Sandhan, Bhubaneswar, 2008 pp 154-155, “Gramdan Andolan”. 12. Kasturi Mruga Sama, p. 372. 3. Vishwanath Tandon The Social and Political 13. Ibid, pp371 and 373. philosophy of Sarvoday after Gandhi, Sarba Seba 14. Ratan Das, op-cit., p.144. Sangha Prakashan, Varanasi, 1965, p.117 4. Gopinath Mohanty, Dhuli Matira Santha (Odia),Cuttack, 1985, p.456. 5. 39th Sarvoday Samaj Sammilani, p 7, Dr. Nirmal Chandra Das, “Sarvoday Vichara- pushta Chikitsa Kshetrare Mora Anubhuti”. Dr. Atul Chandra Pradhan, Retd. Professor of History, 6. Ratan Das, Antahina Anweshan (Odia), Shiksha MIG-68, Baramunda Housing Board Colony, Sandhan, Bhubaneswar,2011, pp.123-4. Bhubaneswar-751003.

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