Prajamandal Movement in Nayagarh
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August - 2012 Odisha Review Prajamandal Movement in Nayagarh Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda Much before the formation of Prajamandal, younger one, or the Lala Saheb who was in the people of Nayagarh were seething with charge of the state endowments. 3 People did discontent. They were neglected by their ruler. not get water to drink and bathe in summer. Their socio-economic condition was most Through much difficulty they fetched a little pitiable. From the thirties of the 20th Century, water from distant places. In the rainy season injustice, corruption, extortion and the rivers overflowed and inundated their maladministration reigned supreme in Nayagarh. paddy fields and houses. People did not even Most of the time Krushna Chandra Singh, get straw to thatch their houses. They had to Raja of Nayagarh, lived in foreign countries. live in open air under the scorching sun.4 In The state affairs were entrusted to the order to be relieved from such miseries, when Dewans. They were mostly recruited from people went to appeal to the Raja of outside the state.1 Nayagarh, the state officials did not allow them Early in 1938 situation suddenly began to do so. to deteriorate in Nayagarh. The state officials The imposition of monopoly on betel were very much oppressive. More than half and tamakhu by the Raja made the condition of the state income went to the pockets of of people most devastating. Against it, the these officials. Illegal taxes on road, opium, people started ‘betel agitation’ in Nayagarh. betel, ganja etc. were imposed on the people. Due to the imposition, people had to purchase No native people were given appointment it on high rate. Therefore, they boycotted to even in low salaried employments of the state consume betels. About 500 agitators appealed Durbar.2 On the other hand, the Raja recruited to the Political Agent, stating the fact that this more and more officers from outside. There newly introduced betel monopoly was due to were two Dewans in Nayagarh, but there was extra expenses incurred in the frequent tours no co-ordination between them. In such a state of the Raja to Puri and Calcutta.5 The of affair, it was doubtful as to who, in fact, Dewan ordered the Police to arrest and assault ruled the state. Whether K. C. Neogy or the those who persuaded the people not to Court Inspector, or the elder dewan or the purchase betels. As a result, Narayan Nanda 65 Odisha Review August - 2012 and Bharat Sahoo from Odagaon, Biswanath movement.10 A large number of people Mishra from Itamati and Ganapati Ram, assembled before the palace of the Raja and Banchhanidhi Panda and Akrura Maharana demanded the release of their leaders. The were dragged to Itamati Police Station, where Raja out of fear, released the Prajamandal they were severely beaten by the Police. workers on January 9, 1939.11 Lingaraj Behera of Saranakula was With the outbreak of the World War- beaten by the police so mercilessly that it II in September 1939, the Prajamandal created a terror in the minds of the people. movement stood quite for some period in The fault of the person was that he was Nayagarh. After the War period tension was reading a newspaper named ‘Krushak’. 6 mounting high in the state due to failure of Another example of cruelty was the assault the Raja to meet the demands of Prajamandal. on Bhika Mallik, a village choukidar by a In order to suppress the movement, the Raja police Sub-Inspector, because the Choukidar arrested the leaders like Sridhar Das, had not informed the higher authority about a Banchhanidhi Senapati, Laxman Moharana, political meeting held at Bolagarh.7 Sukru Behera, Udayanath Prusti and There was no rain in the months of Bidyadhar Mantri on July 19, 1942.12 Such June, July and August 1938 and as a result an action of the Raja, aggravated the situation the people did not cultivate their lands. So in Nayagarh and the people again started there was no food for them. Persons owning Satyagraha in the state. They declared every acres of land had to go for coolie work on region in the state as independence entity and the streets.8 At such an hour of crisis the attacked the Government office and Police Prajamandal was formed in Nayagarh following Station. About 400 weavers assembled at the foot-step of Nilgiri. Guided by the Bolgarh on September 28, 1942 demanding Congress, the Nayagarh Prajamandal first the release of Khadi centre of Dighi which started Swadeshi movement in the state. 9 had been in the possession of the police.13 People used charakha and wore hand spun The Police arrested the leaders of the Khadar. This movement continued for months movement but in view of the gravity of the together. The Raja tried his best to win over situation, the British Government issued orders them but failed. to release the spinning centre for the use of A meeting of the Prajamandal was the ‘All India Spinners Association’. held on December 27, 1938. The state Nevertheless, the agitation continued. authorities arrested two important leaders from Prajamandal supporters from outside states the meeting. Thereupon the Prajamandal joined in the Nayagarh movement in October offered Satyagraha on 30th December. The 1942.14 The people were determined to secure ruler then approached the Satyagrahis and their demands through peaceful Satyagraha. promised to issue a proclamation redressing But the Raja adopted repressive measures. their grievances. But the people were not Consequently, there was a clash between the convinced and hence continued their armed police and the peaceful procession of 66 August - 2012 Odisha Review the people on October 10, 1942. Police had 9. S.C. Dey (Ed.) Diary of Political Events in to open fire in order to disperse the mob. Orissa, P.-18. One person named Kasti Dukha was short 10. Ibid, PP.- 22 - 23. dead and a number of persons were 11. Orissa Records, W.W.C.C., Acc No.-34, P.- 35. wounded.15 Thereafter began the reign of S.N. Pattanaik, Odisare Swadhinata Andolana, PP. 147 - 148. terror in Nayagarh.16 Oppression started inside the jail. Kanduri Parida and his son Budhi 12. Utkal Prasanga, August 1972, P.-42, S.N. Pattanaik, Odisare Swadhinata Andolana, 17 Parida were beaten to death inside the jail. P.-179. Democratic movement continued, inspite of 13. Orissa Records, W.W.C.C., Acc No.- 30, P.-98. such inhuman oppression in Nayagarh state. 14. Ibid, P.-114. References : 15. Utkal Prasanga, August 1972, P.-78. 1. Deshkatha, 22 February 1938. 16. Orissa Records, W.W.C.C., Vol- Cuttack-Puri, 2. Ibid, 21 March 1938. Diary, P.- VIII. 3. Ibid, 29 March 1938. 17. S.N. Pattanaik, Odisare Swadhinata Andolana, op. cit., P.-179. 4. Ibid, 24 April 1938. 5. Ibid, 31 May 1938. 6. Ibid, 1 August 1938. 7. Ibid, 7 August 1938. Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda, Principal-cum-Secretary, 8. Ibid, 21 August 1938. Gadibrahma Degree College, Delang, Puri. 67.