Flamingo Chapter ‐ Indigo ‐Louis Fischer

About The Author

Louis Fischer was born on 29 February, 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. First he worked as a school teacher. Then he served as a volunteer in the British Army during the First World War and then he made a career as a journalist and wrote for ‘The New York Times’, ‘The Saturday Review’ and for ‘European and Asian Publications’. As a journalist he lived through and reported the Second World War. He was a Jewish‐American who was greatly influenced by Gandhiji’s use of non‐violence and spiritualism as political tools. He wrote highly acclaimed books on and Lenin. He died at the age of 73 on 15 January, 1970 in Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

About The Chapter

This chapter is an excerpt from Louis Fischer’s famous book ‘The Life of ’. The writer observed Gandhiji’s work to fight for the cause of the voiceless, downtrodden Indians who reeled under the rule of the indifferent, oppressive colonial British rule. ‘Indigo’ is one of the many episodes of Gandhi’s long political struggle.

The chapter describes the Champaran visit of Mahatma Gandhi which was undertaken casually on the entreaty of a poor peasant, Rajkumar Shukla, in the expectation that it would last a few days, occupied almost a year of Gandhi’s life.

The story describes Gandhiji’s struggle for the cause of the sharecroppers of Bihar and how he asked the Britishers to leave the country.

It highlights the leadership shown by Gandhi to secure justice for oppressed people.

About The Characters Gandhiji‐A prominent political leader of (The Father of The Nation). Rajkumar Shukla‐ A poor, emaciated but resolute peasant of Champaran. ‐ A lawyer who later became the First President of India. J.B. Kripalani‐ A professor of the Arts College in Muzzafarpur. Malkani‐ A Government school teacher. Sir Edward Gait‐ The Lieutenant Governor. and Narhari Parikh‐ Volunteer teachers. Kasturbai‐ Gandhi’s wife. Devdas‐ Gandhi’s youngest son.

Main Points

Rajkumar Shukla’s request to Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi starts narrating the incident which made him decide to urge the departure of the British from India. This incident occurred in 1917.

Gandhi had gone to the December 1916 Annual Convention of the Indian National Congress Party in Lucknow. A poor, emaciated and illiterate peasant named Rajkumar Shukla came to him and requested to come to his district, Champaran. The peasants of Champaran were sharecroppers and Rajkumar Shukla was one of them. He was a resolute man who had come to the Congress Session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.

At that time Gandhi had an appointment and had to visit some other parts of India. Rajkumar Shukla patiently accompanied him everywhere. Impressed by his determination Gandhi agreed to accompany him to Champaran after his Calcutta visit. When Gandhi went to Calcutta after some months, he found Shukla already present there.

Gandhi on His Way to Champaran

While going to Champaran, they went to Patna to Rajendra Prasad’s house. He was a lawyer of Patna who represented the cases of sharecroppers in the court. He was out of town. The servants knew Shukla so they allowed them to stay there but Gandhi was not permitted to draw water from the well taking him to be an untouchable.

Gandhi decided to visit Muzzafarpur before Champaran to obtain more complete information about the condition prevalent in the area. He sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani who received them at the station with a large body of students. Gandhi stayed there for two days in the home of professor Malkani, a government teacher. According to Gandhi, it was an extra ordinary thing in those days because in smaller localities, the Indians were afraid to show sympathy for advocates of home rule.

When the sharecroppers of Champaran came to know about the arrival of Gandhi for their sake, they came rushing to Muzzafarpur to meet their Champion. Muzzafarpur lawyers met Gandhi. They told him about their cases and reported the size of their fee. Gandhi chided them for collecting high fee. He concluded that the peasants were so crushed and fear stricken that going to law courts was useless. The real relief for them was to be free from fear. The Sharecropping Arrangement

Most of the arable land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by English men and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was indigo. The owner forced them to plant fifteen percent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.

In the mean time Germany had developed synthetic indigo. British landlords freed the Indian farmers from the fifteen percent of arrangement but asked them to pay compensation.

Meanwhile the news of synthetic indigo reached the sharecroppers. They felt cheated and became resentful. They wanted their money back.

At this point Gandhi arrived in Champaran.

Gandhi’s Movement in Champaran

Gandhi started gathering details. He visited the secretary of the British landlord association who refused to give information to an outsider. Then he visited the British Commissioner of Tirhut Division who advised him to leave Tirhut.

Instead of leaving Tirhut Gandhi proceed to Motihari where he was greeted by a vast multitude. Using a house as headquarter, he continued his investigation. He also decided to go and see a peasant who had been maltreated.

Gandhi was ordered to come back. He did so. Thereafter he was served with an official notice to quit Champaran. He signed it and wrote that he would disobey the order. He was summoned to appear in the court the next day.

All night Gandhi remained awake. He wired Rajendra Prasad to come from Bihar with influential friends. He also wired a full report to the Viceroy.

The news of Gandhi being in trouble with the authorities spread fast. Thousands of peasants came from Motihari and demonstrated in front of the courthouse. This was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British.

The official felt powerless but Gandhi helped them to regulate the crowd. This was the proof that the British authority was no longer unchallengeable.

The government was baffled. The prosecutor wanted to the trial to be postponed. He protested against the delay. He read a statement pleading guilty. He clarified that he broke the law to render humanitarian and national service. He claimed to have no disrespect for law but greater respect for the voice of his conscience.

The government was confused and ultimately set him at liberty, but kept the judgment reserved. Rajendra Prasad and other lawyers reached there. They held a discussion with Gandhi about what would they do if Gandhi sentenced prison. They consulted and told Gandhi that they were ready to follow him to jail. Gandhi exclaimed, “The battle of Champaran is won”.

The Lieutenant Governor dropped the case against Gandhi. This was the first triumph of in modern India.

Gandhi and his associates moved forward to conduct an inquiry into the complaints of farmers. The whole area was filled with the air of investigation and protest. The notes were made and documents were collected.

After four meetings with the Lieutenant Governor an official commission of inquiry was made. It consisted of landlords, government officials and Gandhi as an only representative of peasants.

A lot of evidence was collected against the landlords. They were left no choice but to agree in principle to refund the money to the peasants. They expected Gandhi to ask for full amount but he demanded just fifty percent. They offered him twenty five percent and to their amazement Gandhi agreed to it.He explained that the amount of refund was less important than the fact that the landlord had been obliged to surrender part of the money and, with it, part of their prestige.

Now the peasants saw that they had rights. They learnt a lesson of courage.

Gandhi’s Effort to Remove the Social and Cultural Backwardness of Champaran

Gandhi wanted to remove the social and cultural backwardness in the villages of Champaran. Health conditions were also miserable. He appealed for volunteers to help. Several people came forward for this noble purpose. His wife and his youngest son also arrived to help.

Primary Schools were opened. Kasturbai taught the ashram rule on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his service for six months.

Champaran Episode: A Turning Point

Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life. He declared that Britishers could not order him about in his own country. In whatever he did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free.

A Lesson in Self Reliance

Charles Freer Andrews, a devoted follower of Gandhi came to bid him goodbye before going on a tour of duty to the Fiji Islands. Gandhi’s lawyer friends wanted him to help them. Gandhi strongly opposed this suggestion by saying that this showed the weakness of their heart. When the cause was just, they must rely upon themselves to win the battle. Gandhi in this way taught them a lesson in self reliance. Examination Oriented Short Answer Type Questions

Qs1. Who was Rajkumar Shukla? What more do you know about him? (2011, 2017)

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a sharecropper of Champaran. He was poor, emaciated and illiterate. But he was resolute.

Qs2. Why did Gandhiji go to Lucknow in December 1916? Who met him there and why? (2013)

Ans. Gandhiji went to Lucknow in December 1916 to attend the annual convention of the Indian National Congress Party. Rajkumar Shukla, a peasant from Champaran met him there to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar.

Qs3. What did Rajkumar Shukla tell Gandhiji about the landlord system in Bihar? (2012)

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla told Gandhiji about the injustice of landlord system in Bihar. He told him about the problem of Indigo sharecroppers who were compelled by the British landlords to plant fifteen percent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.

Qs4. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being resolute?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla had come to the Congress Session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar and to take Gandhiji to Champaran. He met Gandhiji who could not give him any appointment at that time because he had to visit Cownpore and many other places of India. But he remained paitantly with Gandhiji for weeks until he obtained a fixed date. So, he is described as a resolute.

Qs5. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhiji to be another peasant?

Ans. The servents knew Rajkumar Shukla as a poor peasant who often troubled their master, Rajendra Prasad, to help indigo sharecroppers. Gandhiji came there along with Rajkumar Shukla. So, they took Gandhiji to be another peasant.

Qs6. Why was Gandhiji not allowed to draw water from the well at Rajendra Prasad’s house in Patna?

Ans. Gandhiji was not allowed to draw water from the well at Rajendra Prasad’s house in Patna lest some drops from his bucket pollute the entire source. The servents did not know that he was not an untouchable.

Qs7. Why did Gandhiji decide to go to Muzzafarpur before going to Champaran?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla had given a lot of information to Gandhiji about indigo sharecroppers. Gandhiji decided to go to Muzzafarpur before going to Champaran to obtain more complete information about the conditions there. He visited Muzzafarpur to inquire from the lawyers there about the issue.

Qs8. Why did Gandhiji chide the lawyers? Ans. The lawyers frequently represented peasants group in court. They told him about the cases and the size of their fee. Gandhiji chided them for collecting big fee from the poor and crushed sharecroppers.

Qs9. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now want and why?

Ans. The peasants used to pay the entire indigo harvest to the British landlords as rent. Soon the landlords learnt that Germany had developed Synthetic Indigo. Now they wanted the sharecroppers to pay compensations as they released them from the fifteen percent arrangement.

Qs10. What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo? (2010)

Ans. The synthetic indigo would have an adverse impact on the prices of the natural indigo because the synthetic indigo was far cheaper than the natural indigo.

Qs11. Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers? (2010, 2015)

Ans. Gandhiji agreed to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers because he wanted to break the dead lock on the percentage of refund between the landlords and the peasants. For him the amount of the refund was not important. The important thing for him was that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money as well as their prestige gave a moral victory to the farmers.

Qs12. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?

Ans. The episode of 25 percent refund to the farmers between the landlords and the peasants was a big event. Till now the landlords had behaved as lords above the law. But now they had realised that they had their limitations. The peasants saw that they had their rights and defenders. They learnt the lesson of courage.

Qs13. How was the Champaran episode a turning point in Gandhi’s life? (2009, 2012, 2015)

Ans. The Champaran episode proved to be a turning point in Gandhi’s life as he realised his own power and made the Indians realise their power. He declared that the British could not order him in his own country. In everything he did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free. It was during this period that he decided to urge the departure of the Britishers.

Qs14. What did Gandhiji do in respect of the cultural and social backwardness in Champaran village? (2016)

Ans. Gandhiji appealed for teachers. Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh and their wives volunteered for the work. Several more came forward for this noble deed from other parts of India. Kasturbai and Devdas arrived from the ashram. Primary schools were opened. Kasturbai taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. The health conditions were miserable. Gandhiji got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months.

Qs15. What happened when Rajkumar Shukla took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad in Patna? (2017) Ans. Rajendra Prasad was out of town at that time. The servents knew Rajkumar Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered their master to help the indigo sharecroppers. So they mistook Gandhi to be another peasant. He was allowed to stay on the ground with his companion. But he was not permitted to draw water from the well because they did not know that he was not an untouchable.

INDIGO More Questions . Q.1:- Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being 'resolute'? A.1:- Rajkumar Shukla has been described as being resolute as he didn't give up and accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. Eventually the tenacity of this resolute man bore fruit and after Gandhiji's Calcutta visit, the two proceeded for Patna. Q.2:- Why do you think the servants thought Gandhiji to be another peasant at Rajendra Prasad's house? A.2:- Rajkumar Shukla was a regular visitor at Rajendra Prasad's house and the servants very well knew this face but Gandhiji was in his company and dressed in loincloth, so they mistook him for a peasant. His simplicity and humility also led to his mistaken identity. Q.3:- What did the peasants pay the British Landlords as rent? A.3:- The entire harvest of indigo, the chief commercial crop produced by the peasants in the 15 % of their land was paid as rent to the British Landlords. Now that Germany had developed synthetic indigo and brought a steep fall in indigo prices, the Landlords very cleverly wished to give up this arrangement and get a compensation for relooking the farmer's land. Q.4:-Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 % refund to the farmers? A.4:- Gandhiji decided to accept a settlement of 25% of the compensation money in order to break the deadlock between the landlords and their tenants. What mattered more to him was the moral victory of the farmers in making the landlord own their dishonesty and surrender the money as well as their prestige. Q.5:- How was Gandhiji able to influence lawyers? Give instances. A.5:- Gandhiji's sincerity of purpose, convincing argumentation and a logical approach deeply influenced the lawyers chiding them for over charging the peasants. He encouraged them to court arrest for the poor peasant's cause, if he himself got imprisoned. He opposed even seeking help from Mr.. Andrews in their battle with Britishers. Q.6:- How did the Champaran episode change the plight of the peasants? A.6:- The Champaran episode released the peasants from the mortal fear of British Landlords and made them aware of their rights. Apart from getting back 25% of the compensation money, they also learnt 'courage'. The episode thus marked a beginning of the cultural, social and economic transformation of the poor and exploited peasants of Champaran. Within a few years, the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants. Q.7:- "Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor". Comment. A.7:- Securing legal justice in one single specific episode would have resulted in limited short term benefits. But getting over perpetual fear of the oppressors as in the case of Champaran episode brought about a permanent attitudinal change that helped the farmers face life more boldly and live it more fruitfully. Hence freedom from fear is more important. Q.8:- What made Mahatma Gandhiji declares 'the battle of Champaran is won'? A.8:- When the lawyers reconsidered their decision about their course of action in the event of Gandhiji's arrest, they volunteered to court arrest for the cause of the share croppers. Gandhiji was very pleased and he expressed his satisfaction with these words of "the battle of Champaran is won". Q. 9. Why didn't Gandhi go straight to Champaran but stayed first at Muzaffarpur? Ans. Gandhi thought it advisable to go first to Muzaffarpur. It was en route to Champaran. He wanted to collect more information about conditions prevailing there. Therefore, he sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani. He stayed for two days in the home of Professor Malkani. Even Muzaffarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him. Q. 10. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers of Muzaffarpur ? (Imp.) Ans. Muzaffarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him. They had frequently represented peasants in courts. Gandhi chided them for collecting big fees from the poor sharecrop¬pers. Then peasants were so poor and crushed, it was inhuman to charge heavy fees from them.

Q. 11. What was the long-term contract or agreement that English landlords had made with the sharecroppers of Champaran ? How was it exploitative ? Ans. Most of the arable land in Champaran district was owned by English landlords. Indians were only their tenants. Indigo was the main commercial crop. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15% of their land with indigo. This long-term agreement was enough to twist the arms of the peasants. They had no freedom of their own.

Q. 12. Why did the indigo planters obtain new agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation ? Why did many sign willingly ? (Imp.) Ans. Germany produced synthetic indigo. Now the plantation of indigo was no more profitable. The landlords wanted to free the peasants from the 15% agreement. For this free¬dom, they demanded compensation from the sharecroppers. Many of them signed willingly as the previous 15% arrangement was not liked by them. Q.13. How did even illiterate sharecroppers see through the trick and fraud of the English landlords ? Why did they want their money back ? (Imp.) Ans. Germany had invented synthetic indigo. Now indigo plantation was no more profi-table. Even the illiterate peasants could see through the trick and game of the landlords. The landlords demanded compensation for freeing the peasants from the 15% agreement. The peas¬ants refused. Therefore, they were not ready to pay the compensation and demanded their money back. Q. 14. What was the outcome of Gandhi's meeting with (i) the secretary of the British landlords' association (ii) commissioner of Tirhut ? Ans. Nothing fruitful came out of these meetings, (i) The secretary of the British land¬lords' association considered Gandhi an outsider. He didn't provide him any information (ii) The British official commissioner of Tirhut bullied Gandhi. He advised Gandhi to leave Tirhut at once. Q. 15. What was the reaction of the peasants when they heard that Gandhi w in trouble with the authorities ? How did Gandhi help the authorities ? Ans. Gandhi received a summon to appear in court. The next day thousands of peasants had assembled in Motihari. They didn't know much about Gandhi. But they knew that he had come there only to take up their cause. Thousands of them held a demonstration. The officials felt powerless. Gandhi helped the authorities to regulate the crowd. Q. 16. Why was the government baffled and what could Gandhi prove to them by the episode at Motihari ? (Imp.) Ans. There was a spontaneous demonstration of thousands of peasants in Motihari. The government was baffled. The officials felt helpless. Gandhi was polite and friendly. He helped them regulate the crowd. Gandhi gave a concrete proof that the might of the British though dreaded, could be challenged by Indians. Q. 17. Gandhi was involved in a 'conflict of duties'. What did he decide in the end and why? (Imp.) Ans. Gandhi was involved in a 'conflict of duties'. On the one hand, he didn't want to set a bad example. He didn't want to be a law-breaker. On the other hand, he couldn't give up the cause of the poor peasants of Champaran. Therefore, he heard the 'voice of conscience' in the end. He decided to disobey the order. Long Answer Questions Q.1:- What was the dispute between the Landlords and the Champaran peasants? What role did Gandhiji play in resolving the dispute successfully? A.9:- When the news of the synthetic indigo reached the peasants they were able to see through the manipulative game of the British landlords. Realizing that they had extorted compensation illegally and deceitfully, the peasants demanded their money back. The Landlords tried to silence the peasants with muscle power. It was at this point of time that Gandhiji arrived in Champaran. An in- depth study of the cases laid bare the blatant injustice of the Britishers. Gandhiji's through investigations, documentation and collection of evidence became a cause of concern for the authorities. Edwards Gait, the Lt. Governor of Bihar summoned Gandhiji and after four protracted interviews with him constituted a commission of inquiry comprising Landlords, Government officials and Gandhiji as the representative of the peasants. Gandhiji diligent collection of documents and evidence made them agree in principal to refund the money. The Landlords expected that Gandhiji would demand full repayment of the money which they had extorted from the share croppers, but Gandhiji asked for only 50% as the settlement. After some deliberation it was settled that the peasants would be refunded 25% of the money. Gandhiji accepted the settlement because he did not want a deadlock between the Landlords and the farmers. Taking it to be a victory of principal, he didn't attach much importance to the amount of money the peasants got. He gave more importance of the victory of principals. Thus the issue got resolved. Q 2. Who was Rajkumar Shukla and why did he meet Gandhi? What made Gandhi board a train with him to Patna? (Imp.) Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a poor sharecropper from Champaran. He met Gandhi in Lucknow at the December 1916 annual convention of the Indian National Congress. He was like any other peasant in India, poor, weak and thin. He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar. In Champaran most of the arable land was owned by English landlords. They forced the Indian sharecroppers to grow indigo on the land. Somebody had advised him to meet Gandhi.Gandhi told Shukla that he had appointments in Kanpur. He was also committed to go to other parts of India. But Shukla was determined. He accompanied Gandhi everywhere. For weeks, he never left Gandhi's side. He begged Gandhi to fix a date. Gandhi was impressed by the sharecropper's tenacity and devotion. He asked Shukla to come to Calcutta and meet him. Months passed. Gandhi arrived in Calcutta. He waited till Gandhi was free. Now it was impossible for Gandhi to avoid him. Then the two of them boarded a train for Patna in Bihar. Q. 3. Describe the efforts made by R.K. Shukla to persuade Gandhi to go to Champaran. (A.I. CBSE 2008) Ans. Gandhiji had gone to the December 1916 Annual Convention of the Indian National Congress in Lucknow. A peasant came up to see him. He was Rajkumar Shukla. He looked like any other peasant in India. He was poor and emaciated. He was from Champaran. The place is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas near Nepal. Gandhiji had never heard of the place. Shukla apprised Gandhiji about the injustice of the landlord system in Champaran. Under an ancient agreement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers. Gandhiji told Shukla that he had an appointment in Kanpur. He was also committed to go to other parts of India. Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere. Gandhiji returned to his ashram near . Shukla followed him to the ashram. He begged Gandhiji to fix a date. Gandhiji was impressed by Shukla's tenacity and honesty. Gandhiji was to be in Cal¬cutta on a particular day. He asked Shukla to come and take him from there. Months passed. When Gandhiji arrived Calcutta he found Shukla sitting there on his haunches. He waited till Gandhiji was free. Then both of them boarded a train for Patna in Bihar. From there Gandhiji went to Muzaffarpur to get complete information about conditions in Champaran. He met Kriplani and Prof. Malkani there. Then Gandhiji proceeded to Champaran. Q. 4. 'Self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound together', says Louis Fischer about Gandhi. Explain giving examples from the text. Ans. Self-reliance was one of the virtues that Gandhi valued most. He tried to 'mould a new free Indian'. He wanted Indians to stand on their own feet and thus make India free. Some of Gandhiji's followers wanted C.F. Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. Gandhi opposed it vehemently. They should rely upon themselves to win the battle. In this way, Gandhi taught them a lesson in self-reliance.For the first time Gandhi entertained the idea in 1916 that the Britishers must quit India. The Champaran episode provided him a great challenge and opportunity. Actually, it was a turning point in Gandhi's life. Gandhi proved that the Britishers could be challenged by Indians. The success of Champaran was another stepping stone to India's freedom.Gandhi went to Champaran to take up the cause of the sharecroppers. He refused to teave Champaran when he received an official order to quit the place at once. Thousands of Peasants held a demonstration. The government was helpless. Gandhi was released without bail. A commission of inquiry was constituted to look into the plight of the sharecroppers. At last, English landlords agreed to refund 25% of the money. Thus Gandhi made English landlord-surrender to the demands of the sharecroppers.

Q.5. Describe how Champaran turned out to be a turning point in Gandhi's life. How did the success of Champaran justify the ways and means adopted by Gandhi during the Civil Disobedience ? (V. Imp.) Ans. Champaran provided a great challenge and opportunity for Gandhi. Most of the arable land in Champaran belonged to English landlords. Indigo was the main commercial crop. The planters considered themselves above the law. They forced the sharecroppers to plant indigo on 15% of their holdings. Then came the news of the synthetic indigo discovered by Germany. Indigo plantation was no more profitable now. They decided to free the share croppers from the 15% contract. They demanded compensation for freeing them. Later on, most of the sharecroppers saw through the fraud. They demanded their money back.The advent of Gandhi in Bihar raised a big storm. Thousands of peasants held a demonstration to protest against the government. The officials were helpless. The government was baffled. Gandhi's four meetings with the Lieutenant-Governor proved fruitful. A commission of inquiry was constituted. Finally, a settlement was reached. The sharecroppers got 25% of their money back.The success of Champaran was the success of Civil Disobedience in India. Champaran (Movement) didn't begin as an act of defiance. It was a typical Gandhian movement. Gandhi proved that however strong the British might be, they could be challenged. Q. 9. How did Gandhi use and non-violence at Champaran to achieve his goal? (A.I. CBSE 2008) Ans. The news of Gandhiji's arrival spread quickly through Muzaffarpur to Champaran. Sharecroppers from Champaran flocked to see their champion. Here was a man who had come to fight against the injustice of the landlord system of the British. Gandhiji met the lawyers of Muzaffarpur and chided them for collecting big fee from the sharecroppers. The peasants were crushed and fear-stricken. Gandhiji's aim was to make them free from fear. He collected all the facts and met the commissioner. He tried to bully Gandhiji and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji didn't leave. Gandhiji decided to launch a peaceful 'satyagraha' and non-violent movement. He proceeded to Motihari where a peasant had been maltreated. Gandhiji met the leading associates and laid detailed plans for civil disobedience if he was arrested. Next morning there were spontaneous demonstrations in Motihari. Thousands of peasants challenged the might of the British. The government was baffled. After showing early hesitations, the prominent, lawyers declared their unqualified support to Gandhi. Gandhi's case was dropped. Civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in India.Gandhiji's peaceful non-violent civil disobedience and 'satyagraha' bore the desired results. A commission of enquiry was constituted. Evidences were against the landlords. They agreed to refund to the extent of 25 per cent. The amount of the refund was less important. The more important thing was that the peasants got their rights and defenders. Within a few years indigo sharecropping disappeared. uctors.