UPSC Civil Services Examination
UPSC Notes [GS-I]
Topic: Bardoli Satyagraha (NCERT Notes)
NCERT notes on important topics for the UPSC exam preparation. These notes will also be useful for other
competitive exams like banking PO, SSC, state civil services exams and so on.
The Bardoli Satyagraha, 1928 was a movement in the independence struggle led by Sardar Vallabhai Patel
for the farmers of Bardoli against the unjust raising of taxes. This is an important topic in the history portion
of the IAS exam.
Bardoli Satyagraha
Background
The Bardoli Taluk in modern-day Gujarat was hit by floods and famines in 1925, which adversely
affected crop yield. This affected the farmers financially.
Ignoring the plight of the farmers, the Bombay Presidency increased the tax rates by 22%.
Despite petitions and appeals from civic groups and farmers to review this unjust hike in tax rates in
lieu of the grave situation, the government decided to go ahead with tax collection.
In 1927, the local Congress Party published a report to show that the farmers could not carry the
burden of the enhanced assessment. But the authorities did not budge.
In January 1928, farmers in Bardoli invited Vallabhai Patel to launch the protest movement wherein
all of them resolved not to pay taxes.
They also assured Gandhiji of their commitment to non-violence.
Patel agreed to take on the leadership role only after getting assurances from the farmers of their
resolve to the movement. He informed them of the possible consequences of their move such as
confiscation of land and property and imprisonment.
Patel got in touch with the government and apprised it of the situation. He got the reply that the
government was unwilling to make any concessions.
Gandhiji also lend support to the movement through his writings in ‘Young India’ magazine.
The Movement
Patel was an exemplary commander of his non-violent ‘army’ in Bardoli.
He divided the taluk into camps and organised hundreds of men and women under the camps.
The volunteers came from Hindu, Muslim and Parsi communities also.
From the camps, volunteers issued news bulletins, campaigns and also made speeches educating
the masses about the need to be disciplined and prepared for austerity.
Door-to-door campaigning was also done.
A large number of women took active part in the movement. It was these women who gave Patel the
moniker ‘Sardar’.
Peasants were asked to take oaths in the name of god that they would not pay the taxes.
Those who paid taxes or were supportive of the British were socially boycotted.
They also worked for the betterment of the Kaliparaj caste (farmers who worked as landless
labourers).
They refused non-essential goods to government offices in the area.
They resisted eviction and confiscation (jabti) in unique ways. They had informers in the government
offices who would give prior information as to if and when a jabti notice was going to be carried out.
The whole village would then move to another place and the officers would be faced with an empty
village when they arrived to confiscate the property.
K M Munshi and Lalji Naranji resigned from the Bombay Legislative Council.
Although the movement was local, it received nation-wide attention and support.
Bardoli Satyagraha Effects
Effects
Fearing things could go out of hand, the government set up the Maxwell-Broomfield commission to
look into the matter.
The revenue was reduced to 6.03%.
The peasants were returned their confiscated land.
Patel emerged as a national leader after the success of the Bardoli Satyagraha. He showed his
remarkable organising skills.
Bardoli Satyagraha Criticism
Criticism
The movement was focused on the conditions of the rich and middle-class farmers and largely
neglected the poor farmers.
It did not raise the problem of Hali Pratha (a kind of bonded labour system).
It is said that the movement was an experiment on Satyagraha as a method of freedom struggle.
The basic problems of the peasants were not addressed.
