Popular Movements/Events In India | Post Independence History for UPSC Mains PDF Download

The Bhoodan Movement (Donation of Land)

• Bhoodan was an attempt at land reform, at bringing about institutional changes in agriculture, like land redistribution.
• Leadership: Eminent Gandhian Acharya Vinoba Bhave
• Objectives:
• To bring about a social order based on equality of opportunities by ensuring balanced economic distribution.
• Decentralisation of economic holdings and powers.
• Vinoba writes, while describing the objectives of Bhoodan movement, “In fact, objective is of three-fold.”
  • Power should be decentralised from village to village.
  • Everybody should have a right on land and property.
  • There should be no distribution in the matter of wages etc.
• Vinoba was interested in the creation of a new social order.
• Acharya Vinoba Bhave drew upon Gandhian techniques and ideas such as constructive work and trusteeship to launch this movement in the early 1950s.
• He organized an all-India federation of constructive workers named the Sarvodaya Samaj, which took up the task of a non-violent social transformation in the country.
• He and his followers set on a padayatra (walk on foot from village to village) to persuade the larger landowners to donate at least one-sixth of their lands as Bhoodan or ‘land-gift’ for distribution among the landless and the land poor.
• The Bhoodan was started in The problems faced by the landless Harijans were presented to Vinoba Bhave in Pochampalli, Telangana.
• In response to appeal by Vinoba Bhave, some land owing class agreed to voluntary donation of some part of land.
• This led to the birth of Bhoodan Movement. Central and State governments had provided the necessary assistance to Vinoba Bhave.
• The movement, though independent of the government, had the support of the Congress, with the AICC urging Congressmen to participate in it actively.
• An Eminent former Congressman and a prominent leader of the Praja Socialist Party, Jayaprakash Narayan withdrew from active politics to join the Bhoodan movement in 1953.
• Meanwhile, towards of the end of 1955, the movement took a new form, that of Gramdan or ‘donation of village’
• The objective of the Gramdan movement was to persuade landowners and leaseholders in each village to renounce their land rights and all the lands would become the property of a village association for egalitarian redistribution and joint cultivation.
• A village is declared as Gramdan when at least 75 per cent of its residents with 51 per cent of the land signify their approval in writing for Gramdan.
• The first village to come under Gramdan, was Magroth, Haripur, Uttar Pradesh. The second and third took place in Orissain 1955.
• The movement received widespread political patronage.
• Several state governments passed laws by aimed at Gramdan and Bhoodan.

Conclusion

• The movement reached their peak around 1969. After 1969, Gramdan and Bhoodan lost its importance due to the shift from being a purely voluntary movement to a government supported programme.
• In 1967, after the withdrawal of Vinoba Bhave from the movement, it lost its mass base. In the later period, landlords had mostly donated land under dispute or unfit for cultivation.
• The whole movement was treated as something different from the general scheme of development rather than combining with the existing institutional means.
• This separation from the mainstream scheme seriously affected its continuation as a policy.

Agriculture Movements Since Independence

The Srikakulam Peasant Uprising:

• The Srikakulam peasant uprising occurred in 1967–1970, in regions of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The Naxalbari uprising inspired the upsurge.
• On October 31, 1967, two persons associated with the communists, Korana and Manganna were killed by landlords at Levidi Village while the two were going to attend Girijan Samagam Conference.
• In retaliation, the Girijans started retaliating by land, property and food grain seizure.
• The tribals started facing severe offensive. The leadership started organizing the mass upheaval into an organized movement by forming peasant guerrilla squads and a more systemic resistance.
• By 1969 activities of the peasant squads increased along with their increasing actions.
• The government sent 12,000 CRF to tackle the uprising. Serious warfare continued from 6 months.
• By January 1970, 120 CRPF were killed. But the uprising soon met a rapid decline.

Note: We have covered Telangana Movement in Modern History and post-Independence chapter 1 notes and Naxal movement in our previous chapter).

New Farmers Movement

• The farmers’ movements burst onto the national political stage in 1980 with the road and rail roko agitation in Nasik in Maharashtra led by the Shetkari Sangathan of Sharad Joshi. Nearly 200,000 farmers block the road and rail traffic on the Bombay-Calcutta and Bombay-Delhi route on November 10 demanding higher prices for onions and sugar cane.
• The Farmers in thousands and lakhs stopped traffic on highways and train routes, withheld supplies from cities, sat on indefinite dharnas at government offices in local and regional centre and prevented political leaders and officials from entering villages, especially at election time, till they agreed to support their demands.
• Why the Movement was launched– The basic understanding on which the movements rested is that the government maintains agricultural prices at an artificially low level in order to provide cheap food and raw materials to urban areas, and the consequent disparity in prices results in farmers paying high prices and receiving low returns for their produce.
• These ‘new’ farmers’ movements that attracted much media and political attention, especially in the 1980s, focussed mainly on demanding remunerative prices for agricultural produce, and lowering or elimination of government dues such as canal water charges, electricity charges, interest rates and principal of loans, etc.
• These organizations have shown scant concern for the landless rural poor or rural women. It is, however, true that they are broad based among the peasantry and not confined to the upper sections.
• Despite many claims by the leaders to be following in Gandhi’s footsteps, there is little evidence of lessons learnt from him, especially about the awesome responsibility of leadership.
• These movements are often referred to as ‘new’, the suggestion being that they are part of the worldwide trend of ‘new’ non-class or superclass social movements which have emerged outside the formal political party structures, examples being the women’s and environmental movements.
• The other ground on which ’newness’ is asserted is that these movements are not linked to political parties. While it is true that none of the organizations were started by political parties, it is also true that over time they have got linked to politics.

Agriculture Growth and Green Revolution

Background

• During independence, the condition of Indian Agriculture was in an underdeveloped state.
• Despite three percent annual agricultural growth from 1949 to 1965, India was facing huge food shortages.
• India was not self-sufficient in Food production and therefore India need to import huge amount of food
• The two wars of 1962 and 1965 to successive droughts in 1965-66 reduced agricultural output.
• Massive population growth increased the demand for food.
• India was importing huge amount of grains in 1960s to feed its population.
• It faced famine conditions in most parts.
• Also, we have studied earlier that USA supplied foodgrains under PL-480 schemes to India. This agreement was humiliating for India and in this situation, the USA threatened to discontinue food exports to India.
• Hence, Indian leaders decided to make India self-sufficient in foodgrains.

 Green Revolution

• Green Revolution is the phenomenon that is identified with India’s transition from an import dependent country for food to a self-sufficient It is related with major technological reforms undertaken in Indian agriculture from mid- 1960s.
• The project was led by M.S. Swaminathan, an Indian geneticist and biologist
• The then Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri along with Indira Gandhi gave full support to New Agriculture Strategy. Under this focus was given on:
• High Yield Variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers and pesticides
• Agriculture machinery including tractors, pump- sets, and soil-testing facilities etc.
• Institutional credits with focus on areas which had assured irrigation facilities along with supporting agriculture infrastructure.
• Government investment in agriculture increased significantly.
• Efforts were made to ensure that the farmers have assured market at remunerative prices.
• The Agriculture Prices Commission was set up in 1965 to recommend the prices for the agriculture produce like wheat and rice.
• All these initiatives by the government also led to increase in gross capital formation in agriculture.

Outcome of Green Revolution

• Food production rose by 35% during 1967-68 and 1970-71. This led to increase in food availability as marketable surplus of food-grains increased.
• Net food imports fell from 3 million tonnes in 1966 to 3.6 million tonnes in 1970 and India not only had buffer of food- grains, but also it started exporting food-grains. It brought prosperity to farmers.
• Moreover, as a result of Agro-industries, warehousing for agriculture produce, transport, fertilizers, manufacturing of farm equipment’s etc resulted into increase in the overall employment in the country.
• Further, the surplus generated under the Green Revolution helped the government to launch schemes for employment generation. This had a major impact on the poverty alleviation.
• The need for agriculture equipment contributed to industrial growth and the attitude of farmers towards farming changed. They started investing in agriculture, thereby shifting to capitalist farming.

Criticism of Green Revolution

• The Green Revolution was criticized for concentrating resources in the regions like Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh that already had certain advantages.
• This further increased regional inequalities.
• The benefits of the Green Revolution were cornered by the big farmers, at the expense of small farmers and tenants.
• This contributed to increase in inequality and the mechanization of agriculture led to rural unemployment.
• Excessive use of chemical fertilizers resulted into environmental degradation and the groundwater tables, especially in Punjab, was criticized for its unsustainability.

Food Corporation Of India (FCI)

• The Food Corporation of India (FCI) was set up in 1965, under the Food Corporation’s Act 1964.
• It was set up for the purchase, storage, movement, transport, distribution, sale of food-grains and another foodstuff. It was set up in order to fulfill following objectives of the Food Policy:
• Effective price support operations for safeguarding the interests of the farmers.
• Distribution of food grains throughout the country for public distribution system (PDS).
• Maintaining satisfactory level of operational and buffer stocks of food grains to ensure National Food Security.

Environment Movements

Chipko Movement

Introduction

• The Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan, was a forest conservation movementin India.
• It began in 1970s in Uttarakhand, then a part of Uttar Pradesh (at the foothills of Himalayas) and went on to become a rallying point for many future environmental movements all over the world. It created a precedent for starting nonviolentprotest in India.
• It is a movement that practiced methods of Satyagraha
• It was Inspired by Jayaprakash Narayanand the Sarvodaya

Course of Movement

• This movement began in Uttarakhand when forest department had refused permission to villagers to fell ash trees for making agricultural tools and allotted the same patch of land to sports manufacturer for commercial use.
• The villagers demanded that no forest exploiting contracts should be given to outsiders and local communities should have effective control over natural resources like land, water and forests.
• Women’s active participation in the Chipko agitation was a very novel aspect of the movement.
• Villagers in general, and women in particular thwarted commercial falling of trees by hugging the trees to prohibit their cutting and the name Chipko originates from this very practice only.
• The movement achieved a victory when the then government issued a ban on felling of trees in the Himalayan regions for fifteen years, until the green cover was fully restored

Way Forward

• Gaura Devi, a middle-aged widow of the village was prominent figure of this movement.
• After this movement, the Chipko movement inspired many environmental movements and gave rise to series of forests against commercial felling in Himalayan foothills led by Gandhians and leftists.
• In 1987, the Chipko movement was awarded the Right Livelihood Award“for its dedication to the conservation, restoration and ecologically-sound use of India’s natural resources.

 Narmada Bachao Andolan

Introduction

• An ambitious developmental project was launched in the Narmada valley of central India in early 60’s.
• The foundation stone of the dam was laid on April 5, 1961 by the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
• The project consisted of 30 big dams, 135 medium sized and around 3000 small dams to be constructed on the Narmada and its tributaries that flow across three states, MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Sardar Sarovar Project in Gujarat and Narmada Sagar Project in MP were two most important biggest, multipurpose dams planned under the project.
• The projects mentioned above were aimed to provide drinking water and water for irrigation, generation of electricity and increase in agricultural production.
• Leading by- Medha Patkar and Baba Amte.

Course of Movement

• The project required relocation of about two and half lakh people and 245 villages were expected to get submerged. Initially locals demanded proper relocation and proper rehabilitation.
• It was during late 80’s that the issue crystallised under the banner of Narmada Bachao Andolan, a loose collective of local voluntary organs.
• NBA demanded a proper cost benefit analysis of the major developmental projects completed in the country so far. It also demanded that social cost should be calculated too with respect to such projects.
• Social cost meant forced settlement of project affected people, serious loss of means of livelihood and culture, depletion of ecological resources.
• Because of constant struggle, Right to rehabilitation has been recognized by the government and judiciary.
• A comprehensive National Rehabilitation Policy formed by the government in 2003 can be considered as an achievement of the movements like NBA.
• The mode of campaign under NBA includes court actions, hunger strikes, rallies and gathering support from notable film and art personalities.
• NBA used every available democratic strategy to put forward its demands like Pradarshan, Dharna, Gherao, Rasta Roko, Jail Bharo Aandolan, Bhook Hartal etc.
• Medha Patkar has been at the forefront of the movement. She has organised several fasts and satyagrahas, and been to jail several times for the cause.
• Another popular figure was Baba Amte, known for his work against leprosy. He published a booklet called “Cry O Beloved Narmada”in 1989 to protest against the construction of the dam.
• Amongst the major celebrities who have shown their support for Narmada Bachao Andolan are Booker Prizewinner Arundhati Roy and Aamir Khan.
• It was also supported by music composer and bass guitarist in the band Indian Ocean, Rahul Ram, who was actively involved in the movement from 1990 to 1995.
• In 1994 was the launch of “Narmada: A Valley Rises” by filmmaker Ali Kazimi.It documents the five-week Sangharsh Yatra of 1991.
• The film went on to win several awards and is considered by many to be a classic on the issue. In 1996, veteran documentary filmmaker, Anand Patwardhan, made an award-winning documentary: A Narmada Diary. Alok Agarwal, current member of the Aam Aadmi Party, is an active figure in the movement.

Way Forward

• The court ruled for Andolan, effecting an immediate stoppage of work at the dam and directing the concerned states to complete the rehabilitation and replacement process.
• It deliberated on this issue further for several years and finally upheld the Tribunal Award and allowed the construction to proceed, subject to conditions in 2000.
• Finally, in Sept,2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada.

Silent Valley Movement/ Save Silent Valley

Introduction

• Save Silent Valley was a social movement aimed at the protection of Silent Valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad district of Kerala.
• It was started in 1973 by an NGO led by school teachers and the Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad(KSSP) to save the Silent Valley from being flooded by a hydroelectric project

Course of Movement

• After the announcement of imminent dam construction on Kuntipuzha river, as an ideal site for electricity construction “Save silent valley” movement was started in 1973 and Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad (K.S.S.P) effectively aroused the public opinion to save silent valley.
• The poetactivist Sugathakumari played an important role in the Silent Valley protest and her poem “Marathinu Stuthi” (“Ode to a Tree:) became a symbol for the protest from the intellectual community and was the opening song/prayer of most of the “save the Silent Valley” campaign meetings.
• Salim Ali, eminent ornithologist of the Bombay Natural History Society, visited the valley and appealed for cancellation of the hydroelectric project.
• In January 1980 the High Court of Kerala lifted the ban on clear cutting, but then the Prime Minister of India requested the Government of Kerala to stop further works in the project area until all aspects were fully discussed.
• In December, the Government of Kerala declared the Silent Valley area, excluding the hydroelectric project area, as a national park.
• In 1982, a multidisciplinary committee with M. G. K. Menon as chairman and Madhav Gadgil, Dilip K. Biswas and others as members, was created to decide if the hydroelectric project was feasible without any significant ecological damage.
• Early in 1983, Menon’s Committee submitted its report. After a careful study of the Menon report, the Prime Minister of India decided to abandon the Project.

Way Forward

• Finally, the protesters were successful in 1985, when the then PM Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated silent valley National Park and the park was designated as the core area of Nilgiri Biosphere Deserve.
• Silent Valley is also famous for the endangered lion-tailed macaque.

 Fisheries Movement

• Both in the eastern and the western coastal area of our country hundreds of thousands of families, belonging indigenous fishermen communities are engaged in fishing occupation.
• The livelihood of these fishermen worker was threatened, when the government permitted entry of mechanized trawlers and technologies like bottom trawling for large scale harvest of fish in the Indian seas.
• To protect their interests and livelihood, the fishermen came together on a national level platform as a National Fish workers Forum.
• NFF achieved their first success against Indian government’s move to open the entry of commercial vessels including of MNCs in deep sea.
• In July 2002, NFF called for a nationwide strike to oppose the move of government to issue licenses to foreign trawlers as well.