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Papers by amit nayak
The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 18... more The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 1803. Those struggles centred round many agrarian and non-agrarian issues. Up to the end of the civil disobedience movement the peasant struggles in Odisha passed through different phases with changing nature and charactersfrom popular autonomous movements (Paik rebellions, Prajamandal movements, Ghumsur rebellions, tribal movements) to locally organised peasant movements (movements under Praja Pratinidhi Sabha, Zamindari Raiyat’s Association). These movements were not purely based on class line. However, with the change of time, the peasants in odisha being uneducated, backward and relatively less mobilised required a strong ideological current to be united in order to redress its grievances. That, especially, became indispensible in the early 1930s. A band of leaders of the socialist ideology came forward, provided a plat- form to the peasants in the form of krushaka sanghas and organise...
Peasants’ struggles, barring its outward manifestations, was also fought within colonial state ap... more Peasants’ struggles, barring its outward manifestations, was
also fought within colonial state apparatuses like, in the provincial
assemblies whose leaders were drawn from the dominant political
parties with sympathy or obligations towards peasantry. Prior as well as
posterior to the formation of ministries along the principles of
Government of India Act, 1935, the leaders of the Utkal Pradesh
Congress Committee and the Utkal Pradeshik Shamyavadi Karmi
Sangathan had promised the poor peasantry to redress different peasant
issues provided they would form government. Due to the circumstances
of ‘bounded reciprocity’ between the peasantry and the congress party,
the congress party was able to win the election and consequently
formed the ministry in 1937. Unfortunately it could do nothing
substantial for the peasantry as it had promised. Therefore this article
endeavours to highlight the promises made to the peasantry by congress
leaders in different times before coming to power. Apart from that, this
article tries to evaluate the achievements and failures of congress
leaders in the context of peasant mobilization. While dealing with those
crucial points, this article too tries to unearth many of the important
questions related to congress ministry vis-à-vis peasantry in the light of
studies made on a few inter-provincial levels.
Keywords: peasant,
The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 18... more The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 1803. Those
struggles centred round many agrarian and non-agrarian issues. Up to the end of the civil disobedience
movement the peasant struggles in Odisha passed through different phases with changing nature and characters--
from popular autonomous movements (Paik rebellions, Prajamandal movements, Ghumsur rebellions, tribal
movements) to locally organised peasant movements (movements under Praja Pratinidhi Sabha, Zamindari
Raiyat’s Association). These movements were not purely based on class line. However, with the change of time,
the peasants in odisha being uneducated, backward and relatively less mobilised required a strong ideological
current to be united in order to redress its grievances. That, especially, became indispensible in the early 1930s.
A band of leaders of the socialist ideology came forward, provided a plat- form to the peasants in the form of
krushaka sanghas and organised them along class-line. This article tries to present how the poor peasants of
odisha were unified and organised under the “socialist ideology”. This article also endeavours to highlight major
agrarian issues of that time and the challenges faced by the peasant leaders in their effort to redress the peasants’
cause.
To lead the peasants, often dubbed as exploited, politically segregated, economically unorganized... more To lead the peasants, often dubbed as exploited, politically segregated, economically unorganized class is not an easy task at all. It seems like a herculean task when we talk about the question of peasant mobilization within colonial framework due to numerous objective as well as subjective reasons. Colonial Odisha (Orissa) being a part of colonized Indian subcontinent bore identical symptoms of colonial exploitation and gradual pauperization of rural gentry in post 1803 period, the year of British occupation of Odisha. The faulty administrative policies of colonial masters, territorial dismemberment of Odisha as well as prolonged exploitation of masses gradually created indigestion. Failed with traditional methods of protest to snatch legitimate rights from a government based on western prototype of constitutionalism, the poor illiterate raiyats approached legal political avenue (representative government) , the best instruments in the hands of educated intelligentsia, to get their right fulfilled. The formation of Bihar and Orissa presidency coupled with the beginning of the process of Tenancy legislation in 1913 brought forth the question of raiyat’s interest within newly formed Legislative Assembly. Therefore this article has made an earnest effort to find out the answers of (I) why did raiyats of colonial Odisha want their representation within assembly? (ii) How was the Praja Pratinidhi sabha formed? (iii) Who were the leading figures behind peasants’ mobilization and what were their social bases? (iv)How far did the Praja Pratinidhi sabha help alleviating the problems?
Given the agrarian economic base of India coupled with ongoing peasants’ discontentment against i... more Given the agrarian economic base of India coupled with ongoing peasants’ discontentment against institutionalized government and former’s relation with the Left political parties, the present situation demands to find out the answer as to the historical basis of the relationship between the Left and the peasantry in India as well in Odisha during the colonial period. Organized peasants’ movement in Odisha started taking its configuration following the suspension of Civil Disobedience movement and the coming of Socialist ideas in subsequent period. The Congress Socialists, which subsumed in it the extreme radical leaders who later on constituted the atoms of the Communist movement in Odisha, were the pioneer of that organized movements. Unlike all Indian scenarios, the Communist movement started to surface lately in Odisha at a time when it was undergoing a passive stage due to colonial apathy towards its very existence. However it remained within Congress Socialist party for a long time and actively participated in the peasants’ struggle in colonial Odisha until it was separated from Congress Socialist party/Indian National Congress. The tempo the Communist party had at its birth clearly found its expression in the heightened upward peasants’ mobilization and radicalization of congress ideologies. Therefore, this research article tries to study the birth and growth of Communist movement in India and Odisha in brief keeping in view the peasants’ mobilization. The study also aims at analyzing the role of Communists in the peasants’ struggle in Odisha in 1930s when the party was at its infant stage. Apart from it, this article endeavors to assess the role of the Communist leaders in organizing peasants’ conference in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in creating radical content of resolutions passed in the conference.
The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 18... more The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 1803. Those struggles centred round many agrarian and non-agrarian issues. Up to the end of the civil disobedience movement the peasant struggles in Odisha passed through different phases with changing nature and charactersfrom popular autonomous movements (Paik rebellions, Prajamandal movements, Ghumsur rebellions, tribal movements) to locally organised peasant movements (movements under Praja Pratinidhi Sabha, Zamindari Raiyat’s Association). These movements were not purely based on class line. However, with the change of time, the peasants in odisha being uneducated, backward and relatively less mobilised required a strong ideological current to be united in order to redress its grievances. That, especially, became indispensible in the early 1930s. A band of leaders of the socialist ideology came forward, provided a plat- form to the peasants in the form of krushaka sanghas and organise...
Peasants’ struggles, barring its outward manifestations, was also fought within colonial state ap... more Peasants’ struggles, barring its outward manifestations, was
also fought within colonial state apparatuses like, in the provincial
assemblies whose leaders were drawn from the dominant political
parties with sympathy or obligations towards peasantry. Prior as well as
posterior to the formation of ministries along the principles of
Government of India Act, 1935, the leaders of the Utkal Pradesh
Congress Committee and the Utkal Pradeshik Shamyavadi Karmi
Sangathan had promised the poor peasantry to redress different peasant
issues provided they would form government. Due to the circumstances
of ‘bounded reciprocity’ between the peasantry and the congress party,
the congress party was able to win the election and consequently
formed the ministry in 1937. Unfortunately it could do nothing
substantial for the peasantry as it had promised. Therefore this article
endeavours to highlight the promises made to the peasantry by congress
leaders in different times before coming to power. Apart from that, this
article tries to evaluate the achievements and failures of congress
leaders in the context of peasant mobilization. While dealing with those
crucial points, this article too tries to unearth many of the important
questions related to congress ministry vis-à-vis peasantry in the light of
studies made on a few inter-provincial levels.
Keywords: peasant,
The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 18... more The peasants’ struggle in Odisha started to surface as soon as the British conquered Odisha in 1803. Those
struggles centred round many agrarian and non-agrarian issues. Up to the end of the civil disobedience
movement the peasant struggles in Odisha passed through different phases with changing nature and characters--
from popular autonomous movements (Paik rebellions, Prajamandal movements, Ghumsur rebellions, tribal
movements) to locally organised peasant movements (movements under Praja Pratinidhi Sabha, Zamindari
Raiyat’s Association). These movements were not purely based on class line. However, with the change of time,
the peasants in odisha being uneducated, backward and relatively less mobilised required a strong ideological
current to be united in order to redress its grievances. That, especially, became indispensible in the early 1930s.
A band of leaders of the socialist ideology came forward, provided a plat- form to the peasants in the form of
krushaka sanghas and organised them along class-line. This article tries to present how the poor peasants of
odisha were unified and organised under the “socialist ideology”. This article also endeavours to highlight major
agrarian issues of that time and the challenges faced by the peasant leaders in their effort to redress the peasants’
cause.
To lead the peasants, often dubbed as exploited, politically segregated, economically unorganized... more To lead the peasants, often dubbed as exploited, politically segregated, economically unorganized class is not an easy task at all. It seems like a herculean task when we talk about the question of peasant mobilization within colonial framework due to numerous objective as well as subjective reasons. Colonial Odisha (Orissa) being a part of colonized Indian subcontinent bore identical symptoms of colonial exploitation and gradual pauperization of rural gentry in post 1803 period, the year of British occupation of Odisha. The faulty administrative policies of colonial masters, territorial dismemberment of Odisha as well as prolonged exploitation of masses gradually created indigestion. Failed with traditional methods of protest to snatch legitimate rights from a government based on western prototype of constitutionalism, the poor illiterate raiyats approached legal political avenue (representative government) , the best instruments in the hands of educated intelligentsia, to get their right fulfilled. The formation of Bihar and Orissa presidency coupled with the beginning of the process of Tenancy legislation in 1913 brought forth the question of raiyat’s interest within newly formed Legislative Assembly. Therefore this article has made an earnest effort to find out the answers of (I) why did raiyats of colonial Odisha want their representation within assembly? (ii) How was the Praja Pratinidhi sabha formed? (iii) Who were the leading figures behind peasants’ mobilization and what were their social bases? (iv)How far did the Praja Pratinidhi sabha help alleviating the problems?
Given the agrarian economic base of India coupled with ongoing peasants’ discontentment against i... more Given the agrarian economic base of India coupled with ongoing peasants’ discontentment against institutionalized government and former’s relation with the Left political parties, the present situation demands to find out the answer as to the historical basis of the relationship between the Left and the peasantry in India as well in Odisha during the colonial period. Organized peasants’ movement in Odisha started taking its configuration following the suspension of Civil Disobedience movement and the coming of Socialist ideas in subsequent period. The Congress Socialists, which subsumed in it the extreme radical leaders who later on constituted the atoms of the Communist movement in Odisha, were the pioneer of that organized movements. Unlike all Indian scenarios, the Communist movement started to surface lately in Odisha at a time when it was undergoing a passive stage due to colonial apathy towards its very existence. However it remained within Congress Socialist party for a long time and actively participated in the peasants’ struggle in colonial Odisha until it was separated from Congress Socialist party/Indian National Congress. The tempo the Communist party had at its birth clearly found its expression in the heightened upward peasants’ mobilization and radicalization of congress ideologies. Therefore, this research article tries to study the birth and growth of Communist movement in India and Odisha in brief keeping in view the peasants’ mobilization. The study also aims at analyzing the role of Communists in the peasants’ struggle in Odisha in 1930s when the party was at its infant stage. Apart from it, this article endeavors to assess the role of the Communist leaders in organizing peasants’ conference in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in creating radical content of resolutions passed in the conference.