NCUI- NCDC joint mega cooperative show at Motihari kicked off to a grand star with the Union Minister Radha Mohan Singh saying there is no other example in the human civilization about the war waged by the farmers in a peaceful way against the oppression and injustice of the British under the leadership of Gandhi.
Senior leaders of Sahakar Bharati also took part in the event as did NCDC and NCUI officials. D N Thakur, Joint MD of NCDC camped in Motihari to make it successful. Vijay Dewangan later posted several photographs of the event on FB.
Nukkud nataks to popularize the concept of cooperative were played along with exhibition of documentary films by NCDC and NCUI. Several prominent cooperators of the area were present on the occasion. The week-long programme would culminate with the address of BJP President Amit Shah on 19th, wrote Dewangan in his FB post.
Addressing the gathering at National Farmer Fair in Champaran he said that the innocent, disarmed farmers raised their voice against the atrocities, exploitations, oppression and extortion of the Britishers and forced them to abolish the system through Satyagraha.
The Minister added that the Neeley Britishers had confiscated more than one lakh crore fertile lands and set up their kothis there. Farmers were being exploited and oppressed in different ways by Neeley Britishers under Khurki and Teenkathiya systems. Under Khurki system, the British planters used to pay some money to the farmers (Raiyyat) by
mortgaging their lands and houses and compelling them to sow indigo.
The Minister said that the British administration and Jamindar had established “Teen Kahitya” system under which teen katha land out of one bigha was reserved for indigo (Neel) farming. The farmers had to bear the cost of indigo farming and the British planters used to keep the yields without compensating the farmers. Not only this, they were even exploited through the various taxes levied on them.
The Minister said that Gandhiji reached Motihari on April 15, 1917. Next day, when Gandhi was ready to leave for Champaran, he received a government order to be present before the SDO of Motihari. The order also stated that Gandhiji should leave the area immediately and go somewhere else. But Gandhiji disobeyed the order and continued his journey to Champaran. He was prosecuted for the violation of the order. After having reached Champaran Gandhiji informed the District Collector in writing that he will not leave Champaran until the issues related to indigo farming are not looked into. Thus, Gandhiji presented a burning example of civil disobedience movement.
