Looking Back

Tebhaga and ‘Mach Dhara’ Movement in Malda
Partha Sen

In the year 1946 Tebhaga movement under the leadership of the communist party spread in large parts of Bengal. Tebhaga movement was basically an Adhiyar or Bangadars movement. Adhiyars demanded 2/3 share of the produce from Jotedars who instead of half share will get only one third share of the produce. Although basically Tebhaga movement was Adhiyars movement but agricultural wage labourers in large number joined hands with the Adhiyars. The movement spread out in 13 districts of undivided Bengal. About 60 lakh peasants participated in the Tebhaga movement. Seventy peasants died of police firing. Dinajpur, Rangpur and Jalpaiguri Districts were the main epicenter of the Tebhaga movement. 3,119 peasants were arrested. The movement took violent form in Jalpaiguri, Dinajpur and Rangpur districts. Because in these three districts a major portion of land was cultivated by the Joteders through Adhiyari system. But the movement failed to spread in those areas where a new strata of share croppers had emerged from an impoverished small peasantry bound by Debt-bondage to kulak type of rich peasants. A major portion of land in Malda was cultivated by jotedars through wage labourers. These were mainly Jute producing areas. But in Barind area of Malda where cultivation was carried out through Adhiyari system, Tebhaga movement assumed violent character. Apart from Tebhaga demand the Adhiyars demanded abolition of different types of Abwabs, Begari system and collection of hat tolas by Jamindars and also collection of exorbitant interest of Loan by Mahajans, most of whom were Jotedars.

It is worthy to mention here that in 1940 Floud Commission had recommended for the abolition of zamindari system and suggested for the introduction of Ryotwari system. Bargadar will be treated as direct ryot of the government. But the communist party organised Tebhaga movement in the year 1946 three months after the Moubhag Sanmelan. In spite of the Floud Commission's recommendation the communist party did not launch any movement for the abolition of zamindari system. In the Panjia Conference which was held in 1940, Krishak Sabha only appraised the decision of the Floud Commission. The reason behind this delay was the communist party was then busy for organising people's war to save the Bolshevik Russia from Hitlar's invasion in 1941. The then communist party was in favour of inclusion of big zamindars and jotedars in the anti-fascist front. But the war situation in Europe was drastically changed when the Soviet Red force was going after the fascist army and was about to occupy Berlin. The Indian history would have been written in a different way if the communist party launched anti-imperialist war at that time. Considering the Revolutionary situation prevailing in India at the end of the Second World War anti-imperialist movement could have checked the partition of India. Like China new democratic revolution could have taken place. Why the communist party did not launch any anti-imperialist movement is best known to them. Even Tebhaga demand was basically an economic demand.

Almost all the scholars had discussed elaborately the nature and character of the Tebhaga movement of Dinajpur, Rangpur, Malda and Jalpaiguri. But most of them had overlooked the role of Santal peasants in the Tebhaga movement of Malda. There were regional differences in the nature and character of the Tebhaga movement of different districts of North Bengal. In Malda district the Santal peasants were the vanguard of the Tebhaga movement. Like other parts of North Bengal through Antitola collection movement in Nabwabgang Hat Tebhaga movement started in Malda District. Tebhaga movement started in Malda from mid-1946 and continued up to 1947.

Like Midnapore, Bankura, Dinajpur and Birbhum districts Santals were appointed by the zamindars of Malda to reclaim waste land. For the first year they were exempted from paying any rent and afterward they were settled as Adhiyars. When the land was reclaimed the Adhiyars were evicted and land was leased out to those who could pay higher rent. In Barind area which covers the Southern half of Dinajpur, the eastern half of Malda and the western half of Bogra and Northern quarter of Rajsahi Districts, lands were mainly reclaimed by the Santals. In Gazole and old Malda police station number of Santal and Rajvansi population increased between 1881 and 1901 by 42.5% and 38.1% respectively. This sharp increase of population definitely shows the extension of cultivation in the area. It is to be mentioned here that after the suppression of the Santal rebellion a group of Santals crossed the Ganges and entered Malda for avoiding police harassment. The immigrant first settled at Pakuahat under Bamangola Thana. From there the zamindars of Malda began to employ them to reclaim their waste land. Barind area of Malda was the main centre of the Tebhaga movement. In Barind area 70% of the land was cultivated through Barga system. So here Tebhaga movement assumed violent character.

In Malda District since 1910 there were continuous conflicts between the peasants and the landlords who were enhancing rent for Land which was reclaimed by the former. The landlords used to evict the Santal peasants through the civil courts. The peasants could not appear before the court as court notices were often suppressed by the Jotedars. By this process they were alienated from about 25,000 areas of land and ultimately they were reduced to the status of share croppers Ultimately in 1932 the conflict culminated in the Jitu's movement which is popularly known as Adina movement. During the Adina movement Jitu santal raised the slogan that they would get back their land and would pay no rent to the zamindars. Jitu also claimed that in Jitu raj rent would be one kula of paddy only instead of existing system of paying rent in cash. Jitu's Movement was suppressed by the British.

The movement against the zamindars did not subside with the suppression of the Adina movement. In April 1938 a fresh clash took place between them and the police over the fishing right on Darail beel under Habibpur Police station in Malda district. Darail beel was a property of zamindar of Singabad and the zamindar leased out the beel in 1936-37 to one Korfu Mandol for two years. But the Santals of that area was in no mood to give up their fishing right. On 5th April 1938 a clash took place between the Santals and the police. Ultimately police dispersed the Santals and arrested tribal leaders named Mongla Mohon, Rupai Beshra and others. Thus long before the Tebhaga movement the peasants had an experience of taking participation in anti-British and anti-feudal movement. At the same time there were some sort of similarity between the Santal Rebellion and Jitu's movement. Jitu's demand for one kula of paddy as rent was influenced by Sidhu Kanu's minimum annual tribute in place of cash rent. After the suppression of Jitu Santal's movement which was to some extent influenced by hindu revivalist movement led by Kashiswar Chakraborty, Gazole began to be closed for the Communist Party. It was during the time of People's War period the Communist Party opened its branch in Gazole.

From July 1946 Tebhaga movement began to spread in Malda under the leadership of the communist party. Gazole and old Malda Thana was the hot bed of the Tebhaga movement. Tebhaga movement to some extent spread out in Bamangola and Habibpur Thana as well. Other eleven thanas of Malda almost remained outside the periphery of the Tebhaga movement. In those areas Landlords preferred to employ wage labourers in place of Bargadars. Even in some areas where quality of land is poor Adhiyar used to receive two third of produce as his share. So these thanas did not feel any heat of the Tebhaga movement.

In Barind area there were many big zamindars. Ramani Choudhury of Rajpur was the owner of twelve thousands bighas of land; zamindar Bhuta Ghosh of Hatibari of Gazole had one thousand Bigha of land in his possession. Nandu Choudhury of Salaidanga had six thousand bighas of land. These zamindars used to oppress bargadars in many ways. They used to extort various kinds of abwabs from bargadars. They used to charge exorbitant interest on loan from bargadars. From February there was intense Tebhaga movement in Malda along the border district of Dinajpur. Peasants broke out the land lords' kholan (store house) and took away their own share from the landlords' kholan. In some places Adhiyars kept paddy in Niz-kholan. The then district magistrate tried to resolve the problem by calling meeting. But peasant representatives did not turn up due to the fear of arrest. Both Santal and Rajvansi bargardars actively participated in the Tebhaga movement in Gazole, old Malda, Habibpur, and Bamangola. As because most of the Jotedars were absentee landlords and lived in town so the peasants had not faced any stiff opposition from the Jotedars for taking paddy in Niz-kholan. Bargadars defied cr. P.c144 in Atwari and one Gangaram Barman was arrested for breaking two police men's guns during the time of clash with the police. Congress party directly supported the jamindar's cause and under the leadership of Souren Mishra, the then Congress president of Malda district, both Hindu and Mushlim zamindars collected twenty five thousand rupees for campaigning against Tebhaga movement. Sasi Mondol of Bhabanikota village, Kandra Santal of Talmari village, Bhuban Deshi, Baju Deshi, Babhul Deshi, Bantu Deshi, Ramu Sarder, Lakshan Sardar were at the forefront of the Tebhaga movement. Women too took active part in the Tebhaga movement in Malda. In Chandpur village women workers snatched arrest warrant from Constable A K Roy. At the same time women helped the male workers to stay underground during the time of police raids. In English Bazar and Basudarpur police opened fire when landlords were gheraoed and their property were looted. Puria Manki Munda, Buni Oraon, Sohit Barman etc. took leading part in looting Jotedars' farm. In Carnot, village women under the leadership of Pratima Roy released arrested peasants and snatched arms from the police. Government sent reserve force in Malda to suppress the Tebhaga movement. Police repression was so intense in Gazole that many common people expressed their anger against the communist party for initiating Tebhaga movement without preparation for armed resistance against police raid. Practically Gazole had no history of any peasant movement under the leadership of the communist party. Peasants of Gazole started Teghaga movement at the instruction of the communist party. Abani Lahiri, who was given the responsibility to lead the Tebhaga movement in Rajsahi, Pabna, Malda and Dinajpur district confessed that party had no preparation for resisting police repression. More than one hundred peasants most of whom were santals were arrested in Gazole, old Malda and Habibpur Police station. In Malda also a large number of agricultural labourers and poor peasants participated in the Tebhaga movement. They participated in the movement around the demand of abolition of zamindari system, better wages and re-distribution of land. On 22.01.1946 the Muslim League government published the Bengal Bargadar bill in Calcutta gazette and communist party postponed the Tebhaga movement.

Though the communist party withdrew the Tebhaga movement but the santal community of Dinajpur and Malda initiated 'Mach Dhara' (fish catching) Andolon (movement) in 1947. Zamindars of these two districts had leased out their beels to other persons. But the santals of Gazole, Itahar, Kaliaganj were not ready to give up their customary fishing right. In 1949 the santals gathered around the pond which was located at the south of Kunor hat in Kaliaganj. Police opened fire and Harma Murmu died on the spot. Bhaju Tudu who was the leader of the Tebhaga movement in Itahar, Gazole and Kaliaganj was arrested in 1949 for his active role in Mach Dhara andolon. On 29th March 1947 four santals died of Police firing at Charu beel of Malda where they assembled to catch fish. Communist Party had no role in the Mach Dhara Andolon. It may be mentioned here that First 'Mach Dhara' Andolon started in Malda but after the Tebhaga movement the agitation assumed violent character in Dinajpur district.

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 7, Aug 26-Sep1, 2012