tribal peasant participate in the khilafat non cooperation event
Answers
1)From the cities, the Non - Cooperation movement spread to countryside. It drew the peasants, tribals to its struggles which were developing in different parts of India
2)Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and his Satyagraha movements and the idea of Swaraj in another way.
3)In the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh a militant guerilla movement spread in early 1920s. As in other forest regions, the colonial government had closed large forest areas, prevented people from entering the forests to graze their cattle, or to collect fuelwood and fruits
4)Their livelihoods were affected and their traditional rights were denied. When the government forced them to contribute begar for road building, the tribal people revolted.
5)The person who led them was Alluri Sitaram Raju who claimed that he had special powers and could make correct astrological predictions and heal people and also make them survive from bullet shots
6)The tribals were captivated by Raju and claimed that he was an incarnation of God. Raju talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi and said that he was inspired by Non – Cooperation movement.
7)He persuaded the people to wear khadi and give up drinking. But, he also stressed the fact that India could be liberated only by the use of force and not by non – violence.
8)Thus, Gandhiji’s ideas of non – violence was interpreted by tribals in their own ways and they attacked police stations, attempted to kill British officials and also carried on guerilla warfare for achieving Swaraj purely on violent basis
9)Later, Raju was captured and executed in 1924 and over time became a folk hero