Write short note on Prati Sarkar.
Answers
In the sixties, I came across a very well respected old gentleman from Amral village. His name was Omble, but everyone called him Omble Sarkar, or simply Sarkar (Government). He had been the leader in this region of the ‘Prati Sarkar’ movement which was the form the struggle for India’s independence took in the Satara District for a short while after August 1942.
On 9th August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi launched the next phase of the Freedom struggle at the Gowalia Tank Ground in Bombay. The resolution insisting that the British Quit India immediately was passed. This phase of the freedom struggle was therefore named the Quit India Movement. In retaliation, the British Government arrested all the big Congress leaders present. These included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Maulana Azad among others. The entire top leadership had been arrested and taken away to an unknown place. The flag hoisting to inaugurate the movement was to have been done by Mahatma Gandhi. Since he was unavailable, Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the flag, before she too was arrested.
With all the top leaders held incommunicado, the second rung leaders knew that they could not continue a unified struggle. It was decided that all the Congress workers would return to their home towns and continue the struggle, each in their own way.
The biggest leader in the Satara District was Nana Patil of Sangli. He held a meeting of Congressmen to decide on the next course of action. They decided to declare Satara District Independent of the British, and take over all the functions of the Government. The ‘Prati Sarkar or ‘Parallel Government’ was born. A number of local leaders emerged. Our own Omble Sarkar was one of them. In Katavli village, we had B. G. Patil, who later became leader of the Communist Party in our Jaoli Taluka. The most prominent leader from our region was Kisan Veer. Later he became a big Congress leader, known as the mentor of Y. B. Chavan, who became Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Defence Minister of India, and, later, Deputy Prime Minister. The sugar factory in Bhuinj is named after Kisan Veer, as also the college in Wai, and the main Chowk in Wai.
The Prati Sarkar movement was a guerrilla type of struggle, confined to the rural areas. The towns were not affected, probably to avoid provoking the British too much. There were some raids on Taluka Treasuries and Armouries. In each case the local police would most likely have extended full co-operation. The policemen would be locked up in the cells, and the Treasury or Armoury looted.
As a Parallel Government, the Prati Sarkar took over many of the functions of the Government. They had their own courts and gave summary justice. Law and order was also entirely in their hands.
Without Gandhiji’s influence, the Prati Sarkar gradually descended into cruelty, usually against its own members, as has been the case with every violent revolutionary movement. People suspected of being informers or in any way opposing the movement were suspended upside down and beaten on the soles of their feet. Many were crippled for life. There were some who settled old scores or took revenge on their opponents by accusing them of being informers and getting them beaten up. There is a lot of cruelty in our character. Even recently, the gentleman who the unthinking media mindlessly refers to as a Gandhian has recommended tying up offenders to a post and flogging them till they agree to reform themselves.
In time, it became obvious that the movement had gone out of control and had become contrary to the original ideals The Congress managed to take control once again, and the Prati Sarkar , or Patri Sarkar as many called it, was disbanded.
I think the Prati Sarkar movement gave the British a lot to think about in its short lifetime. Here was a demonstration of the extent of mobilisation possible in the countryside. If any more proof was needed of the unpopularity of the British presence in India, this was it. The time to leave was near.
Explanation:
The 'Prati Sarkar' was the 'Parallel government,' which arose after the arrest of Congress leaders, namely Mahatma Gadhi, Maulana Azad, and Jawaharlal in the unifying struggle against the British rule in India. The Prati Sarkari, first decided to declare Satara District independent over colonial rule, thus applied guerilla tactics in their battle by raiding Taluka treasuries and armories. Patri was the name given to the terrible, and torturous acts commited to the British government servants and all unloyal members of the movement. Notably, the police showed their collaboration where they were locked in cells as the armory and treasury were being looted. The new Prati Sarkar parallel government was, therefore, able to take over several government functions. They established their court systems where they gave concise justice. In addition to this, law and order were entirely in their hands. It, however, later resulted in malice which led to its decline. For instance members who were suspected of being informers were beaten on the soles of their feet while suspended upside down. It was under Mahatma Gandhi's influence where the congress took control under which the Prati Sarkar was disbanded.