Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

This movement was launched in the state of Andhra Pradesh against the former Nizam of Hyderabad. The agrarian social structure in the Nizam’s Hyderabad was of a feudal order. It had two kinds of land tenure systems, namely, raiyatwari and jagirdari. Under the raiyatwari system, the peasants owned patta and were proprietors of the land; they were registered occupants.

The actual cultivators of the land were known as shikmidars. Khalsa lands were chieftain’s land and out of revenue collected from these lands, personal expenses of the royalty were met out. The Deshmukhs and Desbpandes were the hereditary collectors of revenue for khalsa villages. In jagir villages, the tax was collected through jagirdars and their agents. Both the jagirdars and the Deshmukhs wielded immense power at the local level.

The region of Telangana was characterised by a feudal economy. The main commercial crops, viz., groundnut, tobacco and castor seed, were the monopoly of the landowning brahmins. The rise of Reddis and peasant proprietors further strengthened the high castes and propertied class. The non-cultivating urban groups, mostly Brahmins, Marwaris, Komtis and Muslims, began to take interest in acquiring land. Consequently, the peasant proprietors slided down to the status of tenants-at-will, share-croppers and landless labourers.

Causes of movement

The Nizam’s former Hyderabad state had a feudal structure of administration. In the jagir area, the agents of the jagirdar who were the middlemen collected the land taxes. There was much of oppression by the jagirdar and his agents. They were free to extort from the actual cultivators a variety of taxes. This condition of exploitation remained in practice till the jagirdari system was abolished in 1949. On the other hand the khalsa land or the raiyatwari system was also exploitative though the severity of exploitation in the khalsa system was a little lesser. In the khalsa villages, the Deshmukhs and Deshpandes worked as intermediaries.

Yet another cause of peasant movement in Telangana was the exploitation of the big peasants. D.N. Dhanagare informs that the jagirdars and the Deshmukhs had thousands of acres of land in their possession. The families of these big peasants and their heads were called Durra or Dora.
In the whole former state of Nizam a system of slavery, quite like that of Hali of south Gujarat, was prevalent. This system was known as Bhagela. The Bhagela were drawn mostly from aboriginal tribes who were tied to the master by debt. According to Bhagela system, the tenant who had taken loan from the landlord was obliged to serve him till the debt is repaid. In most of the cases, the Bhagela was required to serve the landlord for generations.
The Reddis and Kammars were notable castes who traditionally worked as traders and moneylenders. They exercised a great deal of influence in the countryside. They wanted to pull down the dominance of Brahmins as agriculturists in the state.
The Telangana region was economically backward. The development of agriculture depended on the facilities of Irrigation. The commercial crops could hardly be taken without irrigation facilities. Though, the lack of irrigation was realised by Nizam and he provided irrigation facilities to the peasants both in khalsa and jagir villages. But, these facilities were largely cornered by the big farmers.
Land alienation was not new to the former Hyderabad state. Between 1910 to 1940 the frequency of land dispossession increased. On the one hand, the land possessed by the non cultivating urban people, mostly Brahmins, Marwaris, and Muslims increased and on the other hand the tribal peasants got reduced to the status of marginal farmers and landless labourers. As a result of growing land alienation many actual occupants or cultivators were being reduced to tenants-at-will, sharecroppers or landless labourers … in fact, where rich Pattadars held holdings too large to manage, they tended to keep a certain amount of irrigated land to be cultivated with the help of hired labour and turned over most of their dry lands either to Bhagela serfs or to tenant cultivators on very high produce rents.

The Telangana peasant movement was engineered by Communist Party of India (CPI). It is said to be a revolution committed by Communists. The Communist Party started working in Telangana in 1936. Professor N.G. Ranga had laid down the regional level peasant organisation in Telangana.

This regional organisation was affiliated to the All India Kisan Sabha an organ of CPI. Within a period of three or four years, say by 1940, the CPI had established its roots in the former Hyderabad state. During the period from 1944 to 1946, the Communist activities increased in several of the districts of Hyderabad. A proper framework was, therefore, prepared for launching a peasant movement in Telangana.

The next event which took place in Hyderabad and more actually in Telangana was the famine of 1946. All the crops failed and there was a crisis of the availability of fodder. The prices of food, fodder and other necessities of life increased.

This was a crisis for the tenants and the sharecroppers. Actually, the year 1946 provided all opportunities for engineering the peasant struggle. In the early July 1946, the peasants resisted the government orders. Militant action was taken by the CPI-led peasants.

The CPI made an objective to mobilise the peasants. It took up a campaign to propagate the demands of the lower peasants. By the middle of 1946, the Communist propaganda was fully intensified and covered about 300 to 400 villages under its influence.

The movement during this period was slow but the peasants showed enough resistance to the government dictates. However, it must be mentioned that in the mobilisation of peasantry, only Telangana local peasants participated.

The second conference of CPI was held in March 1948. It resolved to give a revolutionary turn to the peasant movement in Telangana. The peasants later on were organised into an army and intermittently fought guerrilla wars.

Besides the peasant agitation, a parallel discontent was also taking place in Hyderabad. A para-military voluntary force, organised by Kasim Rizvi, was taking its roots. The members of this voluntary organisation were known as Razakars. This organisation was against the peasants. The peasants consolidated their movement in the face of the oppression of Nizam, activities of Razakars and the authority crisis in Hyderabad.

The peasant movement in Telangana had to be withdrawn. Actually the police action gave a death blow to the Communist-led Telangana peasant movement. In this struggle, the movement had to suffer a lot. Fighting with the Indian army over 2,000 peasants and party workers were killed. By August 1949, nearly 25,000 Communists and active participants were arrested; by July 1950 the total number of detainees had reached 10,000. This should suffice as an index of the intensity of Telangana peasants struggle.,

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle was a peasant uprising that took place in the Indian state of Telangana from 1946 to 1951. The struggle was led by the Communist Party of India (CPI) and was aimed at overthrowing the feudal system and establishing a socialist state. The struggle was successful in achieving some of its goals, such as the redistribution of land and the abolition of bonded labor. However, it was ultimately suppressed by the Indian government.

The following are some of the subtopics related to the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle:

Causes of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle
Course of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle
Consequences of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle
Leaders of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle
Impact of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle on Society/”>Indian Society
Legacy of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

Table of Contents

Toggle

Causes of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle was caused by a number of factors, including:

POVERTY and exploitation of the peasantry: The peasants of Telangana were extremely poor and were exploited by the landlords. They were forced to work long hours for little pay and were often subjected to physical and sexual abuse.
Absence of Land reforms: The landholding system in Telangana was highly unequal. A small number of landlords owned most of the land, while the vast majority of peasants were landless or had very small holdings. This system of landholding led to widespread poverty and exploitation.
Autocratic rule of the Nizam: The Nizam of Hyderabad was an autocratic ruler who did not allow any dissent. He suppressed all attempts at reform and refused to address the grievances of the peasants.
Influence of the Communist Party of India: The Communist Party of India (CPI) had a strong presence in Telangana. The CPI was able to mobilize the peasants and organize them into a movement for social and economic Justice.

Course of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle began in 1946. The first phase of the struggle was characterized by Peasant Uprisings against the landlords. The peasants seized land and distributed it among themselves. They also attacked the landlords and their property.

The second phase of the struggle began in 1948. The CPI took control of the struggle and launched a guerrilla war against the Nizam’s government. The guerrillas were able to capture large areas of Telangana and establish a parallel government.

The third phase of the struggle began in 1950. The Indian government intervened in the struggle and sent troops to Telangana. The troops were able to suppress the guerrillas and restore the Nizam’s government.

Consequences of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle had a number of consequences, including:

The redistribution of land: The struggle led to the redistribution of land in Telangana. The peasants were able to acquire land and improve their economic condition.
The abolition of bonded labor: The struggle also led to the abolition of bonded labor. The peasants were no longer forced to work for the landlords without pay.
The strengthening of the Communist Party of India: The struggle strengthened the Communist Party of India (CPI). The CPI emerged as a major political force in Telangana.
The weakening of the Nizam’s government: The struggle weakened the Nizam’s government. The Nizam was forced to sign an agreement with the Indian government in 1950, which led to the integration of Hyderabad into India.

Leaders of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

The following were some of the leaders of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle:

Chalam Narayana Reddy: Chalam Narayana Reddy was a leading figure in the Communist Party of India (CPI). He was one of the main organizers of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle.
B.S.N. Murthy: B.S.N. Murthy was another leading figure in the Communist Party of India (CPI). He was also one of the main organizers of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle.
Laxmi Narasimha Reddy: Laxmi Narasimha Reddy was a peasant leader who played a key role in the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle. He was known for his bravery and Leadership qualities.

Impact of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle on Indian society

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle had a significant impact on Indian society. The struggle highlighted the problems of poverty, exploitation, and inequality in India. It also showed the power of the people to fight for their rights. The struggle inspired other movements for social and economic justice in India.

Legacy of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle is a significant event in Indian history. The struggle showed the power of the people to fight for their rights. It

What is the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle?

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle was a peasant uprising that took place in the Indian state of Telangana from 1946 to 1951. The struggle was led by the Communist Party of India (CPI) and was fought against the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was a feudal ruler. The struggle resulted in the overthrow of the Nizam and the integration of Telangana into the Indian Union.

What were the causes of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle?

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle was caused by a number of factors, including:

The oppressive rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was a feudal ruler.
The exploitation of the peasants by the landlords.
The poverty and illiteracy of the peasants.
The lack of land reforms.

What were the goals of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle?

The goals of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle were to overthrow the Nizam of Hyderabad, to end the exploitation of the peasants, and to improve the lives of the peasants.

What were the methods used in the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle?

The methods used in the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle included:

Armed struggle
Guerrilla warfare
Propaganda
Mass mobilization

What were the results of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle?

The results of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle were:

The overthrow of the Nizam of Hyderabad
The integration of Telangana into the Indian Union
Land reforms
Improved living conditions for the peasants

What were the lessons learned from the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle?

The lessons learned from the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle include:

The importance of unity among the peasants
The importance of armed struggle
The importance of mass mobilization
The importance of propaganda

What are the implications of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle for the future?

The implications of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle for the future include:

The possibility of future peasant uprisings
The need for land reforms
The need for improved living conditions for the peasants
The need for unity among the peasants

The following are MCQs on the topics of the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle, the Indian independence movement, and the history of India:

The Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle was a peasant uprising that took place in the Indian state of Telangana from 1946 to 1951. The uprising was led by the Communist Party of India (CPI) and was against the feudal landlords of the region. The uprising was successful in achieving some of its goals, such as land reforms and the redistribution of wealth.
The Indian independence movement was a long and complex struggle that lasted for over a century. The movement was led by Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian leaders, and it culminated in the independence of India from British rule in 1947.
The history of India is long and rich. The country has been inhabited for over 50,000 years, and it has been ruled by a variety of different empires and dynasties. India is a land of many cultures and religions, and it is a country that is constantly evolving.

Here are some additional details about the Telangana Peasants Armed Struggle:

The uprising was sparked by the poor economic conditions of the peasants in Telangana. The peasants were forced to work long hours for little pay, and they were often subjected to harsh treatment by the landlords.
The CPI played a key role in organizing the uprising. The party provided the peasants with leadership and support, and it helped to spread the message of the uprising.
The uprising was successful in achieving some of its goals. The landlords were forced to make concessions to the peasants, and land reforms were implemented. However, the uprising was ultimately unsuccessful in achieving its ultimate goal of overthrowing the feudal system.

Here are some additional details about the Indian independence movement:

The movement was led by Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian leaders. Gandhi was a lawyer and activist who advocated for non-violent resistance to British rule. He is considered to be the father of modern India.
The movement culminated in the independence of India from British rule in 1947. India was divided into two countries, India and Pakistan, at the time of independence.
The independence movement had a profound impact on the history of India. It led to the end of British rule and the establishment of an independent Indian state. It also helped to shape the modern Indian identity.

Here are some additional details about the history of India:

India has been inhabited for over 50,000 years. The earliest inhabitants of India were hunter-gatherers.
India has been ruled by a variety of different empires and dynasties. Some of the most notable empires that ruled India include the Mauryan Empire, the Mughal Empire, and the British Empire.
India is a land of many cultures and religions. The two major religions in India are Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism and Islam.
India is a country that is constantly evolving. The country is facing a number of challenges, such as poverty, illiteracy, and Corruption. However, India is also a country with a great deal of potential. It is a country that is rapidly developing, and it is a country that is playing an increasingly important role in the world.