Worker, Peasant and Tribal Movement in Andhra Pradesh:-
The role of the Andhras in the Freedom Struggle is next to that of none and they had always been in the forefront along with the rest of the countrymen. The first War of Independence in A.D.1857 did in no way affect the state of affairs in the south, though ripples were felt in the State of Hyderabad, in the shape of a raid by Rohilla and Arab soldiers against the Residency and a rebellion by the Gonds in the Adilabad district under the Leadership of Ramji Gond. However, in A.D.1860, the English suppressed all these rebellions.
The rest of the 19th century passed away without any event of major importance, though occasional rebellions of the peasants here and there brought out their dissatisfaction to the forefront. The introduction of English Education helped the formation of a strong educated middle class, which found security of life in the Government jobs. agriculture became the mainstay of the people, as the Cottage industries, especially the cloth Industry, dwindled due to the deliberate policy of the Government to encourage British industries and trade at the expense of the indigenous ones. However, construction of Dams across the Godavari and the Krishna by A.D.1852 and 1855 respectively, resulted in increasing agricultural production and helped, for a time, to cloud the real issues.
Rampa Revolt
Alluri Seetharama Raju, a legendary hero of Andhra Pradesh, virtually declared a war against the British. He carried out his campaign against the British in the agency areas of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam district. The grievances of the tribal assumed least significance for the Congress that claimed to be an all India party fighting against the British imperialism. As soon as the British took over Eastern India tribal revolts broke out to challenge the alien rule. In the early years of colonisation,no other community of India offered such heroic resistance to British rule or faced such tragic 
consequences as did the numerous tribal communities of now Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Bengal and Andhra pradesh. The forest laws imposed by the British had infringed the rights of the tribal from time to time and they had to fight their grievances on their own with little or no help from outside. Most of the tribal uprising were armed uprising against the British The Rampa Rebellion(1922-23) under Alluri Sita Rama Raju of Andra pradesh was fought by the tribal as a protest to the oppressive Madras Forest Act of 1882. The Act placed restrictions on the free movement of tribal in the forest areas and prevented them from engaging in their traditional lifestyle of Podu (shifting) cultivation, and use of the forest for firewood and toddy Period from 1917-1923 ,there was lot of unrest in the tribal areas spreading from east Godavari to Vizianagaram. One of Andras early revolutionaries, Alluri Sita Rama Raj (1897-1923) was able to successfully mobilize the local tribal for an Armed Rebellion against the British. He made them give up alcohol and gave them military training first with bows and arrows and later with weapons . Inspired by the revolutionaries of Bengal, Raju decided to raided police stations in and around Chintapalli, Krishna-devi-peta and Raja-vommangi, in search of ammunition’s . The repressive measures and the unjust policies of the British, coupled with the misdeeds of British contractors who exploited and oppressed the workers of the hill tribes of the Visakhapatnam and East Godavari district, provoked him.He carried out a campaign in the region which brought him into conflict with the police . This eventually culminated in the Rampa Rebellion. Despite having fewer manpower and weapons, Alluri and his men exacted tremendous damage on British interest, as they were much more familiar with the hilly terrain and adept in guerrilla tactics.The Malabar special Force was brought in to crush the rebellion . A reward of Rs. 10,000 was declared on Alluri .Like all revolutionaries he was gunned down on May 7 ,1924 at the age of 28.The brave patriot declared ‘’shoot me,kill my body a thousand times .But remember I will be born again and again on this land to liberate people and To see the end of you’’.
It occurred in 1879-80 in the eastern godavari track of AP and also affected some portions of Malkangiri district in Orissa, as they are bordered areas. Its heart lay in the Rampa country of Chodavaram where tribal koya and konda Sara hil chefs had risen against their overlord in 1803, 1840, 1845, 1858, 1861 and 1862. The 1879-80 rebellion was led by Tomma Sora and reflected problems faced by tribals, like erosion of customary rights over forests, police exactions, exploitation by Money lenders, and new excise regulations restricting domestic production of toddy. Toma sora was hailed as the king of Malkajgiri. It affected nearly 5000 sq miles. Sora was shot dead by the police. In 1886 another revolt took place under Raja Ananta Ayyar.
Resistance of Poligars
The poligars of Rayalaseema backed by people of the region were a terror to the British. According to the data available, there were 80 poligars in Rayalaseema in 1800, who had refused to accept the authority of the Englishman. The then principal collector of the region, Thomas Munroe, ordered the poligars to lay down their arms and pay cess to the East India Company. They refused to budge and Munroe had to slog for 18 months before they could be brought under control. A patriot poligar, Narasimha Reddy of Kurnool district, rebelled and attacked the treasury at Koilakuntla and marched towards Cumbam. Capt. Holt tried to nab him but Reddy managed to give him a slip and moved over to the then Nizam State. After six weeks, he was caught and hanged in the full view of the people at Koilakuntla. Munroe then ordered the take-over of properties of all the poligars and introduced a scheme of permanent land settlement in the region.
No Tax Campaign
Chirala and Perala, the two tiny villages, then in Guntur district and noted for production of handloom sarees carved out a Niche for themselves in the history of freedom struggle.The two villages had a Population of 15,000 with a revenue of Rs. 4000. The then Madras Government decided to elevate them to the status of municipalities in 1919 with the intention of collecting Rs. 40,000 as tax. The middle class segment of the villages revolted against the proposal and launched a no-tax campaign under the leadership of Duggirala Gopalakrishnaiah. He formed a group of volunteers under the banner of ‘Rama Dandu’. Mahatma Gandhi, who visited the area, directed people to leave the villages and settle down elsewhere so that the Government will not be able to collect the taxes. About 13,000 people left the villages and lived at a camp, Ramnagar, for eleven months. The Government cut the revolt to size by arresting Gopalakrishnaiah. The campaign literally shook the legislature but fizzled out once Gopalakrishnaiah was arrested.
Forest Satyagraha:-
`Forest Satyagraha’ of the ryots of Palnad in Guntur district in 1921. The peasants of this place had to pay heavy tax for permission to graze their cattle in forests. When the crops failed that year, they decided to send their cattle into the forests without paying the fee and suffer the penalties. They resorted to social boycott of all government officials and refused supply of even the bare necessaries of life to them. It did not produce the desired change in the Attitude of the officials. They took the cattle forcibly, confined them in cattle-pounds and refused to free them unless the fee was paid. There was, therefore, clash between the cattle owners and the armed police that was brought on the scene. In the firing that took place one Kannuganti Hanumanthu was killed. Meanwhile, Gandhiji called off the Non-Co-operation Movement due to some untoward incidents at Chowri Chowra and with this the Palnad Satyagraha also came to an end.
Peasant Movements: Telangana Peasant Struggle (1947-51):-
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.
Following were the main causes of the movement:
(1) 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. They were not in the payroll of the jagir administration; they were only given a Percentage or the total land collection made by them. The Deshmukhs and Deshpandes then developed a habit to cheat the peasants by creating fraud in the land records. This, in countless instances they reduced the actual cultivator to the status of tenant-at-will or a landless labourer. In both the systems of administration, i.e., jagir and khalsa, the peasants were exploited by the intermediaries appointed by Nizam. High taxes, fraud with the record and exploitation resulted in creating discontent among the poor peasants.
(2) Yet another cause of peasant movement was the exploitation of the big peasants. 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. It means, the master or lord of the village.The Dora exploited the small peasants and agricultural labourers. This exploitation, in course of time, became legitimised with the big farmers. It was considered to be the privilege of the Dora to exploit the masses of peasants.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) The State 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.
(6) 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. Peasant unrest did not erupt over night. It looks about three to four decades. Actually, till 1930, the poor condition of the peasants had reached its culmination. Meanwhile, there had been much transformation in agricultural economy.
The course of events that led to the peasant struggle can be described as under:
(1) The 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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 local peasants participated.
(4) The second conference of CPI was held in March 1948. It resolved to give a revolutionary turn to the peasant movement. The peasants later on were organised into an army and intermittently fought guerrilla wars.
(5) 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.
(6) On September 13, 1948, the Indian army marched into Hyderabad and within less than a week the Nizam’s army, police and the Razakars surrendered without resistance. The police action, taken by the newly framed Central Government of independent India, was very quick to suppress the peasant movement.
Peasant movement continued for about five years. Its outcomes can be enumerated as below:
(1) The struggle had the participation of a mixed class of peasantry. Though the rich peasants, mainly the Brahmins, had their involvement in the struggle, the major achievement was that the struggle for the first time brought together the tenants, sharecroppers and the landless labourers. This was by all means a very big achievement of the struggle. The Kammar and the Reddy castes who belonged to the rich class of peasants though gained enough but the movement consolidated the strength of poor peasants, particularly the tribals, who were the victims of vetti the bonded labour.
(2) Yet another benefit of this struggle was in the favour of the Communist Party. The Communist, for a long time to come, exercised their hegemony over the entire state of Hyderabad.
(3) Though the Communist Party, as a whole, benefited from the peasant struggle, it had its own losses also. Ideologically, the party got split from top to bottom. One group of Communists supported the struggle while other decried. The second group argued that the struggle was in no case less than terrorism. Those who opposed this struggle had even openly come out with the press, providing grist to the mill of the enemies in maligning the struggle and the Communist Party that was leading it.
(4) So far the demands of the poor agricultural classes were concerned the movement was a failure. Surely, there were some gains to Kammar and Reddy—the rich peasant but the gains of the poor peasants such as sharecroppers were quite meagre.
Srikakulam peasant uprising
The Srikakulam peasant uprising occurred in 1967–1970, in regions of Srikakulam District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The Naxalbari Uprising at the beginning of Naxalite movement during 1960s inspired the upsurge.,
The Andhra Pradesh state of India has a long and rich history of worker, peasant, and tribal movements. These movements have played a significant role in shaping the state’s political and social landscape.
One of the earliest worker movements in Andhra Pradesh was the Andhra Mahasabha, which was founded in 1913. The Andhra Mahasabha was a non-Brahmin organization that fought for the rights of the lower castes. The organization was also involved in the independence movement and played a key role in the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920-22.
Another important worker movement in Andhra Pradesh was the Andhra Ryotu Sangham, which was founded in 1921. The Andhra Ryotu Sangham was a peasant organization that fought for the rights of the peasants. The organization was also involved in the independence movement and played a key role in the Quit India Movement of 1942.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) was also active in Andhra Pradesh in the early 20th century. The CPI was founded in 1920 and soon became a major force in the state’s political landscape. The CPI was involved in both the independence movement and the peasant movement.
The Gandhian Movement was also active in Andhra Pradesh in the early 20th century. The Gandhian Movement was a non-violent movement that was led by Mahatma Gandhi. The movement was involved in the independence movement and also played a role in the peasant movement.
The Indian National Congress (INC) was also active in Andhra Pradesh in the early 20th century. The INC was founded in 1885 and soon became a major force in the state’s political landscape. The INC was involved in both the independence movement and the peasant movement.
The Kisan Sabha was a peasant organization that was founded in 1936. The Kisan Sabha was involved in the peasant movement and also played a role in the independence movement.
Left-Wing extremism is a term used to describe a range of political movements that are based on Marxist ideology. Left-wing extremism has been a significant problem in Andhra Pradesh in recent years. The Naxalite Movement is a left-wing extremist movement that has been active in Andhra Pradesh since the 1960s. The Naxalites are a Maoist group that is fighting for the rights of the poor and the oppressed.
The Peasant Movement in Andhra Pradesh has a long and rich history. The peasant movement has been involved in a number of important struggles, including the fight for land reform, the fight for better wages, and the fight for better working conditions.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a political party that was founded in 1982. The TDP is a regional party that is based in Andhra Pradesh. The TDP has been a major force in Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape since its founding.
The Telugu People’s Party (TPP) is a political party that was founded in 2011. The TPP is a regional party that is based in Andhra Pradesh. The TPP has been a minor force in Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape since its founding.
The Trade Union Movement in Andhra Pradesh is a strong and vibrant movement. The trade union movement has been involved in a number of important struggles, including the fight for better wages, the fight for better working conditions, and the fight for the right to organize.
The Tribal Movement in Andhra Pradesh is a strong and vibrant movement. The tribal movement has been involved in a number of important struggles, including the fight for land rights, the fight for cultural rights, and the fight for self-determination.
The worker, peasant, and tribal movements in Andhra Pradesh have played a significant role in shaping the state’s political and social landscape. These movements have fought for the rights of the poor and the oppressed and have made a real difference in the lives of millions of people.
Worker, Peasant and Tribal Movement in Andhra Pradesh
- What are the main worker, peasant and tribal movements in Andhra Pradesh?
The main worker, peasant and tribal movements in Andhra Pradesh are the Telangana rebellion, the Andhra Mahasabha, the Girijan Sangham and the Naxalite Movement.
- What were the causes of these movements?
The causes of these movements were varied, but they all stemmed from a desire for social, economic and political Justice. The Telangana Rebellion was a peasant uprising against feudal landlords, the Andhra Mahasabha was a movement for the rights of Telugu-speaking people, the Girijan Sangham was a movement for the rights of tribal people, and the Naxalite Movement was a Maoist insurgency.
- What were the outcomes of these movements?
The outcomes of these movements were mixed. The Telangana Rebellion was successful in achieving some of its goals, such as land reform and the redistribution of wealth. The Andhra Mahasabha was less successful, but it did help to raise awareness of the rights of Telugu-speaking people. The Girijan Sangham was successful in achieving some of its goals, such as the recognition of tribal rights and the provision of basic Services to tribal communities. The Naxalite Movement was largely unsuccessful, but it did help to raise awareness of the plight of the poor and marginalized.
- What are the legacies of these movements?
The legacies of these movements are complex and varied. The Telangana Rebellion is remembered as a heroic struggle for social justice, while the Andhra Mahasabha is remembered as a pioneering movement for the rights of Telugu-speaking people. The Girijan Sangham is remembered as a successful movement for the rights of tribal people, while the Naxalite Movement is remembered as a violent and destructive insurgency.
Worker, Peasant and Tribal Movements in India
- What are the main worker, peasant and tribal movements in India?
The main worker, peasant and tribal movements in India are the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM).
- What were the causes of these movements?
The causes of these movements are varied, but they all stem from a desire for social, economic and political justice. The AITUC is a trade union federation that represents the interests of workers, the BKU is a peasant organization that represents the interests of farmers, the AIKS is a peasant organization that represents the interests of agricultural laborers, and the NAPM is a coalition of social movements that advocates for the rights of the poor and marginalized.
- What were the outcomes of these movements?
The outcomes of these movements have been mixed. The AITUC has been successful in achieving some of its goals, such as higher wages and better working conditions for workers. The BKU has been successful in achieving some of its goals, such as higher prices for crops and better access to water and electricity for farmers. The AIKS has been successful in achieving some of its goals, such as higher wages and better working conditions for agricultural laborers. The NAPM has been successful in raising awareness of the plight of the poor and marginalized, but it has not been as successful in achieving concrete policy changes.
- What are the legacies of these movements?
The legacies of these movements are complex and varied. The AITUC is remembered as a powerful force for Social Change, the BKU is remembered as a militant organization that fought for the rights of farmers, the AIKS is remembered as a champion of the rights of agricultural laborers, and the NAPM is remembered as a voice for the poor and marginalized.
Question 1
The first major peasant movement in Andhra Pradesh was the:
(A) Telangana Rebellion
(B) Rampa Rebellion
(C) Rayalaseema Rebellion
(D) Srikakulam Rebellion
Answer
(A)
The Telangana Rebellion was a peasant uprising that took place in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh from 1946 to 1951. The rebellion was led by the Communist Party of India and was against the feudal landlords of the region. The rebellion was successful in achieving some of its demands, such as Land reforms and better wages for the peasants.
Question 2
The Rampa Rebellion was a tribal uprising that took place in the Rampa region of Andhra Pradesh from 1922 to 1924. The rebellion was led by Alluri Sitarama Raju and was against the British colonial government. The rebellion was unsuccessful in achieving its demands, but it did lead to some reforms for the tribal people of the region.
Question 3
The Rayalaseema Rebellion was a peasant uprising that took place in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh from 1978 to 1982. The rebellion was led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and was against the feudal landlords of the region. The rebellion was unsuccessful in achieving its demands, but it did lead to some reforms for the peasants of the region.
Question 4
The Srikakulam Rebellion was a tribal uprising that took place in the Srikakulam region of Andhra Pradesh from 1967 to 1970. The rebellion was led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and was against the feudal landlords of the region. The rebellion was unsuccessful in achieving its demands, but it did lead to some reforms for the tribal people of the region.
Question 5
The Naxalite movement is a communist revolutionary movement that began in the Naxalbari village of West Bengal in 1967. The movement spread to other parts of India, including Andhra Pradesh, in the 1970s. The Naxalites are known for their use of violence and their opposition to the Indian government.
Question 6
The Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) is a Human Rights organization that was founded in 1973. The APCLC has been critical of the Indian government’s handling of the Naxalite movement and has documented human rights abuses committed by both the Naxalites and the security forces.
Question 7
The People’s War Group (PWG) is a communist militant organization that was founded in 1980. The PWG is the largest Naxalite group in India and is active in several states, including Andhra Pradesh. The PWG has been accused of human rights abuses, including massacres of civilians.
Question 8
The Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI) is a communist militant organization that was founded in 2004. The MCCI is the second largest Naxalite group in India and is active in several states, including Andhra Pradesh. The MCCI has been accused of human rights abuses, including massacres of civilians.
Question 9
The Salwa Judum is a vigilante group that was formed in 2005 by the Indian government to combat the Naxalite movement. The Salwa Judum has been accused of human rights abuses, including massacres of civilians.
Question 10
The Andhra Pradesh government has adopted a number of measures to combat the Naxalite movement, including:
(A) Increasing the number of security forces in the Naxalite-affected areas
(B) Providing development assistance to the Naxalite-affected areas
(C) Conducting peace talks with the Naxalites
(D) All of the above
Answer
(D)
The Andhra Pradesh government has adopted a number of measures to combat the Naxalite movement, including increasing the number of security forces in the Naxalite-affected areas, providing development assistance to the Naxalite-affected areas, and conducting peace talks with the Naxalites.