Trace the growth of the Kisan Movement in India during the inter-war period. Evaluate the role of the All India Kisan Sabha (1936).

The inter-war period (1919–1939) witnessed the transformation of fragmented peasant grievances into a powerful, organized Kisan Movement. Factors like the Great Depression, high land revenue, and the influence of Socialist ideologies shifted the focus of the peasantry from local issues to a broader struggle against Zamindari exploitation and British imperialism.

1. Growth During the Inter-War Years

  • Post-WWI Awakening: The economic hardship after World War I and the Non-Cooperation Movement led to the formation of Kisan Sabhas in UP and Bihar. Leaders like Baba Ramchandra organized peasants against illegal levies and evictions.
  • Impact of the Great Depression: The crash in agricultural prices after 1929 made it impossible for farmers to pay cash rents. This led to militant "No-Rent" campaigns, particularly during the Civil Disobedience Movement.
  • Emergence of Radical Leadership: Younger Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and socialists began to view the "Kisan Question" as central to Swaraj, linking national freedom with agrarian revolution.

2. Role of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) - 1936

The formation of the All India Kisan Sabha at the Lucknow session in 1936, with Swami Sahajanand Saraswati as President, was a turning point:

  • Unified Platform: For the first time, peasants had a national organization independent of, yet aligned with, the Congress. It helped in coordinating regional struggles across India.
  • The Kisan Manifesto: The AIKS drafted a Kisan Manifesto demanding the abolition of Zamindari, reduction of land revenue by 50%, and the cancellation of rural debts.
  • Pressure on Congress: The AIKS acted as a radical pressure group, forcing the Congress to adopt a more pro-peasant agenda in the 1937 elections and the Faizpur Agrarian Programme.
  • Mobilization in Odisha: Under the influence of AIKS, leaders like Malati Choudhury and Nabakrushna Choudhury strengthened the Utkal Provincial Kisan Sabha, leading to massive protests against the Permanent Settlement in Odisha.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Kisan Movement during the inter-war period successfully challenged the feudal-colonial alliance. The All India Kisan Sabha played a decisive role by providing a clear ideology and a national structure to rural discontent. By the eve of World War II, the peasantry had emerged as a conscious political force, ensuring that any future vision of independent India would have to include radical land reforms.