Eki Movement and Palchitaria Massacre

Why in news?

• On the 73rd Republic Day Parade, the Gujarat Tableau showcased the Palchitaria massacre that happened in the villages of Pal and Dadhvav. The massacre happened in 1922. Around 1,200 tribals were brutally killed by the Britishers during the massacre.

About Palchitaria massacre:

• In 1922, a tribal leader Motilal Tejawat was addressing 10,000 Bhil tribals, in the village of Palchitaria in Idar State (Gujarat).
• These tribal were a part of the Eki movement and were from the Dadhvav village (now in Gujarat).
• The gathering protested against the laws related to Jagirdar, land revenue system and the Rajwada introduced by the British government.
• Major H.G.Sutton issued the firing order. Following the order, the police martyred more than 1,200 innocent people. This incident is called Pal Dadhvav Martyrs. The wells in the region were filled with dead bodies of the tribal people.
• Tejawat escaped the massacre. He got shot in his thighs twice. On the request of Gandhiji, Tejawat stayed underground.
• The massacre killed thrice the number of people that died during Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. However, the British had no official record.

About Eki movement:

• In 1917, the Bhils and Garasiyas jointly sent a letter to the Maharaja and expressed their protest against the exploitative policies and Begar.
• Later the Bhils started a movement under the leadership of Motilal Tejawat named Eki Movement.
• The beginning of the Eki Movement is generally attributed to the events at the Matrikund fair in Chittod. Here, a group of adivasis agreed to desist from paying taxes to jagirdars until the Maharana addressed the problems with the jagirdari system.
• The immediate inspiration for the movement was Motilal Tejawat's exposure to the Bijolia movement.
• In May 1921, Tejawat was able to utilize a large gathering of adivasi peasants at the annual peasant fair Matri Mundiya near Chittor to spread his message and mobilize his followers on the issues of begar and unfair taxation
• The reformist newspaper 'Navin Rajasthan' strongly supported the Eki Movement.
• The intense press coverage of the movement drew the attention of national leaders of the Indian National Congress
• After the Palchitaria massacre of 1922, the movement had collapsed.

About Bijolia movement:

• The Bijolia movement was a peasant movement in the Bijolia jagir of the former Mewar state (Rajasthan) against excessive land revenue exactions.
• Originating in the former jagir (feudal estate) of Bijolia , the movement gradually spread to neighbouring jagirs.
• Leadership to the movement was provided, at different times, by Fateh Karan Charan, Sadhu Sitaram Das, Vijay Singh Pathik, and Manikyalal Verma.
• The movement continued till 1941 after a bitter struggle lasting about half a century, gained national attention and resisted state oppression

PRACTICE QUESTION:

With reference to ‘Eki movement’, consider the following statements:

1. The reformist newspaper 'Navin Rajasthan' strongly supported the Eki Movement.

2. After the Palchitaria massacre of 1922, the movement had collapsed.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer