Harking back to the big farmers’ stir 70 years ago

Exactly 70 years ago, Kagodu village close to Sagar in Shivamogga district caught the consideration of the whole nation as tenant farmers rose in revolt towards the landlords. That is taken into account the first peasant motion in post-Independence India in search of land for tenants. This led to historic legal guidelines that offered land for the landless and gave them safety on a number of counts.

The latest amendments handed by the Karnataka authorities, nonetheless, have eliminated restrictions on non-agriculturists buying farmland and ushered in adjustments which can be seen as reversing a few of the features of the Kagodu motion. This was amongst the main points raised at the lately held Raitha Mahapanchayat held in Shivamogga.

In March 1951, the tenant farmers of Kagodu revolted towards the landlords following variations over the measurement of kolaga (a container used whereas sharing the produces grown.)

The landlords refused to enable the tenants to enter the farms they’d cultivated for generations. The farmers who tried to plough the land towards the needs of the landlords have been overwhelmed up by the police and supporters of the landlords. Hundreds have been arrested in the protracted struggle. The highest variety of arrests was made in April 1951.

Lohia’s entry

Prominent socialist chief Ram Manohar Lohia joined the protest in help of farmers on June 14, 1951, and appreciated the braveness of ladies who have been a part of it. He was additionally arrested at Sagar railway station and later stored in the central jail in Bengaluru. H. Ganapathiyappa, who was the founding secretary of the Raitha Sangha in Sagar taluk, is remembered by individuals as the architect of the motion.

Though the motion didn’t get the tenants the land they cultivated instantly, it led to legal guidelines favouring them in the later years.

Law favouring tenants

“My husband was joyous when [the former Chief Minister] D. Devaraj Urs brought in a law making the landless tenants owners of the land they cultivated. He felt his fight during Kagodu Satyagraha yielded the desired result,” recalled Manjamma, spouse of the late Ganapathiyappa who stays together with her son Hoysala at Vadnala close to Sagar. In truth, Ganapathiyappa named one among his sons Devaraj.

Only just a few who took half in the 1951-52 battle are in Kagodu and neighbouring villages at the moment. “Under the leadership of Ganapathiyappa we tilled the land against the wishes of landlords. The police beat us up and took us to jail. Those days many tall leaders of the country visited our village,” recalled Dodderi Eerappa, now in his 90s.

During his go to to the village, Lohia had planted a pipal tree, which the locals deal with with reverence. The village has a group corridor named after Lohia. It was constructed when S.M. Krishna was the Chief Minister. At the entrance of the corridor is the slogan ‘Uluvavane Holadodeya’ ((*70*) who tills the land is the proprietor).

“Our elders fought for the rights over the land they cultivated for years. But, now the government has allowed non-agriculturists to purchase farmland. A bigger fight is needed now,” mentioned Kannappa of Kagodu, happy with his village’s legacy.