Countries in the Indian subcontinent, such as Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, and Afghanistan, have
all experienced periods of military or monarchical rule in post-independence.
India, however, stands out for its uninterrupted democratic governance, free
from military or monarchical dominance. Unlike Bhutan and Nepal, which retained
kings after independence, or Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Burma, where military
rule remains a strong force even today, India has never experienced such
interventions.
This raises an important question: what made India
different? Why didn't the military or monarchs seize power in India, as they
did elsewhere? To find the answer, we need to look at the early years of
post-independence India, especially the 1950s, when the country was grappling
with crucial issues like land reforms, the abolition of the zamindari system,
and the imposition of land ceiling laws.
In neighboring countries, the military often intervened
when the redistribution of land or the abolition of zamindari was discussed.
This was particularly true in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka from the
1970s onward. However, by that time, India had already made significant strides
in addressing these issues.
I came to understand this unique trajectory while meeting
Somnath Patra and studying the works of Pakistani Professor Ishtiaq Ahmed. My
research into the differing political paths taken by countries in the
subcontinent is still ongoing, but India’s distinct approach is clear.
Meeting Somnath Patra
From Bhubaneswar, a bus route leads to Kakataur, and
about three kilometers further down the road toward Konark lies the village of
Bajpur. It’s a serene place with houses lining both sides of the road. As you
enter the village, about 10 or 15 houses in, you’ll find the home of Somnath Patra,
a man once known locally as the "Gandhi of Kakatpur."
When I first met him, he was around 92 or 93 years old. I
was accompanied by my friend Surendra Tapasu from Puri. Somnath Patra, an
iconic figure in the region, welcomed us into his home.
As he recounted, "Under the leadership of the All
India Farmers’ Association, the Telangana movement in the 1940s (a struggle for
farmers' land rights) and the Tebhaga movement in West Bengal (demanding
two-thirds of the crop yield for farmers) had a significant impact on the
Ganjam district of Odisha. In 1948, after independence, during a clash in
Takarda, police opened fire on protesters, killing four women and two men. This
sparked further unrest in the Nuagada region of Puri."
The zamindars held immense power across Odisha,
particularly in coastal regions. Powerful landowners like Emar Math,
Dakshinaparswa Math, Mahiprakash Math, the Mishra family of Puri, and a Muslim
leader from Cuttack were all part of this oppressive hierarchy. "When we
fought against Emar Math," Somnath recalled, "we raised slogans like
‘Math land should be cooperative, cancel tax, end harassment.’ We also sang
songs that criticized the zamindars: ‘They eat the finest food while we are
left with crumbs.’"
Somnath Patra had joined the Odisha Farmers' Association
in 1943, which was closely affiliated with the Indian Communist Party at the
time. During British rule, land in India was divided into British-administered
areas and princely states, where people paid taxes to either the British or
their local kings. However, zamindars and kings wielded absolute control over
the land. The Communist Party led the farmers' movement, demanding land
ownership for the farmers themselves.
This movement, which began in the 1940s, called for the
redistribution of land, wage increases for agricultural workers, the abolition
of the zamindari system, and farmers’ rights over their produce. The British
government responded with severe repression, using the Defense of India Act to
arrest thousands of farmers and Communist activists.
At that time, influential figures like Bhagavati
Panigrahi, Prananath Pattnaik, Ananta Pattnaik, and Sachidananda Routray were
actively involved in these movements. Workers traveled from village to village,
uniting farmers through songs and performances, chanting, “In muddy water, we
toil to earn a living, but the king and zamindar take half of what we produce.”
Post-Independence Repression
After independence, the Indian government, under
Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership, continued to repress farmers' movements. From
1947 to 1949, the Congress government arrested over 50,000 people and detained
250,000 more under the same Defense of India Act used by the British. The
struggle for land rights continued, leading to the passing of India's first
preventive detention law, the Preventive Detention Act (PD Act), in 1950. Under
the guise of maintaining “social order,” this act gave the government sweeping
powers to detain anyone without trial.
In 1950 alone, 10,962 people were detained under the PD
Act, followed by 2,316 in 1951, and 1,116 in 1952. Many Communist Party workers
were arrested, including Somnath Patra, who spent a total of four years in
jail, likely under both the British-era Defense of India Act and the PD Act.
Somnath could not recall specific details due to the passage of time, but he
vividly remembered being incarcerated in the Puri, Cuttack, and Berhampur
jails.
A Legacy of Struggle
These struggles ultimately led to the abolition of the
zamindari system in India. In Odisha, this occurred in the 1950s under the
leadership of Chief Minister Nabakrushna Choudhury. Farmers were granted
ownership of the land they worked. However, sharecroppers, to this day, have
yet to receive full land rights.
When I asked Somnath Patra what drew him to communism, he
responded, “I became a communist after studying Indian philosophy. The ideas of
‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ – ‘Let all be happy, and may no one be the cause of
another’s suffering,’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – ‘The whole world is one family,’
made me a communist. I believe socialism is inherent in Indian philosophy.”
The Struggles Continue
Today, despite rising unemployment, poverty,
displacement, migration, bonded labor, suicides, natural disasters, and
life-threatening diseases like cancer, corporate owners continue to amass
wealth, shaping the country's policies to their advantage. This is entirely
opposed to the democratic ideals of equality and justice. The root cause of
this disparity is corporate rule. Political parties that claim to uphold the
principles of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' are the very ones enabling the creation
of billionaires, thus posing an even greater threat to democracy.
Just as land ownership in India is subject to ceilings,
there is a need for economic ceilings on the income of the country’s
industrialists. However, no political party today is willing to champion such
reforms. This underscores the need for a renewed protest movement, one that can
rescue Indian democracy from its current state of despair.
Somnath Patra's Contributions
Over the years, Somnath Patra dedicated himself to
writing. His notable works include Simple Marxism, Farmers’ Movements
in Odisha, The Role of Kakatpur in India’s Independence Movement, The
Olive Flame of the Living Island, The Bhagavad Gita in Brief, Philosophy
and Science, Gita Reflections, and Pathara Kahe Katha (a
collection of poems). Yet, despite his literary contributions, he never retired
from activism.
Now a centenarian, Somnath Patra resides with his son in
Bhubaneswar due to frail health. His legacy as a fighter for the rights of
farmers, and a lifelong advocate for socialism and equality, continues to
inspire those who believe in the power of collective struggle.
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