Question:

What did Gandhiji do to bring about changes in the plight of the peasants of Champaran?

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Recall Gandhi's civil disobedience and the tinkathia system in 'Indigo'.
Updated On: Sep 24, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Understanding the Question:
This refers to Louis Fischer's 'Indigo', describing Gandhi's Champaran movement of 1917.

Final Answer:
Gandhiji arrived in Champaran to investigate the exploitation of indigo sharecroppers, who were forced under the tinkathia system to grow indigo on 15% of their land for British planters. When ordered to leave by the British authorities, he refused and courted arrest, which drew massive public support and forced the government to back down — his first act of civil disobedience in India. He then led a thorough inquiry, personally recording hundreds of peasants' testimonies, which exposed the planters' exploitation. This pressured the government to set up an official Committee of Inquiry, on which Gandhi himself served, ultimately leading to the abolition of the tinkathia system and partial refunds to the peasants of the illegal money extracted from them. He also started schools and encouraged health and sanitation reforms in the villages, and mobilised local lawyers and volunteers into a spirit of selfless service.
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