Mahatma Gandhi 41 - The Kheda Satyagraha Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

There was hardly any space or time
After the Mill workers' Satyagraha,
When Gandhiji had to plunge into
The Kheda Satyagraha! .
The Kheda district of Gujarat suffered failure of crops,
Owing to a condition of almost a famine in the area!
The Patidars of Kheda planned to appeal to the Government,
To refrain from collecting revenue for that year!

Petitions and appeals to the Government failed.
Gandhiji on consultation with his co workers
Advised the Patidars to resort to Satyagraha!
During the initial stages of Satyagraha
Much courage was displayed by the people,
The Government seemed unaffected by the strike,
But, as the strikers showed no signs of wavering,
The Government began coercion.

They began to seize moveable property.
Attaching peoples' cattle and crops
Additionally, penalty notices were served too.
Under the circumstances, Gandhiji further advised
Mohanlal Pandya - the local peoples' leader,
To remove the crop of onion from a field
Which he felt, was wrongfully attached.
Mohanlal Pandya gladly volunteered to do so.

Mohanlal Pandya removed the onion crop from the field,
Aided and supported by his close friends.
The Government took note of this act and
Arrested Mohanlal and his companions!
When people heard of this arrest
A procession of people followed him to the jail.
Gandhiji humorously adds in his account of the event
That Mohanlal Pandya, on that day earned a title!

The title was: ‘Dungli Chor" or
The Onion thief!
It was automatically conferred on him
By the people of Kheda!
It is said that Mohanlal was much amused
By this event in his life that
He enjoyed being referred to this title of
Onion thief till the rest of his life!






Gandhiji was aspiring to gracefully end the Satyagraha.
Unexpectedly, it happened so, without much agitation.
Gandhiji received a message from the Mamlatdar
Of Nadiad Taluka, that if the well to do Patidars paid up,
Then the poorer ones would be exempted from payment.
Gandhiji requested for a written undertaking that
The same rule applied to the whole district.
Thus, a letter of order was issued!

Just as the people's pledge was fulfilled,
The Kheda Satyagraha proved to be
An awakening for the peasants of Gujarat!
The event made a deep impression on the public mind.
For any kind of betterment or progress in life
Effort with determination and sacrifice is a must.
Through Kheda, Satyagraha took a firm root in the soil of Gujarat,
Most significantly, marked the beginning of a political education!