Bapu visited Kandel in 1920

The Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had emancipated the farmers from the yoke of drudgery in the hands of Britishers who had imposed too much taxes on farmers and perpetrated cruelty to recover the levy. Mahatma Gandhi had visited Kandel village on December 21, 1920 to help farmers in their fight against British rule. Gandhiji had addressed large gathering under ‘Nahar Satyagrah’ agitation. With the agitation gaining momentum, Britishers cancelled the tax recovery from farmers. Kandel village is just 18 km away from Dhamtari. On the auspicious occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Jayanti celebrations, the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will launch Padyatra from Kandel village to the State Capital Raipur on October 4.

It is to be recalled that Babu Chhotelal Shrivastav, Pandit Shyam Sundar Sharma and Narayan Rao had launched an agitation in 1920 against Nahar tax recovery and property attachment by Britishers. The people of Dhamtari Tehsil had supported the agitation of Kandel villagers. The farmers had no other option, but to take canal water for irrigation. The Britishers wanted to recover taxes from farmers by auctioning their cattle. But no one came forward for bidding. The agitation continued for about five months against taxation. Meanwhile, Babu Chhotelal Shrivastav and Pandit Sundarlal Sharma gave this information to Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahatma asked farmers to launch ‘Kandel Nahar Satyagraha’ and he himself reached the village Kandel on December 21, 1920 to participate in the Satyagraha. Mahatma boarded an open jeep accompanied by Hazari Lal Jain.

Gandhiji addressed farmers from dais erected near the house of Babu Chhote Lal Shrivastav. Around two hours Mahatma had stayed in Kandel village.When Britishers got this information, they cancelled the recovery of taxes. The senior citizen of Kandel village Narayan Singh Sahu informed that seeing the large number of people participating in ‘Nahar Satyagrah’ movement, the Mahatama asked farmers never bow down before the injustice and atrocity perpetrated by Britishers. Gandhiji had said that this is the first satyagraha in the fight against the British rule.

Gandhiji was very much influenced by the word Satyagraha. With the arrival of Gandhiji on this land, Kandela villagers are very much thankful to him. The villagers who recalled Gandhiji included Bhagwan Deen, Mahendra Revaram, Krishna Markam, Padum Nagarchi, Onkar Sinha, Gurharam and Kamal Banshi. Meanwhile, Yatish Shrivastav, the grandson of Babu Chhotelal Shrivastav said that they are very fortunate that their forefathers had fought against the British rule along with Gandhiji. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will unveil the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on October 4 and launch Padyatra.