UPSC Prelims 2013 Q20: Modern History – Peasant, Tribal & Labour Movements
The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for
- (a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one - half of the crop to one - third
- (b) the grant of ownership of land to peasants as they were the actual cultivators of the land
- (c) the uprooting of Zamindari system and the end of serfdom
- (d) writing off all peasant debts
Answer: (a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one - half of the crop to one - third
Explanation
Tebhaga Peasant Movement
The movement broke out in Bengal in 1946-47, led by the Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha.
Tebhaga means 'three shares'.
| Share of the crop | Before | Demand |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord (jotedar) | One-half | One-third |
| Sharecropper (bargadar) | One-half | Two-thirds |
Key facts:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Basis | The Floud Commission had recommended two-thirds for the sharecropper |
| Slogan | 'Nij khamare dhan tolo' (take the paddy to your own threshing floor) |
| Strong areas | North Bengal: Dinajpur, Rangpur, Jalpaiguri |
| Taking part | Rajbanshi and tribal peasants, with many women |
Other movements of the time: Telangana (Hyderabad, 1946 to 1951) and Punnapra-Vayalar (Travancore, 1946).
Answer: (a) reduction of the landlords' share from one-half to one-third.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Tebhaga demanded cutting the landlords' share from one-half to one-third.
- (b) Incorrect. It did not demand ownership of land for the peasants.
- (c) Incorrect. It did not aim at uprooting the Zamindari system.
- (d) Incorrect. It was not about writing off peasant debts.
Key point
Tebhaga (Bengal, 1946-47): sharecroppers demanded two-thirds of the crop, leaving one-third to the jotedar; led by the Kisan Sabha; backed by the Floud Commission.
Remember
Tebhaga = two-thirds for the sharecropper.
Common mistakes
- Thinking Tebhaga sought land ownership.
- Confusing it with the Telangana movement.
- Forgetting the meaning: te-bhaga = three parts.
Exam tip
Te-bhaga = three shares: two for the tiller, one for the landlord.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence, Ch 27 (Peasant Movements in the 1930s and '40s)
- Sumit Sarkar — Modern India 1885-1947 (Tebhaga)