Question

What did swaraj mean for plantation worker in assam

Answer 1

Dear student,

• Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859 the plantation workers were only allowed to leave the Tea Gardens without permission and they were hardly ever given such permission.
• When they heard of the Non-Cooperation movement thousands of workers defied the authorities, left planations and headed home.
• For plantation workers in Assam, freedom (swaraj) meant the right to more freely in and out of the confined space in which they were enclosed.
• To them, swaraj meant retaining links with the land in their villages and they believed that the coming of Gandhi Raj meant everybody would be given land in their villages but they were caught and beaten brutally on their way by the police.

Regards