10. Workers’ Understanding of Swaraj and Freedom 🏭✊

• Workers, particularly in the plantations of Assam, had their own interpretation of Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of swaraj (self-rule) 🌍🌱.

  • For plantation workers, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined plantation areas where they were essentially imprisoned under colonial rule 🚶‍♂️🔒.
  • It also meant retaining a connection with their villages, where they had come from, and the ability to return home whenever they wished 🌾🏠.

• Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, these workers were not allowed to leave the tea gardens without permission, and in practice, they were rarely granted such permission by the authorities 📝❌.

• When workers heard about the Non-Cooperation Movement and the promise of freedom, they were inspired to take action:

  • Thousands of plantation workers defied the law, left the plantations, and attempted to return home, believing that Gandhi Raj would bring them land and opportunities in their villages 🏞️👥.

• However, their hopes were dashed when they were stranded during a railway and steamer strike, and as they continued their journey, they were caught by the police and subjected to brutal beatings ⚖️💥.

11. Visions of Swaraj and Emotional Connection to the National Movement 💭🇮🇳

• The visions of swaraj in various movements were not strictly defined by the Congress programme; instead, they reflected the individual interpretations of people from different communities 🌍💬.
  • For many, swaraj represented a time when all their suffering would end, and the burdens of colonial oppression would be lifted ✊🎉.
• Tribals, in particular, expressed their aspirations for freedom by chanting Gandhiji’s name and raising slogans demanding ‘Swatantra Bharat’ (Independent India) 🇮🇳🔊.
  • While their struggles were often localized, their emotional connection to the larger Indian freedom movement was strong, as they saw their fight as part of an all-India agitation 🌍💖.
• By acting in the name of Mahatma Gandhi or linking their local movements to that of the Congress, these groups identified themselves with a broader, national cause that transcended their immediate struggles 🧑‍🌾🇮🇳.