sep 1, 1859 - Indigo Revolt

Description:

- took place in Bengal & some areas of Champaran
- Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas first led the rebellion against the planters in Bengal, 1859
- it was a revolt by the farmers against British planters who had forced them to grow indigo
- Sometimes disgruntled former employees of European planters - 'gomashta' or 'diwan' of the Indigo factories, took the lead to mobilize the peasants against the Indigo planters
- The indigo planters forced the peasants to plant indigo instead of food crops on their lands. They provided loans, called dadon, at a very high interest

- supported by press --> Neel Darpan by Deenbandhu Mitra

- revolt was largely non-violent and it acted as a precursor to Gandhiji’s non-violent satyagraha in later years
- Hindus and Muslims joined hands in the revolt

Aftermath --> Government appointed an Indigo Commission to inquire into the problem of indigo cultivation

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