Phulaguri Uprising of 1861 (or 'Phulaguri dhawa'): History of Assam
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The farmer uprising in the Phulaguri area of middle Assam in October 1861 AD was the first ever peasant movement in the context of Indian freedom movement, which took place much before the Champaran movement took place under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. It was also the first ever non-cooperation movement of Indian freedom movement because the farmers of Phulaguri region had stopped payment of taxes to the British administration and thus openly defied the rulers.
Causes
The immediate cause was the exorbitant taxes imposed by the British administration on the farmers of Assam. These tea planters had been suffering from dearth of labourers. They had to bring labourers from other states at high costs. Moreover a large number of such labourers died of unhygienic conditions in the tea estates as malaria was rampant in those areas. The tea planters thought to engage the local people as labourers but as the land in the Brahmaputra valley being very fertile, the farmers did not need to look for extra vocation too.
These tea planters therefore decided to pauperise the local farmers of Assam by increasing the incidence of taxes so that they take up employment in the tea estates. The tea planters placed their design with their brethren in the administration, who readily co-operated in the conspiracy and enhanced the tax rates on the indigenous people. Along with the land revenue under Ryotwari System, the British also introduced many oppressive taxation measures, which were not in keeping with the income level of the people as well as the economic situation of that time.
Every able bodied man had to pay tax in that system. But it was more than impossible and it had to be withdrawn in 1850-51 AD.
The oppressive regime of the British had dissatisfied the common people as well as the erstwhile ethnic rulers of the region. Both came together and started planning to overthrow the British regime. It was surmised that the British could be easily overthrown as their military strength was numerically very limited. But people thought that their numerical strength would give them an edge over the British sepoys. A British loyalist turned revolutionary, Maniram Dewan used to pass through the valleys of Kalang, Kapili, and Kiling rivers. He would enthuse the poeple of this region to fight against the British. Regular armed training started in the paddy fields of the interior areas. People started equipping themselves with traditional arms like spears, bows etc. A blacksmith named Bhivi Kumar of Molankata was given the task of manufacturing these traditional weapons. Laxman Singh Deka of Katahguri was made the General of this make-shift indigenous army. Most of the members of this army belonged to the Tiwa and Karbi tribes.
These activities started from 1855 AD and would have culminated in an armed uprising. But the capture and execution of Maniram Dewan dampened the spirit of the people and there came a lull in the movement. The simmering anger of the people was aroused again when the British government increased the taxes again in 1861 AD, to double the tax collection.
They imposed taxes even on the forest products made from bamboo, cane, wood etc. Moreover income tax was introduced for the first time. It made the living unbearable for the farmers as they had already been suffering from heavy taxation. Simultaneously the poppy cultivation was also banned by the British, it was actually done with an aim to take up the trading in opium themselves.
The people of Raha-Phulaguri region had not only not become lethargic, they were even imbued with the indomitable spirit of nationalism with a do or die spirit. Several of them like Krishna Kanta Goswami and Safiun Nessa of Nagaon town were banished to the Andaman island for their involvement in the conspiracy against the British.
But the ire of the people were aroused again and that too very strongly with the arrival of a British officer named Lt Herbert Sconce, he humiliated people at the fall of a hat and often imprisoned people for even small matters.
The Revolt
About one thousand farmers from the Phulaguri region gathered at the court premises of Deputy Commissioner of Nagaon district on September 17, 1861 AD. They intended to protest against the hefty increase in taxes. They wanted to say that there should not be taxes on betel nut trees, betel leaf creepers, bamboo trees etc., but it beared no result.
Again a limited number of persons went to meet Herbert on October 9, 1861 AD, handed over a petition asking for relief to the people from the exorbitant taxes. But Herbert rejected this polite and humble petition too. This left the people with the Hobson’s choice of embarking on non-cooperation with the British administration. They decided not to pay any tax to the British administration any more. Thus the first ever non-cooperation movement was launched in the Phulaguri region of Assam in October, 1861 AD.
The entire decision making in this movement was done by the farmers themselves as the erstwhile middle class leaders had already been removed by the British administration by way of execution and banishment.
Eventually when the people would come out openly, that too would be an all peasant affair. The people of Phulaguri region convened a five day convention in order to mobilise all round support for their non-cooperation movement. The convention was scheduled from October 15 at Phulaguri village. It was called Raij Mel or assembly of people.
As many as 600 people gathered in the Namghar of Phulaguri on October 16. Herbert sent Haladhar Barua, the officer-in-charge of Nagaon Sadar Police Station to take stock of the situation. Haladhar ordered the gathering in the Namghar to disperse, but the crowd disobeyed him. Thereupon Haladhar, made a hasty retreat.. Haladhar consulted the matter with Herbert and returned again on the next day, October 17. This time he arrested the leading persons. Even then an assembly of about 350 persons remained there in the Namghar.
Herbert sent Lt Singer, a Junior Assistant Commissioner, accompanied by Haladhar, the officer-in-charge of the Nagaon jail, a clerk named Anadar and six Barkandaz to control the situation. They arrived at Phulaguri in the forenoon to find that there was no assembly in the Namghar. Around noon, people started gathering in a nearby spot outside the Namghar and the crowd had swelled to about 3,000. However the tactic of lathi charge and firing to disperse the crowd made the situation volatile and the peasants attacked and killed Lieutenant Singer.
The agitationists became very excited over the turn of the events. One group from among them proceeded towards Raha and they attacked the police station there. Another group of the agitationists went to Kachalukhowa and they attacked the government magazine house located there. After that, they proceeded in the direction of the government treasury with an intention to plunder it, but they were obstructed by some sepoys on the way. Captain Campbell was in the command of this re-inforcement. He came to Phulaguri with his command. The agitationists also gathered again in order to review the situation. Campbell surrounded those unarmed people and started firing upon them, leading to the instant death of 39 persons and serios injury to hundreds. Only 66 persons remained capable of standing. All of them were taken on feet to Nagaon and put in a temporary jail.
After-effect of the Revolt
On October 23, General Henry Hopkinson, the Commissioner of Assam arrived at Phulaguri with 100 sepoys and started an all-out torture regime in the Raha-Phulaguri region. Disturbed over the inhuman atrocities on the fellow people, the leaders of the uprising surrendered before the administration.
They were Laxman Singh Deka Senapati, Rangbar Deka and Changbar Lalung. They confessed to killing Lt Singer. All of them were hanged in the Nagaon jail. Some other leaders were banished to the Andaman island. They were Bahoo Kaibarta, Banamali Kaibarta, Rup Singh Lalung, Sib Singh Lalung, Hebera Lalung, Nar Singh Lalung and Katyia Lalung. And thus a peasant movement was suppressed ruthlessly.
