Tag: tribal revolt against british

Peasant Revolt of Rangia 1893-94 (Assam History) – APSC Exam Notes

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Peasant Revolt of Rangia 1893-94 (Assam & North-East India History) – APSC, UPSC and State Exams Notes

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Peasant Revolt of Rangia 1893-94 – Modern History of Assam

  • The people of Rangia, in the district of Kamrup following the footsteps of the Phulguri peasants very soon lodged their protests, organizing Raij Mels. The cause of their protest was a hundred percent increase in the land revenue.
  • In 1892, Sir William Ward, the Chief Commissioner of Assam, augmented the rates of revenue on land in the new settlement to 70 to 80% and sometime even 100%. Despite the decreasing production rate of crops, there was no respite from the proposed rate of assessment on land. Even going ahead, Colonial apparatus forcibly realized taxes from the impoverished peasantry.
  • Seeing such deplorable and awkward position of the people, the Keyas intensified their exploitation scale. The People also fell in their trap. The people, when finally understood the motives of the Keyas, started to ventilate their grievances not only against the government but also against them which found expression with the looting of the Rangia bazaar by a crowd of 200 to 250 people, mostly of Kacharis, on 24 December, 1893.
  • In the evening of 24 December, when the Peasants returning from Belagaon mel near Rangia, they gutted down the huts at the Rangia bazaar and threatened a Keya shopkeeper that his shop would be looted on 30 December as their presence had increased the revenue burden on land.
  • On 30 December, 1893, there was a massive gathering at Rangia where about 2500 to 3000 people participated. This massive gathering held demonstration all the night and threatened destruction of the Thana, post-office and the tahsildar ‘s bungalow.

  • Threatening of destruction of thana, post-office and the tahsildar ‘s bungalow was taken seriously by the government and armed-police was summoned to stop it but failed completely.
  • On 6th January, 1893, R.B. McCabe, the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup arrived at Rangia with a Police Party under Padmaram Kachari, the daroga and arrested some persons alleged to have been implicated in the incident of 24 December, 1893. The arrests, however, did not prevent the people from further attacks. On 10 to 17 Jan, 1894, a large crowd of about three thousand gathered at near Rangia Thana. Castes and tribes coming from far-flung villages like Koch, Kalita, Saloi, Kaivarta, Namasudra, Nath, Napit, Sonari, Baishya, Bania, Bodo-Kacharis and Muslims assembled at Kadamtal Pandarthan and took decision and began to march towards Rangia. The tribal farmers along-with their counterparts in other communities took part in it. They, with cries of ‘we won’t pay at the increased rate’ started coming closer to Rangia Thana.
  • They were asked by the Deputy Commissioner to disperse but they refused his order and even dared to release forcibly of their comrades – Praneswar Goswami (Kon), Abhay Choudhury, Kirti Lahkar, Joltiram Kalita, Muktaram Bayan Kalita, Rahmat Khalipha, Parashuram Baro who were detained and locked-up at the time of submitting memorandum to Deputy Commissioner for decrease of the rate of revenue
  • Disobedience of order compelled Me Cabe to open fire on the gatherings which forced them to retreat. In response to the violent outbursts, the Colonial government effected a reign of terror.
  • Finally, notices were issued for the maintenance of peace and hannony and the leaders of the affected areas were appointed as special constables. All licensed guns in Rangia, Barama, Nalbari and Bajali tahsils were seized.
  • McCabe imposed a ban on holding any Mel All the important leaders of the revolt were soon arrested by the police and the revolt lost its edge.

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Nupi Lan – Women’s war in Manipur in 1904 & 1939 (Assam & North-East India History) – APSC Exam Notes

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Nupi Lan – Women’s war in Manipur in 1904 & 1939 (Assam & North-East India History) – APSC, UPSC and State Exams Notes

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Nupi Lan or Women’s war, is an important movement in the history of Manipur. The Manipuri women waged two historic wars in 1904 and 1939 against mass exploitation and artificial famine triggered by the British imperialists.

First Nupi Lan which broke out in 1904 was against the British order to send Manipuri men to Kabow Valley to fetch timber for re-building the then Police Agent’s bungalow after it was ravaged by fire. The first Nupi Lan was stirred up by the heirs-apparent of the erstwhile ruling family who did not like the selection of Chura Chand Singh as the King of Manipur. They persuaded the women of Manipur to resist the British government’s order to resuscitate the Lalup (forced labour where the male member of society between the age of 17 and 60 should work freely for ten days in every forty days of work). The struggle in which more than 5,000 women took part lasted for a week.

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Second Nupi Lan was set off by the indiscriminate export of rice from Manipur by Marwari business men with the support of British rulers. It resulted in a famine-like situation in Manipur even though it was harvest season. Although the movement was started as an agitation by Manipuri women against the economic and administrative policies of the Manipur Maharaja and the Political Agent Mr. Gimson of the British Government (1933-45) in Manipur, it evolved into a movement for the constitutional and administrative reform in Manipur.

When the Manipuri women, whom had been playing a decisive role in the agrarian economy of the region, came out in legion on the streets against the British policy of massive export of rice, the authorities responded by deploying military and police force against the unarmed women protesters. The struggle lasted for several months but subsided as a result of the outbreak of Second World War.

Tribal Revolts in Assam & North East India – PART 1 (APSC Assam History Notes)

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Tribal Revolts in Assam & North East India – PART 1: (APSC Assam History Notes)

Khasi Uprising (1829-1833), Ahom Revolt (1828) and Singhphos rebellion (1830-1839)

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Tribal Revolts in Assam & North East India – PART 1

Khasi Uprising (1829-1833)

After the end of the first Anglo-Burmese war, the British occupied the hilly region between Garo and Jaintia hills, and planned to build a road linking the Brahmaputra valley with Sylhet passing through the entire length of the Khasi area.

Conscriptions of labourers for road construction and a British garrison disobeying orders of Khasi king to stop the road construction project, led the Khasis to revolt under the leadership of Tirot Sing Syiem.

The Khasi chiefs number around 30 decided to throw out the British from the region and organized themselves under Bar Manik. The Garos also joined the revolt.

The revolt lasted for four years and was finally suppressed in early 1833 and the British gained supremacy over these hills. Tirot Sing was eventually captured by the British in January 1833 and deported to Dhaka and he died on 17 July 1835.

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Ahom Revolt (1828)

To suppress the Moamoria rebels who captured the capital Rangpur, Ahom King Gaurinath Singha sought help of East India Company. In 1792 Thomas Welsh came with 550 well trained and well armed troops and occupied Guwahati and restored Rangpur to Gaurinath Singha, and they returned to Bengal on May 25, 1794.

Again British came to Assam’s rescue in the first Burma War (1824-26). Though they had pledged to withdraw from Assam after the first Burma War (1824-26), but in contrast, they tried to incorporate the Ahom territories into their dominion. This resulted in a rebellion against the British in 1828.

Under the leadership of Ahom prince Gomdhar Konwar, an armed revolt rose against the British, a year after it was annexed by the British from the Ahoms with the signing of the Treaty of Yandabo. He along with Dhanjoy Borgohain and their followers started a revolt to fight against the British and burned the British armoury at Rangpur and fought the British in Mariani.

The British military suppressed this revolt, Konwar fled to the Naga Hills but soon was arrested and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and exiled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Though the revolt failed in it’s goal against the British, they succeeded to put a sense of independence in the minds of the people. As a result as a conciliatory policy, in the year 1833, the British handed over the entire Upper Assam, except Sadiya and Matak region, to Ahom Prince Purandar Singh on the condition of yearly tribute of 50,000 rupees.

In 1838, Purandar Singh defaulted in payments of revenue; the British formally annexed the kingdom, putting an end to the reign of Ahom Dynasty.

Singhphos rebellion (1830-1839)

While the British were engaged in the long lasting warfare with the Khasis, the Singhphos broke into open rebellion in early 1830, which was suppressed very quickly within 3 months. But the discontentment of the Singhphos remained and again the rose in rebellion in 1839 when they killed the British political agent.

Again in 1843, the Singhphos Chief Nirang Phidu attacked the British garrison and killed several soldiers. In 1849, Khasma Singhphos attacked British village in Assam and was captured in 1855.

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