The armed resistance of peasants

In January 1948, more than 30,000 Razakars were enrolled and by August 1948, their number increased to 1,00,000.

Hyderabad: This article is in continuation to the last article focusing on Telangana armed struggle, which is one of the important topics in preparation for the State government recruitment examinations.

The Razakars resorted to large scale terrorism and even resorted to violent methods such as murder, arson and rapes. In January 1948, more than 30,000 Razakars were enrolled and by August 1948, their number increased to 1,00,000.

Under these circumstances, political parties of all shades united under the leadership of the Congress led by Ramananda Thirtha to fight for liberation. The party planned State-wide non-cooperation and civil disobedience campaigns. In fact, the communist leadership made a study of the whole situation and arrived at the conclusion that the field was fertile for armed insurrection and guerrilla type of warfare.

At the same time, this situation helped the communists in Telangana to spread the movement and village republics (Soviets) which functioned as parallel government in the areas under their control. Groups of volunteers called dalams were organised to strengthen fighting squads when Razakars or the police made their raids. When the communists were grouping themselves against the Razakars, the villagers were unable to withstand the pressures from the Razakars, and started migrating to safer places. Some big landlords migrated to towns whereas others migrated to neighbouring States of Indian Union.

Those who remained in the villages were mostly from middle class and poor peasants. So, the communists took the different categories of people into confidence and with their help intensified the attacks. By April 1948, the communists were able to organize six area squads (each with twenty members) and about fifty village squads.

The armed resistance of peasants was carried to almost all parts of Nalgonda, Warangal and Khammam districts. In about 4000 villages, a parallel administration was established by the communists. At the same time, due to the atrocities committed by the Razakars and the police, the villagers joined in these dalams with great enthusiasm in the communist stronghold district of Nalgonda, Warangal and Khammam.

Moreover, keeping in view its ideology, the communist party raised the slogan, such as “land to the tiller” and began to work against the landlords. Tenants were asked to occupy lands and government land was distributed among landless labourers. However, this full scale armed revolt was not supported by the Congress party leadership both at the national and state level. The Congress was in favour of agrarian reform but not certainly in favour of class conflict in any form. Consequently, the Congress which initially worked along with the communists in opposing the Nizam withdrew its support and left the communists alone in the field. Despite this isolation from the other popular party the communists increased the number and the strength of their squads and continued its struggle.

To be continued…