[Assam] Patharughat: the land of unsung heroes

[Pradip Kumar Datta]

Patharughat: the land of unsung heroes
  
— Mayukh Goswami
   
  January 28, 1894 is an indelible black spot in the history of British rule in India for the organised massacre at Patharughat in Darrang where about 140 innocent peasants took the bullets on their chest. After 26 years on April 13, 1919, history repeated at North West India with mass killings at Jalianwalabag in Amritsar, Punjab.

Rule and exploitation were the two main objectives of the British power. They failed to understand the people, they were going to rule over. The rebates and exemptions enjoyed by the people of Darrang under Koch-Ahom regime, were suddenly halted by the British administration to the utter dissatisfaction, resentment and frustration of the people. In 1832-33 AD the British rule imposed plough tax at Rs 2 each per annum at Darrang. It continued till 1841. In 1842 novel land survey was conducted and land was classified into three categories for fixing revenue rate: (i) Bustee: high land for homestead - Re 1 per Pura (4 Bigha) per annum, (ii) Rupit: Cultivable low land – Rs 1.50 per Pura per annum and (iii) Faringati: high land fit for Rabi crop – Re 1 per Pura per annum.

During the next twenty years, repeated land surveys were conducted and revenue enhancement continued accordingly. A sense of suspicion and apprehension used to cripple in the minds of the farmers for such conspirated design of the British ruler. This feeling spread among the people every where. Finally a decision was taken that the people as a single united force, would express their grievances and apprehensions at the office of the Tehsildar of Patharughat for sympathetic consideration of the administration at the earliest.

On a day in 1868, after seven years of the Phulaguri Dhawa of Nagaon, the first peasant revolt of Assam, thousand of public from Darrang as per earlier decision gathered in front of the Patharughat Tehsildar’s Office to express their grievances. Apprehending disturbance, AC Comber, the deputy commissioner of Darrang along with SP and SDO Mangaldai rushed from Tezpur to Patharughat Tehsal Office. The British administration did not pay considerable attention to the public resentment, causing excitement among the gathering. The agitated gathering was advancing towards the “White Sahibs” to press their grievances. Terrified and bewildered, the “Sahibs” brought themselves back into the Dak Bungalow. The advancing crowd shouted at them, some one even proposed to set the Dak bungalow ablaze but the leader could control the situation. The gathering dispersed quietly with more determination.

Twenty five years elapsed without any notable disturbance in the district. In 1893 the then Chief Commissioner of Assam, Williamson Ward took the initiative to raise the revenue. This made the public irked and the volcano of stored unsteadiness erupted and the public firmly settled that revenue would not be cleared until an acceptable solution was found out. On January 26, 1894, in Patharughat Raijmel, it was reaffirmed that revenue would not be paid at the enhanced rate at any cost. Tehsildar Bhabani Charan Bhattacharya (Tezpur) of Patharughat Circle entreated the huge gathering to wait till January 28 when the deputy commissioner of Darang, Anderson would be available for hearing the public grievances directly.

In the meantime the Government received intelligence report about the preparation of agitations at a regular basis. To face the situation, security measures were taken up in a cautious and compact manner. On the report of Tehsildar of Patharughat, it was decided at the high level that along with the deputy commissioner of Darrang SP Darrang, Barrington and SDO of Mangaldoi, Ramson would proceed to Patharughat on January 28 with armed forces.

January 28 was a normal weekly bazaar day. Public began to throng the open field in front of the Dak Bangalow from the early morning. At noon, the field became just like a sea of people, mostly comprising poor farmers, in their usual scanty wearing, bare footed, bare handed. At about noon the trio of “White Sahibs” arrived at Patharughat on horse back along with a dozen of armed white soldiers and 19 native police men marched to Patharughat. Straightway they entered the Dak Bungalow, as they were greeted with slogans by the crowd. The Tehsildar with his staff and the Umedar Dhajar Ali Fandi, waited outside, not being taken into confidence, simply remained as silent on lookers. On the otherside, not being taken into confidence, simply remained as silent on lockers. On the otherside, the patience of the public was tested as after long expectation the awaiting crowd was faced by the “Sahibs” surrounded by armed guards. The Deputy Commissioner, Anderson straightly refused to
 pay heed to the public complaints, saying that they were not the authority to make changes in the rates of revenue fixed by the queen of England. As the Sahibs were about to return to the Dak Bungalow, the bewildered mass, at its wit’s end, uttered, “If so, what is the need to come down to Patharughat covering long distances.” Then arguments and counter arguments followed. The aggrieved crowd was stepping towards the “Sahibs”. The bodyguards stopped them roughly. More irritated, the peasants continued to proceed. At this, the Superintendent of Police, Barrington gestured to the armed police force. The riflemen started hitting in-discriminately. Some say Thoga Baidya of Biahpara or Fukolu Sheikh of Athiabari somehow availed a chance to hit on the head of the Police super leading to bleeding from the wound. This provoked the enraged DC to order – “Hat Jao, Bhag Jao, Fire.” Triggers were pressed instantly, peasants in front fell down dead, seriously injured – heads crushed,
 belly bursted, limbs torn apart, bodies smeared with blood, pain and unrest every where. Undaunted, the crowd also advanced with whatever available in hand – clod, bamboo roots, sticks, branches of tree and used these as missiles on the gunmen. They met the same fate as their fore runners. None retreated but took the bullets on the chests. Nobody knew how many of them died, rotting to be consumed by jackals and vultures. None was allowed to attend the dead or wounded to identify and to take care of. For those who escaped but were partners of the protest, those who returned from hospital, fined and jailed were reluctant to reveal the fact for fear of life. Later it came to light that the number of deaths stood around 140 and that of the injured was at least 150.

Their martyrdom is the bench mark in the history of struggle for freedom of India. Their names should adorn the pages of history in golden letters. But unfortunately most of the people of our State, not to speak of the country and the world, are still in the darkness about the Patharughat massacre unlike the incident at Jalianwalabag in Punjab which got wide publicity.
Assam Tribune Editorial 28.01.08

       
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