Political Mobilisation in Indian States

Political mobilisation in the Indian princely states during colonial rule developed as a parallel struggle alongside the freedom movement in British-administered provinces. Covering over two-fifths of the Indian subcontinent’s land area and one-third of its population, more than 500 princely states functioned under native monarchs operating under British Paramountcy. While British provinces received gradual legislative reforms, subjects in princely states lacked basic civil liberties, independent judiciaries, and democratic representation. Through local Praja Mandals, peasant associations, and social reform groups, political mobilisation bridged the gap between British India and native states, ultimately paving the way for post-independence national integration.

Structural Drivers of Political Awakening

Feudal Exploitation and Administrative Autocracy

• Subjects in princely states faced heavy land revenue demands, arbitrary local cesses known as Lag-Bag, and forced unpaid labor termed Begar or Veth.
• Monarchs held total executive, legislative, and judicial powers, suppressing political dissent through state bans, exiles, and asset seizures.
• British Paramountcy protected native rulers from external threats and domestic rebellions, reducing their incentive to modernize governance.

External Catalysts and Ideological Influence

• The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) and Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34) inspired state subjects to create organized political forums.
• Nationalist literature, vernacular newspapers, and border-town ashrams established near princely state margins helped circulate political ideas across enforced boundaries.
• Agrarian protests, such as the Bijolia movement in Mewar, demonstrated the power of collective bargaining to neighboring regions.

Institutionalization of the Movement

Early Regional Associations

• Local leaders established early political forums to organize regional resistance, including the Rajasthan Seva Sangh (1919), Kathiawar Political Conference (1921), and South Indian States’ People’s Conference.
• These organizations initially focused on local grievances, such as lowering taxes, ending forced labor, and establishing basic primary education.

All India States’ People’s Conference (AISPC)

• Formed in December 1927 in Bombay, the AISPC served as an umbrella platform to coordinate diverse state-level Praja Mandals.
• Key founding figures included Balwantrai Mehta, Maniklal Kothari, and G.R. Abhyankar.
• The conference demanded responsible government under monarchical heads, independent courts, personal liberties, and administrative alignment with British Indian provinces.

Evolution of Indian National Congress Policy

Phase of Non-Intervention (1920–1937)

• The Nagpur Session (1920) permitted state subjects to enroll as Congress members but restricted direct Congress intervention in internal state politics.
• This policy aimed to avoid multi-front conflicts with native rulers while focusing primary organizational energy against direct British rule.

Phase of Active Support (1938–1947)

• The Haripura Session (1938), presided over by Subhash Chandra Bose, declared that the freedom of princely states was essential to national independence and extended moral support to Praja Mandals.
• The Tripuri Session (1939) removed previous operational restrictions, allowing integrated political campaigns.
• Jawaharlal Nehru served as President of the AISPC from 1939 to 1946, fully aligning the state movements with the broader national freedom movement.

Key Regional Movements and Mobilisation Patterns

Role in National Integration

The popular mobilization generated by Praja Mandals created a strong democratic impulse across princely domains. When the British left India in August 1947, lapsed Paramountcy left rulers with the theoretical option of independence. However, widespread public agitations led by local Praja Mandal leaders made independent ruler rule politically unviable. This popular support provided essential political momentum for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V.P. Menon during the execution of Instruments of Accession and subsequent merger agreements.

Key Facts and Trivia

• The Jaipur Praja Mandal, established in 1931 by Kapoori Chand Patni, was the first Praja Mandal formed in the princely states of Rajasthan.
• Balwantrai Mehta, a key architect of the AISPC, later headed the committee that recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in independent India.
• On April 25, 1938, police fired on peaceful Praja Mandal protesters at Vidurashwatha in Mysore state, killing 32 people in an tragedy known as the “Jallianwala Bagh of the South.”
• The Bijolia Peasant Movement in Mewar lasted from 1897 to 1941, making it one of the longest non-violent agrarian protests in Indian history.
• Sheikh Abdullah served as the President of the All India States’ People’s Conference in 1946, succeeding Jawaharlal Nehru.
• In Ranpur state (Odisha), intense anti-feudal anger led to the murder of British Political Agent Major Bazalgette in January 1939.
• The AISPC formally dissolved itself in April 1948, merging its organizational network directly into the Indian National Congress.
• The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference was the only constituent unit of the AISPC that chose not to merge into the Indian National Congress in 1948.