Praja Mandal Movement in Princely States

The Praja Mandal Movement, also known as the States’ People’s Movement, was a mass political agitation across British India’s princely states from the 1920s to the late 1940s. While British provinces gradually received constitutional reforms, the two-fifths of Indian territory under native rulers remained subjected to autocratic administration, feudal levies, and a total lack of civil liberties. Residents formed local organizations called Praja Mandals or Praja Parishads to demand democratic governance, fundamental civil rights, abolition of forced labor (Begar), and agrarian reforms. This movement bridged the political gap between British India and the princely territories, aiding the eventual integration of sovereign states into independent India.

Genesis and Drivers of the Movement

Administrative Contrast and Feudal Exploitation

• British Indian provinces saw gradual legislative expansion under the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 and the Government of India Act of 1935.
• Princely state residents faced absolute monarchical rule, heavy land revenue, arbitrary taxes (Lag-Bag), and forced labor (Begar).
• Rulers operated under British Paramountcy, using colonial military backing to suppress domestic political dissent.

Influence of the National Movement

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) and Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) inspired subjects of princely states to organize local political units.
• Nationalist leaders established social reform centers near princely state borders to promote Khadi, vernacular education, and anti-untouchability campaigns.
• Agrarian unrest in regions like Mewar (Bijolia peasant movement) catalyzed political consciousness among rural communities.

Institutional Structure: All India States’ People’s Conference (AISPC)

Foundation and Expansion

• The All India States’ People’s Conference (AISPC) was established in December 1927 in Bombay to coordinate local Praja Mandals.
• Key founding leaders included Balwantrai Mehta, Maniklal Kothari, and G.R. Abhyankar.
• Initial sessions demanded responsible governance, an independent judiciary, and civil rights within princely domains.

Congress Policy Evolution

• Indian National Congress initially maintained a policy of non-intervention in princely states, formalized at the Nagpur session (1920).
• Haripura Session (1938) marked a decisive shift when Congress offered moral support to Praja Mandals and allowed members to join agitations in personal capacities.
• Tripuri Session (1939) brought complete alignment between Congress and AISPC. Jawaharlal Nehru served as AISPC President from 1939 to 1946.

Region-Wise Praja Mandal Formations

Prominent Praja Mandals and Leaders

Key Regional Struggles

• Jaipur: Reorganized in 1938 under Jamnalal Bajaj and Hiralal Shastri. It initiated a satyagraha for civil liberties and official political recognition.
• Mewar: Founded in 1938 by Manikya Lal Verma. The state banned the organization, leading to widespread satyagraha and the eventual lifting of bans in 1941.
• Bikaner: Established in 1936 by Magaram Vaid in Kolkata due to state exile; later re-established within Bikaner state borders.
• Hyderabad: Hyderabad State Congress led by Swami Ramanand Tirth fought against the Nizam’s autocratic rule, Razakar violence, and restrictions on patriotic symbols.
• Travancore: State Congress led by C. Kesavan agitated against Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar’s proposed independent Travancore stance and American Model constitution.
• Odisha Princely States: Praja Mandals formed in Nilgiri, Dhenkanal, and Ranpur in the late 1930s. The murder of British Political Agent Major Bazalgette in Ranpur in 1939 highlighted deep-seated anti-feudal anger.

Constructive Programs and Social Base

Grassroots Reform Activities

• Praja Mandals actively ran Gandhian constructive programs, opening national schools (Rashtriya Pathshalas) and supporting cottage industries.
• Agitations systematically targeted social evils like untouchability, the purdah system, and child marriage.
• Activists established community libraries to distribute nationalist news, bypassing local state censorship.

Participation of Women

• Women organized rallies, distributed underground literature, and led protests during arrests of male leaders.
• Prominent women leaders included Ratan Shastri and Anjana Devi Chaudhary in Jaipur, and Narayani Devi Verma in Mewar.

Key Facts and Trivia

• The first Praja Mandal in Rajasthan was established in Jaipur in 1931 by Kapoori Chand Patni.
• AISPC dissolved itself on April 25, 1948, merging its constituent units directly into the Indian National Congress.
• The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, led by Sheikh Abdullah, was the sole AISPC constituent unit that chose not to merge into Congress in 1948.
• Swami Gopaldas raised early political awareness in Bikaner in 1907 by establishing Sarvahitkarini Sabha and Kabir Pathshala.
• In 1930, local activists hoisted the Indian tricolor flag at Churu in Bikaner state to mark Independence Day.
• The 1938 Haripura Congress session was presided over by Subhash Chandra Bose, who strongly advocated supporting popular struggles in princely states.
• Praja Mandals provided local administrative support and popular legitimacy for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the political integration of over 500 princely states after 1947.