In the year 1917 the movement of freedom struggle was on its footing. The advocates of home-rule were moving throughout the country to encourage the common man to participate in it.

The peasants were leading miserable lives due to the atrocities of the landlords. Raj Kumar Shukla brought Gandhi to Champaran and he himself investigated the cases of misdeeds. He felt that the peasants were terror-stricken and exploited. The average Indian was indifferent to show sympathy to the advocates of the home rule. In order to gather more information and true picture about the share-croppers, Gandhi sent a telegram to Prof. J. B. Kripalani. He came there at the station with a large body of students. For two days Gandhi stayed at the house of Professo Malkani. Gandhi praised the courage shown by these people. In those days it was quite an extraordinary thing and a courageous act to give shelter to a man like Gandhi. The average Indians were afraid of mixing with such courage-ous people those who were the advocates as “home rule.” They preferred to remain aloof from such things.

A good leader is a torch bearer who shows the light to his followers and to the masses at large. He brings them from darkness to light, from ignorance to awareness, from fear to self-reliance and violence to non-violence.

A good leader is a model for all. He has the personality traits of fearlessness, bravery, initiatives, spot-decision making and hardwork directed to the public welfare. His feelings of sacrifice for his motherland and for his people, make him a charismatic personality for them.

A good leader must be a man of words, of high integrity and truthfulness. He is above all narrow feelings of caste, religion, colour, creed, sex or regionalism and language barriers. His punctuality, love for humanity, patriotism and sincerity to his people, are the models for others to follow. At the time of national calamity.

He sets examples for others and helps all through which and then. He is devoid of selfishness, greed and even comforts. Though he is an advocate of world peace, yet he is ready to sacrifice his life for his motherland.

On his way to Champaran, Gandhiji stopped at Muzzafarpur to obtain more information about the atrocities done to the share-croppers. There the lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him since they represented the peasant groups in the courts. They charged high fees for these cases. Gandhiji scolded them for this and advocated that it was useless to go to the law courts where the peasants were much fear-stricken.

When Gandhiji received summons to appear in the court, he telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come with some influential people from Bihar. Thousands of peasants gathered round the court house. Many prominent lawyers arrived and they conferred with him. Gandhiji asked them if he was sentenced to prison what would they do ? The senior lawyer replied that they had come to advice and help him. In case Gandhiji was sent to jail there would be none to advise them. Side by side they thought Gandhiji was a total stranger and yet he was ready for prison for the peasants. They considered that it would be a shameful abandonment for them. Then they all collected around Gandhiji and requested that they would follow him to jail. Gandhiji said that the battle of Champaran is won. This is how Gandhiji influenced the lawyers.

For the success of any movement, cooperation and participation of all and sundry is a must. They make the movement not only a success but also lead to the pinnacle. When Gandhiji arrived in Muzzafarpur, the multitude of peasants blackened Motihari. They knew that the Mahatma who wanted to help them, was in trouble with the authorities. It was perhaps the first kind of spontaneous demonstration of Indian against the Britishers. Seeing the situation beyond control, they sought his help to regulate the unprecedented crowd. The Government was baffled. It has such an impact on the Government that the civil disobedience won for the first time in 1917 in modern India.

Side by side the Government hFor the success of any movement, cooperation and participation of all and sundry is a must. They make the movement not only a success but also lead to the pinnacle. When Gandhiji arrived in Muzzafarpur, the multitude of peasants blackened Motihari. They knew that the Mahatma who wanted to help them, was in trouble with the authorities. It was perhaps the first kind of spontaneous demonstration of Indian against the Britishers. Seeing the situation beyond control, they sought his help to regulate the unprecedented crowd. The Government was baffled. It has such an impact on the Government that the civil disobedience won for the first time in 1917 in modern India.

Yes, it is rightly said that freedom from fear is more important than the legal justice for the poor. It is because of fear that everyone develops an apprehension of something going enormously wrong and dangerous or even fatal. The fear of any kind, harasses the person and mars his capabilities, energies, powers, happiness and even the peace of mind.

In this lesson, one can note that the poor peasants were much afraids of the landlords. Even the lawyers were charging high fees for the cases. Gandhi chided them for charging the heavy fees even from the share-croppers. He advised that it was useless to go to the courts because the peasants were crushed and they were fear-stricken. In his campaign for the share-croppers Gandhi was ordered to leave Champaran immediately. The peasants came to know and blackened the town of Motihari. The officials battled and sought Gandhi’s cooperation. An official inquiry commission was set up. It ordered the landlords to refund the amount to the peasants. Consequently they learnt courage and realised their rights. It shows that freedom from fear is more important than legal justice.

After independence one can see that the poor are not free except some cases of scheduled caste, backward castes and scheduled tribes.

There are other poor people in India. They hardly keep their body and soul together. They pass their nights on the open footpaths and go without food. Small children and workers are exploited by industrialists. They work in horrible conditions devoid of any security and safety. They are beaten and thrown to dingy cells. In reality the present India is ruled by the rich, crooked politicians and dons of the under world.