The Maihar Satyagraha (1931-32)

The Princely State of Maihar, now located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, had been active in the independence struggle since the First War of Independence in 1857. It is believed that the movement in Maihar was so strong that the British government had to seek help from other princely states to quell it. Thus, when the nationalist movement spread across the country during the Civil Disobedience Movement, its effect was felt in Maihar as well. In the year 1931-32, a Satyagraha was organized in the state. The state government responded very aggressively, leading to the imprisonment of 22 persons. While in prison, the political prisoners were subjected to extreme torture and inhuman treatment, which led to the organisation of yet another satyagraha within the jail itself. Fearing that the freedom fighters might die of such brutal torture, which would then lead to a mass uprising, the government released them before the completion of their prison term. They were divided, taken to places far away from Maihar, and then released. In an interview given later, one of the freedom fighters, Uma Pratap Singh, who was imprisoned for hoisting the Tricolour, recounted that his feet and hands were tied with a wooden frame in such a way that his bones cracked. However, the spirit of Maihar was unbreakable. Despite the violent suppression of the 1931-32 satyagraha, there was a resurgence in the nationalist movement in the state in 1938-39.