Resistance against eviction by Zamindars in West Godavari

The agrarian anti-feudal struggle that broke out in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in the 1930s is a stark example of how economic agitations were critical to the pursuit of Indian independence. Landlords in the region such as the ones in Elamarru, Kalavalapalli, Kalipatanam, and others were trying to evict the farmers to take control of thousands of acres of lands and forests. These lands served as important community resources, as the peasants grazed their cattle, foraged for food and fuel, and caught fish to sell in the local markets. The peasants resented the sudden efforts to evict them from their community lands, as well as the violence perpetrated by the zamindars and the colonial in the process. In January 1938, a march of 3000 farm laborers started at Chintalpudi. Shortly afterwards, another march was undertaken, where hundreds of peasants armed with flags, and singing patriotic songs, submitted a memo detailing their demands to the sub-collector. In the same year, a camp was established in the district to effectively guide the movement. The peasant agitation drew support from national leaders such as Swami Sahajanand Saraswati and Indulal Yagnik. Due to the immense pressure from the peasants, the zamindars were compelled to refrain from selling a large portion of the communal lands, and the colonial district administration agreed to arrange financial assistance for the poorer farmers.