Mulashi Satyagraha- 16 April 1922
On April 16, 1922, the Mulshi Satyagraha began in the Mulshi taluka of Pune district in Maharashtra, India. This nonviolent movement was against the construction of a dam on the Mula and Nila rivers near Pune. The dam was intended to provide electricity to Mumbai, but it threatened to displace thousands of locals who were deeply attached to their land and livelihoods.
The Mulshi Satyagraha was led by Pandurang Mahadev (Senapati) Bapat and V.M. Bhuskute, with the participation of women and men from the affected villages. The movement spread beyond the 52 submergence villages and even to Pune and beyond. The Satyagrahis launched various nonviolent actions, including sit-ins and hunger strikes, to pressure the government to reconsider the dam project.
The British government responded with repression and violence, arresting and imprisoning many Satyagrahis, including Mahadevbhai Desai and Mahatma Gandhi. Despite this, the movement persisted, and even women were jailed for their participation.
Ultimately, the British government succeeded in building the Mulshi dam, crushing the Satyagrahis' resistance. However, the Mulshi Satyagraha remains a significant event in Indian history and the world's first anti-dam struggle. It was a testimony to the power of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience in achieving social and political change. Even today, many locals in the Mulshi taluka continue to commemorate the Satyagraha and its impact on their lives.
Women played a significant role in the Mulshi Satyagraha, with many of them actively participating in the nonviolent protests and facing arrests and imprisonment. This was a remarkable achievement, as women's participation in political movements was not very common at the time.
The women who participated in the Satyagraha were mostly from the submergence villages that would be affected by the construction of the dam. They were deeply attached to their homes and farmlands and were determined to resist the government's efforts to displace them.
Women participated in various forms of protest, including sit-ins, rallies, and hunger strikes, and played a crucial role in organizing and mobilizing the local community. They also faced repression and violence from the British authorities and were subjected to arrests and imprisonment.
Despite these challenges, the women of the Mulshi Satyagraha remained committed to their cause and continued to participate in the movement until its successful conclusion. Their contributions to the Satyagraha have been recognized as an important milestone in the history of women's participation in political movements in India.
Prof. Prakash Kesari
Maharashtra, India.
