Volume : 5, Issue : 8, AUG 2019

THE COMMUNISTS AND THE TELENGANA PEASANT INSURRECTION (1946-1951)

ROMAN BORGOHAIN

Abstract

Telengana peasant revolt is one of the major peasant insurrections in India led by the Communists. It was an armed insurrection by the peasants during 1946 to 1951 in Telengana region of former princely state of Hyderabad. The peasants were exploited and dehumanized by the big landlords and the policies by the Nizam of Hyderabad. After independence of India, Nizam decided to remain independent and patronized atrocities by the Razakars force. Under the guidance of Communist Party of India (CPI), the peasants of Telengana raised arms which resulted bloodbath and the death of hundreds of people. Communist guerrillas fought against the forces of Nizam and the mighty Indian army. After Hyderabad was captured by Indian army, Communists gradually lost the mass base and ultimately decided to withdraw the armed insurrection in 1951. This peasant insurrection sparked lots of controversies and brought the plights of peasants into limelight. This paper attempts to analyze the role played by the communists in this historic peasant insurrection in the Telengana region of India.

Keywords

PEASANTS, LANDLORDS, NIZAM, RAZAKARS, EXPLOITATION, TELENGANA, PEASANT INSURRECTION, CPI, COMMUNIST GUERRILLAS.

Article : Download PDF

Cite This Article

Article No : 39

Number of Downloads : 973

References

  1. D. N. Dhanagare, ‘Social Origins of the Peasant Insurrection in Telengana, 1946-51’, in Ghanshyam Shah, ed. Social Movements and The State: Readings in Indian Government and Politics-4, New Delhi, Sage, 2011, pp. 91-124.
  2. Ibid., p. 94.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid., p. 96.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Ibid., p. 97.
  7. Ibid., p. 100.
  8. Ibid., p. 101.
  9. P. Sundarayya, ‘Telengana’, in A. R. Desai, ed. Peasant Struggles in India, New Delhi, Oxford, 1985, pp. 532-36.
  10. Dhangare, op. cit., p. 101.
  11. P. Sundarayya, ‘The Communist Movement in Andhra: Terror Regime-1948-51’, in A. R. Desai, ed. Peasant Struggles in India, New Delhi, Oxford, 1985, pp. 545-64.
  12. Dhangare, op. cit., p. 101.
  13. P. Sundarayya, ‘Hyderabad State-its Socio-political Background’, A. R. Desai, ed. Peasant Struggles in India, New Delhi, Oxford, 1985, pp. 537-44.
  14. Dhangare, op. cit., p. 102.
  15. Ibid., p. 105.
  16. K. Ranga Rao, ‘Peasant Movement in Telengana’, in M. S. A. Rao, ed. Social Movements in India: Studies in Peasant, Backward Classes, Sectarian, Tribal and Women’s Movement’, New Delhi, Manohar, 2012, pp.149-68.
  17. Ibid., p. 159.
  18. Ibid., p. 160.
  19. Sundarayya, op. cit., p. 533.
  20. Dhangare, op. cit., p. 110.
  21. Ibid., p. 111.
  22. Ranga Rao, op. cit., p. 162.
  23. Sundarayya, op. cit., p. 567.
  24. Ibid., p. 535.
  25. Ranga Rao, op. cit., p. 163.
  26. Dhangare, op. cit., p. 112.
  27. Ibid., p. 114.
  28. Ranga Rao, op. cit., p. 149.