Praja Mandal
Topic: The National Movement: Gandhian Era · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement"
Meaning
Praja Mandals ("people's associations") were bodies set up in the princely states, the areas ruled by Indian kings under British overlordship. They spread nationalist ideas there and asked for responsible government, which means government answerable to the people's elected representatives, and for an end to unfair taxes. They were set up mainly from the 1920s onwards. They worked together through the All India States Peoples' Conference, formed in 1927. They carried the national movement beyond British India.
Example
In 1938–39 the Rajkot Praja Mandal in Kathiawar led a satyagraha against the ruler. Gandhi himself went on a fast in Rajkot in March 1939 in support of the people's demands.
Don't confuse with
- Pradesh Congress Committees: Congress units in British India. Praja Mandals worked in the princely states and were separate local bodies.
Related concepts
- Gandhi as Mahatma
- Shahid Amin
- Gandhi's dhoti and loincloth
- Charkha
- Khadi
- Linguistic Pradesh Congress Committees
- All India States Peoples Conference
- Bijolia movement
- Abul Kalam Azad
- C. Rajagopalachari