How did the people of Bastar react against the British forest policies? What were its consequences?

How did the people of Bastar react against the British forest policies? What were its consequences?

Ans.

Rise of Revolt in Bastar :

(i) When the colonial power proposed to reserve two - thirds of the forest in 1905 and stop shifting cultivation, hunting and collection of forest product, the people of Bastar became worried.

(ii) Some people were allowed to stay in ‘forest villages’ on the condition that they worked for the forest department and protected the forest from fires. Other people were displaced without any notice or compensation.

(iii) For long the villagers had been suffering from increased land rents and frequent demands for free labour and goods by colonial officials.

(iv) Moreover there were two terrible famines one in 1899-1900 and other in 1907 - 1908. People begin to gather and discuss these issues in their village councils, but the initiative was taken by the Dhurwas of Ranger forest, where reservation first took place.

(v) In 1910, mango boughs, a lump of earth, chillies and arrows, began circulating between villagers. These were actually messages inviting villagers to rebel against the British.

(vi) Bazaars were looted, the houses of officials and traders, schools and police stations were burnt and robbed and grain redistributed. 

Consequence of the Revolt:

(i) The British troops suppressed the rebellion. Adivasis fled into the jungles, their leader Gunda Dhur could not be captured.

(ii) In a major victory for the rebels, work on reservation was temporarily suspended and the area to be reserved was reduced to roughly half of that planned before 1910.