Govind Giri belonged to the Banjara family of Dunagarpur and was a social and religious reformer in the early 1900s among the Bhils.
Samp Sabha:
- He established Samp Sabha in 1883 to enhance morality among the Bhils, focusing on keeping them away from superstitions and making them self-dependent and self-confident.
- His priorities included opening school s and stopping the tribals from activities like drinking liquor, looting, stealing , etc.
Bhagat Movement :
His teachings succeeded in awakening them, culminating in the politico-economic revolt of the Bhils, known as the Bhagat Movement.
- He advocated for the use of indigenous goods, motivating people to ‘say no’ to ‘begar, ‘ the forced labor, and not to pay unnecessary taxes.
- Ramifications: Firstly, it made it easier to mobilize them to revolt against forced labor and the high revenue rates in 1921-22. It also forced the Rajput states to treat the Bhils sympathetically.
- Later, he proposed the establishment of a separate Bhil state.
- Objective: Motilal Tejawat started the Eki Movement in Bhomat (around Jhadol, Sirohi) with the aim of organizing the Bhils against all types of exploitation being done by the states and jagirdars.
- Activities:
- Non-cooperation movement among Bhils – against arbitrary taxes and forced labour.
- Social reform program among Bhils and Garasis
- Call of Mewar – Motilal Tejawat placed 21 demands in front of Mewar Maharana, out of which 18 were accepted.
- Violent suppression of the movement (Neemrana massacre) – Police firing was resorted in 1922 to crush the movement.
The movement finally ended with the arrest of Motilal Tejawat in 1929. Despite its limited achievements, the Eki movement proved to be a milestone in the tribal struggle.
- It united the Bhils against atrocities
- It was mainly a non-cooperation movement without violence
- It started sounding the trumpet against the feudal system
- This movement ensured the participation of tribes in the Prajamandal movement.
