Personal Profile
Thakur Deshraj was a social worker, journalist, nationalist, freedom fighter and author of many books. He was born in village Jhagina of district Bharatpur in Rajasthan in 1952.
Condition of farmers before independence
When in 30 March 1949 the state of Rajasthan came into existence it was composed of several princely states of Rajputana. The condition of the farmers in Rajasthan was bad. The farmers of the Rajasthan were exploited and oppressed by the Jagirdars during British Raj.
They were given in-human treatment when the Jagirdars did not get tax, they were given hard punishments and their crop used to be destroyed. There was not a single primary school. They could not wear a colored Pagri or turban. They could not sit on a charpoy in front of the Rajput Thakur. They were treated as untouchables. Their ladies were made to wear clothes similar to those worn by lower classes. They were not allowed to wear gold ornaments.
Thakur Deshraj awakened farmers to fight
Thakur Deshraj awakened the farmers to fight for their rights. He published local newspapers to promote the farmers and to awakened them to realize the self-respect. He started a newspaper named ‘Rajasthan Sandesh’ in 1931 for this purpose. With his efforts the All India Jat Mahsabha could be associated with the farmer movement in Shekhawati.
He was a strong follower of Arya Samaj. He started taking part in politics from 1920-21. Thakur Deshraj came to Mandawa in 1929 to take part in ‘Arya Samaj’ function and realized the social problems of Jats in Shekhawati region. He published a series of articles in ‘Jatveer’ on the acts of oppression on farmers, which awakened them. He was the main leader and force behind the Shekhawati farmer’s movement from 1931 to 1935. His wife was Tribeni Devi.
Effects of his Struggle
With the efforts of Thakur Deshraj a sabha of Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha took place at Badhala village in Palsana. It was attended by famous revolutionist Vijay Singh Pathik, Baba Nrisingh Das, Chaudhary Laduram (Gordhanpura). In this sabha some rules were made for establishment Jat Panchayats to prevent the excesses of Jagirdars,education for the farmer’s son,economical,social and cultural development of farmers etc.
As a journalist he wrote in news papers like ‘Ganesh’, ‘Jatveer’, and ‘Rajasthan Sandesh’ etc. about the oppressive measures of the Jagirdars in Shekhawati region in Rajasthan and the Nawabs of Loharu in Haryana. His voice through these news papers reached up to House of Commons in England.
Later he was selected as revenue minister in the princely state of Bharatpur.
