A History of Agriculture in India v2.c87.s4.3

v2.c87.s4.3

One of the greatest achievements of Banda Bahadur was the abolition of the *zamindari* system in East Punjab. The *zamindars* (landlords) were mostly government officials responsible for paying to the Mughal Government fixed land revenue of the villages entrusted to them. They had arrogated to themselves the position of absolute proprietors who could turn out the actual cultivators at their sweet will. The Mughal authorities did not interfere in their internal arrangements so long as they paid their dues. They were free to extort any amount from the peasants who were practically reduced to the position of serfs. 'Once, says a local tradition, people from the neighbourhood of Sadhaura came to Banda complaining of the iniquities practised by their landlords. He ordered Baj Singh to open fire on them. They were astonished at the strange reply to their representation, and asked him what it meant. He told them that they deserved no better treatment when being thousands in number they still allowed themselves to be cowed down by a handful of zamindars. "Why should not the Khalsa of the Guru feel strong enough to redress his own wrongs?" The remedy suggested was successfully applied.³