Vijay Singh Pathik was an ex-revolutionary connected with Ras Bihari Bose’s revolutionary group. His real name was Bhoop Singh Gurjar. He belonged a village, Guthawali, in Bulandshahar district of Uttar Pradesh. He was Gujar (cultivator cum cattle breeder caste) by caste and his grand father and father were among the freedom fighters of the first Indian War of Independence.
Vijay Singh Pathik: The Name
The family background of Vijay Singh Pathik made him revolutionary. He was sent to organise revolutionary activities in Rajasthan by his party. Rash Behari Bose & Sanchin Sanyal planned a revolt in 1915 but the plan failed because of treachery. Ras Behari Bose had to flee to Japan and Sachin Sanyal was transported for life. Vijay Singh Pathik was also arrested in Rajasthan with his comrades on the suspicion of his connection with the above revolutionary group and he was put in the prison at Tatgarh. He escaped from the prison and assumed the name of Vijay Singh Pathik (original Bhoop Singh) and dressed himself as Rajasthani Rajput.
Vijay Singh Pathik: Contributions
Vidya Pracharni Sabha
After escaping from the prison Vijay Singh Pathik established Vidya Pracharni Sabha at a village, Ochhri, near Chittaurgarh to work among the peasants of the area. In 1915 he organised a function of Vidya Pracharni Sabha in which Sadhu Sitaram Das came as an invitee. He was impressed by the ideas of Pathik and he asked him to take over the leadership of the Byolia peasant movement.
Bijolia Peasants Movement
In 1916, Vijay Singh Pathik reached Bijolia and assumed leadership of the Bijolia Peasant Movement. He also established Vidya Pracharni Sabha at Bijolia and under this Sabha he started a library, a school, and a Akhara. These institutions later became the centres of political activities.
The movement was launched by the caste Panchayat of Dhakar as in 1897, but it was a weak organisation. In 1916 Pathik organised a peasant organisation known as Bijolia Kisan Panchayat. He established a central committee of the Kisan Panchayat which was named as Kisan Panchayat Board and its branches were opened in each village. The central committee also established a panchayat fund with subscriptions from its members. Manna lal Patel was appointed Sarpanch (President) and a committee of 13 members was constituted under him to conduct the movement.
Vijay Singh Pathik established Rajasthan Sewa Sangh in 1919 and situated his headquarters at Ajmer, which was under direct British rule. The Rajasthan Sewa Sangh and the Rajputana Madhya Bharat Sabha (Pathik President) also extended their support to the movement.
Other Peasant Movements in Rajasthan
To get the support and intensify the movement Vijay Singh Pathik tried to launched the peasant movement in other parts of Udaipur state through Rajasthan Seva Sangh. By 1921 he had built up a strong peasant movement in the thikanas of Begun, Parsoli, Bhinder, Basi and Khalsa area of Udaipur State.
Arrest:
On 10th September, 1923 Pathik was arrested. He was tried by a special court and was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment and fined Rs. 1,500 for his activities in Bengu Peasant Movement. The arrest of Vijay Singh Pathik gave a severe set-back to the peasant movement of Bijolia. Vijay Singh Pathik was released on 28th April, 1927 under an order in which his re-entry in Mewar was forbidden. He cotniued his work in Bijolia through Kisan Sabha until 1930, when the leadership passed into the hands of Jamnalal Bajaj and Haribhau Upadhyay.
Newspapers:
- Through Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi newspaper “Pratap” published from Kanpur, he brought Bijolia Peasant Movement to national stage.
- He was editor of Rajasthan Kesari, Navin Rajasthan. Hindi Weekly – Tarun Bharat
- He also started his own independent Hindi weekly, the Rajasthan Sandesh and the Nav Sandesh from Ajmer.
Books:
- Novel: Ajay Meru
- Collection of stories: Pathik Pramod
- Pathikji ke Jail ke Patra,
- Pathik ki Kavitaon Ka Sangrah
Vijay Singh Pathik died in Ajmer in 1954.
