Why did Gandhiji consider freedom from fear more important than legal justice for the poor peasants of Champaran?

The ruthless exploitation of the poor farmers by the landlords of Champaran prompted the farmers to fight endless legal battle against the landlords with the help of eminent lawyers. However, the battles were inconclusive. Terror-stricken peasants had no voice to raise and no relief in the courts against the unfair dealings of the landlords. When Gandhiji came on scene, he viewed the entire situation and declared that there was no point in getting into litigations as law courts would hardly be able to do justice to the peasants. He felt that it was necessary to teach these down-trodden farmers how to be courageous. Until and unless, they got over the terror of the Britishers, they would never experience any sense of relief, he realized. Therefore, he gave priority to empowering and emboldening the peasants rather than waging legal battles for them. After that, Gandhiji decided to accept a settlement of 25% of the compensation money as what mattered more to him was the moral victory of the farmers and making the landlords realise their own dishonesty and surrender the money as well as their prestige. Thus, Champaran episode thus marked the beginning of a total transformation of the poor and exploited peasants. Within a few years, the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants.

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