THE B1HAR KISAN SABHA MOVEMENT—1933-1939 23 leaders wanted to work well within the given constitutional framework. Further, it was dominated by the 'rich* and the 'middle* peasants—a limitation which continued even later and a fact which was accepted by Sahajanand. From 1936 onwards, the Kisan Sabha was to involve itself in the 'Bakasht agitation'. Bakasht lands consisted of lands in which zamindars exercised direct control over cultivation but under certain circumstances, tenants could claim occupancy rights on it. However, the exact nature of these land-rights remained obscure and in practice both the Bakasht and the zirat lands were treated as belonging to the zamindar. Due to the growing kisan agitation and certain legislative measures of the government, intended to bestow some rights on the tenantry, there had developed a tendency among the zamindars by 1920s to convert the ryoti lands into Bakasht lands. Taking advantage of the current crisis of the 'depression' and the consequent rent-arrears of the tenants, the zamindars got the latter's holdings sold up in many cases. The buyers of these holdings were often the zamindars themselves who could now lease out the land on a short-term basis after converting it into Bakasht to secure the advantages of cultivation and make better profits. Evictions and conversion of tenant land had become a universal problem in the province. In Aurangabad district, 6000 bighas of land were sold in Ibrahimpur. In Jitura in Shahabad area 500 bighas were sold in a village for arrears of rent and 300 bighas were convered in zirat.9 The tenants, especially those who were evicted from their land, were very badly affected. The tenants enumerated their grievances before the Kisan Enquiry Committee. The tenants of the Amawan Raj (Gaya district) reported that: (a) they were charged with very high rents; (b) they were forced to render begari or forced labour and supply vegetables and ghee free of cost; (c) they were rarely granted rent-receipts, and, in the case of smaller landlords, it was noted that rent receipts, were never given at all; (d) original tenants were being dispossessed and in their place other tenants were settled. The situation of tenants in other localities was also similar.10 The ground for an agrarian agitation had been prepared due to these developments. The Provincial Kisan Sabha was leading the movement against the conversion of lands at many places. The most legendary among the Bakasht struggles were lauched in Monghyr (at Barahiya Tal) and Gaya (at Deora) districts under the leaderships of Karyanand Sharma and Jadunandan Sharma respectively. The usual methods adopted in the struggle consisted of petitions, meetings, demonstrations and speeches at the beginning of the struggle. Later the