Context: 

March 19 commemorates the anniversary of the Muzhara movement, a significant agrarian struggle in Punjab.

About Muzharas:

• Muzharas were landless tenant farmers who cultivated land for generations but lacked ownership rights for it.
• Under British rule also, some small farmers were forced to surrender their land and work as muzharas.
• Before Independence Muzharas were exploited under unjust feudal system in which landlords (biswedars) took one-third of the produce, passing a share to the king, who further paid revenue to the British.
• This system led to the oppression of the peasantry, preventing them from benefiting from their own labour.
• After independence too, Biswedars continued their unjust practise, which were stopped by 1952 land reforms, granting ownership rights to tenant farmers. 
• As the movement grew stronger, groups of activists within the Muzharas started protecting tenant farmers' rights.

Significance of 19 March: 

• In March 1949, Biswedars attempted to reclaim land cultivated by muzharas but met with strong resistance in Kishangarh village.
• The Muzharas drove out landlords, harvested sugarcane, produced jaggery and stored it for their own use while preparing for retaliation against the PEPSU administration.
• On March 17, the Patiala police intervened, leading to a standoff in which one police officer was killed. Thirty-five Muzharas were arrested and charged with murder, but all were acquitted in February 1950 due to the efforts of Muzhara Movement leaders.
• On March 19, the Army surrounded the village, resulting in a violent confrontation where four muzharas were killed.
• March 19 became symbolic of the struggle, and from 1953 onward, it was observed annually to commemorate the movement.
• Key Leaders of the Movement: Jagir Singh Joga, Buta Singh, Teja Singh Sutantar, Sewa Singh Thikriwala.
• Legacy and Farmer Union Leaders: The Muzhara Movement is remembered as a symbol of resistance, with leaders like Jagmohan Singh Patiala emphasizing farmers' resilience against injustice and their ongoing fight for their rights.

How the day is celebrated?

• Earlier, a three-day conference was usually held in Kishangarh village, Mansa district, attracting farmers from surrounding areas. 
• Over the last two decades, the event has been reduced to a single-day conference held on March 19, organised by the Communist Party of India (CPI) , with participation from other farmers’ unions.
• The entry gate of Kishangarh village bears the symbolic inscription dedicated to the martyrs of the Muzhara Movement.