The historic agitation against the oppressive 'Begar' (forced unpaid labor) system in the hill state of Shimla, specifically centered around the Jubbal state under the leadership of Bhagmal Sautha, took place in connection with which broader freedom struggle event?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The agitation against the institutionalized begar system in Jubbal and neighboring Shimla hill states was organized under the banner of the Praja Mandal movement in the late 1930s and 1940s, demanding the total abolition of forced porterage and arbitrary taxes levied on peasants. Leaders like Bhagmal Sautha courageously exposed feudal atrocities, leading to reforms and aligning hill nationalism with the national mainstream. The formal abolition of begar became a major victory for rural tenant farmers in Himachal.