Fight for Farmers
Due to active participation in trade union movement the government was furious and he was arrested on May in 1930. He was released from jail in 1935 but till 1937 he was under surveillance by police in his own house at Susong Durgapur. But he did not stop his activities. During home arrest he inspired the farmers to organised Khetmajor Movement to establish farmers’ rights. During this time his maternal uncle zamindar of Susong Durgapur stood against the movement.
Despite serious antagonism by the family members he continued the movement with courage to establish the farmers’ rights. At that time he had become more popular due to leading the Khetmajor Movement. Due to the movement and the demand of fair price of jute he was arrested again for one year and 6 months. After the release from jail in 1937 he got the membership of communist party. At that time he decided to organise a labour movement in Kolkata again.
But the Hajong and Garo people of Susong Durgapur seriously requested him not to move Kolkata and lead movement against zamidar’s Tonk tax. He could not ignore their request and postponed to move Kolkata. Locally meaning of Tonk is a paid tax for land use by the crops. At the time the zamindars of Mymensigh area imposed this type of tax that was difficult to pay for the poor Hajong and Garo people. According to this rule a fixed amount of paddy had to pay to zamindar as tax for using the land.
Famers were compelled to pay the tax whether their crops produced or not. But farmer did not get any seed and fertilizer for cultivation. On the other hand land owner was the zamindar. So zamindars could increase tax for their land as they wished. They used to change the farmer whenever they wanted. In this situation the poor farmer of Hajong and Garo community had difficulties to abide this kind of rule.
That kind of oppression increased upon the Hajong and Garo people day by day. As a result, the farmers of Hajong and Garo organized movement against this unjust rule and Moni Singh led this movement. The movement was stated in 1937 and ended in 1949. When the movement was reached to tougher stage Moni Singh was arrested in 1941. Later he was elected as Presidium Member of Bengal Krisan Sova in 1944.