Our friend Syed Shahnawaz Ahmad Qadri has done a great job by publishing a 480-page book titled ‘Lahoo Bolta Bhi Hain’ (The Muslim Characters of the Freedom Struggle) in 2017 from Lucknow through Lokbandhu Rajnarayan’s people. Over a long period Indian historians have been worried about the way history has been perverted in school and college text books with a view to arousing, communal feelings.
Should Indian Muslims be considered foreigners, are they betrayers of the national struggle – – – – these questions are of vital importance, since these and other prejudice generate bias and hatred against Indian Muslims. An Indian octogenarian ‘doyen’ has declared frequently that “history is a depiction of whole truth and nothing but the truth” Yet his book is abound with half truth – – – and far from the real truth. “The task of historian is not like catching files – – – hither and thither – – – – from thousands of others, but to distinguish from one more pernicious to less one. Every catcher has his method as well as choice. “
The story of Indian history writing has also been not devoid of any method and perspective.
It was deliberate policy of the British rulers during the post-mutiny periods to initiate policy of history writing to generate more acrimony and strifes amongst various communities and groups – – to perpetuate the British rule – – on the model of Romans (Stratchy’s letter to secretary of state, 1874) Accordingly some of British ex-servicemen with required intellectual ability were entrusted with this task of history writing. Elliot, Dawson and Briggs initiated a new move in history writing – – – on the framework drawn by James Mill. Depiction of Muslim tyranny over the subject people – – the Hindu – – – and the resistance of Rajputs and Marathas became their favorite themes.
This was the beginning of Indian historiography which had been well looked after by many British and Indian celebrities like Elphinstone, Charles Stewart, Tod, Vincent Smith, Roberts, ect. and after a long gap by Dr. Jadunath Sarkar who earned knighthood in 1921 by writing four volumes, on the most sensitive phase of Indian history – – The Fall of Mughal Empire. This singularly grand exploit was undertaken at a time when India witnessed the stirring phase of Hindu – Muslim unity under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. Sarkar’s greatness lies in his methodology. But his culling of facts and its placement to carry some purposeful projections served the cause of British imperialism to divide the people more and more. In all this he had the touch of genius. This imperial isn’t-motivated historiography left deep and abiding influence upon the generation of Indian intelligentsia of the thirties and forties – whose worthy and ablest representative is our eminent historian Dr. RCMuzumdar.He has charming magnetic personality which attracts young scholars who serve him as his aides; He has the capacity to produce the magnum opus which is generously patronized by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan. He has thus become the chief patriarch of the conservative school of history with distinction in communal bais. In the 1969 Diwali number of the RSS mouth peace ‘Organiser’ he elaborated his philosophy in the light of his presentation of “truth and nothing but the truth” – – that all the Muslims should go to Pakistan to solve the knotty problem of communalism.
To meet the challenge of the pernicious philosophy and cult of hatred – – which creates and has been creating thousands of Nathuram Godses – – naturally a new generation of historians have cropped up with their no less intellectual power and academic distinction. In the field of historical researches, in the face of their unrelenting search for truth, many of the earlier theories of eminent British and Indian historians like that of Dr. Jadunath Sarkar and Dr. Mazumdar have been mutilated and nearly demolished. In this work of demolition, social anthropology has also done a great deal. To the great extent, due to the untiring labor of these social scientists, change of climate is already discernible. The nationalist tradition as conceived by Mahatma Gandhi and Ravindranath Tagore was given distinct shape by Sardar Bhagat Singh, Asfaqulla, Matangini, Lakhan Pradhan and blood of myriad martyrs drawn from all the corners of India.
In this basic conflict between two schools of thought, I cannot but take side of Gandhiji, Tagore and other martyrs of our land.
It is with this urge that Saiyyd Shanwaz Kadary have attempted in this book to bring into focus the story of our people to free India from the shackles of British slavery, right from the beginning of 1765, in which the role of Indian Muslims has received special attention for obvious reasons.
Syed Shahnawaz Ahmad Qadri has given very accurate information about the first war of independence led by Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah of Murshidabad at Plassey on 23 June 1757, Nawab Tipu Sultan of Mahesur’s battle in Srirangapatna in 1899 and the second biggest war of independence led by the last emperor of India Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857 and the movement that took place after the Quit India movement of 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi! And most importantly, he has done a great job by giving a detailed account of the martyrdom of 41 Muslim women along with 1192 Muslim martyrs in this war! Because after 1857, the British, under the policy of divide and rule, identified the communal elements of both the communities and started working around communal polarization through them! And for that, he started working behind the curtain to form separate organisations for both the religions. Due to which, in the beginning of the 19th century, the Bharat Mahamandal of Hindus was formed whose president was the Maharaja of Darbhanga. In which the British played a very big role. Which was converted into Hindu Mahasabha in 1906. Similarly, Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dhaka started the All India Confederation of Muslims which came to be known as All India Muslim League in December 1906. And after that, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was established in Nagpur on the day of Dussehra in 1925.
For more than a hundred years, RSS has been spreading misconceptions against Muslims 24 hours a day! And the most important thing in this is accusing Muslims of being anti-national and blaming them for the partition of the country instead of fighting for freedom! In this context, this book is giving a befitting reply to the propaganda being done by RSS! Although RSS had no connection with the freedom movement at all! On the contrary, they were engaged in recruiting people in the British police and army! And the irony is that today, by becoming self-proclaimed patriots, they are distributing certificates of patriotism and treason! I am especially thanking Syed Shahnawaz Ahmed Qadri for writing this book in such detail! However, on this subject, our Calcutta friend Professor Shantimaya Roy has written a 160-page book in English titled ‘Freedom Movement and Indian Muslims in Brief’ and published by the National Book Trust of India in 1979. I am looking at Professor Shantimaya Roy’s book as a preface to Syed Shahnawaz Ahmed Qadri’s ‘Lahoo Bolta Bhi Hain’.
The British Raj in India began on 23 June 1757 after the British defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, in the Battle of Plassey. Which later took place in the battle of Srirangapatna on 4 May 1899 with the Nawab of Deccan Tipu Sultan, at the end of the eighteenth century, after snatching power from two major rulers of India, after winning the battle of Bhima Koregaon in 1818 near Pune against the Peshwas, within forty years, under the leadership of the last king of Delhi Bahadur Shah Zafar (1857), in which Ahmed Abdullah, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Prince Firoz Shah, Raja Bakht Khan of Ballabhgarh, Maulvi Liaquat Ali of Allahabad, Rani Lakshmibai, Peshwa Bajirao, Nana Fadnavis, Tatya Tope, Veer Kunwar Singh, Raja Devi Baksh Singh, and Maulvi Fazle Haq Khairabadi and his fellow Maulvis fought the battle of independence with a shroud on their heads, with such bravery and courage that no amount of praise is enough!
After this war of 1857, the British established their rule over the whole of India. In the next ninety years and after the war of 1857, people started feeling that now instead of such scattered and scattered efforts, efforts should be made in a united manner and hence, organizations started coming up in various places all over India, for example (1) Indian Association in Bengal (2) Presidency Association in Bombay (3) Mahajan Sabha in Madras (4) Sarvajanik Sabha in Poona. Apart from all these, a retired British officer named Sir Hume started the Indian National Union, which later came to be known as Indian National Congress, in 1885. During 1885-1905, the participation of Muslims in Congress was less, but later it was seen that under the guise of efforts being made by different organizations, the British were proving to be helpful in complicating the issues of the people of both the communities instead of solving them. Then in the 1910 session of Muslim League held in Nagpur, a decision was taken to fight against the British rule along with Congress. Which was welcomed by Congress. And Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who was strongly against the Muslim League, was decided in the talks between Mohammad Ali Johar and Sir Wazir Hasan that for the freedom struggle, the Muslim League and Congress should rise above communalism and work together under the leadership of Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah, for which Jinnah was not ready. But after the then leadership of Congress gave him the green signal, in the Patna session, the people of both the religions decided to fight the freedom struggle together. And till 1913, Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah had not even become a member of the Muslim League. As a member of the Congress, he attended the sixth session of Patna, Calcutta and Lucknow along with Sarojini Naidu and Bishnnarayan Dar. Most historians have described Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah as being involved in the formation of the Muslim League and the creation of Pakistan. But Syed Shahnawaz Ahmed Qadri, after studying the books of other authors with great effort, found that till 1914, he had nothing to do with the Muslim League formed in 1906. On the contrary, he was ideologically against the formation of the Muslim League. On the contrary, the then leaders of the Congress decided to work together with the Muslim League for the freedom struggle. In 1915, the sessions of both the parties were going on at the same time in Mumbai. In which Mahatma Gandhi along with Lord Sinha, Surendranath Banerjee, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Mrs. Anne Bezant, Sarojini Naidu, Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah requested him to attend. And in the second year of the beginning of this series, the President of the League session in Lucknow was Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah! And Lucknow Pact was signed between Congress President Ambika Charan Majumdar!
Till 1921, the conventions of both the parties were being held together. But from here, the foundation of the formation of Pakistan was laid by the British through a conspiracy, which led to the partition of the country. It seemed that after the partition, people of both the communities would live in peace. But the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which was established on the day of Dussehra in 1925, has been continuously engaged in polarizing Hindus and Muslims for the last hundred years. Even in its songs, intellectuals and sports, the work of promoting communalism continues 24 hours a day for 12 months. And nowadays, after coming to power, as per Golwalkar’s saying, “People of the minority community living in India will have to get used to living on the basis of the goodwill of the people of the majority community. And if they want to live in this country, then they will have to live as per the wishes of the majority people!”
The construction of Ram Temple in place of Babri Masjid is the biggest proof of that. And after banning cow slaughter and becoming the ruling party, Article 370 of Kashmir was abolished in one go! And its statehood was abolished! And now the propaganda going on to bring the Wakf Bill is a proof of this! Today, fatwas are issued on everything from clothes to food! And from the ruling party’s participation in festivals to the examples of bringing Brahmins in the Parliament by the government to perform puja, are raising questions on India’s secularism! Today, India has become an undeclared Hindu nation! In this context, I hope that our friend Syed Shahnawaz Ahmed Qadri’s book ‘Lahoo Bolta Bhi Hain’ will be useful in clearing some misunderstandings!
Dr. Suresh Khairnar, former President Rashtra Seva Dal.
