Congress and Gandhi Ji’s Silence on Moplah Riots
Mr. Gandhi has been very punctilious in the matter of condemning any and every act of violence and has forced the Congress, much against its will to condemn it. But Mr. Gandhi has never protested against such murders. Not only have the Musalmans not condemned these outrages but even Mr. Gandhi has never called upon the leading Muslims to condemn them. He has kept silent over them. Such an attitude can be explained only on the ground that Mr. Gandhi was anxious to preserve Hindu-Muslim unity and did not mind the murders of a few Hindus, if it could be achieved by sacrificing their lives.
This attitude to excuse the Muslims any wrong, lest it should injure the cause of unity, is well illustrated by what Mr. Gandhi had to say in the matter of the Moplah riots.
The blood-curdling atrocities committed by the Moplah in Malabar against the Hindus were indescribable. All over Southern India, a wave of horrified feeling had spread among the Hindus of every shade of opinion, which was intensified when certain Khilafat leaders were so misguided as to pass resolutions of “congratulations to the Moplah on the brave fight they were conducting for the sake of religion.” Any person could have said that this was too heavy a price for Hindu-Muslim unity. But Mr. Gandhi was so much obsessed by the necessity of establishing Hindu-Muslim unity that he was prepared to make light of the doings of the Moplahs and the Khilafats who were congratulating them. He spoke of the Moplahs as the “brave God-fearing Moplahs who were fighting for what they consider as religion and in a manner which they consider as religious.” Speaking of the Muslim silence over the Moplah atrocities Mr. Gandhi told the Hindus:
“The Hindus must have the courage and the faith to feel that they can protect their religion in spite of such fanatical eruptions. A verbal disapproval by the Musalmans of Moplah madness is no test of Musalmans friendship. The Musalmans must naturally feel the shame and humiliation of the Moplah conduct about forcible conversions and looting, and they must work away so silently and effectively that such a thing might become impossible even on the part of the most fanatical among them. My belief is that the Hindus as a body have received the Moplah madness with equanimity and that the cultured Musalmans are sincerely sorry of the Moplahs perversion of the teaching of the Prophet.”
The Resolution passed by the Working Committee of the Congress on 16th January 1922 on the Moplah atrocities shows how careful the Congress was not to hurt the feelings of the Musalmans.
“The Working Committee places on record its sense of deep regret over the deeds of violence done by Moplahs in certain areas of Malabar, these deeds being evidence of the fact that there are still people in India who have not understood the message of the Congress and the Central Khilafat Committee, and calls upon every Congress and Khilafat worker to spread the said message of non-violence even under the gravest provocation throughout the length and breadth of India.
“Whilst, however, condemning violence on the part of the Moplahs, the working Committee desires it to be known that the evidence in its possession shows that provocation beyond endurance was given to the Moplahs and that the reports published by and on behalf of the Government have given a one-sided and highly exaggerated account of the wrongs done by the Moplahs and an understatement of the needless destruction of life resorted to by the Government in the name of peace and order.
“The Working Committee regrets to find that there have been instances of so-called forcible conversion by some fanatics among Moplahs, but warms the public against believing in the Government and inspired versions. The Report before the Committee says:
“‘The families, which have been forcibly converted into Mohammedanism, lived in the neighborhood of Manjeri. It is clear that conversions were forced upon Hindus by a fanatic gang which was always opposed to the Khilafat and Non-co-operation Movement and there were only three cases so far as our information goes.”
In the Liberator of 26th August 1926 the Swami Ji says:
“The first warning was sounded when the question of condemning the Moplahs for their atrocities on Hindus came up in the Subjects Committee. The original resolution condemned the Moplahs wholesale for the killing of Hindus and burning of Hindu homes and the forcible conversion to Islam. The Hindu members themselves proposed amendments till it was reduced to condemning only certain individuals who had been guilty of the above crimes. But some of the Muslim leaders could not bear this even. Maulana Fakir and other Maulanas, of course, opposed the resolution and there was no wonder. But I was surprised, an out-and-out Nationalist like Maulana Hasrat Mohani opposed the resolution on the ground that the Moplah country no longer remained Dar-ul-Aman but became Dar-ul-Harab and they suspected the Hindus of collusion with the British enemies of the Moplahs. Therefore, the Moplahs were right in presenting the Quran or sword to the Hindus. And if the Hindus became Musalmans to save themselves from death, it was a voluntary change of faith and not forcible conversion—Well, even the harmless resolution condemning some of the Moplahs was not unanimously passed but had to be accepted by a majority of votes only. There were other indications also, showing that the Musalmans considered the Congress to be existing on their sufferance and if there was the least attempt to ignore their idiosyncrasies the superficial unity would be scrapped asunder.”
This inhuman defending of the barbaric Moplah atrocities prompted Annie Besant to comment bitterly as MALABAR AGONY in new India 29 nov.1921 as From that date [August 1] onwards thousands of the forbidden war-knives were secretly made and hidden away, and on August 20, the rebellion broke out; Khilafat flags were hoisted on police stations and Government offices. …The misery is beyond description. Girl wives, pretty and sweet, with eyes half blind with weeping, distraught with terror; women who have seen their husbands hacked to pieces before their eye, in the way “Moplahs consider religious”, old women tottering, whose faces become written with anguish and who cry at a gentle touch and a kind look, waking out of a stupor of misery only to weep, men who have lost all, hopeless, crushed, desperate.
… I have walked among thousands of them in refugee camps, and sometimes heavy eyes would lift as a cloth was laid gently on the bare shoulder, and a faint watery smile of surprise would make the face even more piteous than the stupor. Eyes full of appeal, of agonized despair, of hopeless entreaty of helpless anguish, thousands of them camp after camp. …
Two Pulayas, lowest of the submerged classes were captured with others and were given the choice between Islam and Death. These, the outcaste of Hinduism, the untouchables, so loved the Hinduism which had been so unkind a step-mother to them that they chose to die Hindus rather than to live Muslim. May the God of both, Muslim and Hindus send His messengers to these heroic souls, and give them rebirth into the Faith for which they died.
Madhvan Nair, secretary Calicut district congress committee had recorded the following in his report:
Can you conceive of a more ghastly and inhuman crime than the murder of babies and pregnant women? … A pregnant woman carrying 7 months was cut through the abdomen by a rebel and she was seen lying dead with on the way with the dead child projecting out … Another baby of six months was snatched away from the breast of the mother and cut into two pieces. … Are these rebels’ human beings or monsters?
Maulana Modini called the looting and killing of Hindus ‘military necessity’ while the high priest of Khilafat movement itself the then Congress High Command applauded Moplahs for fighting devotedly for their religious cause in a way ‘they consider religious’.: Men who consider it “religious” to murder, rape, loot, to kill women and little children, cutting down whole families, have to be put under restraint in any civilized society.
One of the favorite myths of the pseudo-secularist is that Moplah atrocity was actually a rebellion against land-owners who ‘happened to be ‘ Hindus. As demonstrated by the large number of swords and knives ornamentally decorated in their handles show how much money and careful planning had gone into these atrocities against Hindus. Annie Beasant’s report also shatters the myth that Moplah massacre in which by all moderate counts more than 5000 Hindus perished and many families dishonored and converted through sword and rapine, was not against just the ‘high-caste Hindus’ all Hindus -just because they were Hindus , were killed; infants were slaughtered before their mothers because they were born of Hindu parents.
Swami Ji in Jail with Akali Sikhs
In august, 1922 a trouble erupted in Amritsar over the ownership of a plot of land attached to the gurudwara at guru-ka-bagh. The Sikhs considered it as part of their sacred property and continued to cut wood from it. This led to police interference, charges, convictions, and imprisonment. The Alkali Sikhs organized a passive resistance campaign. Groups of Sikhs would go openly to guru-ka-bagh, and into the land guarded by police. They were systematically stopped, mercilessly beaten, and arrested. On call of alkalis Swami ji arrived at Amritsar on 10th September with Ajmal khan and Pt. Pyarelal Sharma. Madan Mohan Malviya and Lala Lajpat Rai were already there. Swami Ji addressed the meeting saying people of Delhi, Muslim, Hindus and even Christians were behind them, and that a telegram from the Alkali committee was sufficient to join the struggle. He blessed the satyagrahis and wished that they should in that religious struggle proceed to victory with the same non-violent spirit. When swami ji about to leave he was arrested and brought to Amritsar jail. Swami Ji was pushed in a small overflowing jail. Conditions were far from satisfactory and the old and sick Swami tried his best to make representations to the jail authorities for some improvement, but with little success. Swami Ji in 22nd sept. Court was sentenced one year simple imprisonment under section 117 and four months under section 143, to be served concurrently.
Swami ji was shifted to mianvali jail and was only released on 26th Dec 1922. The old sick swami with minutiae of food and of toilet provisions painstakingly recounted his experience in book Bandi Ghar ke Vichitra Anubhav (strange experiences in jail). Can any other be a better example than this for Hindu Sikhs unity.
Hindu Sangthan
Dissatisfied from the congress swami ji was attracted to Hindu Mahasabha on call of pt Madan Mohan Malviya, Ghanshyam Das Birla etc. his eyebrows were raised on meeting colonel U. Mukherji in Calcutta who said that the problem of slow but steady decrease in numbers of the Hindu population will lead to decline of Indo-Aryan race in next 420 years from earth. (Hindu Sangthan by Swami Sharddhananda p-14-15).
The 2 April 1923 leader took up the idea of Hindu Sangthan and its proposed conference in Banaras. Swami Ji in his usual fashion announced a three point resolution for Hindu Sangthan -
All neo-Muslims be taken back and treated as Hindus.
In view of the fact that an overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims and
Christians are the descendants of Hindu converts and in view of the catholicity
of the ancient Vedic dharma which absorbed non-Aryans into the community – this
conference resolves that non-Hindus converted by any sect of the Hindus
according to the purification (prayashchit) rite prescribed by the
representative boby of that sect be considered Hindus to all intents and
purposes by the whole Hindu community (Leader 8 august 1923).
Swami Ji dreamed of vast Hindu Sangthan and powerful movement in future for saving Aryan race. The anti- attitude of congress and non-corporation of orthodox Hindus lead to non- achievement of success of this mission. Our country history of 1947 is best proof that if Hindu Sangthan movement had reached success would their have been any partition or bloodshed and killing of lakhs of Hindus all over country.
Suddhi of The Malkanas Saving The Dying Race
Malkanas Rajputs scattered around Mathura, Farrukhabad were nominally Muslims, but their cultural and rituals were all Hindu practices. There were attempts to restore relations between Malkanas and Hindu Rajputs. On 13 Feb 1923 in Agra swami ji established Bhartiya Hindu Suddhi Sabha of which he was elected president and Lala Hansraj as vice president.
Swami Jis appeal for Suddhi appeared in leader dated 23 Feb. 1923 as -
The great arya nation is said at the present moment to be a dying race, not only because its numbers are dwindling but because it is completely disorganized. Individually man to man second to no nation on the earth in intellect and physique, possessing a code of morality unapproachable by any other race of humanity, it is still helpless on account of its divisions and selfishness. Lakhs upon lakhs of the best in the race have been obliged to profess Mohammedanism and thousands have been enticed away to accept Christianity without the least effort on the neo-Muslim Brahmans, Vaishyas, Rajputs and Jats have for more than two centuries and more been casting yearning glances and kept their Hindu faith and prejudices intact in the hope of being taken back in the bosom of their brotherhood.
A mere chance opened Hindu eyes, The Rajputs Mahasabha announced with a flourish of trumpets that four and a half lakhs Muslim Rajputs were ready for becoming Hindus. After having made this misleading announcement the Rajputs Sabha went to sleep. I call the announcement misleading because an overwhelming majority of them had never become Muslims in faith and practice. The Hindus went to sleep, but the Muslims being a living force were roused to action and scores of their preachers are at work for whose maintenance and propaganda work money is flowing like water. This after all roused the Hindu community also and there is now a cry from all sides for absorbing out strayed brethren in the bosom of the Vedic church, a new Sabha has been organized under the name of the Bhartiya Hindu Suddhi Sabha with the object of reclaiming those who are willing to come back to its fold.
Swami Ji in next 2 months marched from village to village claiming thirty thousand Suddhis by the year end. Naturally they became main target of Muslim agitation against Suddhi, a public meeting in Bombay was organized on 18th march 1923 by jamiat-ul-ulama condemning swami ji. Sensational posters appeared in many cities, and rumors spread that Muslims in dress of Hindu sadhus were going about frightening the Malkanas and heaping insults on the swami. Some aryas were afraid of an attack on their leader, and proposed to arrange a bodyguard for the threatened swami. But he refused with the words “param pita (the father on high) is my protection”. In moradabd Swami ji barred from making public speeches and many in other places his addresses were answered by Muslim counter meetings. (Leader 21-26 march, 1923)
Various leaders gave their personal opinion on Suddhi but none of them supported swami ji and Hindu Sangthan movement
Pt Motilal Nehru said in leader 8th April, 1923 that I would have been glad if the movement had not been started at this juncture when feelings are strained between Hindu and Muslims in the Punjab.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad pointed that individuals had been harassed by Suddhi workers; the swami ji firmly denied their allegations in leader 5th, 6th may 1923.
Jawaharlal Nehru in leader 13th may.1923 said that it would have been better for this question not to have been taken up then, and he expressed the wish that all outsiders left the Malkanas in peace for a while and permitted them to work along their own lines.
On 31st march the Maharaja of Darbhangha, learned Pundits of Banaras from Bharat Dharma Mahamandal gave their approval to the reclamation of Malkanas Rajputs.(leader 5th April , 1923)
Undoubtly the Suddhi step pioneered by Swami Dayanand ji and adopted by Aryasamaj under guidance of Swami Sharddhananda Ji saved millions of Hindus not even from being lost but also opened doors closed from centuries for entry of countless brothers who were lost with the cruel passage of time.
Mahatma Gandhi and Aryasamaj
On 29th may 1925 Gandhi Ji stated in young India under article Hindu – Muslim tension: Its cause and cure against Swami Sharddhananda “Swami Sharddhananda Ji is also disturbed. His speeches, I know, are often irritating. But even he wants Hindu Muslim unity. Unfortunately, he believes in the possibility of bringing every Muslim into Aryan fold. Just as perhaps most Muslims think that every non-Muslim will someday become a convert to Islam. Sharddhananda Ji is intrepid and brave. Single-handed he turned a wilderness into a magnificent boarding college on the banks of the sacred Ganges. He has faith in himself and his mission but he is hasty and easily ruffled. He inherits the traditions of the Aryasamaj”
Then he remarked on swami Dayanand and Satyarth Prakash -
I have profound respect for Dayanand Saraswati. I think that he has rendered great service to Hinduism. His bravery was unquestioned. But he made his Hinduism narrow. I have read Satyarth Prakash, the Aryasamaj bible. Friends sent me three copies of it was residing in the yarvada jail. I have disappointing book from a reformer so great. He has claimed to stand for truth and nothing else. But unconsciously misrepresented Jainism, Islam and Hinduism itself. One having even a cursory acquaintance with these faiths could easily discover the error into which the great reformer was betrayed. He has tried to make narrow one of the most tolerant and liberal of the faiths on the face of the earth. And an iconoclast though he was, he has succeeded in enthroning idolatry in the subtlest form. For he has idolized the letter of the Vedas and tried to prove the existence in the Vedas of everything known to science. The Aryasamaj flourishes, in my humble opinion, not because of the inherent merit of the teachings of Satyarth Prakash, but because of the grand and lofty character of the founder. (Mahatma Gandhi (1924), collected works 24:145)
“Is it to be contended that a book that has passed so many editions and has been translated in most of the languages of the world has been now found to contain matter which promotes feelings of enmity or hatred between different classes of his majesty’s subjects”
“So the question for me is not one of the merits or demerits of Satyarth Prakash but the more fundamental one of not interfering with freedom of writing and expression” (M.k.Gandhi Sind bans Satyarth Prakash Harijan nov3, 1946)
He continued on Aryasamaj as -
“Wherever you find Aryasamajists, there is life and energy. But having the narrow outlook and a pugnacious habit, they either quarrel with people of other denominations or failing that, with one another. Sharddhananda Ji has a fair share of that spirit. But in spite of all these drawbacks, I do not regard him as past praying for. It is possible that this sketch of the Aryasamaj and the Swami Ji will anger them. Needless to say, I mean no offence. I love the Samajists, for I have many co-workers among them. And I learnt to love the Swami Ji, even while I was in South Africa. And though I know him better now, I love him no less. It is my love that has spoken” (Collected works of Mahatma Gandhi vol 24 p-136-154)
The samaj did not see Gandhi jis words as an expression of love, it took enormous offence. Protest meeting were held across the country, letters of protest poured into the papers, and wires were sent to the mahatma. But he did not relent, or withdraw anything, or express regret about any of what he called deliberate accusations.
When swami Ji was asked if he would reply to Gandhi’s article he said that -
“ .. He did not think any reply was needed from him. His own statement was Mahatma Gandhi’s best refutation. It was full of contradictions, and itself explained the reason why he had fallen foul of the Aryasamaj. The Aryasamaj could not in any way be injured by his writings. If the aryasamajists were true to themselves neither the attacks of Mahatma Gandhi nor of any other individual could put a stop to the activities of the samaj” (Leader 13 June, 1924)
Even after swami jis sacrifice Gandhi Ji remained biased for Aryasamaj and the father of the nation was not able wide his feelings on swami Sharddhananda. He responded to Hindu Mahasabha on appeal of memorial for swami Sharddhananda as “for my part I still remain unconvinced about the need of Suddhi movement, taking suddhi in the sense it is generally understood. Suddhi of sinners is a perpetual inward performance. Suddhi of those who can be identified neither as Hindus nor as Muslims or who have been recently declared do not know even the meaning of conversion and who want to be known definitely as Hindus is not conversion but prayaschitta or penance. The third aspect of suddhi is conversion properly so called. And I question its use in this age of growing toleration and enlightment. I am against conversion whether it is known as suddhi by Hindus, tabligh by Muslims or conversion by Christians. Conversion is a heart-process known only to and by god”
(Ref: collected works of Mahatma Gandhi 32:515)
Aryasamaj and Hindu Muslim Differences
Most of historians and leaders in their works blame Aryasamaj activities like Suddhi, literary works as a cause of communal tensions in early part of 20th century. This Is result of half baked stories with real facts hidden, mindset of authors and up to a point anti stand of congress and mahatma Gandhi against Aryasamaj.
Since its establishment of Aryasamaj and army of Swami Dayanand saved thousands of Hindus from conversion which was always and hidden agenda of Muslims as well as Christians. The Aryasamaj came into scene as it opposed this radical approach stand by others. Better to say its role was as soldiers of Hinduism with mission to save the dying race. The narrow minded sects were not able to bear this and started negative propaganda against Aryasamaj as they considered Aryasamaj as their biggest opponent in tabligh (conversion) mission.
Swami Ji and Abdul Badri
Swami Ji exposed scam by Abdul Badri in third section of second edition of his book. Abdul Badri promoted killing of Muslim apostates. He declared about lawfulness of killing an apostate (khatre ka ghanta p74) Abdul Badri had also stated that he did not believe that any religion except Islam had the right to convert, and that Muslims could collaborate with anybody, except those who were intent on making Muslims into apostates. Abdul Badri had made cutting statement on swami ji as “are the deeds of Sharddhananda the deeds of the Hindus? As far as we have come to know from the Hindus, he is not a representative of the Hindus, neither is he connected with a large organization. He calls himself an arya, whose number even now is very small…it is a society without religion…it is our duty to reflect seriously about crushing that little organization that wishes to destroy Hindu – Muslim unity by the Suddhi movement and about engaging the help of the other Hindu castes in this holy work (khatre ka ghanta p 81-82) ”
Swami Ji also opened Muslim conspiracy in Urdu tej of 12th sept Painting conspiracy on a broad historical canvas. Islam inherited its blind faith which has wrought more havoc on mankind than all the wars waged by kings, from Judaism, founded on the very principle of aggression. He exposed history of Sunnis of massacre and looting and their open support even today of killing of apostate with an example of recent killing in Kabul by stoning to death. Swami Ji also exposed scam of khojas. By preaching the doctrine that the Aga khan was the living avatar, they gradually enticed Hindus into Islam; by making these unsuspecting Hindus bhagata of their leader they surreptitiously submerged them into Islam. (Kulyat sanyasi p-297-440)
Swami Ji in 1924 even published book name history of the assains, story of von hammer’s work on Islam and Christian aggression against mankind. Swami ji also correlated the sudden attacks by Muslims apart from by print media by riots. Baqar-id disturbances in Delhi in July were followed by destruction of Hindu temples in Amethi, Sambhal and Gulbarga in august and most pain stacking was riots of Kohat in which Hindu population have to fled completely for safety.(R.C. Majumdar – struggle for freedom p- 428) A unity conference was proposed in Delhi with Mohammad Ali, Ajmal khan and swami ji as its initiators. Motilal Nehru took the chair. Mahatma Gandhi was on fast. The conference passed resolution condemning all acts of impropriety and called for goodwill and cooperation but although Gandhi ji ended his fast it had been a futile exercise without real effect. The real cause of Muslim radicalism was morale boost by Gandhi ji on name of khilafat which was followed by Moplah riots, killing of Hindus in riots in various parts of India especially Aryasamaj Suddhi workers followed by sacrifice of great swami ji himself. Fanatic Muslim leaders have dreamed of converting the whole country into islamistan from Hindustan. They were not successful at that time due to endless efforts by swami Sharddhananda and Aryasamaj but at last they got partial success in 1947 by dividing country into two halves.
The Martyrdom
In March 1926 Swami Ji performed a Suddhi in Delhi that shook the Muslim community. A Muslim lady from Karachi, Asghari begum, arrived in the capital and asked Swami Ji to be converted to Aryan faith. She had read a lot about Hinduism, and had decided to undergo Suddhi and became a member of the Aryasamaj. Against will of her husband she had secretly left her home and made her way to Delhi with her children. The ceremony was duly performed; she was given the new name Shanty Devi, and with her children was put up in the arya widow’s home. Months later her husband tracked her down in Delhi, and he attempted to persuade his wife to change her mind. When this proved unsuccessful, he instituted on 2 sept. a law case against swami ji, shanty Devi, Swami Jis son Indra and Swami Jis son in law Dr Sukhdeo, for conspiracy in the abduction of his wife and children case was finally decided by the court on 4th December with clear acquittal of all the accused.(leader 2 oct. 1926)
During these months Muslim community was in a ferment of indignant animosity over the incident. Some Muslim papers were violent in their condemnation of the swami, especially Hasan Nizami in his Darwesh. For months Indra was extremely concerned about the safety of his father, who stubbornly insisted on ignoring all threats and continued to take evening walks in the surrounding Muslim quarter. (PITA p-291)
In December from his trip to Banaras swami ji got very ill. He was diagnosed as bronchial pneumonia patient by Dr Sukhdeo and Dr Ansari. Swami Ji very weak and he realized that death has hovered close. Swami Ji said “this body is no longer capable of service. My wish is that I be reborn in India so that I can serve her again” (PITA p-638)
On 23rd dec. Indra and others had paid their usual visit to swami ji around midday, and they left him to have some rest. Around 4 p.m. a Muslim called Abdul Rashid came to the house and asked to see the swami in order to discuss some problems of Islamic religion. Dharm Singh, Swami Jis personal attendant was inclined to refuse him access, but the visitor insisted. When the Swami called his attendant, and was told of the visitor, he invited him in and explained that he could not help him right away, but would be happy to do so later. The visitor then asked for a glass of water, and while Dharm Singh was taking his glass away, he rushed up to the swami ji and fired two bullets point-black into his chest. Dharm Singh came running and was shot in the thigh. The commotion brought Dharmpal, the swami’s secretary running. He overpowered the assassin and held him till the police arrived. (PITA p.283)Indra arrived within minutes, but the swami had died instantly. As he looked upon his father’s face, peaceful in death, Indra thought of these words the swami had uttered not long before. “Yet it is a source of contentment to me that I am singled out as the one worthy of wearing the crown of martyrdom” (BIO –p.598)
25TH dec, 1926 witnessed the last journey of the great swami whose whole life was dedicated for the Vedic dharma. The crowd was uncontrollable through the streets of Delhi and his last riots were performed by Indra.
MESSAGE FROM THE LIFE OF GREAT SWAMI SHRADDHANANDA JI
Ram, Krishna, Dayanand were born great souls while life of swami Sharddhananda ji proves us that even if one is born in darkness of ignorance bit with the grace of almighty god one can transform his life and shine like the sun of knowledge. Swami Sharddhananda life is most ideal example for us to learn and follow.
Mr. Gandhi has been very punctilious in the matter of condemning any and every act of violence and has forced the Congress, much against its will to condemn it. But Mr. Gandhi has never protested against such murders. Not only have the Musalmans not condemned these outrages but even Mr. Gandhi has never called upon the leading Muslims to condemn them. He has kept silent over them. Such an attitude can be explained only on the ground that Mr. Gandhi was anxious to preserve Hindu-Muslim unity and did not mind the murders of a few Hindus, if it could be achieved by sacrificing their lives.
This attitude to excuse the Muslims any wrong, lest it should injure the cause of unity, is well illustrated by what Mr. Gandhi had to say in the matter of the Moplah riots.
The blood-curdling atrocities committed by the Moplah in Malabar against the Hindus were indescribable. All over Southern India, a wave of horrified feeling had spread among the Hindus of every shade of opinion, which was intensified when certain Khilafat leaders were so misguided as to pass resolutions of “congratulations to the Moplah on the brave fight they were conducting for the sake of religion.” Any person could have said that this was too heavy a price for Hindu-Muslim unity. But Mr. Gandhi was so much obsessed by the necessity of establishing Hindu-Muslim unity that he was prepared to make light of the doings of the Moplahs and the Khilafats who were congratulating them. He spoke of the Moplahs as the “brave God-fearing Moplahs who were fighting for what they consider as religion and in a manner which they consider as religious.” Speaking of the Muslim silence over the Moplah atrocities Mr. Gandhi told the Hindus:
“The Hindus must have the courage and the faith to feel that they can protect their religion in spite of such fanatical eruptions. A verbal disapproval by the Musalmans of Moplah madness is no test of Musalmans friendship. The Musalmans must naturally feel the shame and humiliation of the Moplah conduct about forcible conversions and looting, and they must work away so silently and effectively that such a thing might become impossible even on the part of the most fanatical among them. My belief is that the Hindus as a body have received the Moplah madness with equanimity and that the cultured Musalmans are sincerely sorry of the Moplahs perversion of the teaching of the Prophet.”
The Resolution passed by the Working Committee of the Congress on 16th January 1922 on the Moplah atrocities shows how careful the Congress was not to hurt the feelings of the Musalmans.
“The Working Committee places on record its sense of deep regret over the deeds of violence done by Moplahs in certain areas of Malabar, these deeds being evidence of the fact that there are still people in India who have not understood the message of the Congress and the Central Khilafat Committee, and calls upon every Congress and Khilafat worker to spread the said message of non-violence even under the gravest provocation throughout the length and breadth of India.
“Whilst, however, condemning violence on the part of the Moplahs, the working Committee desires it to be known that the evidence in its possession shows that provocation beyond endurance was given to the Moplahs and that the reports published by and on behalf of the Government have given a one-sided and highly exaggerated account of the wrongs done by the Moplahs and an understatement of the needless destruction of life resorted to by the Government in the name of peace and order.
“The Working Committee regrets to find that there have been instances of so-called forcible conversion by some fanatics among Moplahs, but warms the public against believing in the Government and inspired versions. The Report before the Committee says:
“‘The families, which have been forcibly converted into Mohammedanism, lived in the neighborhood of Manjeri. It is clear that conversions were forced upon Hindus by a fanatic gang which was always opposed to the Khilafat and Non-co-operation Movement and there were only three cases so far as our information goes.”
In the Liberator of 26th August 1926 the Swami Ji says:
“The first warning was sounded when the question of condemning the Moplahs for their atrocities on Hindus came up in the Subjects Committee. The original resolution condemned the Moplahs wholesale for the killing of Hindus and burning of Hindu homes and the forcible conversion to Islam. The Hindu members themselves proposed amendments till it was reduced to condemning only certain individuals who had been guilty of the above crimes. But some of the Muslim leaders could not bear this even. Maulana Fakir and other Maulanas, of course, opposed the resolution and there was no wonder. But I was surprised, an out-and-out Nationalist like Maulana Hasrat Mohani opposed the resolution on the ground that the Moplah country no longer remained Dar-ul-Aman but became Dar-ul-Harab and they suspected the Hindus of collusion with the British enemies of the Moplahs. Therefore, the Moplahs were right in presenting the Quran or sword to the Hindus. And if the Hindus became Musalmans to save themselves from death, it was a voluntary change of faith and not forcible conversion—Well, even the harmless resolution condemning some of the Moplahs was not unanimously passed but had to be accepted by a majority of votes only. There were other indications also, showing that the Musalmans considered the Congress to be existing on their sufferance and if there was the least attempt to ignore their idiosyncrasies the superficial unity would be scrapped asunder.”
This inhuman defending of the barbaric Moplah atrocities prompted Annie Besant to comment bitterly as MALABAR AGONY in new India 29 nov.1921 as From that date [August 1] onwards thousands of the forbidden war-knives were secretly made and hidden away, and on August 20, the rebellion broke out; Khilafat flags were hoisted on police stations and Government offices. …The misery is beyond description. Girl wives, pretty and sweet, with eyes half blind with weeping, distraught with terror; women who have seen their husbands hacked to pieces before their eye, in the way “Moplahs consider religious”, old women tottering, whose faces become written with anguish and who cry at a gentle touch and a kind look, waking out of a stupor of misery only to weep, men who have lost all, hopeless, crushed, desperate.
… I have walked among thousands of them in refugee camps, and sometimes heavy eyes would lift as a cloth was laid gently on the bare shoulder, and a faint watery smile of surprise would make the face even more piteous than the stupor. Eyes full of appeal, of agonized despair, of hopeless entreaty of helpless anguish, thousands of them camp after camp. …
Two Pulayas, lowest of the submerged classes were captured with others and were given the choice between Islam and Death. These, the outcaste of Hinduism, the untouchables, so loved the Hinduism which had been so unkind a step-mother to them that they chose to die Hindus rather than to live Muslim. May the God of both, Muslim and Hindus send His messengers to these heroic souls, and give them rebirth into the Faith for which they died.
Madhvan Nair, secretary Calicut district congress committee had recorded the following in his report:
Can you conceive of a more ghastly and inhuman crime than the murder of babies and pregnant women? … A pregnant woman carrying 7 months was cut through the abdomen by a rebel and she was seen lying dead with on the way with the dead child projecting out … Another baby of six months was snatched away from the breast of the mother and cut into two pieces. … Are these rebels’ human beings or monsters?
Maulana Modini called the looting and killing of Hindus ‘military necessity’ while the high priest of Khilafat movement itself the then Congress High Command applauded Moplahs for fighting devotedly for their religious cause in a way ‘they consider religious’.: Men who consider it “religious” to murder, rape, loot, to kill women and little children, cutting down whole families, have to be put under restraint in any civilized society.
One of the favorite myths of the pseudo-secularist is that Moplah atrocity was actually a rebellion against land-owners who ‘happened to be ‘ Hindus. As demonstrated by the large number of swords and knives ornamentally decorated in their handles show how much money and careful planning had gone into these atrocities against Hindus. Annie Beasant’s report also shatters the myth that Moplah massacre in which by all moderate counts more than 5000 Hindus perished and many families dishonored and converted through sword and rapine, was not against just the ‘high-caste Hindus’ all Hindus -just because they were Hindus , were killed; infants were slaughtered before their mothers because they were born of Hindu parents.
Swami Ji in Jail with Akali Sikhs
In august, 1922 a trouble erupted in Amritsar over the ownership of a plot of land attached to the gurudwara at guru-ka-bagh. The Sikhs considered it as part of their sacred property and continued to cut wood from it. This led to police interference, charges, convictions, and imprisonment. The Alkali Sikhs organized a passive resistance campaign. Groups of Sikhs would go openly to guru-ka-bagh, and into the land guarded by police. They were systematically stopped, mercilessly beaten, and arrested. On call of alkalis Swami ji arrived at Amritsar on 10th September with Ajmal khan and Pt. Pyarelal Sharma. Madan Mohan Malviya and Lala Lajpat Rai were already there. Swami Ji addressed the meeting saying people of Delhi, Muslim, Hindus and even Christians were behind them, and that a telegram from the Alkali committee was sufficient to join the struggle. He blessed the satyagrahis and wished that they should in that religious struggle proceed to victory with the same non-violent spirit. When swami ji about to leave he was arrested and brought to Amritsar jail. Swami Ji was pushed in a small overflowing jail. Conditions were far from satisfactory and the old and sick Swami tried his best to make representations to the jail authorities for some improvement, but with little success. Swami Ji in 22nd sept. Court was sentenced one year simple imprisonment under section 117 and four months under section 143, to be served concurrently.
Swami ji was shifted to mianvali jail and was only released on 26th Dec 1922. The old sick swami with minutiae of food and of toilet provisions painstakingly recounted his experience in book Bandi Ghar ke Vichitra Anubhav (strange experiences in jail). Can any other be a better example than this for Hindu Sikhs unity.
Hindu Sangthan
Dissatisfied from the congress swami ji was attracted to Hindu Mahasabha on call of pt Madan Mohan Malviya, Ghanshyam Das Birla etc. his eyebrows were raised on meeting colonel U. Mukherji in Calcutta who said that the problem of slow but steady decrease in numbers of the Hindu population will lead to decline of Indo-Aryan race in next 420 years from earth. (Hindu Sangthan by Swami Sharddhananda p-14-15).
The 2 April 1923 leader took up the idea of Hindu Sangthan and its proposed conference in Banaras. Swami Ji in his usual fashion announced a three point resolution for Hindu Sangthan -
- With a view to do justice to the so-called depressed classes in the Hindu
community and to assimilate them, as part of an organic whole in the great body
of the Aryan fraternity , this conference of Hindus of all sects holds-
- That the lower among the depressed classes be allowed to draw water from common public wells.
- That water be served to them at drinking posts freely as is done to the highest among the Hindus.
- That all members of the classes be allowed to sit on the same carpet in public meetings and other ceremonies with the higher classes and
- That their children (male or female) be allowed to enter freely and, at teaching time, to sit in the same form with other Hindu and non-Hindu children in government, national and denominational institutions
Swami Ji dreamed of vast Hindu Sangthan and powerful movement in future for saving Aryan race. The anti- attitude of congress and non-corporation of orthodox Hindus lead to non- achievement of success of this mission. Our country history of 1947 is best proof that if Hindu Sangthan movement had reached success would their have been any partition or bloodshed and killing of lakhs of Hindus all over country.
Suddhi of The Malkanas Saving The Dying Race
Malkanas Rajputs scattered around Mathura, Farrukhabad were nominally Muslims, but their cultural and rituals were all Hindu practices. There were attempts to restore relations between Malkanas and Hindu Rajputs. On 13 Feb 1923 in Agra swami ji established Bhartiya Hindu Suddhi Sabha of which he was elected president and Lala Hansraj as vice president.
Swami Jis appeal for Suddhi appeared in leader dated 23 Feb. 1923 as -
The great arya nation is said at the present moment to be a dying race, not only because its numbers are dwindling but because it is completely disorganized. Individually man to man second to no nation on the earth in intellect and physique, possessing a code of morality unapproachable by any other race of humanity, it is still helpless on account of its divisions and selfishness. Lakhs upon lakhs of the best in the race have been obliged to profess Mohammedanism and thousands have been enticed away to accept Christianity without the least effort on the neo-Muslim Brahmans, Vaishyas, Rajputs and Jats have for more than two centuries and more been casting yearning glances and kept their Hindu faith and prejudices intact in the hope of being taken back in the bosom of their brotherhood.
A mere chance opened Hindu eyes, The Rajputs Mahasabha announced with a flourish of trumpets that four and a half lakhs Muslim Rajputs were ready for becoming Hindus. After having made this misleading announcement the Rajputs Sabha went to sleep. I call the announcement misleading because an overwhelming majority of them had never become Muslims in faith and practice. The Hindus went to sleep, but the Muslims being a living force were roused to action and scores of their preachers are at work for whose maintenance and propaganda work money is flowing like water. This after all roused the Hindu community also and there is now a cry from all sides for absorbing out strayed brethren in the bosom of the Vedic church, a new Sabha has been organized under the name of the Bhartiya Hindu Suddhi Sabha with the object of reclaiming those who are willing to come back to its fold.
Swami Ji in next 2 months marched from village to village claiming thirty thousand Suddhis by the year end. Naturally they became main target of Muslim agitation against Suddhi, a public meeting in Bombay was organized on 18th march 1923 by jamiat-ul-ulama condemning swami ji. Sensational posters appeared in many cities, and rumors spread that Muslims in dress of Hindu sadhus were going about frightening the Malkanas and heaping insults on the swami. Some aryas were afraid of an attack on their leader, and proposed to arrange a bodyguard for the threatened swami. But he refused with the words “param pita (the father on high) is my protection”. In moradabd Swami ji barred from making public speeches and many in other places his addresses were answered by Muslim counter meetings. (Leader 21-26 march, 1923)
Various leaders gave their personal opinion on Suddhi but none of them supported swami ji and Hindu Sangthan movement
Pt Motilal Nehru said in leader 8th April, 1923 that I would have been glad if the movement had not been started at this juncture when feelings are strained between Hindu and Muslims in the Punjab.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad pointed that individuals had been harassed by Suddhi workers; the swami ji firmly denied their allegations in leader 5th, 6th may 1923.
Jawaharlal Nehru in leader 13th may.1923 said that it would have been better for this question not to have been taken up then, and he expressed the wish that all outsiders left the Malkanas in peace for a while and permitted them to work along their own lines.
On 31st march the Maharaja of Darbhangha, learned Pundits of Banaras from Bharat Dharma Mahamandal gave their approval to the reclamation of Malkanas Rajputs.(leader 5th April , 1923)
Undoubtly the Suddhi step pioneered by Swami Dayanand ji and adopted by Aryasamaj under guidance of Swami Sharddhananda Ji saved millions of Hindus not even from being lost but also opened doors closed from centuries for entry of countless brothers who were lost with the cruel passage of time.
Mahatma Gandhi and Aryasamaj
On 29th may 1925 Gandhi Ji stated in young India under article Hindu – Muslim tension: Its cause and cure against Swami Sharddhananda “Swami Sharddhananda Ji is also disturbed. His speeches, I know, are often irritating. But even he wants Hindu Muslim unity. Unfortunately, he believes in the possibility of bringing every Muslim into Aryan fold. Just as perhaps most Muslims think that every non-Muslim will someday become a convert to Islam. Sharddhananda Ji is intrepid and brave. Single-handed he turned a wilderness into a magnificent boarding college on the banks of the sacred Ganges. He has faith in himself and his mission but he is hasty and easily ruffled. He inherits the traditions of the Aryasamaj”
Then he remarked on swami Dayanand and Satyarth Prakash -
I have profound respect for Dayanand Saraswati. I think that he has rendered great service to Hinduism. His bravery was unquestioned. But he made his Hinduism narrow. I have read Satyarth Prakash, the Aryasamaj bible. Friends sent me three copies of it was residing in the yarvada jail. I have disappointing book from a reformer so great. He has claimed to stand for truth and nothing else. But unconsciously misrepresented Jainism, Islam and Hinduism itself. One having even a cursory acquaintance with these faiths could easily discover the error into which the great reformer was betrayed. He has tried to make narrow one of the most tolerant and liberal of the faiths on the face of the earth. And an iconoclast though he was, he has succeeded in enthroning idolatry in the subtlest form. For he has idolized the letter of the Vedas and tried to prove the existence in the Vedas of everything known to science. The Aryasamaj flourishes, in my humble opinion, not because of the inherent merit of the teachings of Satyarth Prakash, but because of the grand and lofty character of the founder. (Mahatma Gandhi (1924), collected works 24:145)
“Is it to be contended that a book that has passed so many editions and has been translated in most of the languages of the world has been now found to contain matter which promotes feelings of enmity or hatred between different classes of his majesty’s subjects”
“So the question for me is not one of the merits or demerits of Satyarth Prakash but the more fundamental one of not interfering with freedom of writing and expression” (M.k.Gandhi Sind bans Satyarth Prakash Harijan nov3, 1946)
He continued on Aryasamaj as -
“Wherever you find Aryasamajists, there is life and energy. But having the narrow outlook and a pugnacious habit, they either quarrel with people of other denominations or failing that, with one another. Sharddhananda Ji has a fair share of that spirit. But in spite of all these drawbacks, I do not regard him as past praying for. It is possible that this sketch of the Aryasamaj and the Swami Ji will anger them. Needless to say, I mean no offence. I love the Samajists, for I have many co-workers among them. And I learnt to love the Swami Ji, even while I was in South Africa. And though I know him better now, I love him no less. It is my love that has spoken” (Collected works of Mahatma Gandhi vol 24 p-136-154)
The samaj did not see Gandhi jis words as an expression of love, it took enormous offence. Protest meeting were held across the country, letters of protest poured into the papers, and wires were sent to the mahatma. But he did not relent, or withdraw anything, or express regret about any of what he called deliberate accusations.
When swami Ji was asked if he would reply to Gandhi’s article he said that -
“ .. He did not think any reply was needed from him. His own statement was Mahatma Gandhi’s best refutation. It was full of contradictions, and itself explained the reason why he had fallen foul of the Aryasamaj. The Aryasamaj could not in any way be injured by his writings. If the aryasamajists were true to themselves neither the attacks of Mahatma Gandhi nor of any other individual could put a stop to the activities of the samaj” (Leader 13 June, 1924)
Even after swami jis sacrifice Gandhi Ji remained biased for Aryasamaj and the father of the nation was not able wide his feelings on swami Sharddhananda. He responded to Hindu Mahasabha on appeal of memorial for swami Sharddhananda as “for my part I still remain unconvinced about the need of Suddhi movement, taking suddhi in the sense it is generally understood. Suddhi of sinners is a perpetual inward performance. Suddhi of those who can be identified neither as Hindus nor as Muslims or who have been recently declared do not know even the meaning of conversion and who want to be known definitely as Hindus is not conversion but prayaschitta or penance. The third aspect of suddhi is conversion properly so called. And I question its use in this age of growing toleration and enlightment. I am against conversion whether it is known as suddhi by Hindus, tabligh by Muslims or conversion by Christians. Conversion is a heart-process known only to and by god”
(Ref: collected works of Mahatma Gandhi 32:515)
Aryasamaj and Hindu Muslim Differences
Most of historians and leaders in their works blame Aryasamaj activities like Suddhi, literary works as a cause of communal tensions in early part of 20th century. This Is result of half baked stories with real facts hidden, mindset of authors and up to a point anti stand of congress and mahatma Gandhi against Aryasamaj.
Since its establishment of Aryasamaj and army of Swami Dayanand saved thousands of Hindus from conversion which was always and hidden agenda of Muslims as well as Christians. The Aryasamaj came into scene as it opposed this radical approach stand by others. Better to say its role was as soldiers of Hinduism with mission to save the dying race. The narrow minded sects were not able to bear this and started negative propaganda against Aryasamaj as they considered Aryasamaj as their biggest opponent in tabligh (conversion) mission.
Swami Ji and Abdul Badri
Swami Ji exposed scam by Abdul Badri in third section of second edition of his book. Abdul Badri promoted killing of Muslim apostates. He declared about lawfulness of killing an apostate (khatre ka ghanta p74) Abdul Badri had also stated that he did not believe that any religion except Islam had the right to convert, and that Muslims could collaborate with anybody, except those who were intent on making Muslims into apostates. Abdul Badri had made cutting statement on swami ji as “are the deeds of Sharddhananda the deeds of the Hindus? As far as we have come to know from the Hindus, he is not a representative of the Hindus, neither is he connected with a large organization. He calls himself an arya, whose number even now is very small…it is a society without religion…it is our duty to reflect seriously about crushing that little organization that wishes to destroy Hindu – Muslim unity by the Suddhi movement and about engaging the help of the other Hindu castes in this holy work (khatre ka ghanta p 81-82) ”
Swami Ji also opened Muslim conspiracy in Urdu tej of 12th sept Painting conspiracy on a broad historical canvas. Islam inherited its blind faith which has wrought more havoc on mankind than all the wars waged by kings, from Judaism, founded on the very principle of aggression. He exposed history of Sunnis of massacre and looting and their open support even today of killing of apostate with an example of recent killing in Kabul by stoning to death. Swami Ji also exposed scam of khojas. By preaching the doctrine that the Aga khan was the living avatar, they gradually enticed Hindus into Islam; by making these unsuspecting Hindus bhagata of their leader they surreptitiously submerged them into Islam. (Kulyat sanyasi p-297-440)
Swami Ji in 1924 even published book name history of the assains, story of von hammer’s work on Islam and Christian aggression against mankind. Swami ji also correlated the sudden attacks by Muslims apart from by print media by riots. Baqar-id disturbances in Delhi in July were followed by destruction of Hindu temples in Amethi, Sambhal and Gulbarga in august and most pain stacking was riots of Kohat in which Hindu population have to fled completely for safety.(R.C. Majumdar – struggle for freedom p- 428) A unity conference was proposed in Delhi with Mohammad Ali, Ajmal khan and swami ji as its initiators. Motilal Nehru took the chair. Mahatma Gandhi was on fast. The conference passed resolution condemning all acts of impropriety and called for goodwill and cooperation but although Gandhi ji ended his fast it had been a futile exercise without real effect. The real cause of Muslim radicalism was morale boost by Gandhi ji on name of khilafat which was followed by Moplah riots, killing of Hindus in riots in various parts of India especially Aryasamaj Suddhi workers followed by sacrifice of great swami ji himself. Fanatic Muslim leaders have dreamed of converting the whole country into islamistan from Hindustan. They were not successful at that time due to endless efforts by swami Sharddhananda and Aryasamaj but at last they got partial success in 1947 by dividing country into two halves.
The Martyrdom
In March 1926 Swami Ji performed a Suddhi in Delhi that shook the Muslim community. A Muslim lady from Karachi, Asghari begum, arrived in the capital and asked Swami Ji to be converted to Aryan faith. She had read a lot about Hinduism, and had decided to undergo Suddhi and became a member of the Aryasamaj. Against will of her husband she had secretly left her home and made her way to Delhi with her children. The ceremony was duly performed; she was given the new name Shanty Devi, and with her children was put up in the arya widow’s home. Months later her husband tracked her down in Delhi, and he attempted to persuade his wife to change her mind. When this proved unsuccessful, he instituted on 2 sept. a law case against swami ji, shanty Devi, Swami Jis son Indra and Swami Jis son in law Dr Sukhdeo, for conspiracy in the abduction of his wife and children case was finally decided by the court on 4th December with clear acquittal of all the accused.(leader 2 oct. 1926)
During these months Muslim community was in a ferment of indignant animosity over the incident. Some Muslim papers were violent in their condemnation of the swami, especially Hasan Nizami in his Darwesh. For months Indra was extremely concerned about the safety of his father, who stubbornly insisted on ignoring all threats and continued to take evening walks in the surrounding Muslim quarter. (PITA p-291)
In December from his trip to Banaras swami ji got very ill. He was diagnosed as bronchial pneumonia patient by Dr Sukhdeo and Dr Ansari. Swami Ji very weak and he realized that death has hovered close. Swami Ji said “this body is no longer capable of service. My wish is that I be reborn in India so that I can serve her again” (PITA p-638)
On 23rd dec. Indra and others had paid their usual visit to swami ji around midday, and they left him to have some rest. Around 4 p.m. a Muslim called Abdul Rashid came to the house and asked to see the swami in order to discuss some problems of Islamic religion. Dharm Singh, Swami Jis personal attendant was inclined to refuse him access, but the visitor insisted. When the Swami called his attendant, and was told of the visitor, he invited him in and explained that he could not help him right away, but would be happy to do so later. The visitor then asked for a glass of water, and while Dharm Singh was taking his glass away, he rushed up to the swami ji and fired two bullets point-black into his chest. Dharm Singh came running and was shot in the thigh. The commotion brought Dharmpal, the swami’s secretary running. He overpowered the assassin and held him till the police arrived. (PITA p.283)Indra arrived within minutes, but the swami had died instantly. As he looked upon his father’s face, peaceful in death, Indra thought of these words the swami had uttered not long before. “Yet it is a source of contentment to me that I am singled out as the one worthy of wearing the crown of martyrdom” (BIO –p.598)
25TH dec, 1926 witnessed the last journey of the great swami whose whole life was dedicated for the Vedic dharma. The crowd was uncontrollable through the streets of Delhi and his last riots were performed by Indra.
MESSAGE FROM THE LIFE OF GREAT SWAMI SHRADDHANANDA JI
Ram, Krishna, Dayanand were born great souls while life of swami Sharddhananda ji proves us that even if one is born in darkness of ignorance bit with the grace of almighty god one can transform his life and shine like the sun of knowledge. Swami Sharddhananda life is most ideal example for us to learn and follow.
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