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Sikandar also said that they were observing the parties and would declare the policy later. Hindu
press was all against this party. Although AlamaMashriqi had met Prime Minister and promised
to obey law but when government confiscated the pamphlet published by the Khaaksar,
named,“AksariatyaKhoon” they protested. Government declared Khaksar and other semi
military and communal organizations on 28 February 1940. thedrills, gathering of crowds,
display of weapons or exercise, movement, were banned.Khaksars deliberately planned to
disobey the government orders and planned a procession of 313 Jesh of Punjab and NWF
province on 19th march 1940. A clash with police resulted in death of 50 Khaksar and two police
officers and many were seriously wounded.
Muslim League Guards and Sikh Militants after 1945-46 election?
Division of Military with the Division of India
When in 1947 division of India was agreed, first impression and demand from the Indian Army
was not to divide it. But later it was decided to divide Indian Army into two separate armies.
Proposals for the united army were given from both British and Indian officers. The Punjab
regiment and other regiments where Punjabi officers and soldiers were housed detested the idea
of army division.Military officers were asked to choose from India and Pakistan all non-Muslims
chose for India, many Muslim officers choose India but no non-Muslim choose Pakistan. When
these men came back they kept for some time neutral and act according to their Indian Military
Culture but shortly after the division these military men were fighting against on communal
grounds using their experience in the Indian military.
Section III: Communalism and Sectarianism in the Punjab
The third section of this chapter deals with the communalism and sectarianism in the Punjab
before independence. Communalism and sectarianism both have deep roots in the background of
the history of the Punjab.There were three major religion in the united Punjab, 56percent
Muslims, 11% Sikhs and 33 percent Hindu with a sprinkle of Christians and others religions.
Hindus and Sikhs were more educated and majority of Hindusresided in urban areas. The
religions of Muslims and Hindus have basic differences. These differences were more widened
when the Muslims invaded India and many native Hindus embraced Islam. Both nations looked
down each other. Sikhs who had craved themselves from the Hindus of Punjab had issues with
both Muslims and Hindus.Sikhs were against Mughal who had faced resistance in Sikhs and
their last Gurus. They detested Hindu claim for them as their sect. They had a long history of
fighting against Muslim Mughal and Durrani rulers of Punjab before the rule of Maharaja Ranjit
Singh (Bhatia, 1981). Mughals, and Durranis were looted and plundered by Sikh bands who in
return persecuted and killed them in thousands. During the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sikhs
had persecuted Muslims. Azan was forbidden, many renowned Mosques were used by Sikh
army. Cow slaughter was prohibited in several areas. When British started to fight Sikhs for the
Punjab, many Muslim tribes cooperate with them and fought against Sikhs.
Religious identity was important in the Punjab as was in other parts of India, where these nations
were living together for hundreds of years. All three religious communities called and accept
themselves as separate nations They had cooperated and worked with each other under
conquerors but whenever opportunityappeared every community grouped it selves with co-
religions instead of territorial nationality. With British came many social, religious and political
organizations of different kids were initiated in the Punjab. Congress and Muslim League
provincial parties were started immediatelyafter their establishment but were able to gain
noticeable support not before 1940s. Communal parties became popular in the Punjab, Hindu
Mahasabah, Arya Semaj, BrahmuSemaj, RashteryaSavak Sigh, AnjumaneIslamia, Anjuman e
Hamayat e Islam, Akali Dal, Khaksar Movement, Itihad e MillatIslamia and Majlis e Ahrar.
Most of these parties were popular and known in urban middle-class Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs.
Most politics of Punjab revolved around these communal parties. It was the force of religion
which can unite and call the people of a community. Provincial government was also contended
with this situation and did not like the national parties to become popular in the province which
had importance in the defence and had a frontier status. Congress and Muslim League had only
supports in larger cities and in urban educated class. In 1872 Kuka Movement for reformation in
Sikh religion which spread into princely states turned into killing Muslim butchers and
otherMuslims. British government in response killed many participants. The conspiracy theories
were common without common charismatic and intelligent leadership in the Punjab and religious
riots easily spread. All communities rarely participated in a collective movement unless it is a
common local cause like 1907 movement protest against the bill of colonization was introduced
which proposed more revenue tax and other sanctions. Hindu and Sikh collaborated in it. In
1905 agitation against Bengal division came to the Punjab through Bengali Hindus urbanitesand
kept in the Hindu urban community.
In 1914 during first world war Hindu Muslim riots began Arya Semaj, Hindu Mahasabah were
very vocal against Muslims and Sikh converts, Muslims started TanzimOTabligh in their
response. Arya Semaj and Muslim Khalifat Movement in the Punjab were also against the army
recruitment on religious bases. (Malik, A, 2003), In early years of Khilafat movement Hindus
and Sikhs were also cooperative but aftersometime this cooperation turned into communal riots
in 1921. In 1922 Hindu Muslim riots in Multan took placed. The Punjab press which was mostly
under the members of Hindu Mahasabah and Arya Semaj wrote against Islam and the Holy
Prophet which sparked communal unrest. In this situation Majlis e Ahrar was originated by the
leaders of the Punjab KilafatMovement who were against Congress. Syed Ata ullah Shah
Bukhari, Ch. Afzal Haq, MaulviMazhar Ali, Maulvi Habib urRahmanLudhanvi were included.
Majority was religiously educated without any knowledge of international changes and modern
realities. The leaders talked imaginative and emotionally and declared unrealistic things. Khaksar
Movementstarted agitation against Dogra prime minister of Kashmir against his unjust and
oppressive government. Police firing on a procession in front of Sri Nagar Jail converted into
communal violence. As Kashmir was a Muslim Majority two parties took part in this movement
one was All India Kashmir Committee presided by Mirza Bashir ud Din Ahmad Qadiani the
leader of Qadiani religion and other was Majlis e Ahrar who fought at two fronts one for
Kashmir Cause and other for anti Qadiani movement. (176 p Zahid Choudhary vol. 5.) A
movement against Sir Zafarullah was also started by Ahrars at that time he was member of
Viceroy Executive Council.In 1932 he was nominated on the place of Fazli in the Viceroy
Executive Council because Fazli was ill. Ahrar started a protest against Zafarullah being a
Qadiani and Unionist Party. Zahid Iqbal claimed that Iqbal became anti Qadiani at this
nomination because it was thought that he will be replaced Fazli. Sir Zafarullah was considered
an average lawyer by Muslim newspapers. In 1934 again when he was offered to keep in the
Council, Muslims in Punjab began to protest against him and Qadianis.
In 1929 Ghader Party of Young Sikh revolutionaries was created by Bhagat Sigh and his friends.
He and a friend Dutta planned to throw a bomb in the Central Assembly while speech delivery.
They were caught and were severely punished. This party had also many other violent activities,
and Killed many prominent Sikh men in the doubt of spying for government. Their bomb factory
caught, gradually all members were caught and punished.
In 1929 a Muslim young man GaziIlmuddin killed a Hindu Arya Semajist Publisher Rajpal in
Lahore for publishing an offensive and derogatory book against Islam and Holy Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad ﷺ. Rajpal was persecuted in court but court did not punish him. He was hanged.
MianShafi on behalf of Muslim community gave personal guaranteefor peaceful funeral
procession of Ilmuddin. It was very largest procession of Muslims in Lahore.Muslim ministers
worked fairly but were criticized and blamed by Sikhs and Hindus for favouring Muslims. They
also did not have any confidence in the Muslims leaders.
Communal and sectarian activates were popular in the press and meetings were held to promote
them. In 1931 Khilafatsome Punjabi leaders break up with Congress on the nomination of
Muslim Member from the Punjab in Congress working Committee. They did not like the
nomination of Dr. Muhammad Alam, they wanted Choudry Afzal Haq. These leaders
createdKhaksars in the Punjab.When these leaders contested the election in 1924 three members
were elected in the urban constituencies of Muslims who thought they had worked for Khilafat
movement. These were Chaudry Afzal Haq, Rana Ferozuddin, Mazhar Ali Azhar. These leaders
were skilled in communal speeches. (Zahid Vol 5: 173) During 1930`s Muslim communal
activates were active in Kashmir other Punjab princely states where Muslims were maltreated by
officials and police. Religious activities were targeted.
In 1935 the Shaheed Ganj Masque issue was also raised between Sikhs an Muslims. A Mosque
near a Gurdwara was situated in Lahore. For a long time, it was used for other purposes, Sikhs
had offered the Muslims to buy the buildings but nobody accepted. In1925 under the
GurdwaraAct, whenGurdwaraPerbundak Committee took the control of Gurdwaras in the
Punjab. This Committeefiled request to take the control of this place, Secretary of Anjuman e
Islaima Syed Muhsin Shah gave an application as well. Tribunal decided in favour of Sikhs. In
1935 Perbundak Committee began to demolish the building. Muslims protested and in response
Sikhs also came out with jathaproscessions. Court and ministryof Fazlifavoured the Sikhs,
SurprisinglyAhrar did not participatein Muslim protest and lost popularity among Muslims.
Molana Zafar Ali founded Majlis e Millat I Islamia. It became a strong opponent of Ahrar and
won two seats in provincial assembly in the elections of 1937. Ahrar thought it was all raised by
Sir Fazli Hussain who had not wanted Ahrar to work against Qadianis.
Khaksar Movement which was founded on the lines of Nazi party of Hitler in 1931 by
AlamaAnaiatullahMashriqi was popular in lower middle-class Muslims and labourerin the
towns. Majlis e Ahrar was vocal against Muslim League and other Muslim and no Muslim
parties.
1940 Lahore resolution Hindu leaders said Pakistan idea of Jinnah will die but Sikandar will
made whole Punjab Pakistan by giving every job to Muslims.
Muslim League Guards and Sikh Militants after the 1945-46 election.
When in 1945-46 elections results were in favour of Muslim League and Congress. The election
campaign had been run on communal lines. A slogan was popular in Muslims Pakistan
KaMatlabkia La elahaIllallah. Sikh Akalis also won on the base of communal grounds. They had
targeted the Khalsa National Party as a traitor to Sikh religion. When Muslim League leader
Mamdot won majority Muslim seats, and was asked by governor Jenkins to obtain the
cooperation of Sikhs he was not able to do so. They were completely against him. Same was
with Congress a secular party working with Muslim League in the Centre but did not in the
province due to communal affiliations. Sectarianism escalated with the results of 1945-46
elections and making of Khizer ministry. Three communities had developed the feelings of
victimization. Killing and looting in Muslim majority areas just after the resignation of Khizerin
March resulted same reaction against Muslims of Hindu and Sikh Majority areas. Semi military
organizations R.S.S. Akali Dal and MSF were collecting weapons and working underground
against each other (Wajdi, 1974). Situation had become out of the control, Governor refused
Marmot’s offer to make the ministry with alliance of Christian members. He knew that it would
earned enmity of Sikhs. Governor also refused to make Justice Cornelius member of…
insteadproposed a Hindu officer in his place. Government officials and police was also blamed
for communal partiality during riots. Communal hated in the Punjab resulted in a huge and cruel
bloodshed of all communities during the division of the province Moon estimated it 60000 in
each side beside looting kidnaping and arson.
In 1906 British government establishment of Legislative councils in india. Muhsin al Mulk who
was secretary of MAO College led a delegation to Lord Minto for separate electorate. A
concession Minto granted in the spirit of divide and rule. This delegation had 7 Punjab
and 1 Bengali 11 UP Muslims (9:Jafferlot) use the word Muslim separatism. Sectarian/
communal militancy and militarism. Over centralization
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