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Muslims attend Pandit’s funeral
(from greaterkashmir.com)
Srinagar: Conveying yet again that nobody could create a wedge between Kashmiris professing different faiths, Muslims Sunday performed the last rites of a Pandit amid sighs and tears. Prem Nath Sus (55) who worked in the court of additional district judge Budgam, suffered a fatal heart attack Saturday evening. The deceased chose to stay back in the Valley in early 90 when most of the members of his community migrated. His colleagues held him in high esteem. The Principal Sessions Judge Budgam also attended the funeral.
*Panun Kashmir is a right wing Hindu organisation demanding a separate state in the Indian Union for the displaced Hindus of Kashmir. [-KMedia]
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A series of five articles on the History of Kashmir, by Munshi Ghulam Hassan, carried in the Greater Kashmir Newspaper, Srinagar, Kashmir in June 2005.
The events that shaped the history of Kashmir -IV
This is how it all happened, Munshi Ghulam Hassan recollects the memories of a forgotten political past.
(from greaterkashmir.com)
The intensity of the movement compelled the Maharajah to give an audience to the leaders who submitted their demands. These included elected legislature and local bodies, release of Auqaf properties, recruitment of Muslims in service in proportion to their population, freedom of the press and platform etc. In this meeting the leaders were aware of the haughty and arrogant nature of the Maharajah. This led to the appointment of two commissions, Middleton commission and the Galancy Commission. The object of the former commission was to look into the excesses committed by the government agencies on the people. Muslim Conference drafted Mirza Afzal Beg, who had returned from Aligarh with a degree in law, to plead the cases of the aggrieved victims. The fate of this commission was no different from such other commissions, which are set up just to cool down the tempers of the people with hardly any tangible result. The other commission was required to consider and make recommendations about various demands of the people including constitutional reforms. Members from various communities, regions and classes were included in the commission to present their demands. Muslim Conference was represented by Ghulam Ahmad Ashai and Chowdhary Ghulam Abbas. Anjumani Imamia headed by Aga Syed Hussain Jalali was asked by the government to nominate a Shia Muslim member. In a meeting of Anjumani Imamia some members opined that there was no need to nominate a person as Muslim Conference represents all sects of Muslims including Shias but on the suggestion of the president Hakim Muhammad Ali, an employee of sericulture department and father of Hakim brothers who were members of Reading Room party and Ashai committee, was nominated. He however endorsed the demands made by Muslim Conference members.
Pandit Prem Natth Bazaz, president Yuwak Sabha and representative of Kashmiri Pandits, also partially supported the demands and grievances of Muslim Conference representatives, Kashmiri Pandits were annoyed with him and on his return from Jammu, where the proceedings of the commission were conducted, he was beaten and laid down flat in a drain. He sought help form Muslims crying in anguish ‘Musalman Bhayoo Meri Madad Karo’. He was ousted from Yuwak Sahib and succeeded by Jai Lal Kilam. Muslims were naturally full of sympathy for him and gave him utmost cooperation.
Galancy commission report reflected the abject plight of Muslims, in educational and other fields with their deprivation in government services attributable to discriminatory policy of the government. The commission, inter alia, recommended, freedom of press and platform, reservation of Muslims in government services, convening of legislative assembly with limited franchise and majority of government nominated members. The recommendations were partly accepted by the government. Ban on Punjab Muslim print media was lifted. Zamindar, Inqalab, Sayasat and other newspapers were available in the market. In the state itself licenses for publication of local papers were freely issued. With the birth of Muslim Conference in the year 1932 the movement took formal shape and it gained full momentum. During the currency of the two commissions Sheikh Sahib and many other political workers were put behind bars. One morning it was widely rumoured that the arrested persons are flogged in exhibition ground. The people in multitude assembled in Khanyar with one end at Nawpora and the other at Nowhatta. One and all were armed with knives, swords and sticks with sharp iron edges. A procession form Mirbahri called ‘Narchoo Paltan’ with ‘Narchoos’ in their hands joined the demonstrators. The people demanded release of Sheikh Sahib and others. All along the day the government was a passive spectator and was wise enough not to use force lest hundreds of people would be trampled upon. The people threatened to march to the palace and launch an attack on it. In the afternoon Nawab Khusraw Sung and Salam Shah called on Moulvi Yousuf Shah and Saad-ud-Din Shawl at the latter’s residence at Khanyar. The two leaders were taken to have a meeting with the Maharajah. For the delay in their return the people were highly agitated. On their arrival Moulvi Sahib advised them to be patient and exercise restraint. The people became suspicious and left the venue in utter disappointment.
A series of five articles on the History of Kashmir, by Munshi Ghulam Hassan, carried in the Greater Kashmir Newspaper, Srinagar, Kashmir in June 2005.
The events that shaped the history of Kashmir -II
This is how it all happened, Munshi Ghulam Hassan recollects the memories of a forgotten political past.
(from greaterkashmir.com)
The presentation of the memorandum to the Viceroy by the representation of Shia and Sunni Muslims jointly was an important landmark in the field of Muslim brotherhood. This was followed by the participation of Shia Muslims headed by Aga Syed Hussain Shah Jalali in the procession organized by Jamati Hamdani from Charari Sharief to Khankahi Moulla. This was reciprocated by Jamati Hamdani Cooperating with Shia Muslims in taking out Ashura Muharram procession during the day. In the past two processions were taken out on 10th Muharram during night and terminated in the morning, one under the management of Jalali Sahib from Namchibal to Imam Bara Zadibal and the other from Zadibal to Imam Bara Hassan Abad under the patronage of Aga Sahib Badgam. The government would not allow the procession to be taken out during the day apprehending trouble. Some sections of Sunni Muslims were against those processions and would avoid to witness them on a false belief that witnessing them would terminate the legal wedlock. Jalali Sahib dared to take it out during the day. The police took the Zuljinah in its possession and did not allow the procession to proceed. A group of Kahkashees, however, led the procession with holy Qur’an on their heads and the grand procession reached the destination in the evening. Thus the foundation of the daytime Ashura procession was laid with the active cooperation of Sunni brothers. For a couple of years some trouble was apprehended around Razia Kadal but subsequently the residents of that area were also tolerant. After a few years the government permitted the other procession also to be taken out during the day.
Active and enthusiastic participation in the political movement launched in the year 1931 by all the sects of Muslims strengthened the relations between Shias and Sunnis. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah played a prominent role in it. He warned the misguided Sunnis elements who levelled baseless charge of Adam Khuri against Shias. His role in improving the relations between the two sects and persuading the two Shia factions to organize only one Ashura Muharram procession is laudable and unforgettable. The community should always be indebted to him for this contribution.
Maharajah Pratab Singh, Singh’s nephew Hari Singh, s/o Raja Amar Singh was studying in London. He was a victim of a monetary scandal involving a huge financial loss masterminded by a Britishers. The Maharaja being annoyed with the Britishers recalled Hari Singh. Pratap Singh died in the year 1925 succeeded by Hari Singh on the advice of the British government and local dewans though the widow of late Maharajah was in favour of Raja Poonch to be installed on the throne. The British government, whose relations with the state government were not cordial, was keenly watching the situation pulling wires behind the curtain. At the time of commencement of political movement the British governments own man Mr. Wakefield was the Prime Minister and he followed their policy. It may not be wrong to say that he was a mover of the movement.
A batch of post-graduate Muslim youth who returned form Muslim University Ali Garh could not get suitable jobs owing to discriminatory policy of the government. Not to speak of a political party even a social organization needed government’s permission under the law of the land. The said youth under the garb of a reading room at Fateh Kadal used to meet and discuss the problems facing Muslims to chalk out a line of action. Besides the president Kh. Muhammad Rajab and Secretary Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, Hakim Ali and his brother, Hakim Ghulam Murtaza were among its members. Thereafter in the year 1930, Kh. Ghulam Ahmad Ashai, inspector schools, having been prematurely retired, convened a meeting of some intellectuals apprising them of the unjust and discriminatory policy of the government against Muslims. A secret committee was constituted to collect the community-wise data of government employees for publication in Punjab Muslim print media. The committee headed by Ashai Sahib comprised Muhammad Rajab, Hakim Ali, Hakim Ghulam Safdar, Pirzada Master Ghulam Rasool, Ali Shah, Ghulam Ahmad Jeweller, Ahsan Ullah and Master Dost Muhammad. Ghulam Ahmad Shonthoo and Hakim Ghulam Murtaza were associated with it for some time before they were deputed on training. The writing of articles was assigned to Hakim Ghulam Safdar. Being an employee of Accountant Generals department he managed to get surreptitiously a copy of civil list from the confidential branch of the department. With its wide publicity in Punjab Muslim press the government was very much defamed and disturbed. The Finance Minister P K Wattal, with a biased communal mind, wrote a confidential letter to Mr. Fanday, Accountant General to make an inquiry about its leakage but he could not get any clue. Hindu pres was out and out in support of the Dogra regime, (constitution of Ashai Committee is recorded in Hakim Ghulam Saddar’s Dairy).
