The Nizam-ruled Hyderabad pranth will be celebrating Amrit Mahotsava i.e. 75th year of Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha. The regions that will be involved in the celebrations are Kalyana Karnataka, Telangana, and Marthawada. Hyderabad’s Mukti Sangharsha is at par with India’s Independence struggle as it was a struggle against the oppression, brutality, and atrocities of the Nizam. Anyone who chanted Vande Mataram, Bharat Mata ki Jai and hoisted independent India’s flag had to face the wrath of the Nizam and the Razakars. Razakars can be described as demons that are in the form of humans. The people who resided in these regions had to fight for 13 months even after India became Independent.
By MAHADEVAYYA KARADALLI
Muslim leaders ruled a region that consisted of 80% Hindu residents. Despite this, the Nizam wanted to build his kingdom and wanted to join hands with Pakistan. To liberate Hyderabad from the clutches of the Nizam a movement took birth which was Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha.
Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha popularly known as Razakars havali (attack) is a part of Indian history that holds the incidents of brutal murder, oppression, and atrocities. Razakars, Demons in the form of Humans were so cruel that they did not spare anybody including children, women, and senior citizens of the areas. Some historians highlighted & wrote about the Razakar’s attacks on Hindus.
Initially, Hindus tolerated the onslaught but they did not let this to be continued and fought back. The success of this Sangharsha was the united effort of all the Hindus with strong will and wish with patriotism. Joint efforts of Arya Samaj, Hindu Mahasabha, Raita Dal, and Hyderabad State Congress helped in successfully liberating Hyderabad within months. But historians and history books failed to record the details of the Sangharsha. The sacrifice of the Freedom fighters also failed to be included. As such, the sacrifices, and stories of unsung heroes and warriors which can inspire the young generation were kept in cold storage. The main reason for hiding the details was the fear of losing the Muslim votes. It is important to note that Struggle was not against the Muslims, but it was against Nizam who wanted to join hands with Pakistan.
After the 1949 Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha), in the month of February, the pioneer and the leader visited Hyderabad. During the course of the meeting with Nizam, Sardar Patel urged him that this was a golden opportunity to forget the past and join hands to work for the welfare of all. Instantly, Nizam started saying that he always worked for the welfare of his subjects without discriminating between Hindus and Muslims. He continued by saying both community people are dear to me. Sardar Patel initially did not contradict his statement. But when Nizam started repeating the same words, having no choice, he called Menon his secretary and asked him to exhibit the true reflection of the philosophy of Nizam. The Secretary Readout Nizam’s saying: “All ancient ancestral empires have been lost to the sight of time, Osman! The mark of Musalmans remains today only because of your sultanate. The cries of Allaho Akbar have silenced the blowing of the conch. It is as if pralaya has descended upon those who wear the thread and tuft”.
Upon hearing his lines being read out to him in this unexceptionable fashion, Nizam was struck speechless. The evidence of prior preparedness to give a befitting reply in such a context stupefied him. This was the true picture of the mind and heart of the Nizam. At one point in time, Nizam deceived the world by claiming that he was a prisoner of the Razakars and was friendless and helpless. And simultaneously asked for aid from Indian Government. But Nizam himself was ambitious and turned his deaf ears to the legitimate demands of Hindu majority subjects.
Veera Savarkar stated “The first page of all history is always unknown this is the curse on history” which applies to Mukti Sangharsha also. The study of Sangharsha is nothing but the courageous struggles of common people against the brutal oppression, the tyrannical feudal regime of Nizam. It was against the crushing of the opposition of the common man. The struggle was also to avenge atrocities, renunciation, sacrifice, and exhibition of bravery. Studying to eco the feelings of freedom fighters i.e. Mukti Sangharsha & their unshakeable commitment, behavior, and character is needed. Youth can get inspiration; feel the pride in sacrifice & the dignity of their ancestors. Those Youths who joined the Sangharsha came out with zeal, on their own to fight oppression, brutalities, and heedless, at the cost of their own lives. A priceless historical moment which is a powerful source of inspiration was kept in the dark.
In the Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha, only the incidents of Razakar’s brutal oppression of Hindus were highlighted. Whereas the successful role of organizations involved such as Arya Samaj, Hindu Mahasabha, Raita Dal, and Hyderabad State Congress, sacrifices of the unsung heroes and warriors which can inspire the young were kept in the dark with a label of communalism.
We have limited and authentic knowledge about the Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha Struggle which was fought in regions of Kalyana Karnataka, Telangana, and Marthawada regions. If the history of Mukti Sangharsha was fully documented and made available to all, it would have been an inspiring story for our youths. This will help them to be aware of what happened and to work to build a model & welfare state ( Kalayana Karnataka).
Activists on social media post details of reference books, authors, and publishers for the benefit of the new generation. So, interested people can collect those books and read & access them easily. These will become the primary source for readers.
But Successive governments distanced themselves due to fear of the stigma of communalism. Further a million dollar question is among three regions why the part of Karnataka region called Hyderabad Karnataka comes with a backwardness tag? Further, the Muslims of the other two regions distance themselves from the Nizam region. The other regions were not called either Hyderabad Marthawada or Hyderabad Telangana.
A successful movement has multidimensional effects viz Political, Social, cultural, economic, and developmental effects. Studying such a movement will be an interesting subject and open many avenues. The Sangharsha movement was not taken care of either by Government or by the public. So, year after year people forgot the story of Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha. This year, an effort to tell the tale of the Sangharsha needs to be done on Amrit Mahotsava.
The history of Mukti Sangharsha should have been fully documented & taught as it unveils the heritage of our Nation. In India wherever armed struggle took place, it has been ignored. So the fate of the Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha struggle is also unable to secure its due place in history. Hence Sangharsha Gata was forgotten. Amrit Mahotsava which falls on September 2023 is the right time to expose and enlighten about Hyderabad Mukti Sangharsha, its warriors, and its Martyrs. Let us take this story of forgotten Sangharsha gata to young minds.
