HINDUS
(Part 8)
Dawn of British Raj in Hindustan:
After the defeat of Mughals, Peshwa
Malhar Rao established majority Hindu Rule in the most parts of the Hindustan.
British had to co-operate in spite of their dislikes. Maratha Empire was in
again in power and peaceful Hindu Rule had banished forceful religious
conversions and human slaughters. However, British were different kind of
people. After demesne observation of Hindustan’s situation, they spotted a
sensitive spots which could bring the entire Hindustan under their rule.
Differences among the kinds and kingdoms. Despite the long-spread Maratha
Empire, the Muslim Kingdoms were always wanted to rebel and Hindu Kingdoms
wanted superiority. As long as British could reach the boundaries of Hindustan for
trading, they very well observed the differences and made that their personal
weapon to attack the heart of Hindustan. DIVIDE AND RULE. Due to the
differences, kingdoms were easier to divide and then finally, to rule. British
shook the hand of alliance with the kingdoms, dividing their unity and made them
fight battles. After the end of immense power of Peshwas, Hindu rule was again
being questioned. After 1800, British had alliance with almost all the kingdoms
and had started their strategies, hidden from the rulers.
However, Hindus weren’t that fools.
They knew what was happening. And Hindu soldiers working at East India Company
knew that they were being tricked into the slavery of entire Hindustan. In
early decades of 19th century, British increased their pressure on
kingdoms and started winning battles. They conquered kingdoms and looted the
prosperity of empire. With the advanced European Technologies of gun, they
succeeded to conquer the kingdoms who only knew to battle with swords, spears
and tanks.
Yet, a soldier of East India
Company vowed to protest against the British. He knew that British would again
make each Hindustani a slave. Hindus had endured long slavery of Muslim Rules,
they shall not endure this. After few of attempts to deny the advanced gun as a
weapon, he became well-known in the entire Hindustan by 1856-57. Mangal Pandey.
In Jhansi, brave and young wife of
King Gangadhar Rao, Lakshmibai had also started protesting against British, who
did try to invade Jhansi. In 1857, as the result of the protest against
British, Mangal Pandey was hanged publically, which was the symbol of
commencement of British Rule in India. However, 29 year old Mangal Pandey left
the immense inspiration for future freedom fighters. He became the first and
respected martyr for India’s freedom.
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| Mangal Pandey |
In 1858, Rani Lakshmibai also died
at the young age of 29. But she became symbol for all the Indian women. The
queen of Jhansi left motivation for the people to fight against the British
Rule.
By the end of 1857, British had
acquired entire Hindustan and began a brutal rule, in which all the Indians,
regardless of their religions, were made slaves. 19th century had
been very cruel for all the Indians. Yet, there were people who wanted to see
the nation free.
Indian National Congress (1885 - present)
In 1885, few of Indian and British
people united and established an organization, named Indian National Congress,
whose aim was to free India from the slavery of British. Many freedom fighters
like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipinchandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai and Gopal Krishna
Gokhle, etc joined the Indian National Congress for their core aim to free
India.
In 1886, Dadabhai Navrozi was
elected as the president of Indian National Congress. However, Bal Gangadhar
Tilak and other fellows had clear aim of making a free Hindu Nation. And so, he
started Ganpati Festivals to motivate Hindus to join the protest against
British.
Indian National Congress was very
well appreciated for their movements, and many famous freedom fighters
frequently led them throughout the process of independence. By 1905, while
Gokhle was leading the Congress, party was divided into two clear divisions.
One of them was Lokmanya Tilak’s aim of Hindu Political Influence to make it
Hindu Nation. Hindu Nationalism had become appreciated and criticized topic as
well. Yet, the most common belief was to support Hindu Nationalism, as this
land had always belonged to Hindus. So, it was very natural and appropriate
belief of Hindu Nationalism. That disputed led many freedom fighters,
supporting Hindu Nationalism, their ways out from Congress.
In the late 19th
century, Swami Vivekananda, the representative of Hindu Religion, also
supported the idea of Hindu Nationalism. And after his death in 1902, his
affiliations supported Hindu Nationalism as well.
Hindu Mahasabha
In 1905, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, a member of Indian National Congress, founded the All India Muslim League to protest the idea of Hindu Nationalism.
And that sounded like a threat to Hindu Democracy. And Muslim league was the
actual reason of current Hindu Nationalists Parties.
By 1908, due to Congress’s less
support in Hindu Nationalism, Lala Lajpatrai and his fellow Arya Samaj leaders
established Punjab Hindu Mahasabha
at Lahore in 1909. Madan Mohan Malaviya led the first session of Hindu
Mahasabha and motivated Hindus to join for Hindu Nationalism. Leading to this
belief, many Hindu Leaders joined the mahasabha.
After few years, Punjab Hindu
Mahasabha had spread its glory in entire India, and in 1915 the first All India
Hindu Mahasabha was held at Haridwar. In which, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who
had just returned to India, also was present. Yet, he didn’t agree on the aim
of Hindu Nationalism. His beliefs of non-violence and freedom for all would
become viral in years. However, he stayed with Indian National Congress.
In 1920s, Pandit Madan Mohan
Malaviya, founded the Hindu University at Banaras, to revive the Hindu Faith
and religious studies. The Banaras Hindu
University, more commonly known as Kashi
Hindu Vishwa Vidhyalaya began.
In 1921, All India Hindu Mahasabha
was officially renamed as Akhil Bhartiya
Hindu Mahasabha. By then, a Muslim Leader, Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, had made his view clear for separate nation for Muslims. Indian
National Congress leaders could do nothing, but explain him to change his mind.
Because, the idea of separation would itself shatter the unity and trust of
Hindu-Muslim, which had come after genocide of centuries.
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| Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha |
Hindu Nationalism was a natural
idea, because entire Indian Subcontinent was belonged to Hindus and it must be
ruled by Hindu Democracy. To give separate nation to Muslim League was just
like Hindus have to give their own land to Muslims, just because they couldn’t
accept that they were living in Hindu Nation. They had no problem when Hindus
lived under Muslim Rule for 750 years enduring genocide and demolition of
temples, but living under Hindu Rule peacefully offended their idealism.
The leader of Hindu Mahasabha,
Keshav Baliram Hegdewar thought this idea of separate nation as a big threat of
Hindu Nationalism. Hindu Mahasabha was right. Because if Muslim League was
given a separate nation, they would make it Muslim Nation. However, in India,
Indian National Congress wouldn’t let them make Hindu Nation. And the main
reason behind it was Gandhi and Nehru’s support to Indian National Congress,
which was clearly threat for Hindus’ future in India. They couldn’t rule in
their own country.
So, Keshav Baliram Hegdewar left
Hindu Mahasabha, which had peaceful nature towards Hindu Nationlism, and
established his own new party. Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1925.
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| Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) |
Veer Savarkar, The Hindu Atheist
As RSS was founded, Hindu Mahasabha
lost proper leader to lead and influence the Mahasabha. Vinayak Damodar
Savarkar provided his guidance to lead the idea of Hindu Nationalism in the
Hindu Mahasabha. He himself was an atheist. But, he believed that being Hindu
has nothing to do with believing in Hindu gods. When it comes to political
Hindu influence, in spite of being an atheist, he stood for Hindu Nationalism.
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| Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (VEER SAVARKAR) |
For the first time, he introduced
the word Hindutva in his explanation
why he was Hindu. Again, this is Hindu Land, and it must be influenced by
Hindutva. However, RSS and Hindu Mahasabha both acted together, and empowered
the idea of Hindu Nationalism. Vivekananda Kendra and other affiliations
related to Swami Vivekananda also supported Hindu Mahasabha and RSS. RSS is
believed to merely have adopted the ideologies of Swami Vivekananda’s dream of
Hindu Nation.
In the meantime, one of the worker
of Hindu Mahasabha and RSS, Nathuram Godse introduced a new policy for Hindu
Nationalism, which would abolish the caste system in Hindus from constitution.
However, he didn’t get much support.
Jinnah wouldn’t retreat. He kept
asking for a separate nation, and Gandhi actually would give him one. During
1928-31, Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh together fought the battle of
freedom against British, in their own way. However, Gandhi didn’t supported
them, just because of their way of violence. However, it wasn’t about violence
or non-violence. It was about freedom. No fight had ever won without blood. And
if you think that only Gandhi’s non-violence brought us freedom, then you’re disrespecting
the martyrs who died to free the nation. Perhaps that non-violence was the
reason that extremely brave fighters like Azad and Bhagat Singh couldn’t gather
support. If they had, violence was greater weapon against British. Fear in
enemy’s heart always weakens them. Even Emperor Ashoka had become non-violent
after a certain moment, yet his fear in the hearts of Greek and Syrians never
let them invade Indian Subcontinent. This was the same. They believed if we
want fast freedom, the only way is to produce fear in their hearts. But Gandhi
wasn’t a person who would support this basic idea. His non-violence made us to
endure more hangings of our great martyrs. And his disagreement for Hindu
Nationalism was ever greater threat to the future of India.
Due to the heavy pressure of Gandhi’s
non-violent activities, Subhashchandra Bose resigned from the president of
Indian National Congress in 1938, and went in exile to make even better force
to fight. In 1943, he founded the Azad Hind Force in Singapore, supported by
Japan. The world was suffering a World War. And Netaji made his force in the
season of World War. RSS openly admired Adolf Hitler is their speeches during
World War. They even showed their support.
Freedom in 1947
After the immense tries of martyrs
and various freedom movements, British surrendered and signed the declaration
of freedom. On Jinnah’s proposal of separate nation, Congress had already
agreed. And on 14th August, 1947, Muslim League was given a separate
nation, Pakistan. On 15th August, 1947, India saw its first dawn of
freedom. Yet, Hindu Nationalism was a question. As Gandhi preferred Nehru to
make India’s first Prime Minister and Indian National Congress as ruling
political party, Hindu Mahasabha and RSS both knew that despite the freedom,
they had lost battle of Hindu Nationalism. Indian National Congress had closed
fate of Hindus forever.
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| Partition of India, 1947 |
Reservation Policy
Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar introduced the
ideas of few reservation policies for backward people of India which would be
included in constitution of India. This reservation idea was also supported and
admired by Congress, while RSS activist Nathuram Godse disagreed with this
idea. Hindu Mahasabha and RSS both showed their support to abolish the caste
system, which would never need the reservation policy of Congress.
Indian Constitution was highly influenced
by Gandhi’s thoughts, and Ambedkar introduced the reservation policy, which
clearly had consequences. In spite of protests from RSS and Hindu Mahasabha,
they ignored them.
Assassination of Gandhi
Seeing Gandhi as the greatest
threat of Hindus and Hindu Nationalism, Nathuram Godse shot him on 30th
January, 1948. He was later hanged in 1949. People believe if that incident had
happened earlier, India’s future would’ve been safe. There would be no Pakistan
and Bangladesh, yet there would be a Hindu Nation in power, with peaceful
future. The riots we had faced, wouldn’t have occurred.
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| Nathuram Godse |
Is this India, we had dreamed for?
Hadn’t Hindus suffered enough that their
fate was drowned like this? Aren’t all Muslim Majority countries are Islam
Republic? Then why India is not a Hindu Nation? Despite of freedom and
democracy, why we still have different law systems for Muslims, called Muslim
Personal Law? Why aren’t Hindus and Muslims treated equally according to the
law? Why Indian Judiciary System is still biased? Why is there still injustice
to Hindus?
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