Article on Nizam and the responses to it
Kaneez Fathima
Dear All,
In the present Telangana movement, while participating in it, we observed that, Nizam is being criticized, songs sung accusing him and his rule as cruel rule and many other things. Then we started to examine as to what was the role of Nizam in merging Telangana in the Andhra region and many other things. And we found Nizam was not at all responsible in any way in the merging of Telangana with Andhra.
We wrote an article on this issue and sent to Andhra Jyothi, a Telugu daily. This article of ours was edited in such a manner that it looked as if we are defending and owning Nizam, which was not at all our aim. Then came the responses to that article from many people, mostly appreciating and few criticizing us. Responses have been coming almost every week in the same newspaper, though we have received lot of other responses personally.
Therefore, I would like to share with all of you the original text, the text published in Andhra Jyoti and the responses to it. These are translated into English.
As the complete matter was not published, we brought out this in the form of a pamphlet. Another Telugu daily SURYA published this pamphlet.
This article was published on 29th February 2010 in AJ with the title ‘Do not hurt self respect’.
Please find the full version of the article. In this same full version, either the highlighted and underlined matter was deleted or the sentences changed when it was published in Andhra Jyoti.
NIZAM RULER FOR 224 YEARS IF NOT RESPECTED DULY, CAN THE COMMON MUSLIMS EXPECT THAT THEIR SELF RESPECT WILL BE PROTECTED!
In the democratic movements, there is a need to engage every one in broader aspect and act in democratic manner. Whereas, is the approach of involving biggest Minorities i.e. Muslims in the present Telangana movement proper!
Abusing Nizam by the poets, Singers and Intellectuals in their writings has become part and parcel of the Telangana movement. Is it apt to still sing the Telugu song, ‘Banda Enaka Bandi Katti’ and say “Nizam Gori Kat-taam” (we will build grave of Nizam)? Do these people not know that this song was written against the landlord Janna Reddy Pratap Reddy, which was later, altered and used for the cinema “Maa Bhumi”! Why does these people not sing the song written in the past, “Rangu Rangula Nehrayya, Nee Rangu Maarenayya Nehrayya”, (Nehru of Various colours, your colour has itself changed) which means that Socialism has lost its colour. [If Nehru song is not considered as relevant in Telangana movement, then ‘Nizam’ song is also totally irrelevant. Even then, if this song is campaigned and sung then it is just to demoralize Muslim sentiments!]
It is true that Communists fought against Nizam Feudalism. Muslims also took part in that struggle. On one side, while saying no to Feudal Nizam, the communists on the other side bowed down in front of [National bourgeoisie] Nehru, why? Bourgeoisie Nehru himself was against the formation of Andhra Pradesh, but the Communists gave the slogan of ‘peoples rule in Vishaal Andhra’. [The Jagirdars, Deshmukhs, Reddys, Velamas and Brahmins who were in the Nizam’s administration were in large number. To save their properties and to continue their power and rule, Deshmukhs and Jagirdars used Razakars as their shields.] From 1944 onwards Razakar anarchy took place [in which three hundred peasants who participated in armed struggle sacrificed their lives. Whereas from 1948 to 1951, four thousand people died in the attack by Nehru-Patel army. Therefore, the person who killed four thousand people is considered as ‘Hero’ by the communists; and the Nizam who killed/responsible for the death of three hundred people is shown as ‘Vilan’. The problem arises only because a ruler is seen from the religious angle but not as a ruler.] Whatever the communists said about the Nizam from 1944 onwards, only that part became recorded in the history. There are books written in English on Nizam’s religious tolerance and development but the same is not found in Telugu. Number of books have been written by the communists on peasant armed struggle, why is there not a small booklet on Shiekh Bandagi who fought against Deshmukhs? Shoibullah Khan, editor of ‘Imroze’ daily, died in the hands of Razakars in the year 1948. The first and foremost person of India who laid down his life for the freedom of press, [not a single word is written about him. Shoibullah Khan’s life sacrifice is not praised in any textbook. Is this not discrimination?] In the 224 years rule, is only four years rule visible? Why are the Muslims ignored in the history, is this the way to treat them?
The rights and progressive organizations in their pamphlets criticize Nizam and address nizam as cruel ruler (cruel rule of Nizam). However, has any king [ruled] [ ‘ruled’ was change to ‘thought’] this country democratically! [Samakka and Sarakka (Mother and daughter also familiarly known as Godesses) were killed by the Kakatiyas, why is this incident not mentioned while talking of their legacy?] Nizam had both good and bad qualities as any other king; why only bad side of him is visible to these people! Balagopal, a prominent Human Rights Activist had appropriately said, ‘Hinduism works right in our heads without our consciousness’. This statement of his seems to be correct today! Have these people forgotten the sacrifices of Gulam Rasool and Azam Ali? Is this the responsibility of the rights organizations!
During the time of constructing High Court building in the year 1919, a Hindu temple was in the middle of that site, the then engineers asked the Nizam whether to eliminate this temple from that site, Nizam in return questioned them, ‘how can the temple of Justice be built on the base of injustice’ [and thus saved that temple from demolition.] That temple still exists in the premises of High Court. Nizam used to conduct Eid Milap on the festival of Dassera like Ramzan and interact with common people. [There are a number of Masjids and Mandirs side by side with a single wall division in various parts of Telangana. During the Nizam’s period Pingali Venkatram Reddy was the Prime Minister of Nizam state.] Is the Nizam’s religious tolerance not visible!
Nizam was the wealthiest (crorepati) person in the world; there were six thousand acres of sarf-e-khas lands under him. All these became government property after the formation of ‘Vishaal Andhra’. Even the lands given to him as Privy Purse by Nehru were returned back by him to the government. [All the landlords i.e. Reddys, Jagirdars, Velamas, Deshmukhs became political leaders by dressing themselves in Khadi clothes. The lands occupied by the communists during armed struggle, were taken back in their control. They are ruling the people by becoming MPs and MLAs.] All the kings of the country entered into politics, changed their dressing, came into power and protected their wealth. Whereas Nizam never entered politics nor his inheritors. The person who left his wealth and power, how can he be a cruel ruler? The upper caste people who changed their colours [how can they be called as democrats?] this was changed to ‘became democrats’.
All the historical buildings that are seen today were constructed in the period of Nizam itself. Nizam was in the position of Governor as Raj Pramukh of Hyderabad state until 1956. However, this is ignored completely whereas Burgula Ramakrishna Rao’s name is heard as first Chief Minister. [The Britishers who looted this country for two hundred years, Sir Arthur Cotton, its representative in India; because he had built a single dam, the Andhras even today perform rites in honour of him. Whereas the Nawab who dig hundreds of lakes for the people and aspired that the people of Hyderabad also should grow like the fishes in the lakes, is called as cruel ruler. After the construction of Gandipet and Himayatsagar, the officials gave their opinion to Nizam that tax should be collected on water, to that he said, how could we collect tax that too on water? [Hyderabad was the first and foremost state that separated Executive and Judiciary.] This was changed to ‘Executive and Judiciary were separate during Nizam period’. In 1938, Gandhi instructed that there is no need of struggle in Hyderabad State by the Congress, because every thing is all right and proper in Hyderabad.
Formation of Telangana state is the need of time, but how is it possible for the Muslims under the above circumstances to take part in the movement whole-heartedly? The people who lost mostly are the Muslims after the formation of Andhra Pradesh. Earlier forty percent of the Muslims were in the government jobs now reduced to two percent. Thousands of acres of lands are [grabbed and registered on their names by Andhra and Rayalseema leaders.] Our history is misapprehended, prejudice is increasing against us day by day, our language is labeled as religious, and our culture is not respected. Even though the most affected are the Muslims but still they hope that, their lives will change with the formation of Telangana state. Therefore, we will fight with collective strength whole-heartedly.
Even though some people among Muslims are saying that anti secular forces may rise, but we say Modi will not take birth here even though he is born, he cannot live politically because Telangana has the history of Progressive movements. Can the society be democratic which is built on false propaganda? Finally, we the Muslims appeal all the rightists and democrats, poets and singers not to speak in the manner, which may hurt the self-respect of the Muslims. Let us unite and struggle for Telangana movement and move forward shoulder to shoulder.
Dr. Rafat Seema, Kaneez Fathima
Muslim Forum for Telangana
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Kaneez Fathima