Third response on Nizam article
Kaneez Fathima
Why attack Nizam while hiding the facts?
Sangisetty Srinivas
Singidi Telangana Literary Forum
The article ‘Is Nizam Not Cruel?’ written by S.V.Satyanarayana (March 7th, Andhra Jyothi) was written from a totally religious perspective and it is irrational. The issues raised by SV, who is holding important responsibilities in Progressive Writers Forum, are full of false and half truths.
It also raises the suspicion that the sole issue in the agenda of the Progressive Writers Forum is accusing Nizam. Like all other rulers, Nizam too might have been cruel in some issues. We have been criticizing him for the past 60 years. However, the appeal made by Rafat Seema and Kaneez Fathima not to criticize Nizam, in the present context of separate Telangana movement is totally justified. SV should tell us what benefits we can reap by criticizing Nizam, who has nothing to do with the present Telangana Movement.
Why do some organizations and individuals, who hold Nizam alone responsible for everything in the past, deliberately forget the fact that Jagirdars, Deshmukhs, Landlords, Deshpandyas and Doras were equally responsible? Are they spare them because both belong to the same religion? SV through his article has created a feeling that there was nothing in Nizam’s rule except tax, trouble, slavery, etc. However, we must make Nizam responsible for all that happened from 1724 to 1948, 220 years of their rule. Nizam must be made responsible for all the industries they established in Telangana, for providing the medical and educational establishments and supporting the Noble prize awardee Ronald Ross for carrying out experiments, for separating Judiciary from the executive and making the judiciary the first autonomous body in the country.
SV questioned as to how Nizam, who came with a pair of clothes, eventually became the wealthiest person? SV’s imagination that a person who was appointed as the Subedar came with only a pair of clothes shows his hatred towards Asaf Jahis. The Diamonds, the Jwellery and the sarf-e-khas lands, which made the Asaf jahis wealthiest, are presently with the Andhra Pradesh government. It was these sarf-e-khas lands that became the massive source of income for the Andhra Pradesh government. Asaf Jahis did not transfer their properties to other regions. They did not invest in any foreign country. Their property was kept in the custody of Telangana itself. They did not take away the wealth as the Britishers did. While claiming that he does know what is being written in English books, he is spreading false stories that Nizam must have been unduly extolled in those books. Telugu people do not have access to the issues brought out by Sheela Raj, Sarojini Regani, Ratna Naidu, V.K. Bawa and hundred of similar people. These issues came to limelight as a result of their research based on Urdu and Persian books. If they are available, then we can understand how irrational SV’s arguments are. As Rafat and Kaneez demanded, what did Arasam do for the Telangana Muslims, apart form criticizing Nizam? Why hasn’t Vishalandhra Publishing house brought out a small book about the Telangana Muslim heroes such as Shoibullah Khan, Bandagi and Turrebaaz Khan. They should answer as to why Maqdoom’s poetry has not been published as a collection? Does SV, who cited Maqdoom’s poem translated by Gajjela Malla Reddy, believe that Telugu pandits used to write poems in praise of Nizam every year? They were published in Golconda Magazine on the occasion of Nizam’s 49th birthday. Looking at those poems, one can understand what those pundits thought of Nizam.
One has to condemn Nyzam’s police, government and their ruler Nizam, who was responsible for the murder of Yadagiri for writing the song ‘Nyzamu sarkaroda – Naazilanu minchinoda.’ Nizam government has to be condemned for killing three hundred people along with Yadagiri during 1944-48. At the same time, why shouldn’t the army, headed by the then Home Minister of India Vallabhai Patel and Nehru, be condemned for killing four thousand heroes of the Telangana peasant struggle of 1948-1951? Why don’t you do this work? What is the secret of accusing Nizam and conveniently forgetting Nehru?
Progressive Writers Forum has been observing condolences to Yadagiri since his death. But does Arasam have the courage to believe that Sri Sri reported Yadagiri’s murder as encounter death? Yes, Sri Sri worked in Nizam’s government in the information wing and translated English news into Telugu. Why isn’t this not mentioned anywhere? While the Telugu people were carrying on the peasant struggle, Sri Sri, Rayaprolu, Kuruganti Seetaramaiah, Kasim Khan and a number of other literary writers continued to work under Nizam government. People like Adivi Bapiraju, Rambhatla, Tirumala Ramachandra and others indirectly supported Nizam’s government through ‘Meezan’ paper. Shouldn’t these issues be discussed at least now?
In the case of Gandhi, SV has put forth only half-truths. When the state congress was started In 1938, it was banned immediately. When the leaders went on Satyagraha and violated the law, Gandhi immediately pressurized them and made them to give up the protest. What is wrong If Rafat and Kaneez termed this as Ganghi saying ‘there is no need to struggle’? We must take the letters of Gandhi and Akbar Hyderi into consideration to understand that Gandhi had a soft corner for Nizam’s rule.
Lastly, one word. In the context of Telangana movement, belittling Nizam is totally irrelevant. Atleast now, things should be seen as they are, ruler as a ruler, water as water, and we appeal to everyone to lead the Telangana movement beyond the caste and religious differences.
Kaneez Fathima