Jagmohan Sharma
Hyderabad was one of the largest and the richest princely states of pre-partition India. It not only comprised of the present-day states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh but also of some parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. At the time of independence, the state was ruled by Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam.
The Nizam dynasty came to rule Hyderabad after Aurangzeb laid a very long siege to Golconda in 1687 CE and the last King of the Qutab Shahi dynasty, Abul Hassan Thana Shah, surrendered to him. Abul Hassan, a follower of Persianate Shia culture, was imprisoned in Daulatabad where he eventually died.
The state of Hyderabad comprised of a population of around 85% Hindus and 15% Muslims at the time of partition of the country. The nobility, the aristocracy, army and the police of the state were almost all Muslims. The 30,000 strong army of the Nizam was led by Maj. Gen. Syed Ahmed El Edroos, who was an Arab. The Nizam army also included elements that were Arab, Turks, Pathans and Rohillas.
On that critical days leading to 15th Aug 1947 the Nizam decided that he shall strive to make Hyderabad an independent state.
The main actors that played a critical role during this period under the Nizam were Qasim Rizvi and Laik Ali and the organizations; Majis-e-Ittehad-ul-Musalmeen (MIM) and Razakars.
MIM was formed in 1927, initially as a cultural religious organization but soon started following in the footsteps of Muslim League of Ali Mohammad Jinnah in the British India. MIM was founded by Bahadur Khan, a young Jagirdar, with the blessings of the Nizam. Bahadur Khan was a fierce orator and because of his oratorical skills he was bestowed with the title of Bahadur Yar Jung. His oratory laced with militant streak endeared him to the Muslim masses, however he died very young under mysterious circumstances. The control of MIM thereafter fell into the hands of Qasim Rizvi, who was a lawyer from Latur though hailing from the present-day Uttar Pradesh. He too was a firebrand leader who would regularly exhort his followers to remember that they had conquered India by force and they were born to rule.
Well before August 1947 he had raised a 200,000 strong force of Razakars who were armed with all kinds of weaponry including guns. As the date of partition of the country started getting closer the Razakars started tormenting the majority community of Hyderabad who fled for their safety into the jungles and the bordering states of India. Rizvi seemed to have had a complete control over Nizam and proclaimed that in case of a showdown with the new Indian Nation he would ensure that Asafia flag flutters over the Red Fort in Delhi in near future. He exhorted the Razakars to march with sword in one hand and the Holy Quran in the other and annihilate all opposition. This became a huge cause of worry for the majority Hindu population.
Another important character during the last days under the Nizamshahi was Laik Ali. He was an engineer by training and an industrialist by profession who was a supporter of Qasim Rizvi’s MIM and Razakars.
Laik Ali became Prime Minister under the Nizam on 29th Nov 1947. It’s believed that his appointment was a result of his close relationship with MA Jinnah and also because of the pressure put on the Nizam by the MIM/Razakars headed by Qasim Rizvi who wanted their own person at this position because of the continuing stalemate with respect to the status of the princely state of Hyderabad. Before his appointment as PM in Hyderabad Laik Ali was Pakistan’s representative at the United Nations.
Prior to the appointment of Laik Ali as the PM another PM was compelled to resign by MIM/Razakars. It was Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan, the Nawab of Chattari and the PM of Nizam. He had to resign as he was not allowed by the MIM/Razakars to leave his house in Hyderabad for a meeting in Delhi regarding the standstill agreement with the Indian government. Such was the dread and clout of the MIM/Razakars at this crucial time in the history of Hyderabad and Indian Nation. It is also believed that Qasim Rizvi had the full support of the Nizam.
The standstill agreement was finally signed on 29th Nov 1947. Agents General were posted in Delhi and Hyderabad; KM Munshi in Hyderabad and Zain Yar Jung in Delhi. A 12-member ministry nominated by MIM was formed which included 04 Hindus.
Qasim Rizvi had complete control over the affairs of the state and because of this there was complete “harmony between King Kothi, the abode of Nizam, Shah Manzil, the PM house and Dar-e-Salam, the HQ of MIM”.
But then the dark clouds of war and mayhem started hovering over the horizon of Hyderabad. Muslim refugees of the partition riots were encouraged to move to Hyderabad so that the ratio of Muslims in Hyderabad was improved and Hindus were terrorized to leave the state.
Nizam had started dovetailing its policies and politics with that of Pakistan and even sanctioned a loan of Rs. 200 million to Pakistan. They had started scouting for weapons, ammunition and armaments from Europe as it was flush with used weapons after the end of world war. Hyderabad also stopped supply of metals to India. In turn Govt of India initiated economic blockade of the state. Nizam also raised a paramilitary force of around 40,000 called the “askars”. The trains passing through Hyderabad to Indian enclaves were ambushed. Razakars continued to harass the population also on the Indian side of the dividing line between the two “countries”. Effort by Lord Mountbatten and Monckton (advisor to Nizam) to settle the issue before the departure of the Viceroy in Dec 1948 bore no fruit and the situation continued to turn grave.
On 17th August 1948 the Nizam sent a delegation to the United Nations to place their case before the security council. The case was eventually closed after Hyderabad acceded to India.
Meanwhile both sides started getting ready for the imminent war and on 13th September 1948 operation polo was launched by the Indian Army under General JN Choudhuri. Resistance from the Nizam’s army folded up by the 17th Sept notwithstanding the bravadoes of Qasim Rizvi.
Hyderabad was liberated on 17th September 1948.
Laik Ali and Qasim Rizvi were placed under house arrest and Gen Adroos was arrested too and later released – being a foreign national.
Qasim Rizvi was sentenced to 7 years rigorous imprisonment on 10th Sept 1950. He was lodged initially in Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad and later shifted to Yervada jail in Pune as he continued to use his influence in Hyderabad for creating mischief.
On 11th Sept 1957 he was released from the Yervada jail with the condition that he will migrate to Pakistan. Qasim Rizvi was shocked to find that none of his comrades from MIM came to receive him when he was released from jail except Zahid Ali Kamil, his advocate. He was driven to Hyderabad where he called General Body Meeting of the MIM. Only 40 of the 140 members turned up. He tried to persuade some of the members present to take over the presidentship of the MIM. None came forward.
Finally, probably unilaterally, he announced the name of Abdul Khair Siddique, who had been secretary of the party and a criminal lawyer too to take over the leadership of MIM, but he politely refused.
Finally, it was Abdul Wahid Owaisi, the grandfather of Asaduddin Owaisi (the present MP of Lok Sabha) who was nominated to head the MIM. The party was later rechristened as AIMIM. Dar-us-Salam, the head quarter of MIM (built on 4 ½ acres of prime land) during those atrocious days of rape, murder and loot by Razakars before Hyderabad’s liberation, was returned to AIMIM by Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, the then Chief Minister of the state along with the rent for the period during which the state government used the premises.
On 18th Sept 1957 Qasim Rizvi left for Pakistan where he grew completely disillusioned and died a pauper’s death.
Laik Ali and his family’s escaped from the house imprisonment in one of the most dramatic escapades of history. The Govt of India came to know about their escape only when he appeared in a reception in Karachi and was introduced to the Indian High Commissioner. Suffice to say now is that when the curtained car of the Laik Ali’s wife, who was on her escapade, broke down near the Begumpet airport her cousin tried to push it to start. It so happened that the Police Chief of Hyderabad was passing by and presuming that there was some lady in distress he asked police officers in his escort to help them push the car to start it. The escape was perfect!!
Laik Ali died in New York where he was on a Pakistan government assignment and was buried in the Holy city of Madina as per his will.
Well, what about the Nizam?
Gen JN Choudhuri, the military administrator took control of the Hyderabad State on 18th Sept 1948, but all government orders (firmans) continued to be issued in the name of the Nizam till 25th Jan 1950. As the constitution of India came into force on 26th Jan 1950; the Nizam was confirmed as Raj Pramukh (Governor) of the state.
A comparison with Maharaja Hari Singh of JandK wouldn’t be out of place at this juncture. While the Nizam fought a battle with the nascent State of India with the likes of Qasim Ali and MIM/Razakars on his side he was rehabilitated and made Raj Pramukh.
Maharaja Hari Singh, a Nationalist to the core and who strived to help his subjects in matters of education, justice, health care, eradication of social evils like untouchability, allowing the downtrodden people into temples, agriculture and establishment of power sector in JandK. He declared on his coronation that his religion was “Dharma”. Such a benevolent and foresighted ruler was exiled from JandK on 20th June 1949 because of the “bonhomie” between Nehru and the Sheikh. He was never allowed to come back and it was only his ashes that returned to his beloved state after his death on 26th April 1961.
At the first round table conference in London in 1930 Maharaja Hari Singh declared that the Indian Princely states would join an “All India Federation” and pleaded for equal status for Indians in the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Therefore, the declaration of holiday by the Lieutenant Governor of JandK to mark the birth anniversary of the Maharaja Hari Singh on 23rd September makes complete sense. We, as Jammuites would like to thank Manoj Sinha ji, HLG, JandK and the Administration under him and congratulate him for the decision. This decision, small as it may sound, formally rehabilitates the memory of the Great Nationalist Maharaja – that was Hari Singh – after a span of 75 years and allows Jammuites to reclaim an important part of history that was being pushed into oblivion by the powers that be.
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