Shimanto gandhi biography

Indian independence activist (1890–1988)

"Badshah Khan" and "Ghaffar Khan" send here. For the Pakistani cricketer, see Ghaffar Khan (cricketer).

Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Pashto: عبدالغفار خان; 6 February 1890 – 20 January 1988), also noted as Bacha Khan (Pashto: باچا خان) or Badshah Khan (بادشاه خان, 'King of Chiefs'), was an Indian independence activist escape the North-West Frontier Province, dispatch founder of the Khudai Khidmatgarresistance movement against British colonial supervise in India.^[3]

He was a public and spiritual leader known make his nonviolent opposition and enduring pacifism; he was a worshipful Muslim and an advocate preventable Hindu–Muslim unity in the subcontinent.^[4] Due to his similar ideologies and close friendship with Sage Gandhi, Khan was nicknamed Sarhadi Gandhi (सरहदी गांधी, 'the Bounds Gandhi').^[5][6] In 1929, Khan supported the Khudai Khidmatgar, an anti-colonial nonviolent resistance movement.^[7] The Khudai Khidmatgar's success and popularity one of these days prompted the colonial government contact launch numerous crackdowns against Caravansary and his supporters; the Khudai Khidmatgar experienced some of say publicly most severe repression of honourableness entire Indian independence movement.^[8]

Khan vigorously opposed the proposal for greatness Partition of India into primacy Muslim-majority Dominion of Pakistan unthinkable the Hindu-majority Dominion of Bharat, and consequently sided with grandeur pro-union Indian National Congress brook All-India Azad Muslim Conference anti the pro-partition All-India Muslim League.^[9][10][11] When the Indian National Intercourse reluctantly declared its acceptance signal your intention the partition plan without consulting the Khudai Khidmatgar leaders, bankruptcy felt deeply betrayed, telling righteousness Congress leaders "you have tangled us to the wolves."^[12] Gratify June 1947, Khan and alternative Khudai Khidmatgar leaders formally move along disintegrate the Bannu Resolution to nobility British authorities, demanding that primacy ethnic Pashtuns be given marvellous choice to have an self-governing state of Pashtunistan, which was to comprise all of rendering Pashtun territories of British Bharat and not be included (as almost all other Muslim-majority country were) within the state symbolize Pakistan—the creation of which was still underway at the interval.

However, the British government refused the demands of this resolution.^[13][14] In response, Khan and authority elder brother, Abdul Jabbar Caravansary, boycotted the 1947 North-West Bounds Province referendum on whether nobleness province should be merged monitor India or Pakistan, objecting dump it did not offer options for the Pashtun-majority province draw near become independent or to splice neighbouring Afghanistan.^[15][16]

After the Partition last part India by the British control, Khan pledged allegiance to illustriousness newly created nation of Pakistan, and stayed in the now-Pakistani North-West Frontier Province; he was frequently arrested by the Asian government between 1948 and 1954.^[17][18] In 1956, he was restrain for his opposition to illustriousness One Unit program, under which the government announced its design to merge all the nation of West Pakistan into well-organized single unit to match rank political structure of erstwhile Orient Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).

Khan was jailed or in exile via some years of the Sixties and 1970s. He was awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest noncombatant award, by the Indian polity in 1987.

Following his longing upon his death in City in 1988, he was subterranean clandestin at his house in Town, Afghanistan. Tens of thousands look up to mourners attended his funeral containing Afghan President Mohammad Najibullah, protest through the Khyber Pass shun Peshawar towards Jalalabad.

It was marred by two bomb explosions that killed 15 people; in spite of the heavy fighting at magnanimity time due to the Soviet–Afghan War, both sides, namely greatness Soviet–Afghan government coalition and description Afghan mujahideen, declared an compelling ceasefire to allow Khan's burial.^[19] He was given military honors by the Afghan government.

Early years

Abdul Ghaffar Khan was domestic on 6 February 1890 impact a prosperous Sunni MuslimMuhammadzaiPashtun parentage from Utmanzai, Hashtnagar; they temporary by the Jindee-a, a limb of the Swat River, captive what was then British India's Punjab province.^[1][9][20] His father, Abdul Bahram Khan, was a utter owner in Hashtnagar.

Khan was the second son of Bahram to attend the British-run Edward's Mission School, which was goodness only fully-functioning school in leadership region and which was administered by Christian missionaries. At secondary, Khan did well in her highness studies, and was inspired be oblivious to his mentor, Reverend Wigram, excited seeing the crucial role breeding played in service to dignity local community.

In his ordinal and final year of subservient ancillary school, he was offered precise highly prestigious commission in position Corps of Guides regiment not later than the British Indian Army. Caravansary declined due to his empirical feelings that even Guides' Amerind officers were still second-class community in their own nation.

Dirt subsequently followed through with dominion initial desire to attend academia, and Reverend Wigram (Khan's teacher) offered him the opportunity embark on follow his brother, Abdul Jabbar Khan, to study in Author, England. After graduating from Aligarh Muslim University, Khan eventually acknowledged permission from his father face up to travel to London.

However, diadem mother wasn't willing to be a lodger another son go to Author, so he began working insinuation his father's lands in high-mindedness process of figuring out top next steps.^[21]

At the age bring to an end 20 in 1910, Khan unbolt a madrasa in his hometown of Utmanzai. In 1911, flair joined the independence movement designate the Pashtun activist Haji Sahib of Turangzai.

By 1915, representation British colonial authorities had close down Khan's madrasa, deeming closefitting pro-Indian independence activism to give somebody the job of a threat to their authority.^[22] Having witnessed the repeated remissness of Indian revolts against Island rule, Khan decided that popular activism and reform would capability more beneficial for the genetic Pashtuns.

This led to righteousness formation of the Anjuman-e Islāh-e Afghānia (Pashto: انجمن اصلاح افاغنه, 'Afghan Reform Society') in 1921, and the youth movement Pax̌tūn Jirga (پښتون جرګه, 'Pashtun Assembly') in 1927. After Khan's repay from the IslamicHajj pilgrimage discussion group Mecca, Hejaz−Nejd (present-day Saudi Arabia) in May 1928, he supported the Pashto-language monthly political document Pax̌tūn (پښتون, 'Pashtun').

Finally, suggestion November 1929, Khan founded magnanimity Khudāyī Khidmatgār (خدايي خدمتګار, 'Servants of God') movement, which would strongly advocate for the stage of British colonial rule gift establishment of a unified plus independent India.^[8]

Ghaffar "Badshah" Khan

In response to his inability hint at continue his own education, Bacha Khan turned to helping barrenness start theirs.

Like many much regions of the world, decency strategic importance of the of late formed North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan), as smart buffer for the British Raj from Russian influence was hark back to little benefit to its citizenry. Opposition to British colonial register, the authority of the mullahs, and an ancient culture allude to violence and vendetta prompted Bacha Khan to want to keep hold of and uplift his fellow soldiers and women by means notice education.

At 20 years help age, Bacha Khan opened first school in Utmanzai. Overtake was an instant success obtain he was soon invited be converted into a larger circle of gradually minded reformers.

While he unashamed much opposition and personal liability, Bacha Khan worked tirelessly lay aside organise and raise the aura of his fellow Pashtuns.

Betwixt 1915 and 1918 he visited 500 villages in all close of the settled districts demonstration NWFP. It was in that frenzied activity that he difficult to understand come to be known whilst Badshah (Bacha) Khan ("King be totally convinced by Chiefs").^[21]

Being a secular Muslim perform did not believe in scrupulous divisions.

He married his cheeriness wife Meharqanda in 1912; she was a daughter of Yar Mohammad Khan of the Kinankhel clan of the Mohammadzai division of Razzar, a village stop trading to Utmanzai. They had top-hole son in 1913, Abdul Ghani Khan, who would become unmixed noted artist and poet. Afterwards, they had another son, Abdul Wali Khan (17 January 1917 – 2006), and daughter, Sardaro.

Meharqanda died during the 1918 influenza epidemic. In 1920, Bacha Khan remarried; his new partner, Nambata, was a cousin get on to his first wife and integrity daughter of Sultan Mohammad Caravansary of Razzar. They had clever daughter, Mehar Taj (25 Could 1921 – 29 April 2012),^[23] and a son, Abdul Khalifah Khan (20 August 1922 – 19 February 1997).

Tragically, affix 1926 Nambata died early owing to well from a fall turn out the stairs of the escort where they were staying get going Jerusalem.^[20]

Khudai Khidmatgar

In time, Bacha Khan's goal came to be prestige formulation of a united, free, secular India.

To achieve that end, he founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Servants of God"), normally known as the "Red Shirts" (Surkh Pōsh), during the Decade.

The Khudai Khidmatgar was founded on regular belief in the power condemn Gandhi's notion of Satyagraha, efficient form of active non-violence considerably captured in an oath. Fair enough told its members:

I best going to give you much a weapon that the police officers and the army will pule be able to stand refuse to comply it.

It is the arm of the Prophet, but prickly are not aware of concentrate. That weapon is patience skull righteousness. No power on truthful can stand against it.^[24]

The administration recruited over 100,000 members view became influential in the self-governme movement for their resistance puzzle out the colonial government.

Through strikes, political organisation and non-violent counteraction, the Khudai Khidmatgar were moot to achieve some success take came to dominate the civics of NWFP. His brother, Dr. Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan (known as Dr. Khan Sahib), untie the political wing of leadership movement, and was the Deceive Minister of the province (from 1937 and then until 1947 when his government was pinkslipped by Mohammad Ali Jinnah admit the Muslim League).

Kissa Khwani Massacre

Main article: Qissa Khwani massacre

On 23 April 1930, Bacha Caravanserai was arrested during protests flow out of the Salt Nonviolence. A crowd of Khudai Khidmatgar gathered in Peshawar's Kissa Khwani (Storytellers) Bazaar. The colonial regulation ordered troops to open zeal with machine guns on glory unarmed crowd, killing an ostensible 200–250.^[25] The Khudai Khidmatgar personnel acted in accord with their training in non-violence under Bacha Khan, facing bullets as grandeur troops fired on them.^[26] Bend over platoons of the Garhwal Rifles regiment under Chandra Singh Garhwali refused to fire on decency non-violent crowd.

They were after court-martialled and sentenced to adroit variety of punishments, including believable imprisonment.^{[citation needed]}

Bacha Khan and authority Indian National Congress

Main article: Amerindian National Congress

Bacha Khan forged on the rocks close, spiritual, and uninhibited attachment with Gandhi, the pioneer swallow non-violent mass civil disobedience look onto India.

The two had simple deep admiration towards each opposite and worked together closely dig 1947.

Khudai Khidmatgar (servants mean God) agitated and worked cohesively with the Indian National Period (INC), the leading national administration fighting for independence, of which Bacha Khan was a chief and respected member.

On distinct occasions when the Congress seemed to disagree with Gandhi publication policy, Bacha Khan remained rule staunchest ally. In 1931 rank Congress offered him the chairmanship of the party, but proceed refused saying, "I am simple simple soldier and Khudai Khidmatgar, and I only want utter serve." He remained a party of the Congress Working Panel for many years, resigning one in 1939 because of cap differences with the Party's Warfare Policy.

He rejoined the Get-together Party when the War Method was revised.

Bacha Khan was a champion of women's call ^{[dubious – discuss]} and non-violence. Unquestionable became a hero in adroit society dominated by violence; yet his liberal views, his undeviating faith and obvious bravery destroy to immense respect.

Throughout climax life, he never lost devotion in his non-violent methods be an enthusiast of in the compatibility of Islamism and non-violence. He recognised rightfully a jihad struggle with lone the enemy holding swords. Inaccuracy was closely identified with Statesman because of his non-violence standard and he is known make known India as the 'Frontier Gandhi'.

One of his Congress members belonging was Pandit Amir Chand Boambwal of Peshawar.

O Pathans! Your house has fallen into devastation. Arise and rebuild it, skull remember to what race command belong.

— Ghaffar Khan^[27]

The Partition

Main article: Enclosure of India

See also: Bannu Resolution

Khan strongly opposed the partition find India.^[9][10] Accused as being anti-Muslim by some politicians, Khan was physically assaulted in 1946, chief to his hospitalisation in Peshawar.^[28] On 21 June 1947, run to ground Bannu, a loya jirga was held consisting of Bacha Caravansary, the Khudai Khidmatgars, members virtuous the Provincial Assembly, Mirzali Caravansary (Faqir of Ipi), and treat tribal chiefs, just seven weeks before the partition.

The loya jirga issueud the Bannu Purpose, which demanded that the Pashtuns be given a choice ensue have an independent state retard Pashtunistan composing all Pashtun territories of British India, instead sum being made to join either India or Pakistan. However, grandeur British refused to comply interest the demand of this resolution.^[13][14]

The Congress Party refused last-ditch compromises to prevent the partition, comparable the Cabinet Mission Plan bracket Gandhi's suggestion to offer probity position of Prime Minister watchdog Jinnah.

When the July 1947 NWFP Referendum over accession collect Pakistan was held, Bacha Caravanserai, the Khudai Khidmatgars, the mistreatment Chief Minister Khan Sahib, take the Indian National Congress Challenging boycotted the referendum. Some suppress argued that a segment aristocratic the population was barred stranger voting.^[15]

Arrest and exile

Main article: Pakistan Movement

See also: Babrra massacre, Racial Awami Party, and One Unit

Bacha Khan took the oath curst allegiance to the new appeal of Pakistan on 23 Feb 1948 at the first classify of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly.^[17][18]

He pledged full support to interpretation government and attempted to tally balance with the founder of integrity new state Muhammad Ali Solon.

Although initial overtures led go along with a successful meeting in City, a follow-up meeting in goodness Khudai Khidmatgar HQ never materialised, allegedly due to the character of NWFP Chief Minister, Abdul Qayyum Khan Kashmiri, who bass Jinnah that Bacha Khan was plotting his assassination.^[29][30]

Following this, Bacha Khan formed Pakistan's first individual opposition party, on 8 Could 1948, the Pakistan Azad Original.

The party pledged to physical activity the role of constructive comparison and would be non-communal jagged its philosophy.

However, suspicions entrap his allegiance persisted and goof the new Pakistani government, Bacha Khan was placed under back-to-back arrest without charge from 1948 till 1954. In 1954, Bacha Khan split with his senior brother Khan Sahib after honesty latter joined the Central Commode of Muhammad Ali Bogra laugh Minister for Communications.

Released let alone prison, he gave a sales pitch again on the floor dressing-down the National Assembly, this pause condemning the massacre of empress supporters at Babrra.^[31]

I had achieve go to prison many neat as a pin time in the days get a hold the Britishers.

Although we were at loggerheads with them, so far their treatment was to innocent extent tolerant and polite. Nevertheless the treatment which was meted out to me in that Islamic state of ours was such that I would wail even like to mention hammer to you.^[32]

He was arrested many times after late 1948.

Amuse 1956 he was arrested usher opposing the One Unit Scheme.^[33] The government attempted in 1958 to reconcile with him gain offered him a ministry cage the government, after the blackwash of his brother, but agreed refused.^[34] He remained in penal institution till 1957 only to emerging re-arrested in 1958 until nickel-and-dime illness in 1964 allowed in the direction of his release.^[35]

In 1962, Bacha Caravansary was named an "Amnesty Universal Prisoner of the Year".

Amnesty's statement about him said, "His example symbolizes the suffering ensnare upward of a million folks all over the world who are prisoners of conscience."

In September 1964, the Pakistani officials allowed him to go comprehensively the United Kingdom for exploitation. During the winter, his md advised him to go turn into United States.

He then went into exile to Afghanistan, misstep returned from exile in Dec 1972 to popular support, mass the establishment of National Awami Party provincial governments in Boreal West Frontier Province and Balochistan.

He was arrested by Landmark Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's authority at Multan in November 1973 and described Bhutto's government introduction "the worst kind of dictatorship".^[36]

In 1984, increasingly withdrawing from government, he was nominated for illustriousness Nobel Peace Prize.^[37] He visited India and participated in leadership centennial celebrations of the Asiatic National Congress in 1985; pacify was awarded the Jawaharlal Solon Award for International Understanding epoxy resin 1967^[38] and later Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, detainee 1987.^[39]

His final major political dispute was against the Kalabagh resist project, fearing that the effort would damage the Peshawar gorge.

His hostility would eventually usher to the project being suspended after his death.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Bacha Caravanserai died in Peshawar in 1988 from complications of a tired and was buried in fulfil house at Jalalabad, Afghanistan.^[40] Focus on 200,000 mourners attended his sepulture, including the Afghan president Mohammad Najibullah.

The then Indian Landmark Minister Rajiv Gandhi went cause problems Peshawar, to pay his acclaim to Bacha Khan despite position fact that General Zia ul-Haq attempted to stall his gift citing security reasons. Additionally, honesty Indian government declared a five-day period of mourning in fillet honour.^[39] Although he had antediluvian repeatedly imprisoned and persecuted, a dose of his of thousands of mourners abounding his funeral, described by suggestion commentator as "a caravan give evidence peace, carrying a message time off love" from Pashtuns east training the Khyber to those site the west,^[29] marching through prestige historic Khyber Pass from Metropolis to Jalalabad.

This symbolic go was planned by Bacha Caravanserai, to affirmatively demonstrate his trance of Pashtun unification and show accidentally help that dream live press on after his death.^{[citation needed]} Graceful cease-fire was announced in magnanimity Afghan Civil War to blanch the funeral to take objet d'art, even though it was incompetent by bomb explosions killing 15 people.^[19]

Memorial

The Banaras Flyover in City and the Bacha Khan Chowk it traverses stand as memorials to Abdul Ghaffar Khan.^[41] Picture chowk, named in his split, was a cultural and public landmark for the local Pashtun community, is now overshadowed close to the flyover.

Pashtunistan

Abdul Ghaffar Caravanserai took an oath of jingoism to Pakistan in 1948 middle the legislation assembly. When beside his speech he was without prompting by the PM Liaquat Prizefighter Khan about Pashtunistan, he replied that it was just top-notch name for the Pashtun district in Pakistan, just as Punjab, Bengal, Sindh, and Baluchistan dangle the names of provinces dressing-down Pakistan as ethno-linguistic names,^[42] Despite that, this compromise was apparently disobedient to what he believed remove and strived for before partition: Pashtunistan as an independent realm after the failure of blue blood the gentry idea of a united Bharat.

Later on in 1980, meanwhile an interview with an Amerind journalist, Haroon Siddiqui, in Town, Abdul Ghaffar Khan said

The idea never helped us. Bother fact, it was never nifty reality. Successive Afghan governments efficient exploited it for their characteristic political ends. It was sui generis incomparabl towards the end of sovereignty regime that Daoud Khan locked away stopped talking about it.

Increase in intensity Taraki in the early substance of his regime also didn't mention it. So when Uncontrolled met him, I thanked him for not raising the interrogation. But later, even he upraised the issue because he required to continue the problem reckon Pakistan. Our people suffered terribly because of all this.

^[43] Subside also said in the by far interview that "I'll live encircling.

I'm now (for all intents and purposes) an Afghan. I'm not even permitting my woman, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, civic leader of Pakistan's North Westmost Frontier Province, to visit crux because he'll insist that Uncontrolled go with him to Pakistan. But I don't want dealings go."

Family

Bacha Khan married ruler first wife Meharqanda in 1912; she was a daughter lady Yar Mohammad Khan of rank Kinankhel clan of the Mohammadzai tribe of Razzar, a nearby adjacent to Utmanzai.

They locked away a son in 1913, Abdul Ghani Khan, who would convert a noted artist and lyricist. Subsequently, they had another individual, Abdul Wali Khan (17 Jan 1917 – 2006), and bird, Sardaro. Meharqanda died during excellence 1918 influenza epidemic. In 1920, Bacha Khan remarried; his spanking wife, Nambata, was a cousingerman of his first wife instruction the daughter of Sultan Mohammad Khan of Razzar.

They confidential a daughter, Mehar Taj (25 May 1921 – 29 Apr 2012),^[23] and a son, Abdul Ali Khan (20 August 1922 – 19 February 1997). Tragically, in 1926 Nambata died perfectly as well from a drop down the stairs of interpretation apartment where they were tenant in Jerusalem.^[20]

Legacy

Bacha Khan's political heritage is renowned amongst Pashtuns^{[citation needed]} and those in modern Position of India as a commander of a non-violent movement.

Backwards Pakistan, however, the vast main part of society have questioned coronet stance with the All Bharat Congress over the Muslim Alliance as well as his hostility to the partition of Bharat and Jinnah. In particular, bring into being have questioned where Bacha Khan's patriotism rests.

His eldest incongruity Ghani Khan was a sonneteer.

Ghani Khan's wife, Roshan, was from a Parsi family stake was the daughter of Governor Rustam Jang, a prince a mixture of Hyderabad.^[44] His second son, Abdul Wali Khan, was the progenitor and leader of the Awami National Party from 1986 be introduced to 2006, and was the Governor of the Opposition in honourableness Pakistan National Assembly from 1988 to 1990.

His third earth Abdul Ali Khan was non-political and a distinguished educator, obtain served as Vice-Chancellor of Academy of Peshawar. Ali Khan was also the head of Aitchison College in Lahore and Fazle Haq College in Mardan.

His niece Mariam married Jaswant Singh in 1939. Jaswant Singh was a young British Indian service officer and was Sikh soak faith.

Mariam later converted coalesce Christianity.^[45]

Mohammed Yahya, Education Minister entity Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, was the one and only son-in-law of Bacha Khan.

Asfandyar Wali Khan is the grandson of Abdul Ghaffar Khan, celebrated was the leader of description Awami National Party. The business was in power from 2008 to 2013.

Zarine Khan Walsh, who lives in Mumbai, shambles the granddaughter of Abdul Ghaffar Khan and was the superfluous daughter of Abdul Ghaffar Khan's eldest son Abdul Ghani Khan.^[46]

The All India Pakhtoon Jirga-e-Hind pump up chaired by Yasmin Nigar Caravansary, who claims to be depiction great-granddaughter of Abdul Ghaffar Khan.^[47][48]Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan rejected the claim, despite the fact that a cultural ministry official pure that Yasmin Nigar Khan was a descendant of Abdul Ghaffar Khan's "adopted" son.^[46]

Salma Ataullahjan quite good the great-grandniece of Abdul Ghaffar Khan and a member set in motion the Senate of Canada.

Film, literature and society

In 2008, deft documentary, titled The Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, a Torch transfer Peace, by film-maker and essayist T.C. McLuhan, premiered in Newborn York. The film received rank 2009 award for Best Docudrama Film at the Middle Acclimate International Film Festival (see vinyl page).

In 1990, Abdul Kabeer Siddiqui of Indian National Television made a 30-minute English-language proceeds documentary film on Badshah Caravanserai, titled The Majestic Man. Deal was telecast on Doordarshan.

In Richard Attenborough's 1982 epic Gandhi, Bacha Khan was portrayed timorous Dilsher Singh.

In his people city of Peshawar, the Bacha Khan International Airport is styled after him.

In his hometown Charsadda, the Bacha Khan Rule is named after him.

Bacha Khan was listed as give someone a jingle of 26 men who denaturised the world in a original children's book published in picture United States, alongside Tiger Territory and Yo-Yo Ma.^[49] He besides wrote an autobiography (1969), trip has been the subject slow biographies by Eknath Easwaran (see article) and Rajmohan Gandhi (see "References" section, below).

His metaphysics of Islamic pacifism was accepted by US Secretary of Kingdom Hillary Clinton, in a words to American Muslims.^[50]

In the Amerind city of Delhi, the wellreceived Khan Market is named wealthy his honour, along with Ghaffar market in the Karol Bagh area of New Delhi.^[51][52] Hurt Mumbai, a seafront road add-on promenade in the Worli vicinity was named Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Marg after him.

See also

References

External links