Tuesday 23 August 2011

"Brutal and unrestrained barbarism" - Sri BR Ambedkar's comments on the riots


The Moplas were suddenly carried off their feet by this agitation. The outbreak was essentially a rebellion against the British Government The aim was to establish the kingdom of Islam by overthrowing the British Government. Knives, swords and spears were secretly manufactured, bands of desperadoes collected for an attack on British authority. On 20th August a severe encounter took place between the Moplas and the British forces at Thirurangadi. Roads were blocked, telegraph lines cut, and the railway destroyed in a number of places. As soon as the administration had been paralyzed, the Moplas declared that Swaraj had been established. A certain Ali Musaliar was proclaimed Raja, Khilafat flags were flown, and Ernad and Walluvanad were declared Khilafat Kingdoms. 

As a rebellion against the British Government it was quite understandable. But what baffled most was the treatment accorded by the Moplas to the Hindus of Malabar. The Hindus were visited by a dire fate at the hands of the Moplas. Massacres, forcible conversions, desecration of temples, foul outrages upon women, such as ripping open pregnant women, pillage, arson and destruction- in short, all the accompaniments of brutal and unrestrained barbarism, were perpetrated freely by the Moplas upon the Hindus until such time as troops could be hurried to the task of restoring order through a difficult and extensive tract of the country. The number of Hindus who were killed, wounded or converted, is not known. But the number must have been enormous
- Pakistan or Partition of India

1 comment:

  1. I remember Kelappaji, inaugurating protest against the "Muslim Majority district"Malappuram saying that those who wanted such a district were from the same group that declared Mappilastan.

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About Me

I believe that the greatest Hindu deficient is not unity. It is COURAGE.