Anti-Nizam Struggle

IT is quite natural that the reactionary ruling classes oppose the struggles for fundamental changes in the society and strive to suppress, weaken and divert them. We cannot say that every struggle for fundamental changes will continue to the end. For objective and subjective reasons, they may stop in the half way or they may encounter defeats. Yet, the significance of those struggles will not be lessened. The victories they had won would not go waste. The memories of those struggles live forever in the hearts of people.

The ruling classes and their parties would naturally get disturbed when they see the people remembering the past struggles. They are worried that the continuation of memories of past struggles may lead to attempts to revive those struggles in a more powerful and more determined manner. Therefore, they would inevitably try to distort the past struggles and sling mud on the political force which led those struggles. They also try to capitalise the fruits of those struggles. What the Congress and BJP had done in Hyderabad on Sept 17, 1998 in the name of Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Liberation of Nizam State is only a part of these attempts.
On this day, three programmes were organised in Hyderabad . One: at Ravindra Bharati by the Government; Two: at Nizam College Grounds by the BJP; Three: at Gandhi Bhavan by the Congress. The organisers of three programmes were united on one question. They characterised the Indian Union’s Police Action in Telangana from Sept 13 to 18, 1948 as an act of “Liberation”. They see the anti-Nizam Struggle as nothing but a struggle to integrate the Nizam’s State in the Indian Union. The Congress concedes some role to the Communists in the struggle. But it claims that the Congress role was the main in the struggle. In its eagerness to project itself as the champion in upholding the significance of Nizam State ’s liberation, it spat venom on the Communists.

BJP is a past master in using Goebbelian methods of slander campaign. It believes that it can deceive people by combining its resources with these methods. On the eve of the completion of 50 years since the ‘liberation’ of Nizam’s State, the BJP floated a Golden Jubilee Celebrations organising Committee. It released lot of propaganda material, including music cassettes. It paraded the party leaders and cine actors in Chariots in Telangana districts. On September 17, 1998, it held a public meeting at Nizam College Grounds and L.K. Advani was the main speaker. It “honoured” the “freedom fighters”. The entire BJP’s propaganda went on these lines: The integration of Nizam State in the Indian Union was a victory of Hindu people over a Muslim King. It was Sardar Patel “the iron man”- who planned the Sept 13-18, 1948 Police Action and achieved this liberation. In his speech, L.K. Advani, the inheritor and incarnation of this iron man, as characterised by the RSS, vomited all venom on Communists alleging that they had colluded with Razakars in the attempts to keep Hyderabad State as an independent state. Here the BJP sought to gain from its own distorted presentation of history. But it was only a futile attempt.

No One can Distort the History of Telengana People’s Struggle
At no stage, the Telangana People’s Struggle was directed against Muslims. Its leadership, no doubt, opposed the forcible imposition of Urdu. But it never opposed the right of Muslim people to respect and use their own mother tongue, Urdu. Andhra Mahasabha had supported and fought for the right of Telugu-speaking people to respect, use and develop Telugu, their mother tongue, and their own culture.

The ruler of the State, the Nizam, was a Muslim. He sought to make use of this religious background to gain the support of Muslim people for his autocratic and oppressive rule. But, in terms of class character, he stood as the representative and protector of oppressive feudal system. The entire people in Nizam State - whether they were Muslims, Hindus, Marathis, Kannadigas and Telugu-speaking people — has suffered as a consequence of feudal exploitation and oppression and Nizam’s autocratic rule. Therefore, all of them fought against it. The Communist Party, which led this heroic struggle, united the people of all religions and languages in the course of this struggle.

In its initial phase, the anti-Nizam Struggle fought for the language, culture and certain political rights of the people. This struggle has reflected the national and democratic aspirations and struggles of people. But even this legal protests to realise these aspirations of people was not tolerated. It met with suppression by Nizam State . Through their own experience, the people realised that they cannot carry on this struggle with no relation to the struggle against economic and political oppression. Thus the struggle has developed to the level of striking at the foundations of feudal system. This struggle has put various political forces to test. The liberal and reformist sections of Congress withdrew from the scene. The role and influence of revolutionary forces became stronger. The Communists emerged as the vanguards of this struggle. Thus, a cultural movement has eventually transformed and developed itself into struggle against feudalism and Nizam’s rule. Those who characterise the anti-Nizam struggle as a struggle just for language, culture or some political rights or as a struggle to create favourable conditions for Nizam State’s integration to the Indian Union are only concealing the main content of this struggle, that it was aimed at over throwing the feudal system and Nizam’s autocratic rule. It is not surprising, for the ruling class parties like Congress and BJP to indulge in this kind of propaganda because they had stepped into the shoes of Nizam and the British rulers only to serve feudalism and imperialism.

Nizam State On the eve of police action

The anti-feudal and anti-Nizam struggle was in an advanced stage when the Indian Union resorted to Police Action against the Nizam State . The peasant revolutionary movement and armed struggle had won many victories. Led by the Communist Party, the landless and poor peasants had seized and distributed among themselves 10 Lakh-acres of land. They had established people’s raj (popularly known as Grama Rajyas) in 3000 villages. 10,000 people had joined various armed formations under the leadership of Communist Party. The feudal domination had come to an end. Nizam’s rule was confined to Hyderabad and few other cities. As a result, the people in the villages tasted a free and democratic life. They were re-organising their economic and social life in a new way. They were bringing into vogue new cultural and moral values. They were managing their own affairs. The people’s armed formations, actively supported by the people, were successfully repulsing the attacks of Nizam’s police and Razakars in the villages. The peasant revolutionary movement and armed struggle were becoming powerful enough to free Telangana from the yoke of feudalism and Nizam’s rule. Nizam stood isolated from people. The Police Action came in this situation. Nizam’s surrender within a short time and with no resistance only pointed out the precarious state Nizam was at that time.

‘Liberation’ Struggle by Congress Men

On the eve of transfer of power in August 1947, the British colonialists imposed a communal division of the country. In this, they had co-operation from the Congress and Muslim League. At the same time, they left the question of integration of Princely States uncertain. Most of the Princely states agreed to integrate in the Indian Union by accepting rich economic and political dividends. But some states took more time for this. Nizam, an agent of British imperialists, aspired to remain as an independent state. He expected support from the British masters and the newly formed Pakistan in this regard.
Ittehad-ul-Musalmeen sought to mobilise the Muslim population against the integration of Nizam State in the Indian Union and in favour of retaining Hyderabad as an independent state. A private armed formation known as “Razakars” had come into existence and Khasim Razwi was its leader. It had all blessings and support from Nizam as this Muslim communal and fascist force was there to serve as his own para-military force. Razakars declared the “Defence of Deccan State” as their aim. This force was camping in towns and was carrying on raids on the villages. It was looting and committing many atrocities against the people. It declared Hyderabad as an independent state even before 1947. It pledged to wipe out the Communists who were leading the struggle against landlords and Nizam’s rule.
The Congress men in Nizam State , initially, raised the slogans like, “responsible government” and the “integration of the state in the Indian Union”. They held satyagrahas. At one stage, with a view to paralyse the Government, they called upon the village officials to hand over all the records to the Government. As part of non-co-operation, they called upon the people to stop drinking, paying the taxes and to cut down the toddy trees.
The Congress shifted its activities to the Union districts bordering the Nizam State when the anti-Nizam and anti-feudal struggle had taken a serious turn and when the Razakars intensified their attacks on the villages. Some of them had formed some armed squads and called the actions carried on by them as “armed struggle” and “liberation Struggle”. It was funny that these squads were always avoiding coming into clash with the Nizam police and Razakars. Occasionally, they were carrying on raids on Nizam’s check-posts on the borders. These raids too were stage managed. The customs officials were leaving the posts together with their records the moment these squads went for a raid. The All India Radio was giving a wide publicity to this drama of raids. These squads were looting the people in the villages in the name of collecting the taxes. At the same time the Congress men were engaged in a slander campaign against the Communist Party and the squads led by it. This was the time when the talks began between the Indian Union and Nizam.

As noted by VP Menon, the then secretary of the Home Ministry of Estate Affairs in his book, “The Integration of Indian Estates”, the word “Liberation” was never uttered by the Union side in its 18 months long talks with the Nizam State . The Indian Government concentrated on how to bring the Nizam State into some form of relationship with the Indian Union. Nizam too was preparing for this as he found, in view of the changed political situation, the British masters too were not in favour of an independent Hyderabad state. At the same time, he was under a constant pressure from the Ittehad-ul-Musalmeen and Razakars not to arrive at an agreement with the Indian Union.

The ongoing peasant revolutionary movement and armed struggle were another powerful factor at the time. The Indian Union as well as Nizam were very much worried about this ‘common head-ache’. Their assessment was that any delay in reaching an agreement will be harmful to both of them. It will turn the situation totally favourable to the Communists.
Only because of it, the Governor General of India and Nizam Usman Ali Khan signed a “Status quo-Agreement” on Nov 27, 1947. In essence, this Agreement allowed Nizam to maintain an Autonomous status, while, at the same time, having relations with the Indian Union. KM Munshi was appointed as Delhi ’s Agent General (Representative). As VP Menon wrote in his book, Prime Minister Nehru had assured the British represntative at Hyderbad Sir Waltyer Monekton, that the Indian Government will not resort to any attack against the state. Nizam had moved in the direction of coming to an understanding with the Indian state as his regime was crumbling under the fire of peasant revolutionary movement.

Police Action

In this situation, the Indian Government resorted to Police Action (it was called, “Operation Polo”) from Sept 13, 1948. The entire drama of “liberation” or “integration” was over in four days. Nizam surrendered with no resistance what so ever. For Razakars, who were facing the raging flames of people’s anger, the Jails had become safe shelters. The Indian Government took all the care not to cause any hurt to Nizam as a person, to his properties and honour. Not only this. It awarded him the title, “Raj Pramukh” and gifted a bulky yearly privy purse of Rs.25 Lakhs. It allowed him to retain and enjoy with all rights all the wealth and properties which he accumulated by plundering the people for years. It set free all the Razakars, barring a few. They were neither tried in a court of Law nor by a Military Commission for the innumerable crimes committed by them against the people. It was really amusing to listen to some leaders like IK Gujral who told that the ‘credit goes to country’s leaders for a successful integration of Nizam State into the Indian Union without shedding a drop of blood’. These preachers of “peace” and “non-violence” conveniently chose to close their eyes to the fact that vast masses of people, democratic and national forces under the leadership of Communist Party had shed blood in the course of struggle against Nizam’s rule and feudalism. They made supreme sacrifices and experienced worst brutalities. It was this heroic struggle which had, in reality, broken the backbone of Nizma’s rule. On one side, Nizam’s rule found itself on the brink of collapse as a result of peasant revolutionary movement. On the other side, though the Indian Government brandished the sword at Nizam in the form of Police Action, it had showered all the kindness and friendship on him. It came to his aid to enable him to enjoy all the honours and privileges and to protect him from being swept away by the rising tide of peasant revolutionary movement. Here lies the secret of “blood-less liberation”.

Police Action Shed People’s Blood

As far as the masses of people and the Communists were concerned the Police Action was most brutal. As the then secretary of Home Minister, VP Menon, himself admitted in his book, “The Integration of Indian states”, the suppression of Communists was one of the aims of Police Action. Why the Nehru Government and the new ruling classes who claimed themselves as the symbols of democracy, progress and socialism needed to suppress the Communists in Telangana? Because, here in Telangana the Communists did not confine themselves to mere declarations. They led the people into revolutionary action against feudalism, Nizam’s autocratic rule and for thorough-going democratic changes in the economic, social and political life of society. Because, if the struggle sustains, it shall spread to more areas, advance and become stronger. It shall tear off the progressive masks of the new rulers. It shall expose their anti-people character. It shall become dangerous to the very existence of the system, the reigns of which they had taken into their hands from the British colonialists.

Once this farce of ‘integration’ was over within four days, the Police Action has begun, in the real sense of the term, in the areas where the peasant revolutionary movement was strong and it went on for three years. It gave courage to the landlords who were till then hiding in the cities and police camps. Aided by the landlords, the armed forces of Indian Government carried on attacks on the villages, people, communists and the guerrilla squads. For days together at one stretch, they went on a killing spree and carried on worst brutalities, destruction and loot of people’s properties. The Police Action made the restoration of lands, properties and authority of landlords possible crushing the people’s resistance.

Four thousand Communists, people’s fighters and common people had lost their lives as a consequence of this massacre. Thousands of people were subjected to brutalities. Many were tortured in police camps and thrown into jails. The police brutally destroyed the new life, freedom, peace and stability people had won through their struggle.
Slander about collusion between Communists and Razakars

Advani, commander -in-chief of the Hindu Communal fascist forces, had tried to spread a slander which was thrown in the dust bin 50 years back. In 1947, when the talk about Azad Hyderabad was being heard in Nizam’s camp and when the Indian Governments intervention was being expected, some Communist leaders in Hyderabad issued a statement airing the idea of independent Hyderabad state. The Indian Government had given it wide publicity by airing this un-authorised, irresponsible and harmful statement in the AIR in an attempt to unleash a slander campaign against the Communists. However, this statement was immediately, categorically and openly denounced by the Andhra State Committee as well as the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The people and the political forces in those days were aware of this fact. But the AIR deliberately suppressed this statement and news.
The Communists at the time stood for an united democratic state of Telugu-speaking people. The heroic struggle led by them against feudalism and Nizam’s autocratic rule would have cleared the ground for an all round progress of overwhelming masses of people. The Communists and the people fought against the Razakars ever since they made their appearance on the scene because the Communists were clear that the Razakars were not only communalists, but also a fascist paramilitary force in defence of landlordism and Nizam State .
When the Congress began the so called armed struggle, the Communist Party took all the care to avoid clashes with them and concentrated the fire of people’s struggle against Nizam police, Razakars and the landlords. Even when the Police Action has commenced, the Communist Party directed its main attack against Nizam’s Police, Razakars and the landlords. It was a people’s revolutionary struggle. Thousands of people moved into action under the leadership of Communist Party, guerrilla squads and carried on attacks against Nizam’s police and Razakar camps. The people seized the arms from them. The forts of feudal landlords — hated centres of feudal oppression — were reduced into heaps of ash in the midst of rising flames of people’s anger. The people laid the roads and built Martyrs Columns on the soil where the dismantled forts once existed. The people ploughed those lands and turned them into agricultural fields. They seized thousands of bags of rice lying hoarded in the granaries of landlords and distributed it among themselves. They caught hold of Razakars, held open trails and gave suitable punishments to them. At the same time, the people had another bitter experience. Under the cover of liberating Telangana, the Indian Army, entered the scene to carry out a definite mission set for it by the Indian Government Accordingly, it gunned down the people and Communists. It had done everything to save Nizam’s police, Razakars and landlords from the people and thus safeguard the feudal system and autocratic rule.

It is already 55 years since the withdrawal of Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle. Yet, it is still alive in the hearts of Indian People. It is shall remain alive for its experiences and lessons. This struggle, which was withdrawn in 1951 had reappeared after 16 years in the form of peasant revolutionary movement in Naxalbari, Srikakulam, Debra-Gopiballapur, Mushahiri, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Khammam, Warangal , East Godavari and other areas. The revolutionary path adopted by the people of Telangana continues to illuminate the path of exploited and oppressed masses of the Indian people even today. The fact that Advani and people of his ilk are vomiting venom and are carrying on slander campaign against the Communists only expose their fear for a people’s revolution. However, they cannot escape from the history’s final verdict. No one can separate the Communist Revolutionaries from people. No one can stop them from providing leadership to the New Democratic Revolution.
Madhu http://cpiml.in/061119.htm