"I think he [Bacha Khan] has either misunderstood the meaning of 'Swaraj' [...] or was misinterpreting it to the ignorant public of the NWFP. Perhaps he thought that Congress was really out for a real & complete independence."
"Independence" was an alien thought for Qayum...
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... the Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayum, the 1st CM of NWFP (1937) who also founded Islamia College. As it appears, he considered it a crime, a seditious one, along the same lines as the British looked at it.
Let me give you background to all this and then we discuss it detail.
As a result of the agitations of Civil Disobedience and Prohibition, the political workers of Bacha Khan (Khudai Khidmatgars) & general public, were attacked & massacred by the British in April 1930.
Many were arrested & put in jail including Bacha Khan.
Bacha Khan was arrested and put in jail. At the same time, many other Congress leaders (Nehru etc.) were meted out almost similar treatment.
In early 1932 about two years later, the opposition members of the legislative assembly wanted to question the govt on various
ordinances that they had enacted to counter the political unrest in the country, especially in NWFP. That's when there is also debate on the conduct and politics of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan).
Here is how Mr. Abdul Matin Chaudry makes the case in favor of Bacha Khan.
Mr. Chaudry asked the govt to release Bacha Khan and the other political prisoners and withdraw the Ordinances to create a favorable atmosphere for the inauguration of the proposed reforms.
Evelyn Howell, the foreign secretary, answers on behalf the govt and charges Bacha Khan of inflammatory speeches, organizing Khudai Khidmatgars on the military lines, preaching non-cooperation, opposing payments of land revenue, water-taxes and so on.
Interestingly enough, foreign secretary, asks Nawab Sahibzada Abdul Qayum if his explanation and annoucement is satisfactory or not - to which he duly says "Most satisfactory" and there is laughter in the benches on this exchange.
Fast forward to the next session of the assembly when Nawab Sahibzada Abdul Qayum takes his turn to speak on the matter. Here he blames Bacha Khan for promulgation of the Ordinances, and accuse of preaching "doctrine of complete independence" which acc. to him wasn't what
what the Congress or Gandhi were campaigning for. He says that the Bacha Khan was mistaken in either interpreting the idea of Swaraj or was willfully misleading the public of NWFP.
He wasn't prepared to appreciate and acknowledge independence as a valid and correct idea.
Interestingly enough, a non-Congressman member, a Molvi takes the podium and comes up with befitting answer to Qayum and defends Bacha Khan and his idea of complete independence.
Will share his speech in few hours. There is more interesting and historically imp. matter to it.
Molvi Sayed Murtaza, from South Madras, responds first to the comments of foreign secretary Evelyn Howell who'd said that if it were any other govt Bacha Khan would have been deported.
Molvi sahib tells him that the British govt should grant Jagirs (land) and Inams(rewards).
He explains that if it was not to the non-violence that Bacha Khan preached, practiced and inculcated in Pashtuns of NWFP, they would not have stopped killing Englishmen.
Molvi Murtaza Sahib then responds to Nawabzada Abdul Qayum's charge of "complete independence" that he leveled against Bacha Khan. Molvi Sahib bravely says that that there are many who are for complete independence (of India) even now.
At this point other members question the 'loyalty' of Molvi Sahib but he stands his ground and refers to the tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that "Huboul Watane minal Iman" - love of one's country, love for liberating one's country is the cardinal faith of Islam".
He tells the house of an incident where jewellery of Pashtun women were taken away and when their husband went to complain to the police, the police remarked that he should regard himself fortunate that only the jewels were removed and his wife not eloped.
Molvi Murtaza packs a good punch to conclude his speech with a couplet of Saadi.
'Oh, tyrant, you have got the upper hand now, and you want to oppress those that are under you, but know full well that this state of affairs can't continue long. Your shop will collapse soon'
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