Latest revision as of 20:40, 27 March 2017

[edit] Mohammad Ali Jauhar: the sedition case

April 23, 2006

Dawn

REVIEWS: The Karachi trial

Reviewed by Sabih Mohsin

Mohammad Ali Jauhar

THOUGH the Khilafat Movement failed to achieve its objective, it created an awakening among the Muslims of British India that eventually helped them in setting their goals and pursue them during the freedom struggle that followed it. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar was the most prominent leader of that movement.

During the Great War (1914-1919) Britain and Turkey were in opposite camps and Turkey had lost large parts of its vast empire in Africa and the Middle East to Britain and its allies. However, the British had been giving assurances to Muslims all over the world, particularly in India, that a fair treatment would be meted out to the Sultan of Turkey who was also the Caliph or spiritual leader of all Muslims. But at the end of the War, they failed to keep their promise. The Turkish possessions in the Arab world were handed over to Britain and its allies under the “mandate system” and Turkey’s dominions were confined to the small territory of Asia Minor. That caused a great resentment among the Muslims of India.

The Khilafat Movement was launched for a purely religious objective, that is, the protection of the Caliphate. However, Gandhi extended full support of the Indian National Congres with a view to exploiting the movement’s strength for the achievement of political goals. Consequently, appeals were made from the platforms of both, the Khilafat Conference and the Congres, for civil disobedience and the boycott of foreign goods. But Muslims went further ahead. The “Ulema issued fatwas that since India had become a Dar-ul-Harb, Muslims should migrate from that country. In response, many families went over to Afghanistan. Another fatwa stated that joining the Indian army was, for a Muslim, an act against his religion because as a soldier of the Indian army he will have to fight against Muslims and kill them.

The Khilafat Conference held meetings all over the country in which Muslims were exhorted to abide by these fatwas. A meeting was held at Karachi also in July 1921 in which a resolution was adopted in accordance with the fatwa that forbade Muslims from joining the British Indian army. The resolution was presented by Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and seconded by Dr Saifuddin Kichlau, Maulana Nisar Ahmad Kanpuri and Swami Shankar Acharya. Maulana Shaukat Ali and Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani also spoke in support of the resolution while Pir Ghulam Mujaddid Sirhandi read out the Sindhi translation of the resolution. Later, all these seven distinguished personalities were arrested on charges of sedition. However, according to the prosecution, the main accused was Maulana Muhammad Ali while the others were charged with abetment.

The book under review, Muhammad Ali Jauhar aur Muqaddama-i-Baghawat, gives an account of this case. The accused persons were presented before the City Magistrate Karachi, S.M. Talati, who referred them to the Sessions Court. In view of the great public interest in the case, it was decided to hold the proceedings in the Khaliqdina Hall on Bunder Road. The book vividly describes the scene inside and outside the courtroom.

The Judicial Commissioner of Sindh, B.C. Kennedy, presided over the court while a five-member jury was also appointed, all the members of which were non-Muslim. The prosecution was led by Barrister T.G. Elphinston while the defendants refused to have any lawyer to defend them. The hearings which began on October 24, 1921, continued for seven days. The courtroom used to be packed every day, while a large crowd waited outside to catch a glimpse of their national heroes. The author reports that five or six Indian and European ladies including Sarojini Naidu, also used to be present in the courtroom every day.

All the defendants except the Swami, maintained that whatever they had said in the meeting was out of their conviction and they had no regrets about it. The Swami stated that he had spoken only on the subject of Hindu-Muslim unity. Maulana Muhammad Ali spoke for two days. His address was full of wit and logic. On the last day, the Court announced its decision. Although the jury had made the unanimous recommendation that all the accused persons should be released, the judge awarded six of the defendants two years’ rigorous imprisonment. The Swami was released honourably.

Besides giving the proceedings of the trial, the book also reviews the events preceding and following it. One of the chapters deals with Jauhar’s poetry. The author calls it habsiya shaeri (poetry of confinement) as most of his poetical work was composed during his days in prison. The book helps in understanding an illustrious personality of our freedom movement.

Mohammad Ali Jauhar aur Muqaddama-i-Baghawat

By Rehmat Farrukhabadi

Oxford University Press, Plot # 38, Sector 15, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi Tel: 111-693-673.

Email: ouppak@theoffice.net

Website: www.oup.com.pk

ISBN 0-19-597894-3

367pp. Rs395