349 PART-V FREEDOM STRUGGLE IN MARATHWADA 350 351 PART-V Freedom Struggle in Marathwada The freedom struggle in Nizam's Dominion was indeed an uphill task which was complicated not merely due to the servile attitude of the Nizam towards the paramount power, but also due to the communal forces. Hyderabad was the largest among the Princely States in India, and it included the five (now seven) Marathi speaking districts of Marathwada. By and large it was a semi-feudal State patronising the communal forces and thereby deprived the majority of the population of even elementary civil liberties. Hence the freedom struggle therein was an infinitely hazardous task, more so than that in British India. As I have stated in my Editorial Note to this Volume, the leaders of public opinion formeda Provisional Committee for working out modalities for the foundation of the Hyderabad State Congress. However the Nizam government declared the Provisional Committee as an unlawful body and put a ban on the Hyderabad State Congress. Notwithstanding the ban the Hyderabad State Congress formulated a Committee of Action for launching a Satyagraha. In view of the situation created by the Government ban on the formation of the Hyderabad State Congress, the Committee of Action reiterated that it was the birthright of the people to organise political associations and declared that the ban on the formation of the Hyderabad State Congress had been defied. Keeping the situation created by Government in view, membership of all primary members was suspended, absolving them of any responsibility whatsoever. A Working Committee, consisting of the following members, organised the State Congress activities and adopted measures to face the situation created by the ban :—President Govindrao Nanal, General Secretary Ramkrishna Dhoot, Members Ravi Narayan Reddy, Shrinivasrao Borikar and Janardhan Desai. The Committee declared that it did not bear hatred or malice towards either any community or individuals. They were second to none in their loyalty to the Nizam and the country. But they wanted to live as self-respecting free citizens. 352 The Satyagraha was to be individual in its character, and Congress-minded persons in particular were told to avoid public meetings and demonstrations for the present. The creed of non- violence and truth were the sheet-anchor of the State Congress and nothing contrary was to be done. The State Congress declared more than once that it was purely a non-communal political organisation having nationalism as its very basis. Despite this assurance the members of the Working Committee were arrested by the State police in front of the Imperial Telegraph Office, Hyderabad, where they had all assembled. Judging from a statement issued by the Working Committee of the banned State Congress, the movement was confined for the present to Satyagraha by the leaders. In other words, there was no intention yet to organise mass disobedience of laws. Primary membership was suspended thus absolving ordinary members from responsibility. " The Working Committee will carry on the activities of the State Congress and adopt such measures as it thinks necessary to meet the new situation…………….The Satyagraha will be of an individual character for the present, and public meetings and other demonstrations will be avoided. Nothing will be done contrary to the principle of truth and non-violence, which are the sheet-anchor of the State Congress ". The statement advised Satyagrahis to inform police the time and place of their proposed Satyagraha. The Hyderabad Government, in an issue of the "Gazette", declared unlawful, under Section 13 of the Public Safety Regulation, the Hyderabad State Congress and Committee of Action of that body. The Government alleged that the State Congress and the Committee of Action aimed at interference with the administration of the State and were subversive of the maintenance of law and order. Further their existence would be dangerous to peace and harmonious relations between the various communities in the State. Now that the first Working Committee was arrested, Swami Ramananda Tirtha was chosen Dictator of the State Congress. He launched the Satyagraha in Hyderabad City on 27th October I938 with prior intimation to the Police Commissioner of Hyderabad. 353 The story of Hyderabad freedom struggle, which can better be called a Mukti Andolan, is a peculiar one. It is unfolded through documents culled from the National Archives of India at New Delhi, the Maharashtra State Archives at Bombay, Police Commissioner of Bombay, Director General of Police of Maharashtra State, the Andhra Pradesh Archives at Hyderabad, numerous contemporary newspaper files and the Transfer of Power documents. An attempt has been made to arrange the documents chronologically from 1934 to April 1942. But the necessity of arrangement of the documents subject wise has put constraints upon us to follow a strict chronology. —Editor 354 355 Mahatma Gandhi Visits Hyderabad Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Hyderabad in March 1934 was a shock to the autocratic and bureaucratic forces. They were afraid that the repressive administrators would be exposed to the critical observation of the Mahatma. The Executive Council of the Nizam became astir to discuss how Gandhiji should be allowed to visit. The Political Member Mehdi Yar Jung and the Revenue and Police Member Sir Trench were chiefly concerned, but they differed with each other. It is of profound interest to see what were their attitudes towards the Mahatma's visit, which was mainly for inculcating the necessity of fighting for the cause of the Harijans. Editor My dear Trench, 6 Feb, 1934. I put this forward, however, for your consideration. The more I think over the matter, the more I am convinced that it would be a very good gesture and an act of courtesy if we let Gandhi give his lecture on the uplift of the depressed classes and also permit a procession. It would show our interest in our own depressed classes, and I cannot imagine that we have anything to fear from such a lecture. The procession would " let off steam " as it were. But once Gandhi is here, I see great danger of serious public discontent arising if processions and public speeches were to be suppressed in such exciting circumstances when the enthusiasm of the public was at its height. Agitation based upon actual incidents………..happening at such a time would be all the more formidable and difficult to allay as it would be based upon the people's actual experience and inspired by very deep feelings. If we cannot treat Gandhi with the courtesy due to him or give him the amount of reasonable liberty that should be accorded to a man on a mission which, ostensibly at least, accords with our own aims, then it is far better that he should not be allowed to come at all. In a word I do not like half measures. I would like the Kotwal to see this letter and also my dissenting Note in Urdu on the Council resolution. His views would be interesting and valuable. Mehdi Yar Jung. 148 Secret POLITICAL MEMBER 7 February 1934. Dear Sir Akbar Hydari, Kindly read and return the enclosed papers. You will observe that the Hon'ble Revenue Member is willing to refer the matter again to the Council regarding the proposed visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Hyderabad. 356 I hope you will be able to support the idea of ordinary courtsey being shown to Mr. Gandhi and liberty of speech being given to him in regard to the uplift of the depressed classes. I am sure this will do no harm, but will have an excellent effect both in the Suite and outside. If this cannot be done, then it is best to prevent Gandhi from coming to Hyderabad at all. My views are more fully expressed in the letter which I wrote to Trench on the 6th February, 1934, which is on this file, as also in my formal note of dissent, a copy of which is also on the file. Mehdi Yar Jung The Bombay Chronicle 16 June 1938. When the over enthusiastic Congress minded population of Hyderabad made rather an indiscreet and premature noise about Mr. K. F. Nariman's impending visit and even announced public meetings and receptions in anticipation, it was feared that it would unnerve the already panicky State authorities and, perhaps, his entry may be banned. It seems that a Hyderabad State Police Officer was awaiting the return of Mr. Nariman from the Malabar tour : immediately on his return, the following polite letter was delivered to him :— " I am directed to inform you that H.E. H's Government have heard that you propose to visit Hyderabad in the near future. If so, I am instructed to let you know that in view of the complications and disturbances of the peace which ensued after your recent visit to Mysore, the Government of Hyderabad regret that they are not prepared to allow you to enter the State whether in your professional capacity or otherwise. " It seems that the Mysore happenings have scared these State authorities and having become wiser, they adopt the advice contained in the maxim " Prevention is better than cure. " Mr. Nariman is addressing a strong protest against this uncalled for unjudicious and arbitrary ban. In serious cases, involving capital punishment to deny the accused the right of selecting their won Counsel is tantamount to denial of justice. This interference of the Executive is all the more outrageous because on an application to the High Court of the State, it is stated that special permission was given to Mr. Nariman to appear in the case. In spite of that judicial order, the executive has thought fit to deprive the accused of a fundamental right to defend.