INTOTHE PAST WITH PAIN..244

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…244
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

( Gandhi, Patel and Nehru are seen walking on King Kothi Road in Hyderabad. They are near Parda gate. It has Asia’s very big second hand market for motor bikes )

Gandhi. Bhai (Brother) Patel. I have not seen this place. I find this gate very old and big canvas is stretched across it. What is this?

Patel. Bapu. This building was the residence of the last Nizam 7 of Hyderabad. His name was Mir Osman ali Khan Bahadur. He was also called Nizamul mulk Asif Jah. He had many titles and decorations given by the King of England and some were self styled.

Gandhi. I know Nizam 7 and also heard about him. What a change in fortunes!. This gate looks deserted and is in bad condition too. The walls of the compound appear to have been repaired recently.

Patel. Yeah. It is still with the successor Mir Barkat Ali Khan, his grand son.

Gandhi. This is strange. Why his son was not made the next Nizam the titular head?

Patel. Bapu. Nizam’s son Azam Jah Bahadur was also titled prince of Berar. Once Nizam fell very sick and everyone thought his days were numbered. The Prince appealed to the Indian Government to declare him as the successor to the ailing Nizam 7. To his misfortune, Nizam, 7 recovered and declared his grand son Mir Barkat Ali Khan as the successor. That is the story.

Gandhi. Jawaharlal , Why are you keeping quiet? I am sure Nizam 7 was your good friend.

Nehru. That he was. I admired him. People say he was benevolent ruler and builder. He was a poet too in his own way.

Patel. I too heard that he penned poetry too. But after seeing this gate I recollect past events like Police action on Hyderabad state.

Gandhi. Was I there at that time?

Patel. How could be? You were shot dead on 30 Jan 1948 like a sitting duck at Birla Mandir at Delhi. Police action was a swift action by Indian army and was completed by 17/18 September 1948. The state of Nizam 7 collapsed in a week’s time.

Gandhi. Empty vessels make big noise.

Patel. Hee..Hee.. Nizam also did the same. He beat his drums loudly and his stooges propped him up high and high from where he fell flat nose diving. It was very sad story.

Gandhi. Every one has to pay for his bad deeds.

Patel. True Bapu.

Nehru. Why are you wasting time here? Let us keep walking.

Gandhi. Why are you in hurry? What troubles you?

Patel. He is getting upset after hearing about Police action.

Nehru. I am least bothered.

Gandhi. Then please wait for some more time. Patel is narrating interesting things. Please listen carefully and have patience.

Patel. In fact, Nizam should not have listened to Kasim Razvi the devil and leader of Razakar force the armed wing of Majlis Ittehad Muslimeen ( MIM).Razvi misled the Nizam and boasted that Asafia flag would fly over ramparts of Red fort in Delhi and the waters of Bay of Bengal would wash the feet of Osman Ali Khan , the Nizam 7. Dar us salam in Hyderabad was the Head quarters of Razkars. It exists even today as the Head Quarters of AIMIM. The words All India has been added to the previous MIM.

Gandhi. Poor Nizam believed him blindly and was engulfed by the flattery of Razvi. I am shocked to know that he believed Razvi blindly. How he lost his balance is still surprising. How he could dream that his flag would fly in Delhi’s Red fort?

Patel. He thought that he could delay things for long time and expected that Pakistan would interfere if India moved it’s army. He also believed that UN would interfere in Hyderabad affair.

Gandhi. How could it be?

Patel. Razvi, Laik Ali the PM and Deen yar jung the Director General of police were the conspirators and misled the Nizam, but Nizam can not be absolved of his failures. He abdicated his responsibilities.

Gandhi. True. What about the crimes committed by Razkars on Hindus while Nizam watched smoking Charminar cigarette in his palace at King kothi?

Nehru. Every ruler is empowered to have his views and the Britishers gave an option to princes to join either Pakistan or India or remain independent,

Patel. They were just nuts. Most of the princes yielded to union’s request to merge. Nizam, Nawab of Junagarh and Kashmir remained aloof. They paid for it later.

Patel. Hyderabad became a pain in the neck and life for Hindus became a terror in the state and union could no longer neglect it. Nizam was also collecting arms from abroad and mobilizing his paramilitary forces and was getting ready for a show down. The problem became severe, but our Chacha Nehru played hide and seek and he was not ready for military action.

Gandhi. Why so? In such cases decision must be taken quickly.

Patel. But Jawaharlal played safe. He was more worried about world’s opinion and his image. He believed that one day he might get Nobel peace prie.

Gandhi. Eee..eee..aaa..aa… I did not get it.

Nehru. Patel, it was not like that. You are telling false things.

Patel. Please allow me to speak. Truth is difficult to digest. If I delayed things, Hyderabad would have emerged as a third Pakistan in the heart of India and it would have become fait accompli. Think of Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh now. They are third rate citizens there if any one is left there.Hindus would be Dhimmis in Islamic state. It is a nightmare for them.

Gandhi. What happened to Hyderabad army? Were they useless guys?

Patel. Bapu, Nizams army and other paramilitary guys like Razakars were no match. Some Razakars had no fire arms. They were sent with lances and lathis as if they were fighting premedieval war. They were butchered by Indian forces in few days.They were just Jihadis. Indian army knew what to do with them.

Gandhi. What exactly happened during Police action?

Patel. Indian army columns marched into state from four directions and Bidar air port was also bombed as a strategic move. There was some resistance at Naldurg in Bombay side borders and at Surya pet on the Andhra front. They were quickly over powered and many Razakars were slain. They were just undisciplined thugs and rapists. They were mowed down. Hyderabad army was no better. It was over in a matter of a week.

Gandhi. Did Nizam run away?

Patel. No. He realized that he had no way. He ordered his army to surrender. Hyderabad army commanded by Maj Gen El Edroos surrendered to Maj Gen JN Chaudhry at Secunderabad. Asafia flag was lowered and tri color went up. Nizams rule ended.

Gandhi. What happened to Razvi?

Patel. He was taken into custody and put on trial soon on few counts. One of the main charge was the murder of Shoibullah Khan the editor of daily Imroz by Razakars. Other charges included Bibinagar dacoity case. He was convicted in the dcaoity case and was sentenced to 10 years RI. Laik Ali the PM escaped to Pakistan.Some susect that he was allowed to escape.

Gandhi. Don’t you think the punishment was less for the acts committed by him?

Patel. Why not? Surely. In any country he would have been sent to gallows even without any major trail. A short summary trial by military court and there ends the matter. East India company did such things during 1857 war. Mutineers were hanged to the trees. We had no guts like them. If you were alive, he would have been let off without any trial. Iam sure about it.

Gandhi. After all my influence still existed even after I was slain ( sings).

Raghupathi raghava Raja Ram
Patheetha Pavana seethe Ram
Eeswar allah tero nam.aa…aa
Sabako sanmathi dde Bhagwan

Patel. How all will get sanmathi ( Wisdom)? If it is so, why terrorists are attacking Indian cities daily?

Gandhi. That is why I am prying to God.

Patel. Better keep praying while India gets screwed up well by the terrorists. The captured terrorists are being treated like Sons- in- law in Indian jails enjoying Kabab, Chicken , cakes and all things. Too much of non violence is also too bad. Jihadis think that we are not potent and we lack guts to punish them.

Gandhi. Patel. You are very bitter. You must adjust.

Patel. Enough of it. Bapu. I am tired of these things. Let us go from here.

Gnadhi. Patel appears to be annoyed. Let us go.

Nehru. OK Bapu,

( The trio walks away)

CURTAIN FALLS