Jump to content

Bangalore disturbances: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rm cap
m Dekimasu moved page Bangalore disturbances 1928 to Bangalore Disturbances: fix cut-and-paste move, histmerge
(No difference)

Revision as of 02:55, 5 November 2014

Bangalore disturbances - 1928, also known as Ganapati Galabhe and Hindu-Muslim Gharshane are a series of Hindu-Muslim clashes which took place in the city of Bangalore in June – July 1928 over construction of niche on a Ganesh idol in a school premises. This was the first major communal disturbances of Bangalore.

Causes

In June 1928, the students of Hindu Anglo-Vernacular School, Sultanpet, Bangalore, requested the Contractor who was undertaking repairs works to school building, to construct a small shrine or niche over an existing Ganesha idol in the premises of the Hindu Anglo-Vernacular School and the Ganesha Idol was stowed away in a passage of the school[1] The Director of Public Instructions, who controls schools, inspected and ordered to shift the Ganesha idol into a room until further instructions.[2] The students were fond of Ganesha idol, who is the deity of education and also remover of all obstructions and students demanded restoration of Ganesha idol to its original place. The students of neighbouring schools of the city joined the protest. This act had the support of an editorial in a newspaper Veerakesari run by Sitarama Sastri, a Hindu leader[3] and also from other newspapers in general.

Events

Indian National Congress leaders Ramlal Tiwari, Jamkandi Bhima Rao and H. V. Subramanyam entered the fray supporting the student's demand of restoring the idol to its original place. On 27 June 1928, rumors were spread that Abbas Khan and the Muslim mobs received the tacit support of Sir Mirza Ismail, the then Diwan of the Mysore kingdom. The idol dispute soon evolved into a general protest by upper-caste Hindus over Muslim dominance in the administration and bureaucracy. They raised the slogan Melaturukkaru, Kelageturukkaru (Muslims above, Muslims below) referring to the monopolization by Muslims of the upper as well as lower levels of the state bureaucracy.[3]

Tiwari, Subrahmanyam and Bhima Rao were arrested on 27 July 1928. A procession of students made their way to Central Jail, Bangalore where the arrested leaders were kept and were lathi-charged by the state police. The Ganapathi idol was restored to its original place on 29 July[4] and worship at the Ganapati shrine was renewed by over 5,000 Hindus prompted Muslims to attack them with shouts of "Deen, Deen". This led to protests from Muslims of the area as they had to walk past the Ganesha shrine and its worshippers on their way to a local mosque for prayers. The protests were led by municipal president and Muslim community leader, Abbas Khan who lived opposite to the school.[5] Muslims fired from a roof of a nearby cycle shop and also reportedly from upstairs of the house of Abbas Khan (totally less than ten rounds) and at least one boy was hit by bullet.[6] 123 Hindus and 11 Muslims were injured before the government brought the situation under control.[7] Only four cases of injuries of civilians were serious of which one was a bullet wound.[8] There was attempt by disgruntled section of society to spread roumer that one boy named Satyanarayana was killed by the firing from the house top of Abbas Khan, (the boy died of desentery) to the extent that the same was reported to Resident as well as to Governor General.[9] The instigators were punished and the editor of Veerakesari was severely reprimanded. This was the first communal disturbance of Bangalore city and first major communal disturbance of Mysore State.[10]

Effects

The Diwan, Sir Mirza Ismail advised the Maharaja of Mysore, who was residing at Mysore, "not to come from Mysore to Bangalore till after (the) arrested leaders have been tried".[11] The Diwan was worried and thought that his position had become shaky due to the disturbances.[11]

Enquiry

The Maharaja of Mysore constituted a committee headed by Sir M.Visvesvaraya to enquire the disturbances and the committee observed that the law and order was completely broken during the disturbances and the government favoured one side in the incident.[12] The members of the committee were Justice D.K.Rama Rao, H.G.Basavappa, Gulam Ahmed Kalami, V.Manickavelu Mudaliyar, B.Nagappa Bar-at-Law, Ralph Nye.[13] The report of the committee had "qualifying note" by one of the members, Gulam Ahmed Kalami who did not fully agree with the findings of the committee.[14]

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p. 40
  2. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p. 113
  3. ^ a b Janaki Nair
  4. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p. 43
  5. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p. 9
  6. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p. 45,46
  7. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p.46
  8. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p. 46
  9. ^ S.Chandrasekhar p. 138
  10. ^ S.Chandrasekhar p. 134
  11. ^ a b S.Chandrasekhar p. 137
  12. ^ Aji Mehu, Sowmya. "At 99, Nittur still breathes fire and optimism". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  13. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p.i
  14. ^ M.Visvesvaraya and others p.92

Bibliography