1931 Kashmir Riots 13th July 1931 saw an expression of extreme form of communalism from the majority community

of the Kashmir valley - the Kashmiri Muslims. In the name of protest against the local ing - Maharaja !ari "ingh# the Kashmiri Muslims unleashe$ gruesome violence on the !in$us living in the Kashmir valley. The simmering It was on June %1# 1931 that the &MM' (&oung Man)s Muslim 'ssociation*# le$ +y "hei h Mohamme$ '+$ullah# planne$ a pu+lic meeting at Khan,ah-i- mohalla. It was a uni,ue meeting +ecause all Muslim lea$ers# irrespective of their schools of thought# assem+le$ there. -he meeting was a$$resse$ +y '+$ullah himself. !e as e$ all Muslims to unite an$ $eman$ for their rights. !e also appeale$ to the .un$its to join han$s with Muslims to see re$ress of grievances as well as# $eman$ for in$epen$ence. 'll lea$ers swore in the name of the !oly +oo that they woul$ remain faithful to the cause of Islam. Khawaja "aa$-u$-$in "hawl# Mirwai/ Moulvi &ousuf "hah# Mirwai/ Moulvi !am$ani# 0how$hury 1hulam '++as# 'gha "ye$ !ussain "hah Jalali# Khawaja 1hulam 'hma$ 'shai# Munshi "haha+-u$-$in# "hei h Mohamma$ '+$ullah#an$ "ar$ar 1ohar 2ahman were electe$ as representatives of the Muslims. Just when the meeting was a+out to +e over#a well-+uilt .athan# '+$ul 3a$eer Khan#aroun$ 34-56 years ol$# rose up an$ $elivere$ an inspiring speech# which was consi$ere$ to +e se$itious +y the "tate 1overnment. !e sai$# 7-he honor# respect# an$ relevance of the !oly 3uran are $earer to the Muslims than the rulership of the worl$. 8h# Muslims arise9 -ime is near when you shall reply with stones# against the +ric s. I warn you that your representatives an$ memorials cannot come to your rescue# now will these papers remove injustice an$ misery. &ou must stan$ on your legs an$ fight against the autocratic force. :ven if you have no arms# you can fight with stic s an$ stones7. !e then pointe$ towar$s the "hergarhi palace of the Maharaja# an$ crie$; 7<emolish this e$ifice of injustice# cruelty# an$ su+jugation7. -he listeners# who inclu$e$ lea$ers an$ the general pu+lic# were ,uite fla++ergaste$ to hear such a speech. -he crow$s seeme$ so mo+ili/e$ an$ motivate$ that they shoute$ )'llah-o-' +ar) to manifest their support for Khan. The Riots -he communal instigations# couple$ with the arrest of '+$ul 3a$eer on charges of se$ition# culminate$ into uninhi+ite$ loot# arson# mur$er# an$ extreme violence# against the ethnic minority community of Kashmiri .an$its. -he -ri+une# a lea$ing national newspaper of that time# reporte$ on the riots. It reporte$; 7't noon a+out a thousan$ Muslims gathere$ outsi$e the 0entral Jail an$ there# in $efiance of the law# arrange$ a meeting. -he .olice "uperinten$ent or$ere$ them to $isperse +ut they refuse$. -he "uperinten$ent next or$ere$ his consta+les to $isperse the unlawful assem+ly. !e ha$ har$ly given these or$ers when the mo+ which ha$ swelle$ into thousan$s charge$ the small police force present with +ric +ats. -he mo+# in spite of police resistance# +ro e open the Jail gate an$ set a +arrac on fire. -he small prison guar$ fire$ an$ a few protestors $ie$. '+out ten $eaths are reporte$. ' short time later cavalry .olice an$ military force arrive$. 'larm +ugle was soun$e$. =il$ rumors sprea$ in the city fast. -he Muslims ha$ alrea$y +een o+serving a complete hartal since the morning +ut now the !in$u shops were close$. -he mischief - mongers# reali/ing that all the forces# were centere$ aroun$ the 0entral Jail# a place 3 miles away from the city# $eci$e$ upon rai$ing the houses an$ shops of the !in$us in the city. -here seeme$ to +e a well-organi/e$ conspiracy +ehin$ all this. -he telephone an$ electric wires were cut off# an$ a+out six thousan$ Mohamma$ans rai$e$ Maharaja 1unj# looting an$ plun$ering the !in$us of the vicinity. -hen followe$ harrowing scenes of incen$iarism. >o military or police ai$ reache$ those ,uarters for full two hours $uring which hun$re$s of !in$us ha$ +een loote$ an$ hun$re$s of them were injure$ with lathis an$ stones an$ incalcula+le $amage was cause$ to !in$u property. ?isitors were also not spare$# they were severely +ela+ore$# an$ everything# even their shoes an$ tur+ans# were snatche$ away. 0ars an$ +uses were stone$ an$ smashe$. =hen the military an$ police force $i$ arrive# it foun$ the mo+ +eyon$ control@ an$ it was not +efore A p.m. that the havoc a+ate$. 0hil$ren# while returning from their schools# are reporte$ to have +een pic e$ up an$ hurle$ in the river Jhelum. !in$u women were insulte$ an$ maltreate$. -he magistrates# military sol$iers an$ police consta+les were stone$ as a result of which many got seriously woun$e$. "tate +uses carrying the sol$iers were also stone$ an$ their $rivers grievously hurt. -he police ha$ to open fire at Maharajgunj also. ' few casualties are reporte$ from among Mohamma$ans. But inspite of all this the mo+ $i$ not $isperse an$ continue$ looting an$ wan$ering. 't last or$er was restore$ +y energetic action of the "tate forces. 'mong the 1C $eaths reporte$ $ue to police firing almost all were Muslims. Many !in$us# inclu$ing women were reporte$ missing. In the night curfew or$er an$ section 155 were promulgate$. "ervices of more military were re,uisitione$# as the city o+serve$ a complete hartal ami$st the prevailing panic. In 'mira Ka$al# the !in$u shops were open as the military an$ police patrolle$ the city. 'll +usiness came to a stan$still. 0olleges# schools# courts an$ offices remaine$ close$. :xcept for the 1eneral .ost- office all other post - offices were also close$. Besi$es 1C6 arrests# house searches were ma$e to recover loote$ property. Dnconfirme$ reports of looting#

plun$ering an$ +ela+oring of !in$us were receive$ from ?icharnag.7 Background =hile the instigation was ma$e out to +e a spontaneous revolt against the su+jugation +y the Maharaja# close analysis of the situation +rings out the real picture. <espite +eing autocratic an$ recalcitrant# Maharaja !ari "ingh in his a$$ress to the cham+er of .rinces in Eon$on was une,uivocal an$ unmista a+le in his support of the growing $eman$ for In$ian in$epen$ence which generate$ alarm waves for the British imperialists ever een to perpetuate their hegemony over In$ia an$ other .rincely states. .lans were set afoot an$ conspiracies hatche$ to eep the Maharaja un$er the heel of pressure so that he woul$ not $are thwart an$ impe$e the British strategies to meet the challenges pose$ to their vast sprawling empire +y the 2ussian expansion in the +elts of regions contiguous to their territories. 8n the chess-+oar$ of British geo-political strategies# Kashmir ha$ notche$ up as a ey-region an$ the +onafi$es of Maharaja har+oring patriotic sympathies for the In$ian in$epen$ence +ecame suspect an$ hence it was $eeme$ strategic an$ highly expe$ient to pin him $own in the communal tension that was covertly an$ overtly fuelle$ an$ heightene$ +y inciting the Muslim majority against him as he was har+oring a faith that was not Islamic. F%G -he communal riots that engulfe$ "rinagar (Kashmir* on July 13# 1931 were not spontaneous +ut the culmination of the prolonge$ intrigues +y the British to violate the -reaty of 'mritsar# which they ha$ signe$ with Maharaja 1ula+ "ingh in 1H54# the foun$er of the political an$ geographical entity calle$ the "tate of Jammu an$ Kashmir. !owever# their aim was to control the >orthern Irontiers of In$ia to eep an eye on the 2ussian a$vances an$ ethnic tri+es that inha+ite$ these regions. -hey also un$erstoo$ the importance of the Jammu an$ Kashmir in terms of guar$ing their rule in In$ia. -hey were also aware of the fact that !imalayas $efine$ the civili/ational an$ cultural moorings of the In$ian >ation an$ the "tate of Jammu an$ Kashmir# which hol$s the ey to the "ans ritisation of In$ia. -hey wante$ the control over the !imalayas not to serve them +ut to su+vert the authority of the ruler of the "tate as the see$s of the 'nglo-Muslim alliance were alrea$y sown to implement the policy of $ivi$e an$ rule. -his unfortunately was ma$e operative on groun$ in 1931 in Kashmir. "hei h '+$ullah was spearhea$ing a movement against the Maharaja through the 2ea$ing 2oom .arty an$ as such ha$ engrosse$ focus an$ is sai$ to have +een pic e$ up for the role of an agent an$ the same is reveale$ an$ esta+lishe$ +y the +unch of letters which were shown to .an$it >ehru (who felt shoc e$* +y 2afi 'hma$ Ki$wai# the then Ioo$ Minister of In$ia# when the stage was set for the "hei h)s $ismissal in the wa e of his fiery an$ treacherous statements ,uestioning the irrevoca+ility of Kashmir)s accession to In$ia. -he 2ea$ing 2oom .arty as per its role- mo$el in Kashmir politics was communal to the pulp# +loo$ an$ +one as its +ias against the Kashmiri .an$its was so pronounce$ that it prepare$ the groun$ for the +latant loot an$ mur$er of Kashmiri .an$its in July#1931. -he +attle-cry against them was set-off +y the malicious an$ apocryphal propagan$a of the typical Muslim +ran$ that they ha$ an a+solute strangle-hol$ of the state services. -he fact# to the contrary# was that the state services though very limite$ in num+er were $omineere$ an$ monopoli/e$ +y the .unja+i an$ Bengali Muslims an$ !in$us. <espite impecca+le aca$emic cre$entials# the Kashmiri .an$its were reluctantly recruite$ to the lower rung services for a mere pittance which was also stoppe$ +y the then powers in view of the mounting pressures on the Maharaja. Eac ing in the $iscernment of a mo$ern min$# "hei h '+$ullah nurse$ a personal gru$ge against the Maharaja as he was refuse$ a lectureship in an aca$emic college# not out of religious +ias# +ut +ecause of his low aca$emic merit. !is competitor sai$ to +e a Kashmiri .an$it ha$ a much +righter recor$ than that of the tall "hei h. "teepe$ in the culture of 'ligarh Muslim Dniversity# the "hei h with a min$ fine-$e-siJcle an$ thin ing communal straightaway sans any hesitation leapt to the conclusion that he was $roppe$ +ecause the Maharaja was a !in$u an$ his competitor too was a !in$u. It spea s volumes a+out the low min$ of "hei h '+$ullah# who investe$ all his prowess an$ energies to metamorphose the 2ea$ing 2oom .arty into a seminary of religious venom# hatre$ an$ animosity against the .an$its. -he "hei h wante$ the Maharaja to show him special consi$eration on groun$s of e$ucational an$ economic +ac war$ness of the community he +elonge$ to. Myopic in his views an$ outloo # he coul$ not see an$ $iscover poverty# +ac war$ness an$ $eprivation prevailing in Kashmiri .an$its. !is competitor was also a man from a poor an$ +ac war$ family. <espite economic $isa+ilities an$ other inhi+iting factors# the fact remains that the Kashmiri .an$its all through their che,uere$ history an$ $espite Muslim oppression have not +ro en their tryst with learning an$ e$ucation while the Muslims as a converte$ lot cultivating other priorities parte$ ways perhaps with no remorse with the tra$ition resulting in their e$ucational +ac war$ness which was perpetuate$ +y the self- see ing Mullahs har+oring repugnance to li+eral forms of e$ucation. 0re$it must +e given to the Maharaja that he firmly stuc to the rules an$ stipulations that were lai$ $own for recruitment to the institutions of higher learning an$ $i$ not relax#+en$ an$ flout them (as "hei h $i$ when in office* only to intro$uce the virus of me$iocrity into the mainstream of Kashmir polity.-he 2ea$ing 2oom .arty with "hei h '+$ullah as its moving spirit earne$ patronage an$ favors from the Muslim lan$lor$s# shawl tycoons# parochial mullahs an$ Muslim

e$ucate$ elite in government service. -he lan$lor$s owing allegiance to the Maharaja patroni/e$ the "hei h with a view to furthering their self-interests an$ increasing their clout with the ruler for more economic favors an$ concessions. It will not +e out of place to put that the "hei h# at the +ehest of Muslim lan$lor$s# was harnesse$ to collect fun$s for organi/ing a gran$ reception in honor of the Maharaja when he returne$ in 1931 from :urope where his wife ha$ $elivere$ a male chil$. In an attempt to ma e in-roa$s into the Muslim gentry he even accepte$ the convenorship of the Muslim Jagir$ar 0ommittee without any prevarication an$ outrage. -he shawl tycoons were on the same wave-length an$ nurture$ an$ pursue$ their interests +y openly aligning themselves an$ ma ing a common cause with the Muslim Jagir$ars. -he mullahs with o+scurantism an$ intolerance as their gui$ing - star straine$ every nerve an$ fi+er to eep the Muslim masses away from the light of e$ucation. -he "hei h sought an$ accepte$ their support an$ patronage an$ the fact that all the mullahs in the city of "rinagar len$ing their wholehearte$ support to the 2ea$ing 2oom .arty which was presi$e$ over +y the $emon of Muslim +igotry testifies to its role-profile of inciting communal passions an$ awa ening furies against their religious enemies. -he Muslim elite in government service were am+itious of gra++ing higher positions not on the strength of their merit an$ achievements# +ut on the +asis of religion they espouse$ an$ hel$. -he 2ea$ing 2oom .arty with mos,ue as its imme$iate extension emerge$ as a focal center for execution an$ fructification of the British intrigues against the Maharaja who for his anti- British stances was pressure$ an$ cowe$ $own to han$ over the complete control of the 1ilgit 'gency to the Britishers for their strategic en$s. 's peravaila+le evi$ences# "hei h '+$ullah who ha$ starte$ strutting the religio-political scene of Kashmir through his faculty of reciting the 3uranic verses in a mellifluous voice in an$ outsi$e the precincts of a mos,ue ha$ forge$ clan$estine lin ages with the British .olitical <epartment which in essence was a receptacle of the British an$ In$ian spies recruite$ +y the British imperialists for garnering their political interests. -he plethora of letters that the "hei h ha$ written to the spies of the .olitical <epartment explicitly reveal his $irect an$ $efinite +onhomie with the British operatives planning an$ executing measures an$ schemes to nurse an$ safeguar$ their vital interests in Kashmir. "hei h '+$ullah in the role of a British agent was first highlighte$ an$ thoroughly expose$ in a very significant article pu+lishe$ +y the )Blit/) in its issue of %5th 'pril# 194C an$ the same was repro$uce$ ver+atim +y !.E. "axena in his +oo )-he -rage$y in Kashmir). -he $etails in the article are comprehensive an$ are fully su+stantiate$ +y the letters written +y the "hei h to his mentors whose patronage he sought an$ enjoye$ at the threshol$ of his religio-political career till he emerge$ as a formi$a+le force for the Maharaja to rec on with. F%G -he "hei h motivate$ +y an$ suffuse$ with pan-Islamism of <r. I,+al an$ communalism of the +ran$ of 'ligrah Muslim university has +een openly charge$ with +eing in regular correspon$ence an$ contact with B. J.1lancy# 0ol. 0. =. 0olvin an$ Et. 0ol. E.:. Eang who ha$ +een $epute$ on a mission an$ ha$ earne$ notoriety for spying operations in the .unja+ an$ Kashmir. -he mission that was sai$ to +e entruste$ to the "hei h an$ for which he was sai$ to +e rope$ in was to +ree$ $iscontent an$ $isenchantment among the Muslims of Kashmir an$ alienate them from the Maharaja an$ his power apparatus an$ also +eat Kashmiri .an$its into su+mission for their vociferous an$ stri$ent anti K British views an$ expressions. It was notoriously nown that the "hei h ha$ pro-'hma$iya persuasions an$ lin s though Muslims as a floc $eteste$ them as $eviants from Islam. It was through the British spies that the "hei h was sai$ to have forme$ a close rapport with the 'hma$iyas who ha$ a well-cemente$ organi/ation an$ were highly rich an$ affluent. In their political positions the 'hma$iyas were nown as British lac eys an$ footmen.Ior +eing affiliate$ with the Britishers an$ also for the tonnes of money they spent in Kashmir for furtherance of their mission an$ also for Muslim welfare +y way of instituting scholarships for Muslim +oys the "hei h esta+lishe$ a tie - up with the 'hma$iyas operating in the .unja+ where they were e,ually suspecte$ an$ a+horre$ +y the ortho$ox Muslims. !is +onhomie an$ nexus with the 'hma$iyas was an open secret an$ there were lot many groups an$ in$ivi$uals who not only resente$# +ut +itterly oppose$ his political an$ religious affinity an$ contacts with the 'hma$iyas. -he "hei h perhaps at the +i$$ing of his masters not only invite$ +ut pave$ the way for the 'hma$iya intervention in Kashmir. 0rafty as the British spies were# they $ole$ out an impression to the Maharaja that the 'hma$iyas were their star enemies an$ warne$ him of their anti - state activities an$ $esigns# +ut aware of the nexus +etween the Britishers an$ 'hma$iyas# Maharaja !ari "ingh in $ol$rums# $espite his +rave face# $are$ not $evise an$ execute stern measures to thwart an$ put an en$ to the 'hma$iya intervention in Kashmir. 'hrars with their progressive camouflage were on the same wave - length with the 'hma$iyas in their anti Maharaja an$ anti-!in$u threats an$ agitations. 'pparently votaries of !in$u - Muslim amity# the 'hrars through the $ispatch of their Jathas an$ groups into the "tate create$ con$itions for loot an$ mur$er of !in$us. "tri$ently anti Maharaja an$ seemingly anti - British# the 'hrars o+jectively contri+ute$ to the British $esign of fomenting an$ proliferating the communal conflicts an$ tensions to $e-sta+ili/e the Maharaja to further the imperialist $esigns an$

machinations. Kashmir practically mar e$ a reversal of their policy of inter-communal peace an$ amity as they vigorously fanne$ an$ fuelle$ Muslim communalism to incre$i+le limits. -heir commitment to the congress as a secular organi/ation was so fa e an$ tenuous that they $eserte$ the congress ran s to join the Muslim Eeague or forme$ their own outfits in the wa e of M. '. Jinnah)s $eclaration of .a istan as the separate home-lan$ for Muslims. -he 2ea$ing 2oom .arty was closely nit with 'hrars an$ +as e$ in their patronage an$ was maintaining a regular liaison with them for political an$ religious mischief. -he 'hrars essentially were communal though they externally $onne$ secular ro+es. -hey ha$ hatre$ for the Maharaja as he was a !in$u an$ ha$ Muslims as his su+jects. -heir vigorous programme of $ispatching groups (Jathas* into the state was also perceive$ to counter-act the political hol$ that the 'hma$iyas were fast gaining in Kashmir through lavish spen$ing. -he .unja+i Muslim press un$er the lavish patronage of the British imperialists launche$ a propagan$a +lit/ against the Maharaja who was $enounce$ as a heretic with no right to rule over Muslim masses. -he tone an$ tenor of the pu+lishe$ material was +latantly sectarian an$ communal inciting the Muslims to launch a crusa$e against the !in$u Maharaja an$ his !in$u a$ministration. -he Muslim outloo ) an$ )In,ala+) as the two front- ran ing $ailies pu+lishe$ from the .unja+ fa+ricate$ an$ $isseminate$ wanton lies an$ half - truths a+out Kashmir conveying the same theme - song of incitement to revolt against the !in$u ruler an$ his a$ministration. -he $ailies couche$ an$ soa e$ in the language of fire an$ +rimstone an$ more than most communal venom were extremely popular with the mem+ers of the 2ea$ing 2oom .arty which was committe$ to the wor ing out of the assigne$ tas of inciting the communal passions an$ igniting the communal fires to pave way for $irect British intervention in Kashmir affairs. 's per the note$ historian M. K. -eng# 7Journals an$ a h+ars issue$ from Eahore an$ elsewhere ta ing up the cause of Muslims were patroni/e$ +y the British to +row+eat the Maharaja.7 -he in,uiry commission 'n in,uiry commission un$er "h. Barjor <alal su+mitte$ a report on the riots of July 1931. 's per the compilation of this report un$er the title 7Bajror <alal)s report of the "rinagar riot en,uiry committee - 19317# authore$ +y "hailen$er "ingh Jamwal# the "rinagar riot of July 13# 1931 was the $esire$ outcome of the intrigues in which the British in$ulge$ from 1H5A +ut Maharaj 1ula+ "ingh was the astute statesman to swim over the unwante$ ti$es. :ven his successor# Maharaja 2an+ir "ingh manage$ to act as the statesman to outwit the British ploys of getting any foothol$ in the "tate to control its political set up. But Britishers were eeping a een eye on the affairs of the "tate an$ $uring Maharaja .ratap "inghLs reign# an$ they manage$ to su+vert the political an$ a$ministrative authority of the Maharaja. By the time# Maharaj !ari "ingh# the progressive ruler of the "tate ascen$e$ the throne on "eptem+er %3# 19%C# after the $emise of his uncle# Maharaja .ratap "ingh# the unwante$ $evelopments ha$ reache$ the critical mass. -he British exploite$ the fact that the "tate ha$ a !in$u Maharaja ruling the Muslims. It was a 1o$-sent opportunity for them to $ivert the attention from the effects of the economic turmoil in the rest of In$ia $ue to the economic $epression in :urope as In$ian economy was lin e$ to it. -hey raise$ the +ogey that the economic empowerment of the Muslims was +loc e$ +y the !in$u Maharaja to eep them in perpetual slavery. -he report examines the eye witness accounts an$ $ifferent sha$es of opinion to analy/e as to what went wrong that change$ the social an$ political $ynamics of the "tate forever. -he Maharaja ha$ +een astute enough to promulgate the here$itary "tate su+ject $efinition. -his legal enactment was intro$uce$ to chec mate the intrusion of the Britishers to interfere in the "tate an$ restricting their entry. -he former Maharaja was also well aware of their mischief to su+vert the political sta+ility of the "tate as it was $uring his time in 19%5 that "il factory wor ers in "rinagar raise$ the +anner of revolt. Maharaja !ari "ingh was not the favorite of the British rulers as he was well aware of the $eployments worl$ over. !e ha$ ma$e his min$ clear a+out his intentions a+out the role the princely states shoul$ play to uphol$ the In$ian nation. -his $i$ not go $own well with the imperialist British. -he report extensively $iscusses that how the British instigate$ the Muslim populace of .unja+ an$ therefore# 'll In$ia Kashmir Muslim 0onference came into existence in 19%H. It mem+ers ha$ nothing to $o with Kashmir +ut the element of pan-Islamism was instigate$. -hough the 0onference starte$ plea$ing the case for the Muslim e$ucation in the "tate +ut Mits real o+ject was to secure for the Muslims of British In$ia# especially of the .unja+# the right to +e appointe$ in the "tate services so long# at least as the Muslims of the "tate remaine$ un,ualifie$.N Both the provinces of the "tate were ept un$er +oil +y the British. In Jammu# &oung menLs Muslim 'ssociation was set up# it acte$ on the lines of Muslim 2ea$ing 2oom party of Iateh Ka$al# "rinagar. -he +rain +ehin$ the $isruptive activities of these formations was =a efiel$# the officer of the political $epartment of the 1overnment of British In$ia. -he visit of the Muslim 'ssociation to Kashmir an$ interaction with the 2ea$ing 2oom .arty was ma$e to infuse a sense of coherence to instigate +igger trou+le for the Maharaja in 1931. -he trial of '+$ul 3a$ir# a non-state su+ject coo of the British officer an$ his se$itious speech that set the communal fren/y in motion in "rinagar has +een clearly $iscusse$ in the +oo . 8ne thing that ma es this pu+lication important is that it exposes the $enial of communal ruling elite regar$ing the atrocities on minorities of Kashmir that gra++e$ the power in 195A +y ma ing the Maharaja a+$icate the "tate un$er pressure from ? . Menon un$er the

a$vice of ?alla+hai .atel. -he communal riots have +een well $ocumente$ in this report an$ help to see the present "tate of political turmoil in perspective. "hailen$er "ingh Jamwal has aptly summe$ up the state of !in$u minorities in Jammu an$ Kashmir on July 13# 1931 who o+serve this $ay as the +lac $ay. !e writes# M-he people of Kashmir an$ their political organi/ations +arring Kashmiri .un$its o+serve this $ay as martyrLs <ay +ecause <ogra troops resorte$ to firing in Kashmir in which ten people lost their lives. =hile many in Jammu# inclu$ing Kashmiri .un$its o+serve this $ay as a Blac <ay as their +usiness esta+lishments in Kashmir were plun$ere$ +y the mem+ers of the majority community@ moreover# their $ignity# honor an$ lives were en$angere$. "ince then# +oth the major communities of the "tate have +een living a poles apart. -his event has $ivi$e$ the people of the "tate on religious# regional an$ i$eological +asis an$ $oes not allow them to sin their $ifferences.N M.J. AKBAR ON QADEER M.J. ' +ar)s views on the 3a$eer episo$e are replete with a penchant for investing a non-entity with a heroic hue an$ aura. 3a$eer# to him# seeme$ to )$iscover a new-i$entits when he was in Kashmir as )a coo in the retinue of a :uropean). =hat was the i$entity that he $iscovere$ in Kashmir which otherwise in .eshawar he was lac ingO !ow was it that he su$$enly foun$ a new i$entity in KashmirO ' +ar hails 3a$eer)s oratory as )more spicy than his cuisine)O But# $ismaying as it is# M.J. ' +ar with all his cali+re has viewe$ an$ assesse$ the entire episo$e in the light of oratory an$ cuisine an$ has misse$ import of the episo$e as part of a +igger game that the British playe$ in accompaniment with their agents who were rope$ in an$ harnesse$ to fulfill an$ execute their geo-political o+jectives !a$ he in,uisitively pro+e$ $eeper# he woul$ have $iscovere$ a sinister intrigue hatche$ +y the British'hma$iya'+$ullah nexus to $esta+ilise the Maharaja for his anti- British postures an$ in the process woul$ have nown that 3a$eer was only a pawn to get things to a crisis - point paving way for $irect British ta e liver of the state +y $islo$ging the Maharaja. 3a$eer)s oratory was $octore$# pac e$ with communal poison an$ was inflammatory. !is arrest an$ trial let loose communal fren/y which was $irecte$ towar$s the Kashmiri .an$its li e an artillery +arrage. 3uite 8ften we forget that 13 July were not in isolation P +iggest massacre ever happene$ in its am+it.Kani oot is a village locate$ few miles uphill from >agam in 0ha$oora tehsil of Bu$gam. >agam is a +ig village an$ ol$ tehsil hea$,uarters. I ha$ si/ea+le .an$it population +efore 1996. -wo Kashmiri .an$it families live$ in Kani oot village in 1931 - those of .t. Qana Bhat an$ .t. Jan i >ath. >ot long ago# Kani oot use$ to +e a $ense forest. 'ncestor of Qana Bhat ha$ come to the village an$ settle$ there after clearing the forest area. -hrough sheer har$ wor an$ enterprise he ac,uire$ wealth. "ince this huge tract of lan$ coul$ not +e cultivate$ on his own# he encourage$ Muslim peasants from other places to come there for tenancy.Many villages in Kashmir have come up this way $uring the past three centuries in areas close to forests. .t. Jan i >ath an$ his mother live$ 166 metres away from .t. Qana Bhat)s house. .t. Qana Bhat)s family was pioneer in horticulture $evelopment in the area. :ven in 1931 they ha$ +ig fruit orchar$s. -he family $i$ not $eal in moneylen$ing +usiness# as has +een claime$ +y some uninforme$ people. Ior his affluence# .t. Qana Bhat comman$e$ prestige an$ authority in the area. =ata ul was a neigh+ouring village an$ ha$ no .an$it family as its resi$ents. Kani oot tenants were on goo$ terms with .t. Qana Bhat. In Ie+ruary 1931 nine mem+ers of Qana Ka )s family were axe$ to $eath +y some people from the a$joining =ata ul village. <i$ this inci$ent ha$ any lin with happenings of 13th JulyO -here are no clear answers. -he British agencies were alrea$y active an$ 13th July was the culmination of the nefarious policies they were pursuing to $esta+ilise Maharaja !ari "ingh. .t. Qana Bhat)s family ha$ no pro+lems with their tenants of Kani oot nor $i$ the family engage in usury. :ven if it is assume$ that the family ha$ personal enmity with some familyRpeople from =ata ul village# coul$ this have invite$ retri+ution of this magnitu$eO !ow coul$ or$inary peasants un$er autocratic rule ta e such an actionO !ow many such type of inci$ents have occurre$ in Kashmir $uring the procee$ing $eca$esO -he circumstantial evi$ence points to a conspiracy. ' few $ays +efore the inci$ent# the conspirators ha$ hatche$ a conspiracy an$ $evise$ the mo$us operan$i of targetting .t. Qana Ka )s family. 8n the fateful night# the conspirators reache$ .t. Qana Ka )s house. -hey calle$ the sleeping family mem+ers to open the main $oor# preten$ing they ha$ some urgent wor . It seeme$ these people were ,uite familiar to the family an$ the latter truste$ them. -he conspirators hac e$ nine mem+ers of the family# inclu$ing la$ies an$ chil$ren# to $eath with an axe. Iew mem+ers of the family# inclu$ing .rem >ath who were stu$ying in "rinagar survive$.-he lone survivor in the massacre was a +oy# who was sleeping with a 1ujjar servant that time. 'fter hac ing their victims to $eath# the conspirators set on fire the top floor of the house to $estroy the evi$ence. -he loyal servant carrie$ the lone survivor of the family with him an$ escape$ through a win$ow near the main staircase.Many of the +o$ies were half +urnt. -he servant went to a neigh+ouring peasant family an$ narrate$ the gory happenings. -he following morning the servant in utter grief crie$ hysterically. -he 1ujjars from the surroun$ing areas too reache$ the massacre spot. "ame evening Jan i >ath an$ his mother left the village."o neatly was conspiracy hatche$ that it seeme$ even the .atwari of the area# who happene$ to +e a Kashmiri .an$it# was in league with them orha$ +een +ri+e$ otherwise. -he

.atwari prepare$ a fictitious report# attri+uting the inci$ent to a case of )'tish >agahani) (acci$ental fire*. But for the evi$ence of the loyal 1ujjar servant# the .atwari)s report may have well +een accepte$ +y the government.'fter all the victims# an$ the .atwari +elonge$ to the same community9 -he inci$ent sent shoc waves among the Kashmiri .an$it minority. .an$it population all over the ?alley o+serve$ fast for two $ays# +oth as a mar of protest as well as to express their grief over the massacre. -he trial was con$ucte$ +y the 0hief Ju$ge# "h. 'rjan >ath 'tal. -wo of the 13 accuse$ $ie$ $uring the perio$ of trial. Besi$es the evi$ence of the lone survivor an$ the 1ujjar servant# two of the accuse$ turne$ approvers. It was esta+lishe$ that the peasants of Kani oot ha$ no nowle$ge a+out the conspiracy#neither they stoo$ as witnesses. -hey also $i$ not $emonstrate any sympathy with the conspirators. .t. Jan i >ath# the hea$ of the other .an$it family also excuse$ himself from favouring either of the party an$ $epose$ that at the time of massacre he was in $eep sleep.Iour $ays after the inci$ent# .t. 1opi >ath Bhat of village =oo$ru# "hoolipora accompanie$ .t. Mahan$ Joo# press reporter of <aily Martan$# from "rinagar to Kani oot. !e recalls# 7when we reache$ Kan oot# the village loo e$ $esolate. -he victims ha$ no one to weep for them7. -he ju$ge sentence$ the 9 accuse$ to $eath +y hanging in 1933. 'll the accuse$ +elonge$ to =ata ul village. >either the Muslims nor the .an$its interfere$ in the trial nor $i$ they politicise the matter an$ allowe$ the law to ta e its own course. :ven the Muslim 0onference which le$ 13th July agitation $i$ not sympathise with the conspirators nor arrange$ any relief for the families of the accuse$..t. Qana Bhat)s three gran$sons K .rem >ath# 2a$ha r-ishnan an$ Jia Eal survive$ as they were in "rinagar at the time of massacre. In 194C# when .a sa+oteurs entere$ Bu$gam# 2a$h rishan# that time the village 0how i$ar# was i$nappe$ +y the sa+oteurs an$ was tie$ to a tree with rope. Eocals rescue$ him. -his again en$orses the view the Kani oot peasants ha$ no enimity with .t. Qana Bhat)s family. 2a$ha rishnan continue$ to function as village 0how i$ar till 1996. 'll this points that the Kani oot was a conspiracy# the exact contours of which remain uni$entifie$. SUMMARY NOTE By any 0hance if someone thin s that 1931 was a secular Kashmiri uprising P K.s in particular were helping the Muslims Brotherhoo$ to revolt against Mahraaja then +y every chance one shoul$ ,uestion the intent of 0ommunal 2iots +y same forces O Is this .olitics of Balance or an appeasement of false !8.: which 1an$hi sol$ to I><I'>s costing it many parititions an$ lost of life . =e+ 2eferences 1. http;RR www.the ashmirwalla.comR%611R6ARthe-hero-of-13-july-1931R %. http;RRwww. ashmir-information.comRwailvalleyR+1chap%5.html 3. http;RRwww.niticentral.comR%613R65R14Rwho-remem+ers-the-srinagar-riots-of-1931-44A49.html 5.http;RRwww.$ agencies.comR$ocRfromR1643RtoR11%3R+ I$R<K3A4%3339HA5116365556511A313A1R$etails.html C. http;RRi ashmir.netRmassacresR13july1931.html4. http;RR ashmiris-in-exile.+logspot.inR%616R6AR13-july-1931-inpages-of-history.html A. http;RR ashmirscoopnews.+logspot.inR%616R6AR ashmiri-pan$its-o+serve$-july-13-as.html H. http;RRtrove.nla.gov.auRn$pR$elRarticleR14H1195A 9. http;RRtrove.nla.gov.auRn$pR$elRarticleR5536%H5 16. http;RRi ashmir.netRmassacresR ani oot.html Boo s P 'rticles 2eference 1. "rinagar 2iot :n,uiry 2eport0ommittee - 1931 +y "hailen$ra "inghJamwal %. -he wail of Kashmir; British perfi$y inthe vale unveil$ - .age 1AH 3. 'uto+iography - .age 119 +y Karan"ingh - 19H% 5. Kashmir; insurgency an$ after +yBalraj .uri %66H C. >egationism in In$ia; concealing therecor$ of Islam Koenraa$ :lst 199% 4. In$ia <ivi$e$ By <r 2ajen$er .rasa$19C6 A. -he Mo$ern 'nthropology of In$ia;:thnography# -hemes an$ -heory K .age 91 H.www. ashmir-information.comRwailvalleyR+1chap%5.html 9. .olitical "cience 'nnual - .age %94+y ". 2amaswamy ". Mu herjee 16. Jiha$ in Kashmir; ' 0ritical 'nalysis -.age 1A By 1 E Jalali %665 11. "ecessionism in In$ia - .age %CAKanaiySlSlu Manghan$Ssu -alrejS 1%. Kashmir# =ail of a ?alley - .age AH "h Mohan lal K8ul 13. !istory of the free$om struggle in Jammu P Kashmir - .age 19C +y Moh$ &usuf - 1994 15. 0ultural heritage of Jammu-Kashmir an$ Ea$a h - ?olume % - .age 59H >agen$ra Kr "ingh - 199A

1C. Kashmir convictions +etraye$;legacies of '+$ullah->ehru nexus K .age A +y 8. .. Kapoor - 199C 14. Bahiristan "hahi 7' chronicle of Me$ieval Kashmir ;'s translate$ +y "h. K > .an$ita 1A. 0onverte$ Kashmir; ' +oo +y >are$er "ehgal 1H. :arly Kashmiri "ociety P 0hallenges of Islam +y <r " " -osh hani 19. !I"-82& 8I K'"!MI2 .'><I-s +y "h Jia lal Kilam %6. 0ultural heritage of Kashmiri .an$its +y <r " " -osh hani %1. My fro/en tur+ulence in Kashmir +y "h Jag Mohan %%. K'"!MI2; ItLs '+origines an$ -heir :xo$us; -ej K -i oo