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Theory & Practice of Non-Violence

Dr. Rasul Bakhsh Rais

Spring 2017-18

Khudai Khidmatgar Movement in Reference to ‘Pakhtun’ Journal

Introduction:

“Is not the Pashtun amenable to love and reason?

He will go with you to hell if you can win his heart,

but you cannot force him even to go to heaven.”

(Bacha Khan)

In the year 1921, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan founded an organization with the name ‘Society for

the Reform of Afghans’ (Anjuman e Islah ul Afghania) for economic, social and educational

reforms. With the passage of time, Bacha Khan began to realize the organization’s little success

in mobilizing mass interest in either social reform or nationalist struggle. Therefore, he started to

give a thought to a much greater force with the aim of furthering the very cause of Anjuman

Islah ul Afghania. Resultantly, second half of the third decade of 20th century witnessed the rise

to a non-violent and peaceful opposition to the British colonialism in the north-west frontier

region of subcontinent with the name Khudai Khidmatgar, which lasted in full swing for almost

two decades but faded away after the creation of Pakistan: notwithstanding the opposition of the

nascent state amongst other reasons. Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) movement

was officially launched under the leadership of Frontier Gandhi (Bacha Khan) as an

interventionist force for social reformation in September 1929.

 The main idea behind this essay is to unravel the role played by the first ever Pashto

magazine ‘Pakhtun’ during the two decades of Khudai Khidmatgar. This essay has been divided

into three main parts. First part starts with literature review and then talks about the historical

background, motivation, ideology and strategy adopted for Khudai Khidmatgar movement.

Second part of the essay highlights various themes addressed in Pakhtun, which were directly

linked with the cause of Khudai Khidmatgars. Third part talks about the enduring effect of the

movement if any, ending with a striking conclusion.

Literature Review:

In order to get an insight about our research project, we studied Ghaffar Khan: Nonviolent

Badshah of the Pakhtuns by Rajmohan Gandhi. Third chapter of this book ‘Fire of Hope 1919-

37’ provides a magnificent account of Bacha Khan’s life and the events that occurred during the

time span of two decades. He talks about the gradual journey of Khudai Khidmatgar towards the

pinnacle of the movement and also gives historical account of the Pakhtun which in turn is the

main point of our focus.

The second book we consulted is ‘The Pathan Unarmed’ by a Bengali writer Mukulika Banerjee

who has presented a beautiful account of her first-hand experience with the Khudai

Khidmatgaris. She has investigated about the mobilization and the on ground situation during the

Khudai Khidmatgar movement. In the third book ‘Abdul Ghaffar Khan: Faith is the battle’, by

D.G. Tendulkar, we have focused mainly on the chapters on ‘Pakhtun’ and ‘Khudai

Khidmatgar’. We have also studied online articles from JSTOR, ICNC (International Centre of

Non-Violent Conflict), Academia and several media agencies.

The major part of our research was based on the Pashto language magazine Pakhtun.

Although very little record of the magazine is available yet we have found and studied around
eight to ten magazines published during the years 1930 to 1946.

Ideology and Inspiration behind Khudai Khidmatgar:

‘Red Shirts’: name given to the proponents of Khudai Khidmatgar movement because of

the red uniform they adorned in, drew their inspiration from Gandhian principles of ‘Satya’ and

‘Ahimsa’. The movement was led by six feet three inches tall and strong man Bacha Khan, in the

North West Frontier Province, which is inhibited by the Pashtoon community. Pashtoons are

notoriously known as violent in Indian historiography, but the two decades of Khudai

Khidmatgar witnessed a non-violent and peaceful group of Pashtoons dedicated for Indian

nationalism rather than communal separation.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan didn’t find any difference between Islam and Non-Violence.

He would argue that non-violence is rooted in the core of Islam and Islam is a religion of peace.

“The Holy Prophet Mohammed came into this world and taught us ‘That man is a Muslim

who never hurts anyone by word or deed, but who works for the benefit and happiness of

God's creatures.’ Belief in God is to love one's fellow men.” – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

“There is nothing surprising in a Muslim or a Pathan like me subscribing to the creed of

nonviolence. It is not a new creed. It was followed fourteen hundred years ago by the Prophet all

the time he was in Mecca.” – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

The movement didn’t necessarily composed of Muslims participants but a generous number of

believers of other sects were also members of the movement.

Similarly, he carved out the new manifestation of Pakhtunwali-Code of conduct of

Pathans community by opposing one of the important aspect of Pashtoonwali: ‘Badal’ and

preaching not to practice it. He set a pre-requisite for joining Khudai Khidmatgar movement as
no dispute with anyone: complete resolution of disputes with feuds.

There were two wings of the movement: Military wing-an unarmed army trained in

separate camps for non-violent protests across the province, and Civil wing-responsible for the

publication of ‘Pakhtun’ journal, managing volunteer services.

Strategy adopted to achieve the objective:

The Khudai Khidmatgar was a well-organized movement with both democratic councils (Jirga),

and hierarchical military wing that adopted non-violent strategic action in resisting British Raj.

(Kurtz). Bacha Khan instilled the notion of non-violence by cultivating ethics of service and

team work, and by moral and religious teachings, and by encouraging the settlement of feuds

(Banerjee). In Rural areas, Bacha Khan mobilized people through religious argument by

highlighting various British offences against Islam. In order to disprove the stereotype of

considering Pathans as innately violent, and to show that they were capable of discipline, Khudai

Khidmatgars would march and drill on regular basis with drums, bugles and, bands which paid

dividends in the heat of confrontation with the British. This drill was a symbolic demonstration

of fearlessness and strength of will. (Banerjee 86)

Below are some of the strategic actions, Khudai Khidmatgars undertook

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• The “Pakhtun´ journal, with articles on wide variety of subjects which highlighted the

atrocities of the British Imperialism along with other pressing issues.

• Marches and Processions

• Symbolic uniform: ‘Red Shirt’

• Commemoration of anniversaries of repressive events such as Qissa Khwani Bazaar

massacre. Some people joined the movement due to these particular incidents as well. 65 • Bacha

Khan’s and KKs visits across the province: delivering speeches, recruiting volunteers,
conducting meetings and showing anti state power through all these means • Non-cooperation:

Boycotts of British clothes and goods, resignations of public servants, boycott of British judicial

system and creation of village councils (Jirgas). The ‘Pakhtun’ Journal:

There were two main kinds of communication: one inward looking and administrative, and the

second one was public and agitational. Pakhtun was the main source of public communication

and would be distributed to the President and Secretaries across the province, who would

distribute it further. British took every step to curtail them, and imposed ban on Pakhtun from

1932 to 1937 in intervals. The idea of Pakhtun came from Bacha Khan’s visit of Middle East in

1928.

During his visit to Middle East, he went to Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, and witnessed the

freedom struggle of those people, which impressed him very well. It was there when he came

across Arabic Journals and got the idea of a journal in regional language. After returning from

Middle East, he launched Pashto Magazines ‘Pakhtun’ in May 1928. (Tendulkar)

In the beginning, it would cost rupees four per annum and a single edition would consist

of 44 pages. The journal was political, literary, educational and reformist in essence with both

prose and poetry in style. Women along with men participated in Khudai Khidmatgar movement

not only in the protests but more importantly with the power of their pen. Most of them would

use pen-names while writing to Pakhtun Journal which was because of the fact that in Pashtoon

traditions, women names are as sacred as the women their-selves.

Many early issues of Pakhtun were adorned with these lines of Bacha Khan’s son Ghani

Khan:

“… If I a slave lie buried in a grave, under a resplendent tombstone,

Respect it not, spit on it.

 When I die, and not lie bathed on martyr’s blood,

None should his tongue pollute, offering prayers for me...” (Gandhi 71)

The aim of Pakhtun was and to raise the understanding and conscious of his audience before

instill an urge to protest against the British colonialism. Pahktun was not only directed towards

people from frontier or sub-continent but to the Pashto speaking community across the globe.

The first of its kind, Pashto magazine happened to be a source of inspiration from many,

including the leader of the adjacent country. Pakhtun inspired King Amanullah of Afghanistan to

the extent that he started his own Pashto language magazine with the name ‘Pakhtun Jagh’.

(Gandhi 75)

Within no time, Pakhtun got famous even among the masses in Afghanistan and began to

be read extensively. In a letter addressed to the editor of Pakhtun, which was published in the

edition of March 1930, a friend from Afghanistan ‘Burhan ud din’ confessed his and the King’s

(Nadir Shah) eagerness for the journal in beautiful words.

Themes of the ‘Pakhtun’ Journal:

The journal would talk about various pressing issues which included but are not limited to:

Women Empowerment, Girls’ education, Progressive thinking, Oppression of the state/Anti

colonial writing, speeches of Bacha Khan, calls for unity.

a) Instilling Progressive Mindset:

For the first in the history of Pashtoon community, women were able to break the cultural taboo

and talk about the oppression at the hands of their elders.

Nagina, a Pakhtun sister wrote,

“Except for the Pakhtun, the women have no enemy. He is clever but ardent in suppressing
 women. Our hands, feet and brains are kept in a state of coma… O Pakhtun, when you demand

your freedom, why do you deny it to women?” (Gandhi 75)

From the platform of Pakhtun, a literally competition on the theme ‘Parda’ (Veil) was held in

1938. Editorial board received a number of quality submissions both from men and women and

awarded the winner with a cash prize of Rupees 25. The wining piece has been written

hereunder:

"I did not see in Iran, Egypt, Iraq or Turkey

That purdah which chains my hands and feet today

When I asked the Iqbal of nations

He said, education is my crucial lack

When I tie education to my Pukhtun sisters (lack)

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they not listen and make it my great crime

The voice of my pen is raising Pashtun women's awareness

Without doubt, this is a great offense for the Afghans

no like-minded sisters have I found amongst the nation

which is why every poem is written in my heart's blood"

(Parda, Pakhtun Journal, November 1938)

b) Education:

Khudai Khidmatgar movement empowered women with progressive mindset and Pakhtun with a
platform to express themselves. They began to talk about girls’ education and equal treatment.

Alifa Jan Khattak, a well-known progressive poetess of that time writes,

"Come come Pashtun girls of the Frontier

let’s talk about our sorrows one with the other

you have accepted the life of hell

Why send your daughters there also?

For god's sake take care of their education

if you want your daughters to have a taste of life

you have made necklaces shackles and handcuffing their music

God only knows what crime they are being caged for

The Quraysh girls better off than yours

their father's would bury them when just alive

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but you have been half under the earth since childhood

(and) sold in your youth at someone else's whim

Come and tear the chains from around your neck

if you want to spread the rays of honor in the world"

(Pakhtun Journal, February 1946)

c) Propagating Gandhian Philosophy

The magazine would contain articles propagating the Gandhian philosophy of Satya-grahi

(Non-Violence) and getting ready to face the hardships of the path they have agreed to

take.
In the edition of September 1931, titled as “Khudai Khitmadgar and Jirga Members! Get ready

for Jail”, Bacha Khan talks about the atrocities of the British government and asks Khudai

Khidmatgars to get ready to face the hardships of the prison.

“… or adopt this true path, the path of God and the Prophet (SAW), the struggle of

independence, and be the servants of God. We must be ready to face all kind of hardships in this

path with patience and forbearance and if it requires the test of our lives and wealth, we should

pass it rather be ready to invest our wealth, time and our lives for this great cause…”

(Pakhtun Journal, September 1931)

Frontier Gandhi preached non-violent means to achieve objectives and despised violent

means, and therefore preached to avoid all such elements which trigger violence and jeopardizes

the tranquility of the society.

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Ever since Bacha Khan founded his first Azad School in 1910, mullahs tried to make his

life hard but he continued his mission and inundated North West Frontier with more and more

schools. Bacha Khan saw the opposition from a very different perspective. In the speeches of

Bacha Khan, he would call these Mullahs as the puppets of British Raj, who trigger violence

among people by empowering them with the notorious notion of ‘badal’. He expresses his

reason for opposing Mullahs in one of his articles in Pakhtun,

“…We have got ‘Mullah’ amongst us, who is always busy in enticing us to violence talking of

revenge, destruction and killings….” (Pakhtun Journal, September 1931)

d) Mobilizing Khudai Khidmatgars

 Bacha Khan adeptly used the journal Pakhtun for mobilizing people to join the movement. At

times when British Raj was increasingly involved in maltreatment of the colonial subjects, he

continuously criticized the government’s neglect of their responsibilities and their exploitation of

people. The following extract, published in Pakhtun is typical example of his speeches about the

injustices of the colonial government

“…Fifty per cent of the children in our country are ill. The hospitals are meant for the English.

The country is ours, the money is ours, everything belongs to us, but we are hungry and naked in

it. We have not got anything to eat, no house. He has made pukka roads because he needs them

for himself. These roads were built with our money. Their roads are in London. These are our

roads and we are not allowed to walk on them. He excites the Hindus to fight the Muslims and

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the... Sikhs to fight the Muslims. Today these three are the sufferers. Who is the oppressor and

who has been sucking our blood? The English…” (Banerjee 64)

e) Speeches and Letters of Influential Leaders

Besides providing NEWS from across the subcontinent, Pakhtun published speeches and letters

of various influential leaders of that time. In the Feb 1939 edition of Pakhtun, the speech of Khan

Abdul Khan, which he delivered at time when the movement had slightly lost its influence was

published and the tone used in that speech depicts the sadness caused by the situation. It would

also serve as a medium of connection between ‘Fakhr e Afghan’ and the ‘Jirga’ members and

also highlight the proceedings of some sessions. In the 1938 editions, there were stories about

Gandhi’s visit to Pakistan along with his speech. The following year published Jawaharlal

Nehru’s letter to Frontier Gandhi.

Some of the earlier editions has series of writings of Bacha Khan in which he talks about

the incidences of the past in a chronological order. For example the March 1930 edition of
Pakhtun has an article title as ‘Za pa Jailkhana kay’ (My time in Prison) which was part of series

of articles under the title ‘Da Shalamay Saday Tehzeeb ao Jailkhany’ (Culture and Prisons of 20th

Century). He talks about his time in Peshawar Jail and Dera Ismail Khan,

“With the food of the prison and the containment in the cell, my health is deteriorating day by

day. I had started to lose some weight in Peshawar Prison, but in D.I.Khan the conditions were

even worst and I fell sick. Reasons was the food provided to us in the prison…” (Pakhtun

Journal, March 1930)

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Enduring effects:

Unfortunately, the Khudai Khidmatgar movement didn’t leave any long-lasting or enduring

effect on Pashtoon society. The movement was strongly rooted in the grave personality of Bacha

Khan, and unfortunately it died with him. Today, Bacha Khan is merely associated with Awami

National Party and the coming generations have little or no knowledge about him. There is

nothing about Bacha Khan in the curriculum of provincial textbook. Not only has people

deviated from the path thought by Gandhi but have grown violent over the ages. The recent

example of the Mashal Khan lynched by his fellow university students proves the about states

conjecture (Akbar).

However, there is an interesting example from across the border. On 20 th January 2011, a

Delhi based social activist Faisal Khan revived Khudai Khidmatgar in India and have recruited

about five thousand members in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana etc. The organization has both

Muslim and Hindu members and working on the principles of the original Khudai Khidmatgar.

(Pandey 2014)

Conclusion:
Summarizing, the effect of Pakhtun journal on Khudai Khidmatgar was quite evident. It was

effectively used as an important communication tool not only to provide NEWS to the people but

also to mobilize people. The nature of topics discussed in the journal ranged over political,

social, ethical, environmental, educational, civic and religious issues. The positive influence of

the magazine could be gauged by the fact that King Amanullah started a Pashtu magazine after

getting influenced from Pakhtun magazine. Moreover, the kind of opposition it received from the

British Raj which led to the ban on the magazine in lapses from 1932 to 1937 also highlight the

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impact of the journal in the frontier region. It would not be wrong to say that Pakhtun served as

backbone of the movement.

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