Remembering Ramprasad Bismil and his last message for Indians

The last few years have been very detrimental to Hindu-Muslim relations in India. Communal consciousness has been on rise with the advent of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in 2014 and it would not be an exaggeration to say that Hindu-Muslim trust (more on the Hindu side) is at its historic low since the demolition of the BabriMasjid in 1991. While the first regime of BJP government was about anarchic ‘unofficial’ form of violence against Muslims which manifested itself in countless lynchings, the second term of the BJP government has been about official kind of violence which manifested itself in the amendment of Citizenship Act.

The amendment in the Citizenship Act led to massive protest demonstrations across the country which saw massive state repression upon the anti-CAA protesters, often in collusion with the supporters of the BJP, which finally culminated with the Delhi Riots in February this year. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic only contributed to further hatred against the Muslim community as several mainstream media channels blamed Muslims for spreading the virus. The communalization of the sad death of a pregnant Elephant in Kerala is a classic example of how deep the problem of communalism has become in recent year; it is now running in the very veins of the country.

In the present scenario, when Hindu-Muslim trust is minimal, it becomes pertinent to learn from our past heroes, especially the revolutionaries who experienced similar situations during their activism and fight against British Imperialism.

The lives of Indian revolutionaries who fought against the British Empire continues to inspire the youth of this nation even today and their acts are etched into public memory. One such name from the rich mosaic of Indian revolutionary movement is that of Ramprasad Bismil, who is generally known for the famous song “Sarfarasi kitammana” and the famous Kakori train robbery which changed the course of Indian revolutionary movement.

Ramprasad Bismil was born in a lower middle class Brahmin family on June 11, 1897, at Shahjahanpur. Bismil grew up learning Hindi, Urdu and English and became an ardent member of Arya Samaj. He joined the anti-colonial struggle under the mentorship of Swami Somdev and later joined the Hindustan Republican Association.

In the course of his revolutionary life, Bismil wrote (and translated) eleven books along with numerous pamphlets. Some of his works are 'America Ko Swadheenta Kaise Mili' (1916), 'Bolshevikon Ki Kartoot' (1920) and 'Catherine', a biography of Russian socialist revolutionary, Catherine Breshkovsky. He also published several collections of poetry and wrote for a number of nationalist newspapers.

Bismil took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement and joined the Swaraj Party and even contested election on behalf of it against Hindu communalists. Bismil was also named in the Mainpuri Conspiracy case but it was the famous Kakori Robbery – carried out on the behalf of HRA in 1925 – which put his name on lips of almost every Indian (at least in North India).

Along with Bismil, others who participated in the act were revolutionaries like Ashfaqullah Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, Roshan Singh, andChandrashekar Azad etc.

Apart from being influenced by Arya Samaj, Bolshevik revolution and Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini, it was his friendship with Ashfaqullah Khan which transformed his worldview and had a lasting impact upon him. In contemporary situation where the notion of trust and concept of friendship is depleting fast and losing its meaning, it becomes pertinent to reflect on the friendship of these two people were came from different religious background but were united for the liberation of motherland.

The legendary friendship between Bismil and Ashfaq was borne of youth and revolutionary zealwith selfless commitment to fighting the mighty British Empire. Their friendship also reflected thecomplex communal tensions prevalent during the late 1920s. Bismil was an Arya Samaji, a member of a conservative neo-Hindu movement with a focus on re-conversion of Muslims, while Ashfaqwas an ardent Muslim and at several moments in their shared struggle the question of religion did come into foreground which was dealt with quite impressively.

In his autobiography, Ramprasad Bismil has dedicated an entire chapter on Ashfaqullah Khan, titled “Ashfaq”. While talking about Ashfaq, Bismilwrites…

“You became a comrade, everyone wondered at this - wonderful combination of a staunch Arya Samaji and Muslim - I used to convert Muslims and resided in Arya Samaj temple but you would never get bothered by it, some of my colleagues looked at you with hatred on account of you being a follower of Islam.Despite that you stood firm in your decision, used to come to meet me at Arya Samajmandir, every Muslim in your locality used to abuse you and call you names such as kaafir(non-Muslim) during the altercation between two communities, but you never agreed with their views, always stood for the unity of Muslim and Hindus, you were a devout Muslim and a true devotee of motherland, you are a well-wisher of Muslims and always wished integrity of Muslims. Whenever I write articles or books in Hindi you always requested me to write it in Urdu so that Muslims could also read it[…]

Looking at your disposition many suspected that you might abandon Islam and go through a purification process and get converted to Hinduism. But your heart was not impure by any means, then why would you go through purification rites? This attitude of yours had won my heart completely".

Both were born in the district of Shahjahanpur,and martyred on the same day, i.e. December 19, 1927. Apart from this they also shared the love for poetry. In fact, it was love for poetry which brought them together.

While Ramprasad Bismil was declared an absconder following the Mainpuri Conspiracy Case, his poems and writings started circulating in nearby areas of Shahjahanpur. Ashfaq, who used to write under the pseudonym of “hastrat” and “warsi”, was deeply moved by the revolutionary poetry and bravery of Bismil and wanted to meet him and join the revolutionary struggle. The meeting between the two was facilitated by Ashfaq’s elder brother.

There is another incident from the lives of comrades in arms which holds much relevance today. Once Ashfaq and Bismil were having a meeting in a Hindu Temple, when suddenly a Muslim mob appeared there and was all set to attack the temple. As soon as Ashfaq came to know about this, he went out of the temple and held his pistol and angrily roared: “I am a devout Muslim but I love every inch of this temple more than my life. For me, both Mosque and Temple are the same and if anyone dares to harm this temple in any way will have to face my bullets”.

Friendships forged in the hearth of shared struggles are strongest and aspiring. While both Ashfaq and Bismil were in Jail for the KakoriConspiracy case, there was an attempt to lure Ashfaq by the Muslim members of British police to turn against Bismil and other accused in the Kakori conspiracy case, in exchange for a reduced sentence, which Ashfaq resisted very explicitly.

In his last moments, Ashfaq wrote that he was proud of being the first Muslim who had laid his life for the motherland and even wrote that though being a Muslim he did not believe in the idea of rebirth, he will ask his God to allow him to be born again in the Indian subcontinent so that he can again fight and die for his motherland.

In contemporary times when hate is the new normal and there is a massive lack of trust among Hindus against Muslims, we should reflect on the legendary friendship of Bismil and Ashfaq which developed in the backdrop of communal tension. It was dialogues and conversations between Ashfaq and Bismil which brought them together breaking the stereotypes. Dialogue and conversation with our neighbors, with our friends, with our fellow citizens, is the lesson which we should learn from the legendary friendship of two revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives fighting the Britishers who ruled India by dividing us in the name of religion.

Unfortunately, Ramprasad Bismil whose last message was for Hindus and Muslims to live and fight together against the British Empire, has been wrongly appropriated by the Hindutva forces, who are working overtime to destroy the social fabric of this country. Any true obituary to him would mean to live by the ethos of his last message and fight against the Hindutva forces.

(The author is a JNU PhD scholar)