With inputs from the various scholars, intellectuals, researchers and thinkers, Mohd Naushad Khan throws light on the contribution of Mewatis to the freedom struggle, their history and the plight they are in nowadays.
In the recent past, Mewat in Haryana hit the headlines for two wrong reasons. One, in April 2018, when NITI Aayog identified Mewat (renamed Nuh in 2016) as the most backward district of India. And two, Nuh violence on 31 July 2023.
The question that comes to our mind is why it is so that Mewat, which is dominated by the Muslim minority, has remained the most backward district of India after being ruled by both Congress and the BJP. This region has been discriminated against decade after decade, from one government to another despite the fact that the contribution of Mewat to the freedom struggle was second to none. Is their value of votes less than others? If they are also citizens of India and enjoy the same rights as people in other places then why have they remained the most backward?
Notably, Nuh was one of the 90 districts chosen in 2008 for the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme, or MSDP, which was created in response to the Sachar Committee’s findings that there were significant disparities between Indian Muslims and other demographic groups in terms of education, employment, and earnings. Forget about minority rights; they have not even received the rights enjoyed by other Indians.
On 15th August, India will celebrate the Independence Day with great pomp and show but what will be the meaning of Independence for all those who have lost their precious lives in violence, properties damaged and houses bulldozed? On that day, the people from Nuh and adjoining areas may ask, have their ancestors fought for the Independence for the situation they are in today? Let’s not forget the role and contribution of Mewatis to the freedom struggle which was not less than others by any parameters.
On the role of Meos in the freedom struggle, Dr. Nonica Datta, Associate Professor at the Centre for Historical Studies, JNU said, “Mewat has a distinctive cultural and geographical landscape which represents the shared traditions of our country. Mewat is tied by distinctive notions of language and cultural affinity among diverse communities. What is significant to remember is the immense contribution of the Mewatis to the Revolt of 1857 when they resisted and opposed the British colonial state.”
Dr. Datta added, “There have been a series of popular protests in this region against the land revenue policies of the state in colonial India. Meos played a prominent role in India’s freedom struggle and Dr KM Ashraf played a critical role in this context. We must remember MK Gandhi’s historic visit to Mewat in December 1947, healing the wounds of Partition, and telling the Meos that they were the ‘backbone of India’.”
The brave Mewatis had destroyed the rule of East India Company from the Mewat area of Haryana and uprooted the grip of the East India Company to a great extent in the Mewat areas which were under Alwar and Bharatpur States.
Bravehearts from Mewat not only actively engaged in the first struggle for Indian Independence in 1857, but also killed a number of brutal British commanders like (William) Fraser. While thousands of Independence fighters gave their lives for the cause all throughout India, 10,000 freedom fighters also died in Mewat in Haryana. After the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857, the British desire for retribution in other areas of the nation subsided, but in Mewat it raged on for a very long period.
The British destroyed Mewat, village after village, between November 8 and December 7, 1857, killing men, women, and children in the process. On 19 November, 1857, in a single day, 425 Mewatis were killed in Roopraka village alone. The angry British set fire to over 36 villages and snatched land rights from others.
Former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP), Mohammed Adeeb said, “Mewat is the biggest cluster of Muslims in North India and the people of Mewat are all Indians and nobody came from outside. Their presence is from Rajasthan to Western Uttar Pradesh…. They cannot even be accused of being foreigners which has become a common narrative these days. The Mewatis were so patriotic Indians that during the battle between Babur and Rana Sanga, the Mewatis opposed Babur and under the leadership of Hasan Mewati, the Mewatis fought against Babur with the army of Rana Sanga.”
The former MP added, “The Mewatis had categorically said in 1947 that they will not go to Pakistan despite pressure for evacuation. One group close to RSS had planned and announced that they will not allow creation of a ‘new Pakistan’ close to Delhi Sultanate, (an idea) which also had the suggestion of Patel. As a result of it, Gandhi had to come and sit in Mewat. Gandhi said to Mewatis, I will not let you go to Pakistan. Unfortunately, the community, whose history is very much linked to India, is witnessing hate and violence. What has happened in Nuh reveals that the hatred has become so deep that they (the hatemongers) are not only against those who came to India from outside as migrants but also against their own indigenous Indians.”
The former Parliamentarian further said, “Maulana Azad fought his maiden election from Mewat, which was the biggest mistake of the Congress because they asked him to fight from a Muslim-dominated area. Thereafter, it became a pattern and Muslim leaders were asked to fight elections from Muslim concentrated areas and Hindu leaders from Hindu dominated areas. That was a historical blunder. Had Muslim leaders been asked to fight elections from Hindu majority areas and Hindu leaders from Muslim concentrated seats then the situation would have been entirely different from the kind of atmosphere we are in today.”
Mehmood Khan is a Managing Trustee of Rasuli Kanwar Khan Trust, a non-profit organisation working for all round development of people at the grassroots level in Mewat region. In 2019, he was the JJP-AAP alliance candidate for the Gurugram parliamentary seat. According to him, “Some of you attended Safina’s wedding in our village, so you got the feel of the place. The place where we had lunch is now a fully charitable trust and we continue to make efforts to make this area a better place. These people were part of Anang Pal 2’s army. After the loss of Terrai Battle in 1192, they became jobless. An interesting incident had taken place before the battle began.
“Prithvi Raj was governing Ajmer and Raj Pithora. (You can verify it by visiting Saket metro station. When you come out of metro, just take left turn towards the Garden of Five Senses. Just around 200 meters from Saket station, you will see ruins of Raj Pithora). Coming back to Prithvi Raj, he did meet Moinuddin Chisti before he went for Terrai battle. Their meeting was inconclusive. Prithvi Raj told Chisti that he needed to sort out Gaurs and will talk to him on return. When Prithvi Raj left the meeting place, Chisti mumbled that he wouldn’t return. Some of the Generals who were with him overheard Chisti’s comments. Prithvi Raj went for the war and never returned.”
He further said, “This army, which consisted of warriors on elephants, horses, camels, was left headless. Gaurs returned to Afghanistan and appointed Qutubuddin Aibak Governor of Punjab and asked him to oversee this area as well. Now this army had to think of survival. Out of the generals who had heard Chisti uttering those words about Prithvi Raj, decided to meet Chisti and asked him about their future. Chisti suggested to them to recite the Kalma. They were confused and asked him to clarify. These were all Vedic people and when explained, they saw no harm and embraced the Kalma and Islam. Then they asked what they should do next. He suggested to them that don’t burn your dead instead bury them.”
He added, “They asked him what happens if they run away from grave and become Bhoot and frighten people. Chisti had a caravan of people who had joined his journey from Medina to India. So, he stationed one of the persons in each village and their job was to dig grave, give Islamic burial to dead and stay on the grave for 7 days so people are reassured that the dead are not becoming Bhoot. These caravan people were called Mian saheb. They were only 1200 families spread across 1200 villages, so they started marrying among themselves. Generals didn’t like this custom and decided to create their own Samaj.”
He also said, “They had marathon meetings in Mehrauli which was hosted by Kaku Rana Balot. In these marathons, they decided to create a new Samaj called Meos. These villages were spread north of Ranthambore up to Raisina (which the British in 20th century turned into new capital by buying the land at 32 rupees a bigha). They retained 28 Gots and add 24 Gots. All together this Samaj had 52 Gots. So, the marriage system was designed to ensure that there was no inbreeding. They started cultivating the lands to make living. Balban and later Tamerlane harmed them most for following these practices.”
Mehmood Khan opined, “They created a small kingdom based at Alwar headed by Hasan Khan Mewati, who aligned with Rana Sanga against Babur. In the Battle of Khanwa, Hasan Khan died along with 12000 soldiers and thus began the Mughal Empire. During 1857, they were part of the rebellion against East India Company. From 1857 till 1947 they were at loggerheads with the British. When Independence came, they invited Gandhi to Ghasera to express they didn’t wish leave their land. Gandhi told Sardar Patel that these people will continue to live in India.”