Biasness of historiography:
Up to 1940, tribal resistance was not in consideration of national movement. It was due to one sided perception and interpretation by officials or Elitist records about Subalterns contribution to the National Movement. In the words of Ranajit Guha, ’Bourgeoisie Nationalist historiography’ who were thinking and interpreting to lower class and its nature of mobilization revolts and insurgency against the mighty power of British Raj. Colonists needed it to record these events so that they can study to revolt its nature extent and mobilization to being a cautious from further outbreaks. If any case it could be easily suppressed.’ It became a necessity of colonial official to record. These events in order to study their intensity strategy aim and program and compare the former
With later to overcome any further uprising’. In this regard we do find that many latter’s, departure and departmental minute which are categorised as ‘primary source’ to narrate the events. While Colonial historiography robed it as merely anticipation for law and order and learning of other culture and unknown things to know. Nationalist too neglected ignored and largely considered as pre political, unorganised, leaderless and European experience based Generalization of colonialists. It was late twentieth century, Subaltern school of historiography, though had taken most of examples and in context of Peasants(except K.S.Singh) paved way for reconstruction history through the lens of lower class. Guha & Dhanagare and most importantly K. Suresh Singh contrary to dominant perceptions were conceiving that ‘There was nothing spontaneous about all this in the sense of being unthinking and wanting in deliberation. The peasant and tribal obviously knew what he was doing and when he supposed to rose in revolt against government, although None of these attributes could compare in maturity or sophistication with those of the historically more advanced movements of the twentieth century. But movement and its leadership cannot and should not be judged by the standards of nationalism and non-violence. All the tribal resistance movements and uprisings which revolted against British Raj in their respective localisation, away from the national movement should be studied in the nation-wide prospective. Their history should be constructed through their eyes of unwritten and written records. And there was nothing in rural areas which was not political.
Tribal grievances and National Movement: In the late 18th century, with the introduction of the Permanent Settlement in 1793 in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, which later became the template for a deepening of sub-feudalism throughout India, the older social and economic system in the country began to alter radically. With the introduction of forest land act of 1865, owing to commercial benefits from the forest and their subjugation to end the relative isolation and brought them fully within the ambit of colonialism. And It was done through the hands of zamindar who himself persuaded by his petty interests. Similarly, the influx of Christian Missionaries into tribal areas also annoyed their traditional beliefs and cultural ethos which was responded to an extent by the internal religious reforms. Thus it resulted in a number of Adivasi revolts in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, which can broadly divided into three main objectives; Jal(water) Jungle(forest) and Zameen(land). It compelled them to rise against the mighty British Raj, a Coincidental period of the national movement and hence they played a vital role.
Contribution to the national movement: The nature of Tribal uprising was very violent and Militant than any other insurgents’ group or community. Though they resisted in traditional form of arms like Bamboos, bows and arrows which were magically turned into gun. They also led by their own community chiefs which by virtue of being rich and privileged have some sort of influence on a particular tribe. Their aim was to drive out Britishers from native area ‘Damin-i-koh’ in which they were having autonomy which was gradually taken away by British government to hand over the Zamindar and landlords which tribal named ’Dikhu’ or outsiders. Similarly, their eroded culture and tradition by the influx of Christian Missionaries who were converting tribal into Christianity was responded by internal reform in socio-religious practices within the community. The third objective was to outburst against these outsiders who in turn moved to extract the Maximum economic benefit from their newly founded property and subjects. Deprived of their forests resources on which they were traditionally dependent, and sometimes coerced to pay taxes, many Adivasi were forced to borrow at usurious rates from moneylenders, often the zamindars themselves and when they were unable to pay, that forced them to become bonded labourers for the zamindars. Due to government subsequent policies on shifting cultivation ‘Jhum’ which now by the turn of 1870 was strictly regulated and executed in order to protect the natural areas for its commercial purposes. For example, the forest act of 1865.
On the eve of 76th Independence years of India, I conclude in the words of K. Suresh Singh; The Tribes should develop their own culture and make their contribution to the cultural richness of the country. It is unnecessary to cause them to change their customs, habits, or diversions so far as to make themselves indistinguishable from other classes. To do so would be to rob rural and Pastoral life of its colour and stimulating diversity. Each section of our large population contributes to the making of the nation in the same manner as each flower helps to make a garden. Every flower has a right to enrich and develop its own colour and form and to spread its own fragrance to make up the cumulative beauty and splendour of the garden. I would not like to change my roses into lilies nor my lilies into Roses. Nor do I want to sacrifice my lovely orchids and rhododendrons of the hills.
Importance in National Movement: The sense of unity with outside world and feelings of nationalism was absent in tribal world f due to their self-styled past values, traditions, and cultural bounds and also due to vague and ambiguous feelings on nationalism, a phenomenon which was developed early twentieth century with the coming of Gandhiji, A torchbearer to the national Movement. However, the Outsiders intervention in their life and livelihood like Jal(water) Zameen(land) and Jungle(forest) led them against British government which simultaneously also Integrated them with the national movement from the late Nineteenth and early twentieth century onwards. In the words of Hobsbawm, though this movement ‘primitive rebellion’ which according to him was ‘pre-political’ and leaderless now combined with modern nationalism became a fascinating and significant. And in the words of Ranajit Guha like Peasants insurgency, tribal uprisings were though with varying degrees and Limitations owing to ‘localism’ sectarianism and ethnicity. ‘yet These Tribal resistance were providing local leadership and prepared to primary ground for national cause. It simultaneously infested to British authorities, and thus implicitly and explicitly contributing to the National Movement. In other words, Tribal Resistance movement did not emerge spontaneously rather evolved over the time like the national movement itself. In its basic form and nature was similar to the other resistance movements of different sections of society like Peasants and working class who revolted against British when they exhausted from the British government. It was revitalizing and stimulating to the nationalist and national movement in their respective region by providing local bold and energetic leadership like Birsa Munda, Alluri Sitaraman Raju of Andhra, Govind Guru of Dungapur state, Gatra Bhagat and others.
It is no wonder that two disparate movements, the national Congress movement in Chhota Nagpur and the regional Jharkhand movement drew their inspiration from Birsa movement. Legacy of National Movement was upheld by Gujjar & Bakarwals: contribution to National building. Choudhary Ghulam Abass a pro Muslim league had been mentioned in his autobiography “Kashmakash” that Poonch and Mirpur were considered as an strong and strategic hill states by the maharaja administration Before the independence of India for defending borders and war tactics. Following the tribal invasion in 1947, there are strong oral sources that locals were combating to invaders and pushed them beyond the present LoC.the Gujjar & Bakarwals as herders remains a strong defender of Indian borders at the high-altitude (Margs) and helped Army in these tough and high terrains to drive out the insurgent groups including the historic war of Kargil 1919, in which A Bakarwal informed Indian army about Pakistan Army developments. Similarly in the low lands they remained a strong defender helper of Indian government and Army at LoC. During the high militancy period of of 90s Gujjar & Bakarwals was the most affected community of Pir Panjal owing to their Inhabitation near the forests area, in lap of Mountains which are still isolated and unconnected from city and security areas. Infiltration of militants in such a terrain of sub districts of Poonch, Mehdhar, Surankote and Haveli area were annoyed and tortured locals who were mostly Gujjar & Bakarwal for feeling reluctant to give them shelter food and other supports. They were Forcefully trying to use them against the Indian Army as well as a ground for terrorist and insurgent activities. Though locals with heavy heart hated but due to their poor socio-political and economic conditions neither were in position nor were supported to done away the militancy from their villages. Due to few Army camps and difficult terrain of region army could Not hold a better grip on militants activities. Thus the locals were being Tortured by both groups of Militants and Army. They while receiving any false or forged complaint against anyone by ‘Mukhbirs’ who himself was using it a way to either take revenge or directed or get some benefits from both sides. Therefore, routinely militants raids and Army searches compelled most of the families to left their homes. This paved way for rapid sub urbanization in Poonch and sub district area of Surankote and Mehdhar. Interestingly most of city areas are known by name of villages like Hari Muhalla in Surankote. But still large fraction of population was there in village which either could not effort or not willing to left home but hanging with deep terrorist Insurgencies .they were not allowed to use light or movement outside of house after 5:00 PM. Their children and woman were unsafe to go out from home. Many became the victim rape and harassment. Men were used either for begar, Mukhbirs or front man search in operations or encounters. This was culminated in 1999 when villagers of Mahra Surankote approached to central government directly to provide them arms and support of forces against the deep rotten Militancy. Thus the Operation Sarp Vinash of 2002 also known as the Hill Kaka Operations launched by the Counter Insurgency Force ‘Romeo’. The operation was successful and resulted in death of 65-70 terrorists.The forces have also been
Strongly supported by the local population. The demography of the region is one of Muslim domination with the Gujjar-Bakarwals community in the majority. The support of the Gujjar & Bakarwals to the Indian Army saw the first Muslim village defence committee being set up in this region in December 2002, in response to atrocities on locals by “Harkat-ul-Mujahideen” cadres. The support of the Gujjar & Bakarwals to the Indian state in counter insurgency operations gained momentum when in 2002, large number of locals joined Army against militants. Since 2004-05,peace has prevailed largely because the people decided to stand up to the terrorists; the Gujjar & Bakarwals have had a major role to play in this. On the eve of 76th Independence years of India, I conclude in the words of K. Suresh Singh; The Tribes should develop their own culture and make their contribution to the cultural richness of the country. It is unnecessary to cause them to change their customs, habits, or diversions so far as to make themselves indistinguishable from other classes. To do so would be to rob rural and Pastoral life of its colour and stimulating diversity. Each section of our large population contributes to the making of the nation in the same manner as each flower helps to make a garden. Every flower has a right to enrich and develop its own colour and form and to spread its own fragrance to make up the cumulative beauty and splendour of the garden. I would not like to change my roses into lilies nor my lilies into Roses. Nor do I want to sacrifice my lovely orchids and rhododendrons of the hills.
(The author a student at Postgraduate Department Of History at Alighar Muslim university from Surankote, Poonch has mailed this article to “Kashmir Horizon” for publication in this newspaper. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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