Book Review: Malabar massacre of Hindus 1921

Behind the bars, he was, yet nothing could prevent him from penning down a historic novel 'Mappila' wherein he depicted sordid experiences Hindus were subjected to. Savarkar's creative mind expressed well the glorious and culturally rich past of Hindus in Malabar; obvious weakness caused by casteism; the clandestine attempts by Mappilas even prior to the outrages under discussion; the way in which Hindus were trapped in to Khilafat agenda; the outrage that followed; the pathetic situation into which Malabar Hindus were placed into; the encouraging signals shown even during the most adverse circumstances by representatives of so called backward and forward sections of the community; and of course, the ideal course to follow to defend in future, the faith that provides the founding base for Indian nationalism.

During the year in which India is celebrating amrit utsavam of its independence, Hindus the World over need to be reminded about a historical event that influenced and adversely affected the cause of Akhand Bharath. Historical impact of the Malabar massacre of Hindus by Jihadi Muslims in 1921 was not limited to that region's geographical limit only; it was neither limited to Kerala or even south India; the entire Indian subcontinent was within its disruptive range. Ka Bha Surendran, a scholar, acknowledged by the right thinking intelligentsia of Kerala took upon himself the task of going deep into the available records, data and interpretations from all conceivable sources and to dig out the truth in the subject. That makes Kha Bha's work on Mappila Rebellion: Historic Truths (Mappila Kalapam: Charitram, Paschathalam, Mathaveriyude Charitra Sakhshyangal), a game changer in the academic community which is currently dominated and misguided by pseudo seculars, communists, jihadists, and so called nehruvian liberals leaving no space left to right thinking silent and unbiased majority of this country.

Ka Bha begins his treatise by giving broad indications on how he is about to dismantle the narrative that the naked pogrom against Hindus had something to do with Bharateeya swathanthrya samaram (Indian independence movement). He provides a philosophical explanation that independence within the framework provided by Swamy Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, etc., and proceeds further to put into words that swathanthryam means free will for the nation to chart its course of advancement based on its own identity. Khilafat had nothing to support the cause of Indian nationalism and on the contrary, success of that ill-conceived movement could have replaced English imperialism by pan Islamic Khilafat regime that could have placed India into a more cruel form of slavery. Thus, he convincingly establishes that neither Khilafat movement or its Malabar variant has anything to do with India's freedom movement and it was naked pan Islamic agenda to establish an exclusive darul islam the World over by anhilating the infidels or kafirs as they call the rest of the humanity. The book then proceeds further to bring home the fact that Communal virus unleashed by Khilafat movement within and outside India, took a worse turn in Malabar for the reason that the genetic variant that manifested there was originally developed by Hyder Ali and his Tippu during the 18th century.

With the support of undeniable facts he has also dismantled the narrative meticulously developed by so called left liberals, who are being financed and sponsored by Islamist fundamentalists, to interpret the massacre of Hindus as tenant farmers agitation against landlords. This book provides the exact share of agricultural yields, made available, to tenants during the relevant period of time which were far better than the conditions of identically placed personnel in other regions. It is also brought to the notice that even among tenants those belonging to Muslims were being given preferential treatments and the incidents of evictions were near zero. Further, it is also highlighted that there were more wealthy and powerful Muslim land lords and a most relevant question is raised as to why, if it is a class struggle, upper class among that community were left untouched when Hindu land owners were butchered, their women and girls were raped, their property snatched. Equally relevant subsequent questions could be seen raised in the book that if it was a class struggle why poor proletarian lower caste Hindus were massacred and their huts were burnt down and members of their female gender were tortured and torn apart. Despite the turns they made and twists they attempted, class struggle narrative, meticulously developed by communist-Islamist combine falls flat before the uncompromised truth brought up and placed before by the versatile author Ka Bha Surendran.

Further, the author deserves credit for the courage and commitment he has exhibited in examining the real role of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during those dark days of Indian History. It is seen even among the hard-core adherents to truth a tendency to be more diplomatic and politically correct in discussing the omissions and commissions of Gandhiji that lead to the annihilation of Hindu community in Malabar. Gandhiji, whose life itself got narrated by himself as experiments with truth turned out to be economic in revealing the true facts regarding Khilafat movement in general and Malabar Mappila outrage, in particular. It has been reasonably and convincingly explained by Ka Bha that Gandhiji's Kozhikode speech wherein he addressed Khilafat movement, in fact, turned out to be the beginning of the end of Hindus in the region where they were ruthlessly murdered. The author reproduced Gandhiji's speech delivered on August 18, 1920, in the presence of Shoukhath Ali. It had everything in it to hold that the speech was responsible for all that followed. Obviously Ka Bha Surendran, then proceeds to ask questions one after the other.

1. His pointed first question was: Before a communally charged crowd, that feels proud to have committed attacks, atrocities and murders, if you make a speech that provokes them further, what else could have been happened?
   
   
2. Drawing attention to the major thrust of the speech, the author asks: "Did it not leave sufficient room to interpret the words of Gandhi to mean that: " British people cheated you. Religion (Islam) has been insulted. Even Though bloodshed during the ordinary course is not the right option, since you are agitated, even if you do so, it is not objectionable".
   
   
3. He further asks, when Gandhiji called upon the crowd: "Are those Indian Muslims who feel subjected to injustice prepared for self sacrifice." Now, what could be taken from such a call by a devout Musalman other than offering himself to become a Shahid (a martyr).
   
   
4. Then the author raises another question. When Gandhi said that Hindus must take part in Khilafat movement without fail, does that not imply that those among Hindus who opt not to join the movement deserve to be viewed with animosity.
   
   
5. Concluding his series of questions Ka Bha Surendran seeks an evaluation by recording the sarcastic remarks: "Is unity one sided? As if, it is a golden opportunity that occurs once in a century! Then where did we reach? Did it not turn out to be a wound that would not be healed for centuries to come?

It is indeed, a well researched text on the pogrom on Hindus inflicted by jihadi Malabar Mappilas in 1921, challenging much manipulated narratives falsely created by vested interests. The book merits and demands translation into other Indian languages and English so that truth is widely placed before generations to come. Of course, not with any intention to take revenge upon but to develop defence appropriate preparedness on their part to deter occurrence of such atrocities in future.