This is the #Malegaon fort in #Maharashtra. It witnessed not one but two different instances of Indian Muslims’ resistance against British
In 1818, during third Anglo-Maratha war, Muslim soldiers of Maratha army defiantly held the fort; even as Chatrapati & Peshwa surrendered.
30 soldiers died & many more were injured during siege of the fort. It took the British 36 guns, 8,000 shells & 35,500 pounds of gunpowder to finally take over the fort.Almost a 100 years later, in 1921, the bugle of revolution was again sounded in Malegaon
The people of Malegaon had responded to Khilafat & Non-Cooperation movement of 1920 with enthusiasm. They’d boycotted British institutions, set up their own courts & picketed liquor shops. The British provoked violence in order to clamp down against revolutionary activities.In a clash between the revolutionaries and police, a native constable was killed. The revolutionaries took over control of the city, British flag was downed from Malegaon fort & replaced with an Indian flag.An Indian Government headed by Shah Suleman Miya was formed. The British responded with unprecedented violence against the people of Malegaon. People were indiscriminately taken into custody and were sent to Yerwada jail. Reportedly ₹1.2 million was forcibly collected as fine.In 1922, Suleman Shah, Israil Allahrakha, Shaban Bhikari, Budhu Faridan & Abdul Gafoor were hanged. 9 people were sentenced to life imprisonment, 2 each for 7 & 5 years. Another 92 were sentenced to 3 years’ jail. Abdullah Khalifa & Mohd Husain were killed by torture in jail.
MD ANEES QAMAR