1931 Kashmir agitation

2021-06-12T08:26:50Z

2409:4054:101:B48B:4D27:766C:3BA8:DF84:

{{Use Indian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox event
| title = 1931 Kashmir agitation
| image = Sheikh Abdullah with other leaders of 1931 agitation.1931Photo.JPG
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| image_alt = Six men: four seated and two standing
| caption = ''(Seated, right to left):'' Sardar Gohar Rehman, Mistri Yaqoob Ali, Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhary Ghulam Abbas. ''(Standing):'' Molvi Abdur Rahim ''(right)'' and Ghulam Nabi Gilkar
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| date = {{start date|1931|07|13|df=yes}}
| venue =
| location = Central Jail, [[Srinagar]]
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| type = Agitation
| theme =
| cause = Alleged desecration of the Koran by a Dogra policeman<ref name=":7">{{cite book|author=Christopher Snedden|title=Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a19eCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT128|year=2015|publisher=Hurst|isbn=978-1-84904-622-0|page=128}}</ref>
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| target = Kashmiri Muslims
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| outcome = 500 soldiers sent to support Hari Singh and restore law and order
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| reported deaths = 22
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A widespread agitation throughout the [[princely state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] in [[British Raj]] occurred in 1931 against the Maharaja's government. The Maharaja was forced to appoint the [[Glancey Commission|Glancy Commission]] to investigate the people's concerns. Various political reforms were adopted including the introduction of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Praja Sabha]] (legislative assembly). The movement also saw the rise of [[Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah]] as the leader of Kashmiris.

== Events ==
On 13 July 1931, thousands of Kashmiris flocked to the central jail in [[Srinagar]] to see the trial of Abdul Qadeer. As the time for obligatory ''[[Friday prayer|jumma]]'' prayer approached, a Kashmiri stood up to deliver the [[adhan]]. The [[Dogra]] governor, Ray Zada Tartilok Chand, ordered his soldiers to open fire on them, in total 22 Kashmiris died in the firing.<ref name=":0"/>
The people carried the dead through the streets of Srinagar, chanting slogans opposing Dogra brutality. The incident shook the state, and a week-long period of mourning was observed. Traffic between Srinagar, [[Rawalpindi]] and [[Jammu]] was halted from 13 to 26 July.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://nation.com.pk/national/14-Jul-2015/kashmir-martyrs-day-observed|title=Kashmir Martyrs Day observed|date=14 July 2015|work=[[The Nation (Pakistan)|The Nation]]|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> The protests intensified; anti-Hindu riots began, leading to the death of three Hindus, the wounding of many more and the looting of Hindu-owned shops.<ref>{{cite book|title=Clash of Identities Ethnic Conflict of Kashmir Dispute|publisher=University of California|author=Devaraju Nagarjun|year=2015|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Jammu and Kashmir: Politics of Identity and Separatism|publisher=Routledge|author=Rekha Chowdhary|year=2004|page=30}}</ref> The Hindus retaliated, leading to more clashes between the two groups.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ghosts of Empire: Britain's Legacies in the Modern World|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|author= Kwasi Kwarteng|year=2011|page=260}}</ref> The violence spread to Kashmir province and Jammu; three British [[Company (military unit)|companies]], numbering about 500 soldiers, were sent to support Maharaja [[Hari Singh]] and restore law and order. The incident led to the rise of young [[Sheikh Abdullah]], and his rivalry with the maharaja continued until 1947.<ref>{{cite book|title=Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|publisher=Oxford University Press|author= Christopher Snedden|year=2015|page=131}}</ref>

== Meeting with the maharaja ==
{{anchor|Meeting with the Maharajah}}Muslim representatives, including [[Mirwaiz Yusuf Shah]], Mirwaiz Hamadani, Syed Hussain Shah Jalali, Saad-ud-din Shawl, [[Sheikh Abdullah]], [[Ghulam Ahmad Ashai]], Yaqub Ali, Munshi Shahab-ud-Din, [[Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas]] and Gauhar Rehman, addressed the maharajah on 15 August.<ref name=":1"/> They made a number of accusations against Hindus in general and the state administration and prime minister in particular, alleging that evidence given to the Riots Enquiry Committee was fabricated or suppressed.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLCCbohBKzcC&q=1931+kashmir+22&pg=PA162|title=Political Awakening in Kashmir|last=Kaur|first=Ravinderjit|publisher=APH Publishing|year=1996|isbn=9788170247098|pages=154}}</ref> The maharaja refused to dismiss the prime minister, and rejected the Muslim leaders' allegations as "unfounded".<ref name=":1" />

== Temporary truce ==
The Muslim leaders were dissatisfied, but they met with the prime minister on 26 August and signed an agreement to end the agitation.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLCCbohBKzcC&q=1931+kashmir+22|title=Political Awakening in Kashmir|last=Kaur|first=Ravinderjit|publisher=APH Publishing|year=1996|isbn=9788170247098|pages=154}}</ref>

== Aftermath ==
{{anchor|Kashmir Day}}
{{See also|Kashmir Martyrs' Day}}
The agitation temporarily subsided, primarily because of the Kashmir [[Durbar (court)|Darbar's]] conciliatory attitude toward its subjects (permitting Ahrar-i-Islam, [[Mazhar Ali Azhar]] and two companions to visit Kashmir privately). With the intervention of Muslim sympathisers outside Kashmir, 14 August was observed as Kashmir Day in Kashmir and several parts of India. Demonstrations and meetings were held in sympathy with Kashmiri Muslims. The meetings adopted resolutions calling for freedom of religion, the restoration of mosques and Muslim shrines, compensation for dependents of those killed or injured, and an investigation of the conduct of civil and military officers during the agitation.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLCCbohBKzcC&q=1931+kashmir+22&pg=PA162|title=Political Awakening in Kashmir|last=Kaur|first=Ravinderjit|publisher=APH Publishing|year=1996|isbn=9788170247098|pages=153}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{citation |last=Chawla |first=Muhammad Iqbal |title=Role of the Majlis-i-Ahrar Islam in the Kashmir Movement of 1931 |journal=Pakistaniaat: A Journal of Pakistan Studies |volume=3 |number=2 |year=2011 |pages=82–102 |url=http://www.pakistaniaat.org/~doltala/index.php/pak/article/view/124}}
* {{citation |last=Copland |first=Ian |title=Islam and Political Mobilization in Kashmir, 1931-34 |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=54 |number=2 |date=1981 |pages=228–259 |doi=10.2307/2757363 |jstor=2757363}}
* {{citation |last=Jalal |first=Ayesha |authorlink=Ayesha Jalal|title=Self and Sovereignty: Individual and Community in South Asian Islam Since 1850 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sa6CAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA482 |date=2002 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-59937-0 |pages=482– |ref={{sfnref |Jalal, Self and Sovereignty |2002}}}}
* {{citation |title=Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir |first=Mridu |last=Rai |publisher=C. Hurst & Co |year=2004 |isbn=1850656614 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qTHTI-Eus8kC |ref={{sfnref|Mridu Rai, Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects|2004}}}}
* {{citation |last=Zutshi |first=Chitralekha |title=Languages of Belonging: Islam, Regional Identity, and the Making of Kashmir |year=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dlBjzE-1ML8C&pg=PA318 |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers |isbn=978-1-85065-700-2 |ref={{sfnref|Zutshi, Languages of Belonging|2004}}}}

[[Category:Kashmir conflict]]
[[Category:1931 in India]]

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1931 Kashmir agitation