Razakars (Hyderabad) - Revision history

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	The '''Razakars''' ~~formed~~ the paramilitary volunteer force of the Muslim nationalist [[Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]] (MIM) party in the [[Hyderabad State]] under the [[British Raj]]. Formed in 1938 by the MIM leader [[Bahadur Yar Jung]],{{sfnp\|Benichou, From Autocracy to Integration\|2000\|p=99}}		The '''Razakars''' were the paramilitary volunteer force of the Muslim nationalist [[Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]] (MIM) party in the [[Hyderabad State]] under the [[British Raj]]. Formed in 1938 by the MIM leader [[Bahadur Yar Jung]],{{sfnp\|Benichou, From Autocracy to Integration\|2000\|p=99}}
	they expanded considerably during the leadership of [[Qasim Razvi]] around the time of Indian independence. They were deployed in the cause of maintaining Muslim rule in Hyderabad and resisting integration into India. Described as "enthusiastic" and "undisciplined", they targeted Hindus as well as Muslims whose loyalty was in question. They also fought communists who were launching a revolution in the state.{{sfnp\|Sherman, The integration of the princely state of Hyderabad\|2007\|pp=6–7}}		they expanded considerably during the leadership of [[Qasim Razvi]] around the time of Indian independence. They were deployed in the cause of maintaining Muslim rule in Hyderabad and resisting integration into India. Described as "enthusiastic" and "undisciplined", they targeted Hindus as well as Muslims whose loyalty was in question. They also fought communists who were launching a revolution in the state.{{sfnp\|Sherman, The integration of the princely state of Hyderabad\|2007\|pp=6–7}}

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	==Annexation after Operation Polo==		==Annexation after Operation Polo==
	{{Main\|Indian annexation of Hyderabad}}		{{Main\|Indian annexation of Hyderabad}}
	Finally, [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], the Indian Minister for Home Affairs, decided to undertake "police action" in Hyderabad State to force the King Nizam's hand. [[Operation Polo]] was launched and the [[Indian Army]], led by Major General J. N. Chaudhuri, entered the state from five directions. The Razakars fought briefly against the overwhelming attack by Indian forces before surrendering on 18 September 1948. [[Mir Laik Ali]], the [[~~Prime Minister~~]] of the Nizam, and Qasim Rizvi were arrested.		Finally, [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], the Indian Minister for Home Affairs, decided to undertake "police action" in Hyderabad State to force the King Nizam's hand. [[Operation Polo]] was launched and the [[Indian Army]], led by Major General J. N. Chaudhuri, entered the state from five directions. The Razakars fought briefly against the overwhelming attack by Indian forces before surrendering on 18 September 1948. [[Mir Laik Ali]], the [[prime minister]] of the Nizam, and Qasim Rizvi were arrested.

	On 22 September 1948, the Nizam withdrew his complaint from the UN Security Council.The merger of Hyderabad into the Indian Union was announced.		On 22 September 1948, the Nizam withdrew his complaint from the UN Security Council. The merger of Hyderabad into the Indian Union was announced.
	Major General Chaudhuri took over as military governor of Hyderabad and stayed in that position till the end of 1949. In January 1950, [[M. K. Vellodi]], a senior civil servant was made the Chief Minister of the state and the Nizam was given the position of "[[Rajpramukh\|Raj Pramukh]]" or "Governor".		Major General Chaudhuri took over as military governor of Hyderabad and stayed in that position till the end of 1949. In January 1950, [[M. K. Vellodi]], a senior civil servant was made the Chief Minister of the state and the Nizam was given the position of "[[Rajpramukh\|Raj Pramukh]]" or "Governor".

	The [[Pandit Sunderlal Committee Report]] estimated that between 27,000 and 40,000 lost their lives in the violence that ensued the operation.<ref name="India hidden massacre">{{Cite news \| last = Thomson \| first = Mike \| title = India's hidden massacre \| work = BBC \| accessdate = 2013-09-26 \| date = 2013-09-24 \| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24159594 }}</ref>		The [[Pandit Sunderlal Committee Report]] estimated that between 27,000 and 40,000 lost their lives in the violence that ensued the operation.<ref name="India hidden massacre">{{Cite news \| last = Thomson \| first = Mike \| title = India's hidden massacre \| work = BBC \| accessdate = 2013-09-26 \| date = 2013-09-24 \| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24159594 }}</ref>

			==Types of Razakars==
			Quoting an article of [[Khusro_Faramurz_Rustamji\|K F Rustomjee]], the former DGP of Maharashtra and BSF, Captain Panduranga Reddy said that the policemen from Akola district in then Central Province were sent in to Hyderabad state in the garb of Razakars to create turmoil and blame the Nizam government. Rustomjee was SP of Akola at the time. Captain Reddy called the Communists as traitors, who encouraged violence to spread their agenda.<ref name="types">{{cite news \|last=Siddique \|title=Attempt to portray Nizam as 'intolerant oppressor' decried \|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/attempt-to-portray-nizam-as-intolerant-oppressor-decried-1.1385949 \|work=gulfnews.com \|language=en}}</ref>
			* General:
			# Muslim razakars
			# Hindu razakars - Personnel recruited by Hindu Deshmukhs and Zamindars to gain favour of the Nizam.<ref name="types"/>{{sfn\|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams\|1987\|p=77}}

			* Others : These Razakars were Members of the Arya Samaj, [[Hindu Mahasabha]], Communists, and even the [[Hyderabad State Congress]] was working in close coordination with an organisation called "Poona Patri Sarkar" operating from Satara under the leadership of "Achyut Patwardhan". This organisation caused a lot of damage and destruction in Hyderabad and was feared by its local populace.
			# Communist razakars - Communists who posed as Razakars and carried out loot<ref name="types"/>{{sfn\|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams\|1987\|p=77}}
			# Congress razakars <ref>{{cite book \|last1=RAO \|first1=VELDURTI MANIK \|title=Freedom Movement in Hyderabad \|date=14 February 2017 \|publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting \|isbn=978-81-230-2650-3 \|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Freedom_Movement_in_Hyderabad/6HE9DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=congress+razakars&printsec=frontcover \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title=Nizam's generous side and love for books - Page 16 \|url=https://such.forumotion.com/t5819p750-nizam-s-generous-side-and-love-for-books \|website=such.forumotion.com \|language=en}}</ref> They are the one's who had looted the Umri bank.<ref>{{cite journal \|last1=Sundarayya \|first1=P. \|title=Telangana People's Armed Struggle, 1946-51. Part Three: Pitted against the Indian Army \|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3516496 \|journal=Social Scientist \|pages=23–46 \|doi=10.2307/3516496 \|date=1973\|volume=1 \|issue=9 \|jstor=3516496 }}</ref>The congress razakars even outbid the Nizam supporting Razakars in atrocities on the common man.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Sundarayya \|first1=Puccalapalli \|last2=Chattopadhyaya \|first2=Harindranath \|title=Telangana People's Struggle and Its Lessons \|date=1972 \|publisher=Foundation Books \|isbn=978-81-7596-316-0 \|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Telangana_People_s_Struggle_and_Its_Less/TPjIh1G0TmcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Congress+razakars%22&pg=PA148&printsec=frontcover \|language=en}}</ref>

	==Disbandment==		==Disbandment==
	The Razakars were disbanded after the merger of Hyderabad with India and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was initially banned—though it was allowed to be rechartered as [[Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen\|All India MIM (AIMIM)]] under new leadership in 1957. Qasim Rizvi was jailed and served in Indian prisons for almost a decade. After his release, he migrated to Pakistan.<ref name ="clan"/>		The Razakars were disbanded after the merger of Hyderabad with India and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was initially banned—though it was allowed to be rechartered as [[Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen\|All India MIM (AIMIM)]] under new leadership in 1957. Qasim Rizvi was jailed and served in Indian prisons for almost a decade{{cn\|date=May 2022}}. After his release, he migrated to Pakistan.<ref name ="clan"/>

	== See also ==		== See also ==
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	[[Category:Paramilitary organisations based in India]]		[[Category:Paramilitary organisations based in India]]
	[[Category:All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]]		[[Category:All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]]
	[[Category:Military wings of ~~political~~ parties]]		[[Category:Military wings of nationalist parties]]
	[[Category:Year of establishment missing]]		[[Category:Year of establishment missing]]

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{{distinguish|Razakars (Pakistan)}}
{{Short description|Muslim militia in Hyderabad}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox organization
| image = Razakar_units_being_trained_from_Muslim_volunteers.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Razakar units being trained
| motto =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| formation =
| extinction =
| type = Private militia organised by [[Qasim Razvi]]
| status = Affiliated to the [[All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen|MIM]]
| headquarters = [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]]
| coords = [[Nizams|House of Nizams]] and [[Hyderabad State Forces]]
| language =
| leader_title =
| leader_name = [[Qasim Razvi]]
| key_people =
| main_organ =
| affiliations =
| budget =
| remarks =
| name = Razakars
| size = 250px
| abbreviation =
| purpose = Support of the [[Nizam]], [[Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII|Sir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII]], resisting the integration of Hyderabad State into India
| location = [[Hyderabad State|Princely State of Hyderabad]]
| region_served = Hyderabad State
| general =
| parent_organisation = [[Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]]
| num_staff =
| num_volunteers =
| website =
| former name =
}}

The '''Razakars''' were a private [[militia]] organised by [[Qasim Razvi]] during the rule of [[Nizam]] ''[[Mir (title)|Mir]]'' [[Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII|Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII]]. <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Commoner/2017-08-28/Bairanpalle-stands-witness-to-gory-past/322100|title=Bairanpalle Stands Witness to Gory Past|last=Adepu|first=Mahender|date=2017-08-27|work=The Hans India|access-date=2019-04-27|language=en-IN}}</ref> They resisted the integration of [[Hyderabad State]] into the [[Dominion of India]]. They also had plans to make the Nizam accede his princely state to Pakistan instead of India.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}<ref>Moraes, Frank, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mumbai: Jaico. 2007, p.394</ref> Eventually, the [[Indian Army]] routed the Razakars during [[Operation Polo]]. Qasim Razvi was initially jailed and then allowed to move to Pakistan where he was granted asylum, on an undertaking that he would migrate to Pakistan within forty-eight hours of his release.<ref name="clan">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Hate-speech-not-new-for-Owaisi-clan/articleshow/17963124.cms|title=Hate speech not new for Owaisi clan|website=The Times of India}}</ref>

==History and war crimes==
[[File:Qasim Razvi.jpg|thumb|[[Qasim Razvi]], the leader of Razakars]]

[[File:Razakars.jpg|thumb|Razakars during Operation Polo]]
The [[Hyderabad State]] was a kingdom that was ruled by the [[Nizam]]. When India became independent in 1947, like all the other Princely states, the Hyderabad State was also given the choice of either joining India or Pakistan. The Nizam wanted neither; he wanted to remain independent. The Nizam finally entered into a [[standstill agreement (India)|standstill agreement]] with India on 29 November 1947 to maintain the ''[[status quo]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbtBJb1bsHUC&pg=PA75|title=War and peace in modern India|last=Srinath|first=Raghavan|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2010|isbn=9780230242159|location=Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire|pages=75|oclc=664322508}}</ref>

Hyderabad state had been steadily becoming more theocratic since the beginning of the 20th century. In 1926, [[Mahmud Nawaz Khan]], a retired Hyderabad official, founded the [[All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen|Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen]] (also known as MIM).
The MIM became a powerful organization, with the principal focus to marginalize the political aspirations of moderate Muslims.{{sfn|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams|1987|p=73}}

MIM "had its storm troopers in the Razakars who were headed by [[Kasim Razvi]], a Muslim educated at [[Aligarh Muslim University|Aligarh University]] who claimed Hyderabad was a Muslim state and that Muslim supremacy was based upon the right of conquest".<ref>Moraes, Frank, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mumbai: Jaico. 2007, p.390</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=February 2021|reason=Is this a reliable source?}} The Razakars demanded special powers from the Nizam, which they started to misuse and the Nizam had to abide by their dictates. The Nizam sent a delegation to the [[United Nations]] to refer the Hyderabad State case to the [[UN Security Council]].

The Razakar militia brutally put down the armed revolts by Communist sympathizers and the peasantry and even eliminated Muslim activists such as journalist Shoebullah Khan who advocated merger with India.<ref>Rao, P.R., ''History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh: From the Earliest Times to 1991'', New Delhi: Sterling Publishers, 2012. p. 284</ref><ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Remembering-a-legend/article15287211.ece Remembering a legend], The Hindu, 22 August 2008; Aniket Alam, [http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/06/stories/2003010604090400.htm A one-man crusade, it was and still is]{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''The Hindu'', 6 January 2003.</ref> The Razakars terrorised the Hindu population and its sympathizers, causing many to flee to safety into the jungles, uninhabited mud forts, or neighboring Indian provinces.{{sfn|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams|1987|p=84}}{{better source needed|date=February 2021}} The [[Hyderabad State Congress]] was banned and its leaders forced to flee to [[Vijaywada|Bezawada]] or [[Bombay]].

<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-20|title=Razakars committed Hindu genocides to establish Islamic State in Hyderabad during 1940s. Are modern Razakars as Owaisis trying to get the same goal today politically? Part I|url=https://trunicle.com/razakars-committed-hindu-genocides-to-establish-islamic-state-in-hyderabad-during-1940s-are-modern-razakars-as-owaisis-trying-to-get-the-same-goal-today-politically/|access-date=2021-08-20|website=Trunicle|language=en-US}}</ref>September, 1948, Razakars attacked Perumandla Sankeesa village in Dornakal mandal of Warangal district for demanding Hyderabad to be merged with Indian Union, which had freshly got independence on 15 August 1947. Razakars came on horses, gathered innocent villagers to make them stand in circle before shooting them dead and threw the injured into the fire and raped their women. Such horror and brutalities were carried out uncountable times by Razakars on Hindu population, who demanded to be with India.

==Types of Razakars==
Quoting an article of K F Rustomjee, the former DGP of Maharashtra and BSF, Captain Panduranga Reddy said that the policemen from Akola district in then Central Province were sent in to Hyderabad state in the garb of Razakars to create turmoil and blame the Nizam government. Rustomjee was SP of Akola at the time. Captain Reddy called the Communists as traitors, who encouraged violence to spread their agenda.<ref name="types">{{cite news |last=Siddique |title=Attempt to portray Nizam as ‘intolerant oppressor’ decried |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/attempt-to-portray-nizam-as-intolerant-oppressor-decried-1.1385949 |work=gulfnews.com |language=en}}</ref>
* General:
# Muslim razakars
# Hindu razakars - Personnel recruited by Hindu Deshmukhs and Zamindars to gain favour of the Nizam.<ref name="types"/>{{sfn|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams|1987|p=77}}

* Fake Razakars: These Razakars were Members of the Arya Samaj, Hindu Mahasabha, Communists, and even Congress of Hyderabad State working in close coordination with an organisation called "Poona Patri Sarkar" operating from Satara under the leadership of "Achyut Patwardhan". This organisation caused a lot of damage and destruction in Hyderabad and was feared by its local populace.
# Communist razakars - Communists who posed as Razakars and carried out loot<ref name="types"/>{{sfn|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams|1987|p=77}}
# Congress razakars<ref>{{cite web |title=Nizam's generous side and love for books - Page 16 |url=https://such.forumotion.com/t5819p750-nizam-s-generous-side-and-love-for-books |website=such.forumotion.com |language=en}}</ref> They are the one's who had looted the Umri bank.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sundarayya |first1=P. |title=Telangana People's Armed Struggle, 1946-51. Part Three: Pitted against the Indian Army |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3516496?seq=1 |website=Social Scientist |pages=23–46 |doi=10.2307/3516496 |date=1973}}</ref>

==Annexation after Operation Polo==
{{Main|Indian annexation of Hyderabad}}
Finally, [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], the Indian Minister for Home Affairs, decided to undertake "police action" in Hyderabad State to force the King Nizam's hand. [[Operation Polo]] was launched and the [[Indian Army]], led by Major General J. N. Chaudhuri, entered the state from five directions. The Razakars fought briefly against the overwhelming attack by Indian forces before surrendering on 18 September 1948. [[Mir Laik Ali]], the [[Prime Minister]] of the Nizam, and Qasim Rizvi were arrested.

On 22 September 1948, the Nizam withdrew his complaint from the UN Security Council.The merger of Hyderabad into the Indian Union was announced.
Major General Chaudhuri took over as military governor of Hyderabad and stayed in that position till the end of 1949. In January 1950, [[M. K. Vellodi]], a senior civil servant was made the Chief Minister of the state and the Nizam was given the position of "[[Rajpramukh|Raj Pramukh]]" or "Governor".

The [[Pandit Sunderlal Committee Report]] estimated that between 27,000 and 40,000 Muslims lost their lives in the violence that ensued the operation.<ref name="India hidden massacre">{{Cite news | last = Thomson | first = Mike | title = India's hidden massacre | work = BBC | accessdate = 2013-09-26 | date = 2013-09-24 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24159594 }}</ref>

==Disbandment==
The Razakars were disbanded after the merger of Hyderabad with India and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was banned—though it was rechartered under the Congress government as [[Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen|All India MIM (AIMIM)]] in 1957. Qasim Rizvi was jailed and served in Indian prisons for almost a decade. He was released only on an undertaking that he would migrate to Pakistan within forty-eight hours of his release.<ref name ="clan"/> He was granted asylum in Pakistan.

== See also ==
* [[Muslim National Guard]]
* [[Razakar (Pakistan)|Razakars (East Pakistan)]]
* [[Hyderabad State Forces]]

==Further reading==
* [https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/170919/of-bonds-broken-promises-and-betrayals.html Razakars - a "rope around the neck" of the Nizam]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=Mohammed |last=Hyder |title=October Coup, A Memoir of the Struggle for Hyderabad |publisher=Roli Books |year=2012 |ISBN=8174368507 }}
* {{citation|last=Kate|first=P. V.|title=Marathwada under the Nizams, 1724-1948|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tjndiykddsIC&pg=PA73|year=1987|publisher=Mittal Publications|ISBN=978-81-7099-017-8|pages=73– |ref={{sfnref|Kate, Marathwada under the Nizams|1987}}}}
* {{cite book |first=Omar |last=Khalidi |author-link=Omar Khalidi|title=Hyderabad, after the fall |publisher=Hyderabad Historical Society |location=Wichita, Kansas |year=1988 |ISBN=093081102X }}
* {{cite book |first=V. P. |last=Menon |author-link=V. P. Menon |title=The Story of Integration of the Indian States |publisher=MacMillan |year=1956 }}
* {{citation |last=Sherman |first=Taylor C. |title=Muslim Belonging in Secular India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qs8_CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA23 |year=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |ISBN=978-1-107-09507-6 |ref={{sfnref|Sherman, Muslim Belonging in Secular India|2015}}}}
* {{cite journal |first=Sukumar |last=Muralidharan |title=Alternate Histories: Hyderabad 1948 Compels a Fresh Evaluation of the Theology of India's Independence and Partition |journal=[[History and Sociology of South Asia]] |year=2014 |volume=8 |number=2 |pages=119–138 |doi=10.1177/2230807514524091}}
* {{cite book |first=A. G. |last=Noorani |author-link=A. G. Noorani|title=The Destruction of Hyderabad |publisher=Hurst & Co |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-84904-439-4 }}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
* {{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/day-year-how-hyderabad-became-part-union-india-88407|title=This day, that year: How Hyderabad became a part of the union of India}}

[[Category:Hyderabad State]]
[[Category:Military history of the princely states of India]]
[[Category:History of Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Monarchists]]
[[Category:Government paramilitary forces]]
[[Category:Paramilitary organisations based in India]]
[[Category:All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]]
[[Category:Military wings of political parties]]
[[Category:Year of establishment missing]]