Netaji Subhas and Ubaidullah Sindhi: A Nationalist Alliance
By
Saquib Salim, New Age Islam
26-08-2022
During The First World War (WWI) When
Ubaidullah Sindhi With The Help Of Raja Mahendra Pratap And Maulana Barkatullah
Formed A Provisional Government Of Free India In Afghanistan
----
Ubaidullah
with Allah Bux Somroo
-----
The name of
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is etched on every Indian nationalist heart. He
formed ‘Azad Hind Sarkar’, a working provisional government of India in exile
that commanded Azad Hind Fauj, an army that fought against the British Army
during the Second World War (WWII) to liberate India.
Very few
know that a similar attempt was made during the First World War (WWI) when
Ubaidullah Sindhi with the help of Raja Mahendra Pratap and Maulana Barkatullah
formed a provisional government of free India in Afghanistan. The attempt at
raising an army was leaked by a few traitors and India had to wait three more
decades for her freedom.
Even fewer
people know that Netaji was guided by these senior Indian revolutionaries who
felt that he was the most suited person to lead India. The command of Azad Hind
Fauj was handed over to Netaji by Rash Behari Bose who planned a revolt of
Indian soldiers during WWI. In Japan and China, Raja Mahendra Pratap, the
President of the government formed in 1915 in Kabul, was already campaigning
for help from these two countries for the Indian freedom struggle for many
years.
Maulana
Ubaidullah Sindhi
-----
Maulana
Ubaidullah Sindhi came back to India in 1938 after a British enforced political
exile for his role in the revolutionary movements. While introducing Rowlatt
Bill his revolutionary activities were highlighted as one of the most prominent
reasons for such a draconian law. During the period from the end of WWI till
1938, Ubaidullah went to Italy, Germany, Russia, and Arab thus creating a
network of people which could be later used for an armed struggle against the
British Forces.
Ubaidullah
Sindhi, like Rash Behari Bose, Raja Mahendra Pratap, and several other
revolutionary leaders who led the movement during WWI saw in Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose, the leader who could unite the whole of India into a single
nation.
According
to a letter written by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to Maulvi Zahirul Haque, which
was printed by Golam Ahmed Mortaza in his Bengali book Chepe Rakha Itihas since
coming back to India, Ubaidullah had confided in Azad that he wanted to send
Netaji abroad for a final battle against the British. Azad further claimed that
Netaji and Ubaidullah met in Delhi to talk about the future of the Indian
Freedom Struggle.
The letter
further notes that they again met in Calcutta (Kolkata) after a few months
where Ubaidullah handed over important letters of reference and documents which
had to be given to Japanese authorities.
Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose
-----
The meeting
at Kolkata is corroborated by another account written by Shah Mohammad Usmani,
a freedom fighter and leader of Jamiat Ulema. Usmani recalled that Ubaidullah
was visiting Kolkata as Chief Guest of an event organized by Jamiat. Muslim
League tried tooth and nail to stop the event but could not. During his stay of
more than 20 days at Kolkata,
Ubaidullah
met Netaji at least twice. The respect Netaji had for Ubaidullah could be
judged from the fact that when he came to know that Ubaidullah was in Kolkata
he paid a visit to him. In 1939, Netaji was one of the tallest Indian leaders.
According
to the eyewitness account of Usmani, Netaji took his blessings by touching
Ubaidullah’s feet. After this Netaji garlanded Ubaidullah upon which Ubaidullah
garlanded him back saying that as a young leader it suited him more than
himself. After discussing the political situation of the country, Netaji went
back. After the event of Jamiat, Netaji threw a dinner party in honour of
Ubaidullah where they again shared plans for the final struggle to free India.
Ubaidullah
was later murdered in 1944 by poisoning for fighting multiple battles against
the British, Muslim League’s communal politics, and capitalists.
What we miss is the fact that the Indian
revolutionary movements were not disjointed efforts but there was a single
thread that connected all these armed struggles from the Fakir-Sanyasi Revolt
of the 1760s till the Naval Mutiny of 1946.
Source: Netaji Subhas and Ubaidullah Sindhi:
A Nationalist Alliance
URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/netaji-bose-ubaidullah-nationalist-alliance/d/127824
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