From Bihar’s Streets to India’s Heart: Prof Abdul Bari’s Lifelong Struggle for Equality and Unity
By Syed Amjad Hussain, New Age Islam
27 November 2024
Professor Abdul Bari Was A Gandhian Leader, Labour Rights Advocate, And Champion Of Hindu-Muslim Unity. He Played A Vital Role In India’s Freedom Struggle, Working Tirelessly For Social Justice, Communal Harmony, And The Upliftment Of Marginalised Workers.
Main Points:
1. Professor Abdul Bari, born in Bihar in 1884, abandoned a promising academic career to join India’s freedom movement, inspired by Gandhian ideals.
2. He championed workers’ rights, leading strikes and advocating for better conditions, notably with the Tata Workers’ Union.
3. Bari tirelessly worked to bridge religious divides, especially during the communal violence of 1946.
4. Bari played a key role in movements like the Khilafat, Non-Cooperation, and Civil Disobedience Movements, mobilising masses against British rule.
5. Assassinated in 1947, Bari’s life symbolises sacrifice for labour rights, communal harmony, and an inclusive India.
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Prof Abdul Bari's son with Mahatma Gandhi on his funeral
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Introduction
In the history of India's freedom struggle, many names have been told for their bravery, sacrifice, and leadership, but few are as unknown as that of Professor Abdul Bari. A Gandhian leader, an unyielding votary for Hindu-Muslim unity, and an indefatigable worker for the working class, the contributions of Bari to the independence movement in Bihar stand as a glorious testament to his courage and steadfastness on social justice. His life of sacrifice and devotion cruelly ended on March 28, 1947, but his legacy lives on to inspire future generations. He rarely figured in mainstream accounts of India's freedom movement about his dedication to poor, oppressed, and labouring people. It has been a pleasure to research and write this piece about Professor Abdul Bari, his role in the independence movement, his efforts toward labour rights, his deep commitment to communal harmony, and the tragic yet heroic end to his journey.
Early Life and Education
Born on January 21, 1884, at Koilwar, Bihar, Professor Abdul Bari came from an ordinary background. His father, Mohammad Qurban Ali, was a police inspector, while he himself devoted much of his early years to strenuous toil and focused attention on education. Bari spent his early years at T.K. Ghosh Academy in Patna, where he excelled academically, eventually completing his Master of Arts at Patna University in 1920. Despite his promising academic career, Bari chose to follow a different path—one that led him to a life of service to the nation, driven by the Gandhian ideals of non-violence and social reform.
The Call of Nationalism
Professor Abdul Bari’s political journey began during the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement. Inspired by the call of Mahatma Gandhi to mass mobilisation against British colonial rule, Bari decided to abandon law studies and devote himself entirely to the nationalist movement for independence. India was then full of anti-colonial feeling, and Bari felt this deep sense of responsibility about joining this movement for the freedom of his country. He soon became an important figure in the Bihar branch of the Congress Party.
Bari’s most significant contribution came during the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34), where he played a leading role in organising protests and civil disobedience campaigns across Bihar. Alongside other prominent leaders like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, he helped to galvanise people against the British government. He also worked closely with Subhas Chandra Bose, and their collaboration strengthened the freedom movement not just in Bihar but across India.
The Role in the Labour Movement
In the early 1930s, the global Great Depression exacerbated the suffering of the working class. Professor Bari’s contributions to the labour movement are some of his most significant yet often overlooked. He understood the clear relation between social justice and the labour struggle, and he was one of the first national leaders to advocate for workers' rights, both as a means of social reform and as an integral part of the freedom struggle. His leadership of the Tata Workers' Union in 1936 took the labour movement in Bihar to a new level, especially for those who worked in the industrial hubs of Jamshedpur and other steel plants in the region.
Subhas Chandra Bose, who had initially led the workers' movements in Jamshedpur, entrusted Bari with the responsibility of handling a major labour strike in 1929 at the Tinplate Company in Jamshedpur. Bari’s work in organising the labour force, negotiating with management, and advocating for better working conditions was revolutionary for the time.
The Individual Satyagraha and Contribution to Gandhi’s Vision
Bari’s contributions to the Individual Satyagraha (1940-41) during the Second World War represented another pivotal phase in his activism. Following the arrest of key leaders like Vinoba Bhave and Jawaharlal Nehru, Abdul Bari took an active part in protests, especially the protests at Bankipur Maidan in Patna. His speeches rallied many to the cause of non-violence and resistance to British rule. His involvement in these movements gave the masses, particularly workers and labourers, hope in him as a leader who would fight for their causes.
As social unrest continued to swell, Bari played a crucial role in organising and leading peaceful movements to resist colonial legislation; his efforts made him one of the most prominent Gandhian leaders of Bihar.
A Crusader for Hindu-Muslim Unity
One of the cornerstones of Professor Abdul Bari’s philosophy was his strong commitment to Hindu-Muslim unity. In an era marked by growing communal tension, particularly with the rise of the Muslim League and the Hindu Mahasabha, Bari’s call for interfaith harmony was a beacon of hope. He believed that the future of India could only be secured through unity between its diverse religious communities. His work was actually reflected in the effects of his efforts at unity-building during 1946's communal violence, where riots spread havoc in Bihar.
During those trying times, Bari did not budge an inch in resistance against the forces of division; he worked assiduously with Mahatma Gandhi to bring peace and harmonisation between religions. He even risked his life for the sake of people's reunification, which happens to be the greatest cost he paid for the cause. Alas, Professor Bari was assassinated on March 28, 1947, just months ahead of India's independence. He was a great loss not merely to the people of Bihar but to the entire nation he had embodied communal harmony, peace, and social justice in him.
Final Days and Tragic Death of Professor Bari
Professor Abdul Bari was tragically assassinated in a time of intense communal violence in Bihar, when riots were growing in intensity. A man who had striven for years to bring peace and healing was murdered near Khusrupur, returning from Dhanbad to Patna. He had prepared a list of persons identified in connection with the communal violence of 1946, and he had arranged to meet Gandhi to discuss these matters on the day he was killed.
While Mahatma Gandhi immediately expressed his grief at Bari’s death, he also acknowledged the loss that Bihar had faced with the martyrdom of one of its finest leaders. Gandhi’s visit to Professor Bari’s house after his assassination further underscored the deep respect he had for Bari. When he entered this modest home, Gandhi made observations about the simplicity and integrity of a man who had given his life for the nation. “The house was located in an ordinary narrow lane, and what he saw inside the house fully bore out what everyone had said about Prof. Bari, that he was a poor man and that though he had opportunities, he maintained his integrity," Gandhi reflected.
The Relevance of Bari’s Legacy Today
Professor Abdul Bari’s life and sacrifice should be remembered as an important part of India’s fight for freedom, especially in the context of the labour movement and communal unity. For the workers of this world who are increasingly marginalised and where labour rights are being thrown under a bus, Bari is an inspiration on his commitment to the working class that no national struggle can be achieved without workers. His work remains from a different era but speaks with the contemporary struggles of mankind where workers' voices continue to be overpowered by are more relevant than ever, especially in times when India is plagued by communal and religious tensions on an unprecedented scale. The model of a united India envisioned by Bari belongs to all as each individual must strive towards achieving it in these turbulent times.
The Sher by Mirza Mohammad Hadi Aziz Lakhnavi: "Paidā Vo Baat Kar Ki Tujhe Ro.Eñ Dūsre, Ronā Ḳhud Apne Haal Pe Ye Zaar Zaar Kyā"—("You weep at what was done to you by others, but the real tragedy is your own plight which you fail to see") perfectly captures the heart of Professor Bari's life. Like the lines of the poem, Bari’s martyrdom serves as a stark reminder of the immense personal sacrifice that true leaders make for the greater good of society, often facing cruelty and betrayal. His own suffering was not for himself but for the upliftment of the oppressed and the unity of his nation.
Conclusion
The life of Professor Abdul Bari stands as an example of how several such unsung heroes struggled for India's independence. Abdul Bari worked with the labour movement, espoused harmony among religions, and worked tirelessly for social justice. It is little wonder that such a personality would be of utmost importance in his time. However, the fact remains that those contributions have been mostly forgotten, particularly by hegemonies in mainstream narratives that fail to recognise the role of figures like him in shaping the freedom movement.
Looking back at the legacy of the freedom struggle, of course, figures like Professor Abdul Bari stand out, and we must remember them not only as labour leaders or champions of unity but as martyrs who laid down their lives for a better, more inclusive India.
His commitment to non-violence, justice, and equality shall illuminate the path for future generations to continue their struggle for a just and united society. In the present world, where the struggle for workers' rights and communal harmony is still ongoing, the story of Professor Abdul Bari is more pertinent than ever.
Reference –
1. Asthanvi, Ashraf (2012). Professor Abdul Bari: Azeem Mujahid-e-Azadi Aur Bihar Ke Memar (in Hindi) (1st ed.). Patna: Better World Mission.
2. Sahil, Afroz Alam (2019). Professor Abdul Bari: Azaadi ki Ladaai ka ek Krantikaari Yodhha (in Hindi) (1st ed.). New Delhi: INSAAN International Publication.
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Syed Amjad Hussain is an author and Independent research scholar on Sufism and Islam. He is currently working on his book 'Bihar Aur Sufivad', based on the history of Sufism in Bihar.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/bihar-india-heart-bari-struggle-equality-unity/d/133829
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