Author: SHAIK MAHABOOB
“Martyrs are needed to create incidents. Incidents are needed to create revolutions. Revolutions are needed to create progress” Quote by Chester Himes.
Ashfaqulla Khan, eternal legendary revolutionist of India’s pre independence period was born in a devout Muslim family on October 22, 1900 in Shahjahanpur, UP. His father Shafiqur Rahman was serving in the Police. Ashfaqulla Khan was the youngest in the family. Ashfaqulla Khan was in the middle School, when Mahatma Gandhi called for the Non- Cooperation Movement. After the Chauri Chaura incident of 1922 where some Police men were burnt alive warranted Mahatma Gandhi to withdraw the Non- Cooperation Movement, leading to depression among the youths, young Ashfaqulla Khan was one among them. At that point of time, Ashfaqulla Khan realized that India should become free from British Rule and he decided to join the revolutionary youth brigade comprising of eminent persons like Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, a devout Hindu and a member of Arya Samaj. The Historic Kakori Train Robbery of August 1925 designed to loot the Government treasury to buy arms and ammunition for the purpose of carrying out their activities might be looked down in a diverse perspective by the leaders of the Indian Freedom Movement, but, the Kakori Train Robbery brought him closer to other revolutionary leaders like Chandrasekhar Azad, Keshab Chakraborty, Thakur Roshan Singh and Bhagat Singh.
On September 26, 1925, Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil was trapped by the British Police and Ashfaqulla Khan’s whereabouts remained untraceable for the Police. For some time he found Bihar as safe haven and later Ashfaqulla Khan was planning to move abroad to get technical assistance for carrying over revolutionary activities in British India at a more redefined manner. Ashfaq took timely help from one of his close Muslim friend with an intention of proceeding abroad from Delhi, landed into the net of British Police on the tip of information set by his own friend. Finally Ashfaqulla Khan was arrested by the Police and a criminal case of Robbery was registered by the British Police against Ashfaqulla Khan and Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil and others and Ashfaq was detained in Faizabad Jail pending criminal trial by the then Indian Court. He fought the criminal trail till the end through his counsel. Finally the British court passed a final verdict on the Kakori Train Robbery case awarding death penalty to Ashfaqulla Khan and Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil and life imprisonment to others. What is heartrending to note that both the legends have kissed the bereavement on the same day, but in different jail.
On December 19, 1927, Ashfaqulla Khan, the great Martyr of Indian Freedom Movement embraced death at the age of 27 in the true sprit of Islam by reading the dominant Verses of Kalima “La ilaha illalah Mohamadur Rasoolullah ”setting an living example of true Muslim and the immense Son of Bharat.
Let us all salute this great Son on his birthday. Indeed he deserves to be remembered by all the Indians for his splendid qualities.
Jai Hind……………
Vande mataram………
Sd/-
SHAIK MAHABOOB
Advocate
#5, FF, Girimaji Rao Complex,
K.G. Halli,
Bangalore-560 045.
Email: shaik_mahaboob@dataone.in
