Page 19 - Seniors Today Jan20 Issue
P. 19
They escaped on motorcycles driving through “Bebe pani da mazahab ki hai?” – What is the
the DAV campus. Hari Ram created a narrow religion of water?Is it Hindu or Muslim? Saif,
gate through which they escaped and within the son of Jamil Rehamtulla, became very good
half a minute the gate was shut, completely friends with Piare, Kanshi Ram’s son. It was a
misleading the British who followed in hot friendship that played a major role in the lives
pursuit. Hari Ram was among the 16 people of the Sethi family. Kanshi Ram became Tauji to
arrested but there was no evidence against him Jamil’s family. Saif and Piare became closest of
and the police had to release him. friends.
Just before the beginning of the First World
Pagdi exchange War the British set about recruiting young men
At one time when Kanshi Ram was in jail, he from Punjab to fight on behalf of the British.
befriended Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who was A large number of Indians were recruited by
also in the same cell. It was then they discovered the British Army and had fought in the most
that the Hindu-Muslim fights were instigated difficult terrain and died fighting the war. There
by the district magistrates through their trusted were widows everywhere. At the beginning of
lieutenants in the kotwalis around the country. the Second World War, the British came back
Kanshi Ram realised that this Hindu-Muslim again to recruit young men, and Kanshi Ram
war must stop and campaigned very hard to worked very hard to prevent young men from
convey this message to the people. At one public joining the British army. It was not easy but
meeting he invited the head of the Muslim Kanshi Ram’s campaign had an effort and many
league Jamil Rehamtulla to jointly address parents didn’t allow their children to join the
the meeting and in full view of the public he British army. It was difficult to convince a family
exchanged his pagdi with the leader of the living in poverty not to send their children to
Muslim league. a well-paid job. But Kanshi Ram’s persuasion
In that era the pagdi symbolised the entire had an effect and many families did not allow
being of a person. It was his soul, his izzat and their children to join the army. The British then
everything that he stood for. After exchanging shifted their focus to the Marathas, whom they
his pagdi he announced that after this meeting recruited in large numbers. Kanshi Ram was
he was going to his younger brother’s house to again arrested on the charge of sedition and was
have a cup of tea. Also, he asked all the others sent to jail.
to exchange pagdis and become brothers and In the year 1946, Kanshi Ram’s wife passed
defeat the evil intentions of the British. It was an away and in March Kanshi Ram also fell ill.
emotional moment when people hugged each He died on the 12th of August 1946. All of
other and exchanged pagdis. He made them take Rawalpindi was shut and his funeral procession
a vow that never to fight with each other and started the next day. Saif’s family along with
if at any stage they needed help in riot control the Sethi family were the pall bearers, and the
or any Hindu-Muslim disturbance they would procession made it way from the house to Laxmi
go together to quash it. By this one gesture Bagh, where it was kept for people to pay their
Kanshi Ram had become the tallest leader in last respect.
Rawalpindi. People of various fates offered prayers and
The Muslims and the Hindus both trusted finally after a few hours the procession made
him, not just in Pindi but the entire region. its way to the procession ground. Thousands
As announced, accompanied by a few people of people thronged the streets and sprinkled
and his son Piare Kishen, he went to Jamil gulabjal(rose water) on the procession. There
Rehamtulla’s house, had tea and left. When he were many condolence meets held for Kanshi
reached home his mother and sister Bhaagwanti Ram and after fourteen days Kanshi Ram’s
were sitting in the courtyard to receive him. eldest son Sri Ram and youngest Piare went and
Kanshi Ram looked at his mother and asked her, opened the shop.
19 SENIORS TODAY | Issue #7 | January 15, 2020
