Blazing Torch of Infinte Bravery
Backdrop History
In British India, there was sovereign princely state of the Nizams, which was well-known as a Hyderabad State. The British achieved supremacy all over Indian subcontinent, but they allowed Nizams to be continued to rule his princely Hyderabad State as a vassal state. Hyderabad State became the first Indian royal state to accede to British protection under the policy of subsidiary alliance instituted by the then Governor General of India Lord Wellesley (1798-1805). The Nizams retained their internal power over Hyderabad State until 17th September 1948, when the state was integrated into Republic of India. The State of Hyderabad was located over most of Deccan Plateau in southern India, was established in 1724 by Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I, after fall down of Indian Mughal Empire.
Obviously, it was one of the richest states of the world during its entire period. During the period of last Nizam Asaf Jah VII, Hyderabad state had large army with a tradition of hiring mercenary forces included Arabs, Rohillas, Mughals and Pathans. It consisted of three armoured regiments, a horse cavalry regiment, eleven infantry battalions and a artillery supplemented by irregular horse cavalry and four infantry battalions named as Saraf-e-Khas, Paigah, Arab & refugee and a garrison battalion. This army was commanded by Major General El Edroos, an Arab. In addition to this, there were two lakhs irregular armed force of Razakars. The Razakars were predominantly armed with modern firearms and swords.
Also they had contemporary armaments like Multi Barrel Gatling Guns, Cannons and Grenades with traditional weapons. The estimated population of Hyderabad State was seventeen million; among those eighty five percent were Hindus. It was a multi lingual state mostly speaking Telugu, Marathi, Kannada and little bit Urdu. In spite of overwhelming Hindu majority, Hindus were severely under-represented in government, Police and Military. Nobles and officials of the Nizams were mostly Muslims. The thought of absolute democracy and freedom from anarchic kingdom of Nizams became more dominant. Gradually, the wave of revolt in rural vicinity of the state was grown-up stronger. It made anxiety to Nizam VII. Consequently, an ambitious Nizam VII has tried to bring down the revolt with the force and decided to keep the Hyderabad State autonomous solely under his rule permanently. So, he approached the British Government diplomatically with a request to take on the status of an independent constitutional monarchy under the British Commonwealth of Nations. However, his request was rejected.
The Nizam VII also made unsuccessful attempts to seek the arbitration of Mr. Harry S. Truman, President of United States of America and intervention of the United Nations to keep his state sovereign. Fearing of Hindu revolt in the State, the Nizam VII cunningly allowed Qasim Razvi, to force down the Hindus by armed militia of “Razakars”. Qasim Razvi was follower of Bahadur Yar Jung, a founder of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.
The Razakars, to uphold Islamic domination in Hyderabad State started violence in the face of growing public opinion amongst the majority Hindu population favouring the revolt for Democratic freedom. Having a lot of manpower and unlimited arsenal, Razakars grew up and escalated brutality upon Hindus. With no thought of humanity, they slaughtered thousands of innocents cruelly and dragged women at the centre place of town and raped heartlessly. Then they cut down them dreadfully in front of their kin to create the terror.
They Looted crops, shops, houses, even huts and robbed households. They always robbed gold-silver ornaments from women and abducted them and raped. In Osmanabad region of Hyderabad state, to face up the anarchy of Nizams, Dattu Bhonsle a chivalrous rebellion began the revolt with the loot of Nizams’ revenue and weapons. He organized cavalry of twenty-five to thirty warriors and started patriotic freedom war to establish democracy in the kingdom of Nizams. In his cavalry; some were having unusual skill of the war weapons like sword, bow and arrow, javelin, axe and guns with skilled horse riding. Dattu Bhonsle, a stoutly built young man himself was a famed wrestler, good runner, beswt horse rider and incredibly expert to migrate from one place to another, to disguise himself and to use of different languages. He was educated from famous Baroda college and had a habit to read something and to write a diary every day. Dattu Bhonsle and his cavalrymen founded many refugee camps at Indian borders to protect the people; especially women from the brutality of the Razakars.
To run the migrant’s camps as well as train the soldiers, courageous Dattu Bhonsle looted the Karodgiri check posts of Nizams and robbed police stations of the arms & ammunitions along with his brave cavalrymen. He taught the young farmers from surrounding area to use firearms, sword and other weapons with guerrilla approach to defend women, children and innocent villagers. Simultaneously, they also revolted against landlords, who were favouring to Nizams and Razakars. Dattu Bhonsle and his cavalrymen created dreadful situation in the region for Razakars. So, Nizams’ Government proclaimed one lakh’s award to arrest Dattu Bhosale.
They increased their armed force and started brutal activities in every village to get the information about Dattu Bhonsle”s whereabouts. In those days, every village became a war field. Dattu Bhonsle and his cavalrymen attacked and slaughtered hundreds of soldiers of Razakars and state police. They always used guerrilla war tactics against the Razakars, which ended with the Operation Polo conducted by the Republic of India.