1927 Nagpur riots
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The Nagpur riots of 1927 were part of series of riots taking place across various cities in British India
during the 1920s. Nagpur
was then the capital of Central Provinces and Berar
(CP&B) state of British India which covered most of the central India. The riots occurred on September 4, 1927. It was the day of Lakshmi Puja
– a Hindu festival day during Diwali
. Nagpur had earlier experienced similar riots between Hindu
s and Muslim
s in 1923.
The mutual distrust between Hindu and Muslim communities in 1920s had reached low and riots were seen frequently across many cities of India. In 1923, India witnessed eleven riots, in 1924 there were eighteen riots, in 1925 there were sixteen riots, in 1926 there were thirty five riots. Between twelve months of May 1926 to April 1926, 40 more riots occurred across various cities. These mostly occurred in Bengal, Punjab and United Provinces
(UP). Lahore
riots of August 1927 were the most deadly recorded riots in this series.
The earlier riot of 1923 was caused when members of Hindu Mahasabha took out a procession and passed in front of a mosque
and played loud music. The Muslim community objected starting a skirmish between the two parties. These riots had a profound impact on K. B. Hedgewar
which prompted him to form Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization and currently one of largest Hindu organization in world, at Nagpur in 1925. Jacques Généreux in his book The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics records a testimony which says, Hedgewar lead the Ganesha
procession in 1927 beating the drums in defiance of the usual practice to not pass in front of the mosque with music. All these events acted as catalyst building up the tension between two communities.
s, dagger
s and knives. The Muslim youths threw stones at house of Hedgewar but he was out of Nagpur at that time. RSS cadres sensing the mood of the procession came out in the narrow lanes of Mahal area and reciprocated with lathi
s further intensifying the riots. Liaquat Ali Khan
in his book Pakistan — The Heart of Asia also describes a major arson
incident during the riot that seemed pre-meditated with explosives gathered well before the riots began.
The Washington Post
reported 22 had been killed and more than 100 injured in riots that continued for two days. Later the government ordered troops into the city to restore peace. During the riots, RSS had grouped its cadres in 16 shakhas and spread across the city to protect Hindu communities.
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
during the 1920s. Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
was then the capital of Central Provinces and Berar
Central Provinces and Berar
The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. The province comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered much of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. The Central Provinces was formed in...
(CP&B) state of British India which covered most of the central India. The riots occurred on September 4, 1927. It was the day of Lakshmi Puja
Lakshmi Puja
Lakshmi puja is performed during Diwali, the festival of lights. According to tradition people would put small oil lamps outside their homes on Diwali and hope Lakshmi will come to bless them....
– a Hindu festival day during Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
. Nagpur had earlier experienced similar riots between Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s in 1923.
Background
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of...
(UP). Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
riots of August 1927 were the most deadly recorded riots in this series.
The earlier riot of 1923 was caused when members of Hindu Mahasabha took out a procession and passed in front of a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
and played loud music. The Muslim community objected starting a skirmish between the two parties. These riots had a profound impact on K. B. Hedgewar
K. B. Hedgewar
Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh . Hedgewar founded the RSS in Nagpur, Maharashtra in 1925, with the intention of promoting the concept of the Hindu nation...
which prompted him to form Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or National Patriotic Organization), also known the Sangh, is a right-wing Hindu nationalist, paramilitary, volunteer, and allegedly militant organization for Hindu males in India...
(RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization and currently one of largest Hindu organization in world, at Nagpur in 1925. Jacques Généreux in his book The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics records a testimony which says, Hedgewar lead the Ganesha
Ganesha
Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...
procession in 1927 beating the drums in defiance of the usual practice to not pass in front of the mosque with music. All these events acted as catalyst building up the tension between two communities.
Riots
On the morning of September 4, day of Laksmi Puja, Hindus took out a procession like every year and passed in front of a mosque in Mahal area of Nagpur. However, the Muslims this time stopped the procession did not allow it to pass from the area. In the afternoon, when the Hindus were resting after morning procession, Muslim youths took out a procession shouting Allahu Akbar and were armed with weapons. They carried weapons like javelinJavelin
A Javelin is a light spear intended for throwing. It is commonly known from the modern athletic discipline, the Javelin throw.Javelin may also refer to:-Aviation:* ATG Javelin, an American-Israeli civil jet aircraft, under development...
s, dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
s and knives. The Muslim youths threw stones at house of Hedgewar but he was out of Nagpur at that time. RSS cadres sensing the mood of the procession came out in the narrow lanes of Mahal area and reciprocated with lathi
Lathi
Lathi means stick and also refers to an Indian martial art based on cane-fighting. The word is used in Hindi, Bengali and various other Indian languages. The lathi typically measures 6 to and may be tipped with metal. It commonly used as a crowd control device by the Indian Police and other South...
s further intensifying the riots. Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
in his book Pakistan — The Heart of Asia also describes a major arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
incident during the riot that seemed pre-meditated with explosives gathered well before the riots began.
The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported 22 had been killed and more than 100 injured in riots that continued for two days. Later the government ordered troops into the city to restore peace. During the riots, RSS had grouped its cadres in 16 shakhas and spread across the city to protect Hindu communities.