Abdul Ghaffar Khan

[BarakzaiAbdali]

A question to stoke a discussion... why was the appellation 'Frontier Ghandi' given to Bacha Khan? Was he aware of this title? What were his thoughts on Ghandi's modus operandi? This is not an attempt to stoke anti-Indian sentiment... it will turn into a fruitful discussion. I want to hear thoughts of all.

[Badlun]

A question to stoke a discussion... why was the appellation 'Frontier Ghandi' given to Bacha Khan? Was he aware of this title? What were his thoughts on Ghandi's modus operandi? This is not an attempt to stoke anti-Indian sentiment... it will turn into a fruitful discussion. I want to hear thoughts of all.

Frontier was the name of the area where from Abdul Ghafar Khan Baba belonged and Gandhi is the symbol of peaceful and nonviolent resistance. Bacha Khan believed in peaceful ways to resolve matters not the traditional ways Pashtuns usually solve their problems(gun). This was something highly impressive that a Pashtun leader talked of non violence. Pashtuns are usually belligerent and notorious to be warmongers.

Gandhi like MA Jinnah and Bacha Khan were great leaders who achieved Indian/Pakistan independence without any war. Gandhi got the international credit as India being a bigger country. Bacha Khan remained not that much known to the world but now we are discovering him that he was Pashtun Gandhi. Even in Pakistan now Bacha Khan is respected a lot.

[afghan]

Due to bacha khan patience and true believer of Islam, British tried every single option to disgrace bacha khan and spread lies against to creat disturbance in the region. Bacha opposed the creation of Pakistan as Gandhi did, he didn't believe in two nation theory. So the British were the first one to give him the name of frontier Gandhi to associate him with Hinduism. On the other Jinnah was declared the father of the nation as he was their ally.

[Smarty]

Who knows [MENTION=10928]yousafzai[/MENTION]pakhtun would be in better position to answer.
In our areas, ANPites are called congressian by old folk, it shows how much their predecessor khudai khidmatgar were tied with congress or they were percieved so. Their association with hindus, was not applauded by more traditional and conversative pashtun areas, infact Bacha khan never had much influence and prestige beyond peshawer division. Pashtun freedom fighters like faqir of ipi had clear goal , liberation of pashtuns from british raj. Bacha khan and co, on the other hand, were focused on politics of united india. It was only when they realized that partition of india would occur, they suddenly talked about independent pakhtunistan option in the polls. If partition had not occured, they had no plans of joining afghanistan or azad pakhtunistan.
His movement of disarming pakhtuns was non-sensical , when khudai khidmatgar were getting butchered like lambs by british in 1930, they had to rely on armed invasion of peshawer by afridi tribesmen to put pressure on governament. Pakhtuns didnt need gandhi, they needed a religous and cultural version of hitlar.

[Badlun]

Due to bacha khan patience and true believer of Islam, British tried every single option to disgrace bacha khan and spread lies against to creat disturbance in the region. Bacha opposed the creation of Pakistan as Gandhi did, he didn't believe in two nation theory. So the British were the first one to give him the name of frontier Gandhi to associate him with Hinduism. On the other Jinnah was declared the father of the nation as he was their ally.

Being Frontier Gandhi is something positive not negative. Gandhi is one of the most influential personality of the world. If someone is attached with Gandhi, it is an honor not something to be ashamed of. If British has given this title to Bacha Khan, they have done him a favor. We should be thankful to them.

Bacha Khan was a Pashtun nationalist and a follower of spiritual Islam which is the true Islam. If we think of 5 Pashtun heroes, Bacha Khan is one of them. The others can be Sher Shah Suri, Ahmad Shah Baba, Khushal Khan Baba, Rehman Baba or Ghani Baba.

[Badlun]

Who knows @yousafzaipakhtun would be in better position to answer.
In our areas, ANPites are called congressian by old folk, it shows how much their predecessor khudai khidmatgar were tied with congress or they were percieved so. Their association with hindus, was not applauded by more traditional and conversative pashtun areas, infact Bacha khan never had much influence and prestige beyond peshawer division. Pashtun freedom fighters like faqir of ipi had clear goal , liberation of pashtuns from british raj. Bacha khan and co, on the other hand, were focused on politics of united india. It was only when they realized that partition of india would occur, they suddenly talked about independent pakhtunistan option in the polls. If partition had not occured, they had no plans of joining afghanistan or azad pakhtunistan.
His movement of disarming pakhtuns was non-sensical , when khudai khidmatgar were getting butchered like lambs by british in 1930, they had to rely on armed invasion of peshawer by afridi tribesmen to put pressure on governament. Pakhtuns didnt need gandhi, they needed a religous and cultural version of hitlar.

Faqir of Ipi yes was a great Pashtun but we do not have nay legacy of him. He was a myterious character, shrouded in history with no political contribution like Bacha Khan. Bacha Khan has legacy in form of Khudai Khidmatgars and in today's Anp. He has given us brilliant sons like Wali Khan, Ghani Khan and Ali Khan.

Bacha Khan was a realist and he accepted Pakistan as his son was the first chief minister. Still he continued his struggle for Pashtun rights in the way we see today Asfandyar and MK Achakzai are doing.

[afghan]

Thanks for the lesson. Among Pashtun he was known bacha khan. Not Gandhi. Gandhi wasn't appreciated by British, so was bacha khan. The British tried to associate him Gandhi and Hinduism. Gandhi was great leader and didn't sell himself to British like Jinnah.

[Badlun]

Thanks for the lesson. Among Pashtun he was known bacha khan. Not Gandhi. Gandhi wasn't appreciated by British, so was bacha khan. The British tried to associate him Gandhi and Hinduism. Gandhi was great leader and didn't sell himself to British like Jinnah.

I think Frontier Gandhi was the title given by non Patun opponents of Bacha Khan not by British. Gandhi is not symbol of Hinduism. He had good relations with both Muslims like Bacha Khan and Abul Kalam Azad and Hindus but was assassinated by a a Hindu extremist.

On the other hand Jinnah was a practical man and got what he wanted. If you read an objective book on Jinnah , you will like him being a modern , pragmatic and educated man.

[Smarty]

Bacha khan supported the marraige of his niece with a sikh army colonel jaswant singh, it made his family a peghor-stock. For pashtuns islam comes first and huge chunck of credibility of bacha khan family was lost when this unislamic marraige took place. Bacha khan's son ghani khan, a sharabi poet, married a non-muslim parsi (like jinnah) who didnt even bother to cover her hair. No wonder red shirts found themeselves at odd with pashtuns of those areas where pashto was still strong. He was not welcomed when he toured them with pajama wearing nehru. They didnt get impressed when bacha khan was telling them that the hindu kotanay nehru would give them azadi and would make them "civilized" and educated. Not just nehru, bacha khan and khan sahab were also stoned. Bacha khan blamed muslim league for this. But it has more to do with failure of bacha khan.

[BarakzaiAbdali]

Frontier was the name of the area where from Abdul Ghafar Khan Baba belonged and Gandhi is the symbol of peaceful and nonviolent resistance. Bacha Khan believed in peaceful ways to resolve matters not the traditional ways Pashtuns usually solve their problems(gun). This was something highly impressive that a Pashtun leader talked of non violence. Pashtuns are usually belligerent and notorious to be warmongers.

Gandhi like MA Jinnah and Bacha Khan were great leaders who achieved Indian/Pakistan independence without any war. Gandhi got the international credit as India being a bigger country. Bacha Khan remained not that much known to the world but now we are discovering him that he was Pashtun Gandhi. Even in Pakistan now Bacha Khan is respected a lot.

Thank you Badlun, I want to now spring board off what you said to generalize the discussion. We can all gain some education by this thought process and read some interesting work.

I want to emphasize the bolded part of your superb response above to start the discussion.

My impression based on what my Pashtun friends from near Duwawa is in accordance with what you say. They associate Bacha Khan's Surkh Posh strategy of nonviolent resistance and pacifist protest with the approach Ghandi took.

Before I proceed, would you agree that Bacha Khan's approach embodied pacifism?

[BarakzaiAbdali]

I think Frontier Gandhi was the title given by non Patun opponents of Bacha Khan not by British. Gandhi is not symbol of Hinduism. He had good relations with both Muslims like Bacha Khan and Abul Kalam Azad and Hindus but was assassinated by a a Hindu extremist.

On the other hand Jinnah was a practical man and got what he wanted. If you read an objective book on Jinnah , you will like him being a modern , pragmatic and educated man.

I thought Bacha Khan endorsed this epitaph though and had friendship with Ghandi and would not have viewed this label as negative.

Once again, I am not passing judgment on Ghandi or Bacha Khan, I want to talk about methodology not association.

[Badlun]

Bacha khan supported the marraige of his niece with a sikh army colonel jaswant singh, it made his family a peghor-stock. For pashtuns islam comes first and huge chunck of credibility of bacha khan family was lost when this unislamic marraige took place. Bacha khan's son ghani khan, a sharabi poet, married a non-muslim parsi (like jinnah) who didnt even bother to cover her hair. No wonder red shirts found themeselves at odd with pashtuns of those areas where pashto was still strong. He was not welcomed when he toured them with pajama wearing nehru. They didnt get impressed when bacha khan was telling them that the hindu kotanay nehru would give them azadi and would make them "civilized" and educated. Not just nehru, bacha khan and khan sahab were also stoned. Bacha khan blamed muslim league for this. But it has more to do with failure of bacha khan.

We may not mix religion and politics. Similalry a Pashtun is Pashtun by culture and society and only Muslim by religion. Personal matters like marriages and drinking should not overshadow other achievements of people. Ghani Khan is the only Pashtun Philosopher I know. If he drinks or not is not my business, I love his poetry and ideas.

Bacha Khan was not a ll a failure. Today's Pashtun nationalism is his contribution. Also first Pashto journalism and some genres of literature was started because of his movement. He showed Pashtuns the peaceful way of resolving matters. He was indeed Pashtun Gandhi. I love him. Today we need another bacha Khan to lead Pashtuns and liberate them from the clutches of Mullahs.

[BarakzaiAbdali]

We may not mix religion and politics. Similalry a Pashtun is Pashtun by culture and society and only Muslim by religion. Personal matters like marriages and drinking should not overshadow other achievements of people. Ghani Khan is the only Pashtun Philosopher I know. If he drinks or not is not my business, I love his poetry and ideas.

Bacha Khan was not a ll a failure. Today's Pashtun nationalism is his contribution. Also first Pashto journalism and some genres of literature was started because of his movement. He showed Pashtuns the peaceful way of resolving matters. He was indeed Pashtun Gandhi. I love him. Today we need another bacha Khan to lead Pashtuns and liberate them from the clutches of Mullahs.

So what for you is he definition of Pashtun liberation beyond just the mullah versus secularism conflict?

Let us put those issues aside. Lets say if Bacha Khan were resurrected today what do you feel he would say regarding the status of the liberated Pashtun? Does this mean Loy Afghanistan, Pashtunistan, free former NWFP irrespective of Afghanistan?

[Badlun]

Thank you Badlun, I want to now spring board off what you said to generalize the discussion. We can all gain some education by this thought process and read some interesting work.

I want to emphasize the bolded part of your superb response above to start the discussion.

My impression based on what my Pashtun friends from near Duwawa is in accordance with what you say. They associate Bacha Khan's Surkh Posh strategy of nonviolent resistance and pacifist protest with the approach Ghandi took.

Before I proceed, would you agree that Bacha Khan's approach embodied pacifism?

If you do not have a special definition of Pacifism, then yes Bacha Khan was a pacifist. This is why he was called as Pashtun Gandhi or Frontier Gandhi. He epitomized non violence of Gandhi for Pashtuns. He was a paragon of peace and education. His network of schools in Pashtunland was a step in this direction. His association with spiritual leaders was another proof that he was a pacifist and not a belligerent one.

I think this was because of Gandhi and Bacha Khan that the world saw the British withdrawal from India in a peaceful way. This example cannot be seen in other struggles of independence. This is a model.

[BarakzaiAbdali]

If you do not have a special definition of Pacifism, then yes Bacha Khan was a pacifist. This is why he was called as Pashtun Gandhi or Frontier Gandhi. He epitomized non violence of Gandhi for Pashtuns. He was a paragon of peace and education. His network of schools in Pashtunland was a step in this direction. His association with spiritual leaders was another proof that he was a pacifist and not a belligerent one.

I think this was because of Gandhi and Bacha Khan that the world saw the British withdrawal from India in a peaceful way. This example cannot be seen in other struggles of independence. This is a model.

OK, so to reiterate, you view him as a success and do you view his motive as Pashtun liberation? And if so, was that accomplished?