Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha

Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha also known as All India Kshatriya Mahasabha was founded in the year 1897[1] It was formed to promote, protect and fight for rights and interests of Kshatriya community of the Indian society.[2]

Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha
AbbreviationABKM
Formation19 October 1897 (1897-10-19)
FounderRaja Balwant Singh of Awaghar
TypeRajput Community Organization
HeadquartersNew Delhi
Region
India
Key people
Mahender Singh Tanwar (National President)
AffiliationsRajputs.

Early years

After Revolt of 1857 position of many Taluqdars and Rajput Estate Holders, who supported the revolutionists or participated with them were compromised. The British impounded many of their lands and properties and they were taxed with heavy fines. Raja Hanumant Singh, the Chief of Kalakankar was one such Taluqdar, who was dispossessed of his many properties for supporting Revolt of 1857.[3] Raja Hanumant Singh, realized a pan India organization was necessary to put the voice and injustice faced by their community. He founded the association with other Taluqdars of Oudh and organization named the Ram Dal in the year 1857. It was renamed Kshatriya Hitkarni Sabha in 1860. The association was thus formed to protect and fight for rights and interest of Rajput communities. Kshatriya Mahasabha is successor to the Kshatriya Hitkarni Sabha, which was renamed Kshatriya Mahasabha 1897 under the leadership of Raja Balwant Singh of Awagarh with Thakur Umarao Singh of Kotla, Raja Rampal Singh of Kalakankar and Raja Uday Pratap Singh of Bhinga. Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha came into existence on 19 Oct 1897, creating a platform to promote the cause of the Kashatriyas and Rajputs[4][5]

A news letter called ' Rajput Monthly' was launched in 1898. The association had its first conference in the Rajput Boarding House at Agra. Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh of Jammu & Kashmir sponsored the launching of an Urdu publication called the Rajput Gazette as a fortnightly form Lahore.[1]

At that time the princely states rulers and large zamindars held the sway and they started various schools and colleges in their territories for education and giving preference to students of Kshatriya community.[6][7]

However, after independence, the situation changed dramatically for the upper Kshatriya caste and its influential members. The princely states were merged into the Union of India and later Zamindari was also abolished and association was directionless, immediately after independence of India in 1947. However, under president ship of Babu Ram Narayan a prominent Rajput politician from Bihar, meeting was held at Ujjain in the year 1955 and association was revived.

Centenary

The centenary celebration of the association was held in 1987 at New Delhi under president-ship of Raja Digvijaysinhji Prajapsinhji Jhala.[4][1]

Activities

Re-conversion of Muslim Rajputs

In year 1922 under chairmanship of Raja Nahar Singh the organization took pioneering decision to bring back 4 lakh converted Muslim Rajputs back into Hindu fold by way of purification ritual.[8][9] The historic meeting, where the decision was taken, was held at Agra on 31 December 1922.[8] Later on, under guidance of Madan Mohan Malviya thousands were brought back in to the Hindu fold after purification.[8] Inspired by this pioneering effort of the Kshatriya Mahasabha, a few months later at Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, which was founded by Madan Mohan Mavaiya himself, in its 1923 annual meet at Kashi also passed similar resolution to bring back converted Muslims in to Hindu fold by purification rites[10][9]

Role in Resolution of Jagirdari Act

During the years 1952-1954, the institution played a pivotal role in respect to Jagirdari Case. The writs were filed in Supreme Court of India with respect to Resumption of Jagirdari Act. The Supreme Court of India accepted the role of Mahasabha, as a central co-ordinator in this case. The Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru advised Govind Vallabh Pant, the earstwhile Chief Minister of Uttar Paradesh to negotiate with Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha to end the stalemate.[11][12][13]

Demanding Reservation on Economic Basis

As back as in year 1980 the association demanded that reservation should be given on economic basis rather than on caste basis.[14] Again in the year 2001, a memorandum containing lacs of signatures was submitted to Hon'ble President of India through District Collectors, demanding reservation on economic basis rather than on caste basis.[14] A nationwide rath yatra from Jammu to Kanyakumari demanding reservation on economic basis rather than on caste basis was flagged off in October 2010, which ended in March 2011.

Successful agitation for declaration of birthday of Maharana Pratap as public holiday

In the year 2013 Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha started an agitation and demanded with Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav to announce a public holiday on 9 May, as it is the birth anniversary of legendary warrior Maharana Pratap, similar in line with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where 9 May is a public holiday.[15][16][17][18][19][20] After continuous efforts of two years, finally in 2015 Uttar Pradesh government, declared Maharana Pratap Jayanti a public holiday on May 9 every year.[21][22] [23]

Raising Issues of Atrocities on Rajputs

The association is today active in raising the issues related to Thakur and Rajput community, for example in 2004 is launched a major campaign for released of various Thakur caste members jailed by Mayavati government.[24] The organization has strong presence in Bihar[25]

The organization is known for taking up the rights, issues and cases related to Rajput and Kshatriya members of its own or together with other Kshatriya organizations in India like Karni Sena, Hadoti Mahasabha.[26]

Publication of Books

The organization also helps publish well researched books on Rajput history and kings like Prithiviraj Chauhan, Maharana Pratap and other articles.[27][28]

The Kshtra Dharma magazine published by them has been edited by historians like Raghuvir Sinh[4] and saints like Krishnananda Saraswati[29]

Past Presidents

There are several notable persons since its inception, have headed the organization.[30]

References
  1. Maṇḍāvā, Devīsiṅgha (1998). Kshatriya śākhāoṃ kā itihāsa (in Hindi). Kavi Prakāśana. pp. 184, 190, 296. ISBN 978-81-86436-11-0. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. Goswami, Sambodh (2007). Female Infanticide and Child Marriage. Rawat Publications. p. 252. ISBN 978-81-316-0112-9. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  3. Gupta, Gautam (2008). 1857 THE UPRISING. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2299-4. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  4. Sinh, Raghubir (2002). Patra dastāveza: prasiddha itihāsakāra Ḍ̂ā. Raghubīrasiṃhajī Sītāmau evaṃ sāhityakāra Saubhāgyasiṃhajī Śekhāvata ke patra (in Hindi). Mahārājā Mānasiṃha Pustaka Prakāśa Śodha Kendra. pp. xi. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  5. Journal of Social Research. Council of Social and Cultural Research, Bihar. 1984. p. 76. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  6. Government Gazette: The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. 1910. p. 144. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  7. Pradesh (India), Uttar (1965). Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Varanasi. Government of Uttar Pradesh. p. 373. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  8. भारत रत्न महामना. बालमुकुन्द पाण्डेय, देवेन्द्र कुमार शर्मा · 2015. 2015. p. 85. ISBN 9789350729885. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  9. Sraddhananda, Swami (1926). Hindu Sangathan: Saviour of the Dying Race. Shraddhananda. pp. 119–121. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  10. भारतीय पुनर्जागरण और मदनमोहन मालवीय (in Hindi). Viśvavidyālaya Prakāśana. 1981. p. 129. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  11. Wiener, Myron (8 December 2015). State Politics in India. Princeton University Press. pp. 353–354–355. ISBN 978-1-4008-7914-4. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  12. Pant, Govind Ballabh; Nanda, Bal Ram (1993). Selected Works of Govind Ballabh Pant. Oxford University Press. pp. 118–120, 386. ISBN 978-0-19-565120-1. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  13. Rudolph, Susanne Hoeber; Rudolph, Lloyd I. (1984). Essays on Rajputana: Reflections on History, Culture, and Administration. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 53–58. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  14. "Kshatriya Mahasabha opposes caste-based quota". The Tribune Chandigarh. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  15. "7 सूत्रीं मांगों को लेकर क्षत्रिय महासभा ने उत्तर प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री अखिलेश यादव को एक पत्र भेजा । | UP News Live".
  16. "यूपी में महाराणा प्रताप जयन्ती पर छुट्टी घोषित करने की मांग".
  17. "मुख्यमंत्री से महाराणा प्रताप जयन्ती पर छुटटी की मांग".
  18. "महाराणा प्रताप की जयंती पर सार्वजनिक अवकाश की मांग".
  19. "महाराणा प्रताप जयंती पर घोषित हो अवकाश".
  20. "महाराणा की जयंती पर आज छुट्टी की मांग".
  21. "महाराणा प्रताप की जयंती 9 मई को सार्वजनिक अवकाश घोषित". प्राइमरी का मास्टर ● कॉम | Primary Ka Master | Basic Shiksha News | बेसिक शिक्षा | Shikshamitra.
  22. "Lucknow: Akhilesh Government Declared a Holiday to Jayanti of the Maharana Pratap - अखिलेश सरकार ने घोषित की महाराणा प्रताप जयंती पर छुट्टी | Patrika News". Archived from the original on 2021-01-06. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  23. जनसंदेश न्यूज नेटवर्क (2015-07-25). "स्वाभिमान एवं सम्मान के लिये हो एकजुट हो क्षत्रिय -हरिवंश सिंह – JanSandesh". Jansandesh.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  24. Singh, Ujjwal Kumar (2007). The State, Democracy and Anti-Terror Laws in India By Ujjwal Kumar Singh. ISBN 9788178299556. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  25. Rāya, Omaprakāśa (2006). Bharat Ki Chunavi Rajniti Ke Badalte Ayam (in Hindi). Viśvavidyālaya Prakāśana. pp. 289 90. ISBN 978-81-7124-492-8. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  26. Magazines, Delhi Press (1 June 2018). "Satyakatha: June 2018" (in Hindi). Delhi Press. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  27. Talbot, Cynthia (2016). The Last Hindu Emperor: Prithviraj Cauhan and the Indian Past, 1200–2000. Cambridge University Press. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-107-11856-0. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  28. Journal of Social Research. Council of Social and Cultural Research, Bihar. 1984. pp. 76 77 78. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  29. Samaura, Bhamvara Simha (1993). Yugantarakari Sannyasi (in Hindi). Prabhat Prakashan. p. 20. ISBN 978-81-7315-059-3. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  30. Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha website
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.