IHCR’s decision on Malabar Rebellion martyrs deferred

The Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) has deferred its decision on a recommendation to remove the 1921 Malabar Rebellion martyrs, including Variamkunnaathu Kunhahamad Haji and Ali Musliyar, from the list of India’s freedom fighters.

Context

The Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) has deferred its decision on a recommendation to remove the 1921 Malabar Rebellion martyrs, including Variamkunnaathu Kunhahamad Haji and Ali Musliyar, from the list of India’s freedom fighters.

About Malabar Rebellion

• Malabar rebellion is also known as the Moplah (Muslim) riots.
• It had been an uprising of Muslim tenants against British rulers and local Hindu landlords.
• The uprising, which began on August 20, 1921, went on for several months marked by many bouts of bloodstained events.
  • Some historical accounts state the uprising led to the loss of around 10,000 lives, including 2,339 rebels.
• It began as a reaction against a heavy-handed crackdown on the Khilafat Movement.

• The Mappilas attacked and took control of police stations, British government offices, courts and government treasuries.
• It has often been perceived as one of the first nationalist uprisings in southern India. It has even been described as a peasant revolt.
  • In fact, in 1971, the then Kerala government had included the participants of the rebellion in the category of freedom fighters.
  • The incidents of the uprising took place in regions which are currently under the Malappuram district in north Kerala.