The Belcha:
Allama Mashriqi’s
Powerful
Symbol for the Khaksar Tehrik
On Allama Mashriqi’s 53rd
death anniversary
By Nasim
Yousaf
“We have SPADE as our symbol…Spade is
another sign of humility and our carrying it on our shoulders shows that we are
out to proclaim to the world THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR. Spade levels up the ground.
We are here TO LEVEL UP ALL SOCIETY! A rich man with a spade considers that he
has come down a bit to meet his poor brother. A poor man with a spade thinks
that he has got a powerful weapon to strengthen him. Spade in this movement has
worked wonders indeed! [translated from Urdu]”
– Allama Mashriqi, All Faiths
Conference, 1938
Allama Mashriqi was
born on August 25, 1888. Mashriqi was a revolutionary, reformer, and
humanitarian, who founded the Khaksar Tehrik (Movement)to bring freedom to the
Indian subcontinent (now comprised of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan). When
Mashriqi became sick near the end of his life, President Ayub Khan visited him
in the hospital and offered him medical treatment in Switzerland at the
Government’s expense (Mashriqi did not accept the offer, as it was against his
principles to use public funds for personal treatment). Mashriqi died in Mayo
hospital in Lahore on August 27, 1963. His funeral procession wasapproximately
1.6kilometers long and included over 100,000 people, one of the largest funeral
processions in South Asian history. This article is written in honor of his 53rd
death anniversary and focuses on his choice of a belcha as the iconic symbol for
his Khaksar Tehrik.
Mashriqichose the
belcha(a spade or shovel) as the symbolof
the Khaksar Tehrik. This tool became such an integral part of the Khaksar
Tehrik’s image in British India (now Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan), that the
movement was often referred to asthe Spade Movement or Army of Spades. Why did
a man of Mashriqi’s stature choose such an unconventional tool to represent his
party? As it turns out, Mashriqi’s choice of a spade was well thought out and
highly symbolic.
For Mashriqi, the
belcha was the perfect symbol for his party for multiple reasons, as expressed in
his book Isha’arat and a piece
published in Al-Islah (on July 26,
1935) entitledQual-e-Faisal (No. 11).First,
the belcha was a laborer’s tool and had been used for centuries around the
world. Theselection of a working man’s tool as the Tehrik’s symbol not only reflected
Mashriqi’s belief in the importance of the labor class, but also his sense of humility
and simplicity. By requiring all Khaksars to carry the belcha as part of their
uniform, Mashriqi hoped to impart these values in the Khaksars and unite them.
Mashriqi believed that when all members of the movement stood together with a
belcha in hand – whether rich or poor or Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or
Sikh – the differences between them would be shattered and they would grow
stronger as one people and one nation.The belcha also had a special religious
significance for Muslims. The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had used the tool in
trying situations (for example, the Battle of Trench). Taking inspiration from
the Prophet, Mashriqi used the belcha as a symbol for awakening the nation from
its slumber to rise up against British rule.
Along with its
religious and philosophical symbolism, the belcha also represented the
construction of the country’s infrastructure, thereby uplifting the nation. The
belcha further signified the challenging nature of this monumental task and the
hard work that would be required to bring freedom to the subcontinent.The
belcha appealed to the masses; it was a powerful visual reminder that this was
a movement for everyone, not just the so-called “elite.”
Finally, the
belcha served a very practical purpose for the Khaksars. As soldiers in a
private army, the belcha was the ultimate multi-function tool for the Khaksars.
It could be used for defense, digging a trench, as a container to drink water,
a pot to cook on, a plate to eat on, a walking stick, etc. And unlike guns or
other weapons wielded by a traditional army, the belcha could not be banned,
yet it could still be used to teach soldiers basic principles around discipline
and defense.
Thus, the belcha
was a most befitting selection for Mashriqi and his Khaksar Tehrik. It was the
perfect reflection of the movement’s commitment to humility,service,simplicity,
unity, and uplift of the masses. Indeed, it was the ideal symbol for an
organization that ultimately mobilized millions to bring freedom to India. In
Mashriqi’s words, “Spade in this movement
has worked wonders indeed!”
MayGod rest Mashriqi’s soul in eternal peace.
For
more information on Allama Mashriqi, visit the following page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllamaMashriqi.1
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Special Note:Some writers have falsely claimed (for
vested reasons) that Mashriqi adopted the belcha as his party’s symbol because
he was influenced by Adolf Hitler and his Labor Corps(Reichsarbeitsdienst). Nothing could be further from the truth. Mashriqi
saw the importance of the belcha even while he was a student in England at
Cambridge University (1907-1912) and had the symbol in mind for his Tehrik in
the 1920s (he wrote about this in Isharat, see Chapters 16 and 17). Hitler did
not start his Labor Corps until 1934. More importantly, Mashriqi and Hitler’s
philosophies were polar opposites. Mashriqi, a humanitarian,
believed in the unity of the human race, regardless of religion, class, color
or creed (anyone -whether Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Christian or any other
faith - could join Mashriqi’s Khaksar Tehrik).There are alsomany examples of
the Khaksars providing assistanceto both Muslims and non-Muslims, including the
Khaksars saving lives during the Bengal Famine of 1943 and the Muslim-Hindu-Sikh
riots(at the time of partition). And while the Khaksars used military-style
activities as a last resort to liberate the country from foreign rule, they
never believed in the destruction or massacre of people.
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