The Malabar Rebellion, also known as the Moplah riots, occurred in 1921, marking a significant event in modern Indian history. The rebellion involved key figures such as Variamkunnaathu Kunhahamad Haji and Ali Musliyar. Other important figures included Mahatma Gandhi, who was leading the Non-Cooperation Movement against British rule at that time, and Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore whose death led to major changes in land ownership laws in the region.
Recently, the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) has deferred its decision on a recommendation to remove the rebels from the list of India’s freedom fighters.
The Indian Council of Historical Research
The ICHR is an autonomous organization established under the Societies Registration Act,1860 in 1972. It operates under the Ministry of Education. Among its objectives are to foster exchange of views among historians, encourage objective and scientific writing of history, and promote historical research. The council provides grants, assistance, and fellowships for historical research.
The Background and Origin of the Moplahs
The Moplahs, or Mappilas, were a mercantile community living along the Malabar Coast of northern Kerala. In the sixteenth century, when Portuguese traders arrived on the Malabar coast, the Mappilas began to face competition, leading them to move inland in search of new economic opportunities. Here, they faced tension and conflict with both the local Hindu population and the Portuguese. By 1921, the Moplahs formed the largest and fastest-growing community in Malabar, accounting for 32% of the total population.
The Malabar Rebellion and its Consequences
Fuelled by fiery speeches by Muslim religious leaders and anti-British sentiments, the Moplahs launched a violent rebellion against British rule and Hindu landlords. This revolt led to mass killings, forced religious conversions, destruction of temples, loot and arson of properties, and burning of houses belonging to Hindus. Initially, the movement had support from Indian nationalist leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, but as violence increased, they distanced themselves.
The End of the Rebellion
The rebellion was crushed by the British by the end of 1921, with a special battalion, the Malabar Special Force, raised for this purpose. Also notable is the “Wagon Tragedy,” in which 67 Moplah prisoners suffocated while being transported from Tirur to the Central Prison in Podanur in a closed freight wagon.
Reasons Behind the Malabar Rebellion
The trigger for the uprising came from the Non-Cooperation Movement launched by the Congress in 1920, along with the Khilafat agitation which fuelled anti-British sentiment among the Muslim Moplahs. After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the British introduced new tenancy laws that favoured landlords known as Janmis over the peasants. The peasants were deprived of their rights to the land, share in the produce, and were effectively rendered landless, contributing to the reasons behind the Moplah revolt.
