Bhopal: Barkatullah Bhopali belonged to the first generation of Indian revolutionaries who spent their entire lives fighting British imperialist rule in India and bringing together revolutionaries from across the world for the cause of India’s freedom.
Among freedom fighters, his name stands out as that of a fierce revolutionary who commanded the respect and confidence of Indian political activists of different hues. He was one of the major leaders of the Ghadar Party that gave this call in an era when speaking against British rule was considered sedition and carried severe punishment.
Pay: DEATH
Reward: MARTYRDOM
Pension: LIBERTY
Battlefield: BRITISH INDIA
Read it once again. This was the call given by revolutionaries for the cause of India’s freedom. Muhammad Barkatullah, born in Bhopal in 1854, was among those revolutionaries who faced tremendous hardships but dedicated their entire lives to the country.
He made the cause of India’s independence his mission from the very beginning.
This was an era when political leaders were not even demanding complete freedom. The ill-treatment of Indians, discrimination, and harsh laws made life difficult for ordinary citizens.
Even though major political leaders were reluctant to speak of complete freedom and were content with a space for dissent and demands for dominion status, Barkatullah and his fellow revolutionaries were planning to overthrow British rule and establish self-rule.
Building a Global Network for India’s Freedom
A companion of Lala Hardayal and Raja Mahendra Pratap, two leading revolutionary figures of the time, Barkatullah Bhopali believed that India needed to drive out imperialist forces. He therefore felt that revolutionaries must seek support from other nations. Apart from organizing revolutionaries in the US, Japan, and Afghanistan, he also met leaders of the Russian Revolution.
Barkatullah Bhopali visited dozens of countries, rousing Indians to join hands for the great cause of achieving independence. The scholar, often depicted wearing a red Turkish cap, inspired generations and made it his mission to fight for the liberation of the motherland from British rule.
When the revolutionaries formed the Government of India in Exile, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh was made its President, while Barkatullah Bhopali became its Prime Minister. The revolutionaries aimed to launch an attack against the British and free the country from foreign rule.
This caused alarm among the British, who used their global power and influence to counter the revolutionaries. The prevailing international politics, the post-World War I scenario, and changing attitudes among world powers affected their plans. However, the revolutionary leader did not remain silent. From America to Japan and from the UK to Germany, Barkatullah travelled to countries sympathetic to the Indian cause, seeking support for a grand alliance against British rule and the atrocities and suppression faced by ordinary Indians. Throughout his life, British intelligence agencies pursued him.
It was the role of the Ghadar Party and its leaders to first light the fire of freedom in the hearts of Indians living across the world, and from the US to Malaya, revolutionaries came forward.
Later, this network proved immensely helpful when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Indian National Army.
The Ghadar Party was so named because it sought to bring about a revolution and had a clear vision of how to fight and defeat British imperial forces.
Barkatullah was born on July 7, 1854. His vision of a united India, harmony among Hindus, Muslims, and followers of other faiths, his acceptance of differences, and his attitude towards leaders of the nationalist movement earned him widespread respect from leaders across the political spectrum.
The formation of the Government of India in Exile alarmed the British authorities. Through his speeches and writings, and through decades of effort across different continents, Barkatullah succeeded in bringing together revolutionaries of all hues and backgrounds.
He Did Not See Freedom, But Helped Shape It
The revolutionaries ensured that the situation in India became known worldwide. This included the mistreatment of citizens, injustice, and the consequences of maladministration and famines. They brought together Indian expatriates in countries as far apart as Malaya, Japan, Canada, the US, the UK, and Germany.
Indians in these countries were inspired to join the struggle. It was this network that later helped the Indian National Army.
It was while delivering a passionate speech in support of India’s independence during a visit to the United States that he suffered a heart attack and passed away in 1927. He is buried in Sacramento.
Barkatullah did not live to see India attain freedom, but it was the efforts of revolutionaries like him that brought the struggles of Indians to the world’s attention and gave further impetus to the freedom movement both within and outside the country.
