Qissa Khwani bazaar massacre
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The massacre of the Qissa Khawani Bazaar (the story tellers market) in Peshawar, modern day Pakistan on April 23, 1930 is considered a defining moment in the non violent struggle to drive the British out of India. It was the first major confrontation between British troops and non violent demonstrators in the then peaceful Peshawar city and some estimates at the time put the death toll from the shooting at nearly 400 dead. The shooting down of hundreds of unarmed people triggered protests across the subcontinent and catapulted the then newly formed KK (Khudai Khidmatgar) movement onto the National scene.
When orders came to crack down on demonstrating civilians in the Qissa Khwani bazaar. The English troops had put advancing the Gorhwali Rifles platoons ahead of them. When ordered to fire on the mob, they plainly refused to fire at the innocent people. The troops were disarmed and later court martialled.
The troops continued hunting the Peshawarites indiscriminately for six hours. Gene Sharp, who has written a study of nonviolent resistance, describes the scene on that day: "When those in front fell down wounded by the shots, those behind came forward with their chests bared and exposed themselves to the fire, so much so that some people got as many as twenty-one bullet wounds in their bodies, and all the people stood their ground without getting into a panic. . . . The Anglo-Indian paper of Lahore, which represents the official view, itself wrote to the effect that the people came forward one after another to face the firing and when they fell wounded they were dragged back and others came forward to be shot at. This state of things continued from 11 till 5 o'clock in the evening. When the number of corpses became too many, the ambulance cars of the government took them away."
This description of events is, however, not supported by the evidence. The official investigation reported that a mob gathered at a Police Station, where several Red Shirt officials were being held. When the mob began stoning the police, the inspector summoned help from the military garrison. The mob attacked and beat a British soldier, Private Bryant of the Tank Corps. His body was then set on fire. The small contingent of British and Indian soldiers were also attacked by the mob. Fearing that the situation was out of control, the senior Police Officer instructed the soldiers to open fire. A few men of the Garhwal Rifles refused to obey and were court martialed. The investigation revealed that an NCO with Red Shirt sympathies had been uring the men not to obey orders.
A journalist on the scene reported "about 20 civilians" killed. This figure may be wrong, but the claim of 400 dead is ridiculous. The myth of the events that day have taken on a life of their own and somehow the truth doesn't appear to matter as much.
[edit] Reference
- Popalzai, Dr Abdul Jalil (24 Apr 2004). The Qissa Khwani Bazaar massacre. Available online at [1]. Last accessed on 26 February 2006
