The Maulana who bridged the water divide

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 11

When the entire nation was suffering under the Divide and Rule policy of the British, there was one man, who stood up and raised his voice.

Voices calling out Hindu paani lelo, Muslim paani lelo were common at the railway stations as there were separate pitchers of water for the Hindus and the Muslims. But in 1929, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi raised his voice against this and protested at Ghaas Mandi Chowk and, with the help of his volunteers, broke earthen pots.

As a result, the British government was forced to install one common pitcher at all railway stations across the country giving the message sabka paani ek hai. In this activity, nearly 50 volunteers were arrested and sent to jail.

“We have heard a lot about our great grandfather. He was instrumental in India’s freedom movement and the Hindu paani, Muslim paani issue was taken up by him,” said Usmaan Ludhianvi Rehmani, the great grandson of Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi.

Ludhianvi hoisted the Tricolour on the banks of the Ravi to oppose the idea of partition of India and Pakistan. As many as 300 British policemen were sent to stop Ludhianvi from doing so, but he managed to hoist the flag and was arrested and sent to jail for a year.

Even Partition didn’t deter his spirit and he helped thousands of families stranded across the new border in uniting with each other.

Maulana’s grandfather Maulana Shah Abdul Kadir Ludhianvi in 1857 had issued a fatwa against the British rulers and the present Shahi Imam of Punjab, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Sani Ludhianvi, is his grandson.

The Shahi Imam of Punjab, said: “Our ancestors laid down their lives for the country. My only request to the present generation is not to waste the effort of our ancestors and be grateful to them.”

Maulana, though not a poet, was well-versed in poetry and used to host poetic evening once a month. He had spent 14 years of his life in various jails at various places, including Dharamsala, Shimla, Mianwali, Multan and Ludhiana.