From Bahadur Shah Zafar to Tipu Sultan, the sacrifices of Muslims are now being pushed out of the nation’s history
NEW DELHI – As India celebrated its 79th Independence Day, Muslim leaders and historians voiced deep concern that the sacrifices of Muslims in winning the nation’s freedom are being deliberately erased from history.
“Without Muslim blood, there would have been no freedom,” said historian Dr Shahid Qureshi in Delhi. “From the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar to the ordinary villagers who gave their lives, Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder with Hindus to drive the British out.”
The Ganga-Jamuni culture – a symbol of unity between Hindus and Muslims – had once brought millions together against British rule. Today, many say this unity is under attack, replaced by hostility fuelled by political forces. “It is painful to see those who shed their blood for this land now branded as outsiders,” said retired school principal Abdul Raheem from Lucknow.
From the first war of independence in 1857 to the final push in 1947, Muslims were present at every stage of the struggle. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was chosen as the symbolic leader of the 1857 uprising. His sons were beheaded by the British, their heads presented before him, before he was exiled to Rangoon.
Bakht Khan of Bareilly commanded rebel forces in Delhi and called for Hindu-Muslim unity. Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah of Awadh fought a guerrilla war against British troops before being martyred in 1858. Begum Hazrat Mahal of Lucknow defied the British for months before being forced into exile.
“These names are not just part of Muslim history; they are part of Indian history,” said Prof Nusrat Jahan of Aligarh Muslim University. “Removing them from textbooks is an insult to the nation itself.”
The 18th-century ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, was one of the fiercest opponents of British expansion. Known as the “Tiger of Mysore”, he died on the battlefield fighting British troops. Yet his story is increasingly being removed from school syllabuses.
“Tipu fought for India, not for a religion,” said Karnataka-based activist Imran Pasha. “Those who call him a tyrant today are only trying to rewrite history to suit their agenda.”
Muslims strongly backed the Indian National Congress in its early years. Leaders such as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr MA Ansari, and Badruddin Tyabji worked to unite all communities against British rule. The Deoband Ulema, who had fought in 1857, also supported Congress-led campaigns.
Even when the Muslim League was formed in 1906, many Muslim leaders still rejected communal politics. Figures such as Liaquat Hussain and Abdul Hakim Ghaznavi worked to maintain harmony.
When the partition of India was proposed, Muslim leaders like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the Sunni Ulema of Deoband, and members of the All India Azad Muslim Conference openly opposed dividing the country along religious lines.
“The British sowed the seeds of partition, but not all Muslims agreed,” said Delhi-based writer Ayesha Sultana. “Many believed India’s soul lay in its mixed culture, where all faiths lived together.”
Today, right-wing groups are accused of attempting to erase these contributions from public memory. Stories of Muslim bravery are disappearing from schoolbooks, and public commemorations are rare.
“Children in schools now know more about hate speeches than about Ashfaqullah Khan’s hanging or Bibi Amma’s courage,” said retired history teacher Sabir Ali. “This is not just rewriting history – it’s erasing the truth.”
Community leaders say that remembering the Muslim role in the freedom struggle is not just about honouring one community – it is about protecting the truth of India’s birth.
“If you erase Muslim heroes, you are tearing out pages from India’s soul,” said Dr Qureshi. “Our children must know that this country was built by the sacrifice of all its people, together.”
