Ikhwanis of the Yore?

Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad raised vigilantes “Peace Brigade” and used them to suppress pro-Abdullah and pro-Pakistan people. His workers or “Goggas” ran a parallel enforcement regime in the state. Bilal Handoo details the renegades of the yore

Coming events had cast their shadows in late fall of 1947. Just six days after their arrival in valley to counter Pakistani tribals (on Oct 27), ire against Indian army had peaked. In the moment of melee, three civilian killings surfaced between Rambagh and airstrip on November 02. The killings triggered a procession of 2000 people carrying dead bodies towards Srinagar. They were raising anti-Indian slogans blaming the army for killings. There were slogans like “Katle Aam Ho Gaya”. When the word spread, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad along with a few volunteers left to pacify the procession in an army truck. He confronted the procession at the Rambagh Bridge. And through his managerial skills, Bakshi averted an inflammable demonstration that had a potential to flip the history.

The timely handling of the ‘delicate’ situation made the authorities cautious. The emergency administration then devised strategies to counter such moves. In every mohalla, volunteers were deployed to suppress voices against the accession. This was, as historians note, in a way the beginning of the “Peace Brigade”.

By August 8, 1953, New Delhi toppled Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s government through a coup. His deputy, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad had replaced him. The next day on August 9, Shiekh was arrested. His arrest triggered a mass anger across the state. “As confrontations intensified,” says Ghulam Mohammad Buland, president J&K Freedom Fighters Association, “the government guns silenced some 1700 people across the state.” To “enforce calm”, Buland says, Bakshi institutionalised the ‘musclemen’ and named them “Peace Brigade”.

The “Peace Brigade” was a potpourri of different characters. These men in fatigues and jackboots were ready to do anything for their master. It is said that their actions were devoid of ethics. “Shall I say: they were renegades without weapons,” Buland continues. “They used to settle scores for state with their muscles and canes.”

These men were mainly active in the city. They used to assemble in Srinagar’s Pattar Masjid before parading around the whole city. They were led by one Saleem Shawl from Old Srinagar’s Khanqah locality. “Their parade would instil a sense of fear among people who would stay quiet in their presence,” Buland says. “And if members of Peace Brigade would sniff anything suspicious, they would muscle out the same.” And later, the suspected persons would be summoned at the National Conference Halqa Committees, where these men thrashed them. “The ration cards of suspected persons would be confiscated to starve their families,” Buland says, “These were simply the tactics of suppression.”

Bakshi’s “Peace Brigade” was notoriously called as “Khuftan Fakir” or late night beggars. They were called so, as they used to parade after the last prayer of the day or ‘Khuftan’ in Kashmiri. They were also called as “Kuntrih Pandah” or 29-15. They were monthly paid Rs 30. And out of sixteen annas of a rupee, one anna was deducted as government stamp duty. This used to reduce their pay to twenty nine rupees and fifteen annas. “This gave them the nickname of 29-15,” says Buland.

In the Assembly elections of 1957 and 1962, it is said that “Peace Brigade” were employed to intimidate voters. But as their “political misadventure” and “muscle misuse” rose up, Bakshi’s voluntary force earned notoriety.

“Khuftan Fakir” were later disbanded and the members were adjusted in CID department. One of the adjusted members was Mumi Reunz. “Reunz was posted in CID as a special staff,” says Zareef Ahmad Zareef, a poet and satirist. “He and another man called Mahad Bhat were ‘yes-men’ of Qadir Ganderbael, then SP Special Staff.” Zareef says both men had different roles to play. While Renzu used to be literal bartender of the police officer, Bhat would terrorise people with his abuses.

During Bakshi period, a newly-wed couple from Islamabad district were watching film inside Srinagar’s Amrish Cinema. Ganderbael was around who saw the new bride. “The beauty of bride invoked evil intentions in him,” Zareef says. “He winked at his two ‘yes-men’ who understood the underlying message.” The duo advanced towards the couple and slapped the male partner by alleging his “illicit relationship” with the girl. They were slapped back. A chaotic scene ensued. And he was soon bundled into the vehicle along with his bride. She shouted and turned everyone alert outside the cinema. Sensing the gravity in situation, the bride was left on the spot.

Later the grieving parents of the couple sought justice from Bakshi’s mother living at Srinagar’s Banquet Hall. “Is this how you rule your people?” Bakshi was asked by his mother. “The next day, Bakshi went to Delhi and stalled Ganderbael’s conferred President’s Medal,” Zareef says. “He was working on central deputation in state. But Bakshi managed to transfer him from the city and posted him as Border DIG.”

Apart from his “Peace Brigade”, Bakshi’s followers and workers were running a parallel government militia. They were known as “Gogga”. “It was Molvi Ghulam Nabi Hamdani who coined the name for NC workers,” says Zareef. “The word ‘Gogga’ means person known for shouting.” Later when the same NC men joined the Bakshi camp after his induction as prime minister of state, the name “Gogga” became synonymous with Bakshi’s followers.

“Goggas” were Bakshi’s favourites. Each one of them were treated as per their temperament and nature. “Most of his followers were addicted to Bacha Nagma [child dance], which Bakshi would easily make available,” Zareef says. “NC offices would host such entertaining performances quite frequently.”

Bakshi was receptive to almost all the demands of “Goggas” and wouldn’t hold them accountable, Zareef says: “They enjoyed special schemes and quotas. But they misused their positions given by Bakshi.”

Bakshi, Zareef says, was the master of human behaviour who knew the need of each person he met. “He would cane a person if he thought that would be the only way to bring him on the line,” he says. “Under the garb of concessions and relief, Bakshi contained the dissidence very smartly.” Besides these margins, a few known “Goggas” were actively gauging and altering the public mood.

Seven prominent “Goggas”, each active from the seven bridges of Srinagar were heading several others in their respective areas. Qadir Naatte was the leading “Gogga” from Amira Kadal. His associate was known as Khalil Kachur. “Naatte was the head of all others,” says Abdul Rashid, 72, an erstwhile “Gogga” of Amira Kadal.  “Naatte was very close to Bakshi and was known for creating a reign of terror in his area.”

Like Naatte, Sule Barbej was another dreadful “Gogga” active from Habba Kadal. He was a sawmill owner. Besides him, Cherry Budde was other leading “Gogga” from Fateh Kadal. He was a jeweler by profession. “Bakshi would introduce Cherry Budde as Mufti Azam [Grand Mufti] of Kashmir to the visiting delegates of Islamic countries,” Zareef says. “It was due to his snow white beard which gave him an appearance of noble man. He was well versed in English language and would interact with delegates in an impressive way.”

Ami Darzi was the main “Gogga” from Zaina Kadal. He was looking after the municipal affairs of the city and would often “snatch measuring tool” from fisherwomen. At a stone’s throw from Zaina Kadal, a “Gogga” namely Ami Kochul was active from Aali Kadal. He would hurl abuses at people which created his dreadful image among the locals.

When former USSR leaders Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin arrived in valley in 1955, Zareef says, he saw bridges around city lit with lamps. Then living at Aali Kadal, he says, he scattered all the lamps placed on the bridge and threw them in Jhelum below in protest. “I was apprehended and taken to Ami Kochul who was listening Baccha Nagma at his home then,” Zareef says. “He slapped me hard on my face and for the next three days, my ears were ringing with noise.” But there was another “Gogga” who was more dreadful than Kochul.

His name was Shaba Gadhe. He was the leading “Gogga” from Nawa Kadal. Bakshi had given him a full contract of fishes of Wullar Lake. “He was the most vicious among all Goggas,” recalls Zareef. “Wearing a traditional headgear, he would sit at his shop and would interrogate people there itself.” And from Safa Kadal, Bakshi’s younger sibling Bakshi Abdul Hamid and his associate Mama Gul were leading a pack of “Goggas”. But all of these “Goggas” were mainly known for expressing their “evil side of character” quite overtly.

One pandit lady doctor, who is no more, was once approached by “Goggas” and told: Please come with us. One pregnant lady needs your help. “She was abducted and raped for three consecutive days,” Zareef says. “But she wasn’t alone who met such a fate. Many such cases followed which then compelled many women to voluntarily choose Goggas’ company.”

But once a smalltime “Gogga” from Chattabal, Subhan Bhat, 69, says, many women willingly joined “Goggas” company without any coercion. “I keep on hearing this: Bakshi’s workers abducted and raped girls,” Bhat says, now living a secluded life. “I don’t deny many such incidents, but to say: the whole Bakshi camp was black sheep is grossly exaggerated narrative.”

Bhat says, “Goggas” used to identify local issues for Bakshi, who would then help the deprived and needy. There was one NC man, Mohammad Sultan Khan alias Sule Galdaar of Old Srinagar, battling with Asthma. “He was the same man who shot Prem Nath Bazaz, and was a revolutionary freedom fighter who declined to join Bakshi camp,” Bhat says. One of the “Goggas” informed Bakshi about Khan’s deteriorating health condition. To everybody’s shock and awe, the ailing Khan was arrested and lodged in Jammu’s special jail. In hot climate, Khan’s health improved and meanwhile, his family received the compensation from Bakshi government. “Some months later, Khan walked out of the jail with improved health,” Bhat says. “Bakshi knew that Khan wouldn’t accept his help directly, so, he created a drama of arresting Khan for his own benefit. Such was his insight!”

In a move that reflects the ‘strange’ relationship between Kashmir and New Delhi, Bakshi was asked to step down after eleven continuous years of prime ministership. After his resignation, Bakshi was indicted on charges of corruption and misuse of power.

But before he was asked to leave the office, Bakshi Rashid (his cousin) showed up at Lal Chowk. Demonstrations were going on against the theft of holy relics. But still riding high on the otherwise ‘dying’ power, he retorted demonstrators: “Why are you raising hue and cry?” His query miffed one of the demonstrators who hurled blazing Kangri at him. They say, no “Gogga” was then potent enough to suppress mounting public anger. Perhaps, in the cries of holy relic movement, “Khalid-e-Kashmir” tasted his own medicine of “Naya Kashmir”!