Nations lose their identity, significance and even their
existence due to two main reasons. First when they abandon their language, and
secondly when they acquiesce to the distortion of their history. The version of
history being taught through the curriculum is always questioned by the men of
letter on the ground of its being fabricated and oriented towards forging
national unity at the cost of objectivity and realism. However, there is
another way as well in which the true and real events are overshadowed by the
narrative and social influence of the competing party, which may also be called
historic injustice. There is an evident manifestation of the same ,in case of
two prominent historic figures, i.e Witson
Churchill and Umera khan of Jundol.
Witson Churchill came to India as a soldier and later as war
reporter. During the Pukhtoon uprising of 1895 the major tussle of which took
place at the Checkdara -a point joining the two districts Malakand and Dir. The
combating parties were pukhtoon (civilian) and the imperialist army (British).
The pukhtoon were led by Umera khan, ruler of Jandol, he was well versed both
in the art of ruler -ship and generalship .
Umerkhan, during the war performed miraculous feats by containing the
mighty imperialist forces at Checkdara
and confining their movement for weeks. pukhtoon under the command of Umerakhan
participated in the war both in men and money. it were this adventure in which
he lost his life. He while in the venture to get reinforcement, went to
Afghanistan where he was betrayed by the Afghans and was died there.
Churchill had come to the subcontinent as a soldier to
participate in the war of the imperial army, but later turned into a journalist
and used to cover the war events. During the Pukhtoon uprising of 1895 he happened to cover the war between the British
imperial army and the Pukhtoon at the Checkdara Dir lower. The British
imperialist succeeded in installing the regime of the Nawab of Dir and bringing
to an end the Umerkhan’s chapter.
As the British were in power in the subcontinent, they had
the power to dominate the discourse in their own way. Umerkhan was projected as
a negative figure and subsequently his contribution to the cause of
anti-imperialism was overshadowed by the discourse of the power elites. His
name and contribution was dimmed and subsequently sank into oblivion.
Whereas Churchill, who later became the
prime minister of United Kingdom, was glorified and made an important figure in
history of subcontinent by the mighty colonial discourse. A monument at the top
of the hill at Chkedara was associated with his name, which is even gloried in
the post-colonial era as well.
Now the question is not to destroy the relic, but it must be
supplemented so that to convey a complete picture of the events. Churchill
Picket symbolizes the colonial oppression and travails of imperialism and
colonialism. But at the same time the icon who had resisted the oppression is
nowhere in the memory. No doubts the picket must be reserved to keep the
history alive, but at the same there is dire need to construct a monument at
the same avenue in the memory of Umerkhan. Which will supplement the missing
part of the history? Churchill should be remembered but at the same time the contribution
of Umerkhan should not fade into oblivion.
In the colonial era if the discourse was dominated by the British,
in the post colonial it should have been changed. But unfortunately in most
cases especially this one the status quo has been maintained. It is distressful
to know that when the first public sector university in the whole Malakand
division was established, University of Malakand, it bore the Churchill picket
on its prospectus. The illiterate people might pay homage to it due to their
ignorance, but how a university- a place meant for research, can propagate such
an incomplete picture.
The point here is not to ignore the picket as part of
history, but to supplement the history by constructing a similar monument at
the same avenue. Which will reflect both sides of the event and supplement the
incomplete picture.
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