Saquib Salim

After gaining independence in 1947, the Indian government bestowed freedom fighters with pensions and in some cases lands for their services. Hajara Beebi Ismail of Tenali in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh was also offered land for her role in the freedom struggle as well as for the sacrifice of her husband, Sheikh Ismail Saheb, who had died of tortures during repeated imprisonments.

A land grant could make a huge difference to the fortunes of a middle class family but Beebi, in a rare display of patriotism, turned down the offer. She told the government that her patriotism could not be traded with money or material assets. Love for the country made her fight during the freedom struggle and a land grant would belittle her love for the nation.

It was in April, 1930 when Mahatma Gandhi declared a nation-wide Civil Disobedience Movement by violating the unjust Salt Law of the British India Government. Indians, irrespective of caste and creed, jumped into the movement and Andhra Pradesh was not behind.

Tenali of Guntur District became a hotbed of nationalist activities. Sheikh Ismail Saheb along with Nadella Krishnayya, Pavuluri Ramarao, and Neelam Raghavayya would train the volunteers to picket the shops selling foreign cloths.

A batch of four trained nationalist volunteers was sent to the market to picket the shops. After the batch was taken into police custody another batch of four would enter the market to picket.

Hajara Beebi Ismail was not behind. Along with Bharati Devi Ranga, she organized women to picket the foreign cloth shops. Women were organized in a similar fashion as men were.

Boycott was only a part of the movement, spinning khadi (cotton cloth) and popularising it was as important. Hajara Beebi organized bands of women volunteers to spin khadi. After spinning khadi, she along with her sold it from a shop which holds the distinction of the first khadi shop in the town. After Sheikh Ismail was imprisoned Beebi single handedly took up the cause of swadeshi and kept running a boycott and khadi movement.

In 1940s, Muslim League’s separatist political ideology attracted several Muslims in Tenali. Seeds of communalism were being sown in the town. Hajara Beebi and her husband campaigned against the League and its two nation theory. Their efforts nullified the effects of the League politics in Tenali and Guntur.

After the death of her husband she kept running the khadi store with the help of her children till her death on 16 June, 1994. Life of Hajara Beebi is an inspiration for all Indians.

(Saquib Salim is a Historian and a Writer)