'Rahim Chacha' of Sholay film, who led a strike of tailors in Karachi

 'Rahim Chacha' of Sholay film, who led a strike of tailors in Karachi

One morning, when Avatar Krishna arrived at the tailoring workshop on Elphin stone Street, the owner handed him an envelope saying that we no longer need your services. Other employees including him were also given similar envelopes.

This news spread all over Karachi, all the employees involved in tailoring in the city protested and the next day tailors across the city went on strike.

It was the first strike of tailors in Karachi in 1946, it was led by AK Hingal, head of the tailors' union, who later became a famous Bollywood actor and played the role of Rahim Chacha in the film Sholay, in which he The dialogue 'Atna Sanata Kyun Hai Bhai' became famous.

The birth of a rebel in the house of a British officer

Avatar Krishna Hingal aka AK Hingal was born in Sialkot where he had his childhood home, he writes in his Atham Katha (biography) that his 'uncle was a staunch nationalist.'

There was a primary school in his neighborhood which was run by Arya Samajwadi nationalists and his maternal uncle also belonged to them.

AK Hingal's mother died when he was a child and thus he was brought up by his elder sister.

He belonged to a Kashmiri Pandit family. His ancestors first migrated from Srinagar to Lucknow after which his grandfather Pandit Daya Kishan came to Peshawar.

According to AK Hingal, his grandfather was the first magistrate of Peshawar while his grandfather's cousin, Justice Shanbhu Nath Pandit, was the first Indian judge of the Bengal High Court.

AK Hingal writes that it was he who recommended Dada by writing a letter to the Viceroy after which he got a government job.

Recalling the Peshawar city of his time, AK Hingal writes that 'Peshawar was a walled city and the civilian population was separated by a British cantonment. This city used to be closed at night, there was a majority of Muslims, besides there was also a Hindu population. His house used to be opposite Riti Gate, it was a two storied building and he lived on rent.

AK Hingal got religious harmony during his early education. The teachings were learned while the rituals of Hindu dharma were followed at home.

When AK Hingal was setting the heights of consciousness, the Khudai Khemat movement of Khan Ghaffar Khan alias Bacha Khan was active in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who is considered to be a friend of Gandhi. Revolutionary rebel leader Bhagat Singh and his associates were arrested.

The struggle of these two personalities influenced the personality of AK Hingal in his childhood and he became associated with the freedom movement.

He writes that one day he saw a procession of farmers passing by outside the school. The protesters wore red shirts and were led by a tall Pathan. These Khans were Ghafar Khans, they were shouting slogans of 'Long live the Revolution', and in the same year, Bhagat Singh and his associates were arrested.

A signature campaign was launched to appeal for mercy for Bhagat Singh so that the Viceroy could be sent to save his life. AK Hingal was also involved in this campaign, but the British government was adamant that he would be hanged and one day Bhagat Singh was hanged.

AK Hingal writes that 'The British government hanged Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev, revolutionary activities started in the city, they used to work as couriers for secret messages. One day their father, who was a British employee, was arrested by the police. When he came to know about their activities, he strongly urged them to stay away and advised them to wear khadar but stay away from these activities.'

AK Hingal writes that 'He remembers that on March 23, 1931, when a condolence meeting against the hanging of Bhagat Singh was held at Shahi Bagh, which was addressed by the then Congress leader Abdul Rab Nishtar, a The Pashto poet had recited a poem after which the whole crowd was crying. His last line was 'Sardar Bhagat Sangat Sardar Bhagat Singh'.

| Howtoreserch55 | Fallow me |