We will be a part of the country's development and progress

Muhammad Qasim Tandvi
09319019005
The modern warriors of pen and paper and the ancient horsemen of the field of journalism are writing about the current situation in the country to such an extent that perhaps no other era of rule has seen such intensity and frequency of writing after independence. It does not seem so from reading newspapers and studying books and magazines; however, after gaining freedom from British tyranny and the partition of the country, the country was going through an extremely alarming and disturbing phase. On one hand, those who were celebrating the division with joy and drumming, on the other hand, the pain of migration and the grief of separation from loved ones was consuming every Indian whose ancestors had not only participated in the freedom struggle by tying a shroud on their heads but had also seen themselves and their families being hanged.
Moreover, the partition of the country took place at a time when every citizen of the country was financially weak; because they had spent all their savings on gaining freedom from the British and fighting a long war against them.
From this brief history of freedom and the painful story of the Muslim nation that has been living in the beloved country for centuries, it can be estimated that the love we and our elders have shown for every particle and corner of the motherland is unparalleled and unmatched. We have served and helped the country at every critical juncture, whether it was providing financial support to improve the country's economic condition through the Nizam of Hyderabad or fighting against the enemies of the country and state on the borders.
We do not want to take those who raise fingers at the patriotism and national services of Muslims too far; we just want to tell them that whenever you need proof of our loyalty and our passion for the honor and dignity of the country, look at the recent operation related to Colonel Sofia Qureshi, in which Colonel Qureshi risked his life and taught a lesson to the enemy in their own home and made Operation Sundar successful.
Respected readers! The list of martyrs and servants of the country and nation is very long, which cannot be completed by mentioning the sacrifices of a few people, nor can it be an alternative to the selfless sacrifices made by our elders; but still, we want to mention two revolutionary personalities here today to respond to all those who doubt our loyalty and patriotism, who not only look at us with suspicion but also consider some people to be pseudo-nationalists, and in their public statements, they openly threaten us to leave the country, we are called traitors, sometimes plans are made to deprive us of citizenship, and our feelings and emotions are hurt by calling us goons and Naxalites, and our patriotism is targeted.
Here, we think it is better to mention the brave soldier of the Indian Army, Veer Abdul Hamid, and the important figure of the freedom struggle, Ashfaqullah Khan, who can deny their courageous and revolutionary activities and sacrifices? And who can be unaware of their personalities? The first, Veer Abdul Hamid, was a part of the 7th battalion's infantry brigade during the Indo-China war in 1962 and bravely fought against the Chinese army, and when the Indo-Pak war broke out in 1965, it proved to be a war of martyrdom for him; on September 8, 1965, Veer Abdul Hamid was fighting on the Amritsar road with a 106 mm gun when the Pakistani army was entering the Indian army camp, and during this time, Veer Abdul Hamid saw a group of tanks approaching, and with his intelligence, he installed the guns in the sugarcane fields in such a way that the Pakistani army could not see them, and when the Pakistani tanks came close, he suddenly attacked and destroyed three tanks in one go.
The second, Ashfaqullah Khan, was a freedom fighter, martyr, and a great symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, whose selfless sacrifices can be forgotten by the country? When the jail superintendent asked him about his last wish before hanging, he said: "I have no wish, my only wish is to have the soil of my country in my shroud," which shows the love and affection he had for his country, and even at the time of leaving the world, he wanted to take the soil of his country with him.
Historians have written about this guardian and freedom fighter that when his case was presented in the Lucknow court on April 6, 1926, and he was sentenced to death by Session Judge Hamilton, Ashfaqullah Khan came out of the courtroom and saw his loved ones crying, and he tried to console them, saying, "It's not right to cry like this, you should be proud that a member of our family has sacrificed his life for the country."
Friends! Our history is filled with thousands of such brave and revolutionary events and deeds, which make every Indian proud; but unfortunately, despite these golden events, some narrow-minded and ill-intentioned individuals and a faction of communalists suffering from the disease of ingratitude want to deprive us of our citizenship and religious freedom, and they raise the slogan of "Muslim-free India." Will we leave this country and hand it over to them after having such a great history and golden deeds? No, never; we were born in this country and will remain its guardians and developers until our last breath.