Karl Marx on the 1857 War of Independence

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Disclaimer: the post is not meant to endorse Marxism nor am I a Marxist myself if that even matters to the reader.

There is also an untoward symptom in Punjab, the communication between Multan and Lahore having been cut off for eight days.”

Karl Marx, October 30th, 1857. Published New-York Daily Tribune. No. 5170 of November 14, 1857 as a leading article”

Apart from defeating & capturing Harappa, the Punjabi Muslim rebels mainly Kathia tribe lead by Momand & Nathu Kathia seized the Lahore-Multan GT road for 7 days. [2] Only after reinforcements were sent that the blockade was lifted.

Now, the real position of the English army is best demostrated by the fact it was thought necessary, in the Punjab as well as the Rajputana, to establish flying corps. This means that the English cannot depend either on their sepoy troops or on the natives to keep the communication open between their scattered forces”.

Written by K. Marx on July 17, 1857. Published in the New-York Daily
Tribune. No 5082, of August 4, 1857.”

The Judicial commissioner of Punjab sent a letter to all commissioners appointed in Punjab “Mahomedan fanatics and other persons with evil designs toward our government pass the ferries from the eastward (disguised as faqirs) without harassment” [3]

John Cave Browne, a prominent officer in charge to put down the rebellion “in their Muhammedan fanaticism, the Gogira (Punjab) rebels wanted to restore Muslim supremacy in India”. [3]

In the Punjab, the spirit of rebellion was forcibly kept down, a mutiny being suppressed at Sealkote, another at Jhelum, and the disaffection of Peshawar successfully checked.

Written by K. Marx on September 1, 1857. Published in the New-York Daily Tribune. No. 5118 of September 15, 1857, as a leading article.”

Jhumrah, Muhammadpur, Kore Shah, Moharumwala, Kamalia, Gogirah, Harappa Sialkot, Hazara, Ludhiana, Chichawatni were some of the other places in Punjab to see uprisings from local Punjabi Muslims.

Credit: Wikipedia

“Altogether, the taking of Lucknow has no more put down the Indian insurrection than the taking of Delhi. This summer campaign may produce such events that he British will have, next winter, to go substantially over the same ground again, and perhaps even to reconquer Punjab. But in the best of cases, a long and harassing guerrilla warfare is before them-not an enviable thing for Europeans under an Indian sun.

Written by F. Engels on May 8, 1858. Published in the New-York Daily Tribune. No. 5333 of May 25, 1858. as a leading article.”

Despite the fact British Empire had conqeured Delhi, Sir John Lawrence who was head of the provincial administration in Punjab had this to say “all might still be lost if that spirit of unrest which was astir throughout Punjab were once allowed to gain heed.” [3]

Citation:

[1] The First Indian War of Independence 1857-1859 by Marx Engels.

[2] http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/HistoryPStudies/PDF-FILES/13-Saeed_V28_no2.pdf

[3] MALIK, S. (1977). 1857 GOGIRA REBELLION IN SOUTHEASTERN PANJAB: A FORGOTTEN CHAPTER OF MUSLIM RESPONSE TO BRITISH RULE IN INDIA. Islamic Studies, 16(2), 65–95.