Isabella Carter
Indian independence activist, poet, and nationalist Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution. Mohani was a critic of the British Raj and was imprisoned for his rebellious attitude towards colonial rule. He was a devotee of Lord Krishna, a religious practising Muslim, and a God-fearing communist. Mohani advocated for a federalist structure and opposed the partition of India. He also opposed Article 370, which granted special privileges to Jammu and Kashmir. During the debates on the Preamble, he expressed dissatisfaction with the final text of the Constitution, targeting the Drafting Committee for failing to adhere to the Objectives Resolution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pen name | Hasrat |
| Birth name | Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan |
| Birth year | 1875 |
| Birthplace | Mohan village, Unnao District, United Provinces |
| Alma mater | Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh |
| Profession | Writer, poet, journalist, politician, activist, critic |
| Political affiliations | Indian National Congress, Muslim League, Communist Party of India |
| Known for | Opposing the partition of India, advocating for Hindu-Muslim unity, coining the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad" |
| Publications | Kulliyat-e-Hasrat Mohani, Sharh-e-Deewan-e-Ghalib, Mushahidat-e-Zindan, Nikat-e-Sukhan |
| Comments on the Constitution | Expressed dissatisfaction with the final text, advocated for a federalist structure, opposed special privileges for Jammu and Kashmir |
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What You'll Learn
Hasrat Mohani's role in the Indian Constitution's creation
Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan, famously known by his pen name Hasrat Mohani, was born in 1875 in Mohan village in the Unnao district of the United Provinces. He was an Indian independence activist, a poet, a social activist, a politician, a journalist, a critic, and a founding member of the Communist Party of India.
Mohani played an important role in the creation of the Indian Constitution. After India gained independence, he was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly, which was responsible for drafting the Indian Constitution under the chairmanship of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Despite his involvement in the constitution-making process, Mohani never signed the final document due to his own reservations. During the deliberations on Dominion Status and Commonwealth, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the level of independence achieved, arguing that the country had not attained true independence from British rule.
Mohani advocated for a federalist structure instead of a unitary form of government with a strong center. He targeted the Drafting Committee for deviating from the Objectives Resolution during the constitution-making process. Additionally, he opposed reservations for Muslims and the formation of political parties based on communal lines. Mohani also supported the abolition of the Zamindari system.
Mohani's political career included working with multiple political parties, such as the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and the Communist Party of India. He actively participated in the freedom struggle and was imprisoned on several occasions for his anti-British sentiments. He was also involved in the Khilafat movement and played a significant role in the 1925 Kanpur Communist Conference, the first all-India Communist conference.
As a writer and poet, Mohani's publications include "Kulliyat-e-Hasrat Mohani", "Sharh-e-Deewan-e-Ghalib", "Mushahidaat-e-Zindan", and "Nikat-e-Sukhan." He is particularly known for his ghazals, including "Chupke chupke raat din." He also wrote verses expressing his deep love for Krishna.
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Mohani's dissatisfaction with the final text
Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan, famously known as Hasrat Mohani, was born in 1875 in Mohan village in the Unnao District in the United Provinces. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution but did not sign it due to his reservations.
Mohani advocated for a federalist structure rather than a unitary form of government with a strong centre. During the debates on the Preamble, he expressed dissatisfaction with the final text of the Constitution. He targeted the Drafting Committee for failing to adhere to the Objectives Resolution when drafting the Constitution. He argued that the British had never intended full independence for India, stating:
> "I think it necessary to point out to you that the Independence, which you have got, was already, christened as Dominion Status, but they openly call it as an independent status. They never meant full independence. Who will be bigger fools than us, who knowing that we are being cheated, are celebrating our Independence and are illuminating our houses? I can't understand this."
Mohani also argued against reservations for Muslims and the formation of political parties on communal lines. He staunchly opposed the partition of India and wanted to see a confederal constitution in India after freedom from British rule. His proposal included six federations: East Pakistan, West Pakistan, Central India, South-eastern India, South-western India, and Hyderabad Deccan.
In addition to his political activities, Mohani was a versatile writer and poet. Some of his publications include "Kulliyat-e-Hasrat Mohani", "Sharh-e-Deewan-e-Ghalib", "Mushahidaat-e-Zindan", and "Nikat-e-Sukhan". He was also a devotee of Lord Krishna and often travelled to Mathura to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami.
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Mohani's federalist structure proposal
Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan, famously known as Hasrat Mohani, was a founding member of the Communist Party of India and an advocate for a federalist structure. Mohani's proposal for a federalist India included six federations:
- East Pakistan
- West Pakistan
- Central India
- South-eastern India
- South-western India
- Hyderabad Deccan
This confederal setup was inspired by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Mohani's vision for India's government was a federalist structure rather than a unitary form with a strong centre. He actively participated in the freedom struggle for India's independence and was imprisoned on several occasions for his rebellious attitude towards British rule. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution but did not sign it due to his reservations.
Mohani was a strong proponent of Hindu-Muslim unity and publicly supported Bal Gangadhar Tilak's radical "swaraj" (self-rule) thoughts. He was a critic of the British Raj and was imprisoned for writing against colonial rule. He was also one of the first people to demand complete independence for India in 1921 at the Ahmedabad Session of Congress. Mohani's contributions to India's independence and his role in drafting the constitution are remembered, and he is recognised as a nationalist and mystic poet.
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Mohani's opposition to the partition of India
Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan, famously known by his pen name Hasrat Mohani, was an Indian independence activist, Islamic scholar, and poet. He was born in 1875 in Mohan village in the Unnao district of the United Provinces. He was a member of the Indian National Congress for many years and also joined the All India Muslim League, serving as its president in 1919.
Despite his association with the Muslim League, Mohani staunchly opposed the partition of India. After the declaration of the Partition Plan on June 3, 1947, he resigned as a member of the All India Muslim League. When the division occurred, he chose to live in independent India, becoming one of the 28 members of the Muslim League who remained in the country. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of India and participated in the freedom struggle, playing a significant role in the Khilafat movement. Imprisoned on several occasions, he was also influenced by the Russian Revolution, with his house in Kanpur being a center for communist conferences.
Mohani wanted a confederal setup for India, similar to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). His proposal included six federations: East Pakistan, West Pakistan, Central India, Southeastern India, Southwestern India, and Hyderabad Deccan. He believed in the Two-Nation Theory, advocating for a separate motherland for Muslims, which eventually became Pakistan. However, he chose to stay in India after partition, a decision that made him a polarizing figure in both India and Pakistan. He wanted to represent the remaining Indian Muslims on different platforms and fight for their rights in a Hindu-majority nation.
In recognition of his efforts, Mohani was made a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the Indian Constitution. He actively participated in debates within the Assembly, expressing dissatisfaction with the final text, particularly regarding its failure to adhere to the Objectives Resolution. He advocated for a federalist structure over a unitary form of government and supported the abolition of the Zamindari system.
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Mohani's activism and imprisonment
Syed Fazl-ul-Hasan, famously known as Hasrat Mohani, was born in 1875 in Mohan village in the Unnao district of the United Provinces. He was an Indian independence activist, journalist, politician, social activist, Islamic scholar, and a poet who wrote in Urdu. He was a member of the Indian National Congress for many years and joined the All India Muslim League, serving as its president in 1919.
Mohani is regarded as the first person to demand complete independence for India in 1921 at the Ahmedabad Session of Congress. He also coined the famous slogan of Indian freedom fighters, "Inquilab Zindabad" ("Long Live Revolution"), in 1921. He actively participated in the freedom struggle and was imprisoned on several occasions by the British for his rebellious attitude and anti-British ideas. He was jailed for many years, starting in 1903, and was forced to do manual labour during his imprisonment. He also wrote a diary during his imprisonment called "Mushahidat-e-Zindaan" ("Observations in Prison").
Mohani was deeply influenced by the Russian Revolution and played a significant role in the Communist movement in India. His house in Kanpur was the centre of preparations for the 1925 Kanpur Communist Conference, the first all-India Communist conference. He was elected chairman of the Reception Committee (RC) of the conference and was included in the Central Executive Committee elected at the conference. He was also one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India.
Mohani opposed the partition of India and wanted to see a confederal constitution in India after freedom from British rule. He proposed a confederal set-up modelled on the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), with six federations: East Pakistan, West Pakistan, Central India, South-eastern India, South-western India, and Hyderabad Deccan. Despite his support for the creation of Pakistan, Mohani chose to stay in India after the partition to represent Indian Muslims and fight for their rights in a Hindu-majority country.
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Frequently asked questions
Hasrat Mohani was a freedom fighter and nationalist who opposed the partition of India and British rule. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of India and a critic of the British Raj, for which he was imprisoned on several occasions.
Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution, but he did not sign it due to his own reservations. He advocated for a federalist structure and criticised the Drafting Committee for failing to adhere to the Objectives Resolution. He also opposed Article 370, which granted special privileges to Jammu and Kashmir.
During a deliberation in the Constituent Assembly on Dominion Status and Commonwealth, Hasrat Mohani questioned the notion of India's independence from British rule, suggesting that the country was still being cheated and fooled.
