RIFLE RANGE BOY

Razakar:  The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad  (Telegu, 2024) Director:  Yata Satyanarayana In her last major speech before her disposition, Sheikh Hasina accused those who opposed her rule in Bangladesh of being Razakars. The opposition took offence to this term and soon widespread mob throughout the land. Of course, it is not that that single incident brought down an elected government but a culmination of joblessness and unjust reservations for a select population group. In the Bengali psyche, Razakar is a pejorative term meaning traitor or Judas. It was first used during the 1971 Pakistan Civil War. The paramilitary group who were against the then-East Pakistani leader, Majibur Rehman, were pro-West Pakistan. After establishing independence in Bangladesh, Razakars were disbanded, and many ran off to Pakistan. Around the time of Indian independence, turmoil brewed in the princely state of Hyderabad, which had been a province deputed by the Mughals from 1794. The rule of N...

Razzakar (Volunteer; Marathi, 2015) Director: Raj Durge This part of Indian history is unfamiliar to most, especially those outside India. India had between 550 and 700 princely states, each under its monarchs, chieftains, or feudal lords. At the time of India's independence, at least two states wanted to stand alone and not join India or Pakistan. There was Kashmir, which had a Hindu Maharajah Hari Singh ruling over a Muslim majority. The other was Hyderabad, ruled by a Muslim Nizam over a predominantly Hindu population. Kashmir, as we know, went into chaos when Pakistani soldiers disguised as tribesmen created mayhem. Hari Singh went into exile, and the State eventually broke up. Its problems persist to date. Down in Hyderabad, the wealthy Nizam was not ready to part from his wealth and power. It was believed that his subjects mostly wanted to be with India. During Indian independence, the Nizam had to quell a Marxist people's rebellion. The Nizam's army, aided by Qasim ...