Friday 19 October 2018


001. SIRAJ-UD-DOULAH ,  NAWAB OF BENGAL (1733-1757)


Siraj-ud-Doulah, the Nawab of Bengal was the first Indian king to foresee the threat posed to the future of  the country by the English East India Company which entered India in the name of trade but transgressed its limits. He took bold initiatives to thwart the company's evil designs. The last independent Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Doulah, was born in 1733 and took the reins of power at the age of 23 years. Taking  advantage of the troubles faced by Siraj-ud-Doulah from his kinsmen, the East India Company started exploiting the people including the farmers and businessmen. Siraj, then took initiative to curb those atrocities. Though he succeeded initially,  because of  his attitude of forgiveness towards the enemy, he had to pay a heavy price which proved catastrophic to the future of India. Under those adverse circumstances, his adversaries  like Siraj’s aunt  Ghasitee Begum, her adopted son Shaukat Jung, his supporter Krishna Das, who was the son of Diwan Raj Vallabh, Siraj’s Commander-in-Chief,  Mir Jafar who was his uncle, influential traders Manik Chand, Ameer Chand and Banker Jagath Sethi had hatched a conspiracy along with Robert Clive to overthrow Siraj.  As Siraj was unaware of the clique  against him, he reached Plassey with about 50,000 troops to fight against  the British forces. The Battle of  Plassey , which marked a watershed in Indian history  started on 23 June ,1757. The East India Company’s troops were only 3,200 and the British troops among them numbered just 950. But the treacherous  Commander-in-Chief,  Mir Jafar, and another Commander, Roy Durlabh, deserted Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah  in the middle of  battle field in favour of  the East India Company’s troops. As a result, Siraj-ud-Doulah was forced to face defeat and he returned to Murshidabad, the capital on 24 June. Even there, the situation was unfavourable  to young Nawab. With no option  left for him, Siraj left the capital. Meanwhile, Mir Jafar was appointed the Nawab of  Bengal  by  Robert Clive.  Mir Jafar sent his son, Mir Miran, with troops to catch Siraj. Young Siraj was caught  and brought to the court and  beheaded  on 2 July, 1757.  Nawab of Bengal  Siraj-ud-Doulah will be remembered  in the  Indian history as the ‘first warrior’, who sensed the danger from the  British and fought against them heroically.
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Source : The Immortals (Album of 155 pictures of Muslim Freedom Fighters) By Syed Naseer ahamed Publ;ished in 2014. Mobile : + 91 9440241727
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