Biker gangs of Delhi: A page out of Islamic history niticentral/2013/07/02/biker-gangs-of-delhi-a-page-out-of-islamic-history-98273.html A 2000-strong all-Muslim bikers’ gang recently traumatised the national capital. Their road rage terrified the night traffic in New Delhi. Traffic Police was found napping. Some policemen were wounded and the rest remained bystanders. Even last year, these skull-capped bikers had besieged the Indian Gate circle, performing dangerous stunts. Yet no preparations seemed to be in place. Taj Hassan, Special Commissioner (Traffic), Delhi Police could not be faulted if he were himself busy in Shab-e-Barat festivities! Why has the road rage become an integral part of ‘Night of Benediction’? In 2007, it had taken a perilous turn in Agra. Several trucks were burnt down after four bike riders were mowed down. Curfew had to be imposed in the old Mughal capital. Whether it is the city of Taj or of Taj Hassan, the bikers’ daredevilry is no one-night wonder. They seem to be inspired by the methods of medieval Islamic conqueror. Our hallowed security & intelligence analysts might find the episode trivial. They are accustomed to thinking in sub-continental perspective. Many are not conversant with Islamic history. However, the Ulema always takes it lessons of Islamic history. Cavalry powered Islamic conquests Understand it like this. How did the Muslim invaders rapidly overrun India in the medieval age? It was due the cavalry or the horse-mounted force with its wild advantage of speed. Cavalry warfare was not unknown in classical India. But it was relatively unimportant even as monarchs up to Rana Sanga fought on elephant’s back. India was deficient in equestrian resources. The quality and quantity of indigenous horses were unsatisfactory. Moreover, Hindus had no knowledge of stirrup for horse riding. The stirrup, comparable to internal combustion machine in a vehicle, was devised in central Asia. It turned horses into formidable war machines. The Turks, Pathans and Mughals were adept in its use. They also controlled the equestrian resources — fine quality Arabic and Turkish horses. The deadly potential of cavalry warfare was unleashed in India by the central Asian Muslims. The horses were intrinsic to the power structure under Muslim dynasties. The power pyramid of Mughal Empire was built on the horses. The rank and pay of commanders was consummate with the number of horses they commanded. Francois Bernier found Omrahs – or power elites — holding titles like hazary, douhazary, dehhazary which meant master of one thousand horses, two thousand horses and ten thousand horses respectively. Maratha cavalry eclipsed the Mughals Throughout the 18th century, the Marathas ate up Mughal territories. This was made possible by a decisive shift in favour of cavalry and artillery in the Maratha army. The infantry had been the prime wing of the Shivaji’s army. But under Peshwa Baji Rao-I, an excellent cavalry general, the composition of the army changed. Cavalry powered Maratha expansion from ‘Attock to Cuttack’. Even in post-Panipat war period the Maratha horsemen under Mahadji Sindhia strafed through Rohilkhand. The Rohila Pathans were punished for cooperating with Ahmed Shah Abdali’s army. The Sikhs also distinguished themselves as storm troopers on horseback. Post-Aurangzeb the bankrupt Mughal Empire was going to seeds. Cavalry bore its burnt, as maintaining horses was an expensive proposition. A Mughal recruit was afraid more of losing his horse than his life. The great age of cavalry warfare came to an end in third Anglo-Maratha war in 1818. The British, in that war, crushed the Pindaris, the plunderers patronised by the Marathas. The dark age of cavalry This great age of horses was actually a dark age. Horses were commanded by ruling elite and military. It deprived the civilian of speed and freedom thus stunting the public life. It was the British who brought the advantage of speed and freedom to the civilians in form of the railways. Public life could thus crystallise in India in second half of the 19th century. Islam’s modern horsepower The biking Muslims are taking a leaf out of the medieval cavalry’s book. Our strategic and intelligence experts may think otherwise. But the Ulema always take a look into precedents of Islamic history. The biker brigade is a modern-day cavalry, in urban perspective in peace time. Though they carry no weapon, their object is to terrify the non-Muslim population. They want to frighten the non-believers into submission. Islam’s sheaf is younger, given the higher rate of population growth amongst Muslim. Biking rage is also a part of the ‘training’. Islam seems to be readying itself for ultimate civil confrontation in India. In Kerala, the Popular Front had instituted such biking programmes. Muslim biker gangs operate on the outskirts of Kolkata. A few years ago Sydney, Australia was rocked by Muslim biker gangs. Muslims reading incomplete history While it is true that Turks and Mughals could overrun India due to superior cavalry, the tables were turned upon them by the Marathas and the Sikhs. If Muslim youth have bikes, Hindus have more of them. It is another thing that they do not indulge in monstrous biking culture. But if they decide to wheel it out, it would not exactly be a happy situation for Muslims.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:09:52 +0000
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