Saturday, November 26, 2011

Aligarh Movement (contd-2)

Beck took charge of the Institute Gazette, the literary organ of the Aligarh College, and edited it on behalf of Syed Ahmad. he promoted the idea that India is unsuitable for Parliamentary form of Government as it contained two ntaions of different strengths.When in 1889, Charles Bradlaugh introduced a bill in the British House of Commons for setting up democratic form of government in India, Beck prepared a memorial against it on behalf of the Muslims. Beck took a batch of Aligarh College of boys to Delhi, and posted them at the gate of Jama Masjid. There, on a certain Friday after prayers, he obtained the signatures of 20;735 Muslims on this memorial falsely reprsenting to the signatories thatthat the memorial was intended as a protest against the Hindu effort to stop cow- slaughter.
It was mainly through Beck's efforts that in Aug, 1888, was established the 'United Indian Patriotic Association' at Aligarh in which both Hindus and Muslims joined. The objects of the Association  wete to carry on anti-Congress propaganda in England. But soon the idea and the name of the association was changed to ' Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental Defence Association of Upper India "was founded in 1893, at the instance of Mr. Beck. The main objects of the association of the werre;
1. to place the opinions of the Musalmans before Englishmen and the Government of India and to protect their political rights;
2. to prevent political agitation from spreading from spreading among the Musalmans,
and 3. to strengthen British rule and create a sense of layalty among the people.
 Beck became the Secretary of the organizationmussalmans were separated from other Indian communities but joined the Englihmen. The name " defence association was borrowed from Anglo-Indian Defence Association established in 1883 at the time of Ilbert bill but ceased to function after ompleting its work.
Mr. Beck made a systematic effort to alienatethe Muslims from the Hindus. Beck's contribution to the anti-hindu bias in Aligarh movement was very considerable. one muslim sarcastically remarked that "the college is of Syed Ahmad and the Order is of beck".
Mr. Morrison, succeeded Mr. Beck in 1899, and continued the office till 1905, along with the footsteps of his predecessor.