Beyond Hindu–Muslim unity: Gandhi, the Parsis and the Prince of Wales Riots of 1921

Abstract

Between 17 and 20 November 1921, Bombay was convulsed by the Prince of Wales Riots, which coincided with the arrival of the future King Edward VIII in the city. The riots constituted an extremely important moment in the Non-Cooperation Movement, the political transformation of Bombay and the development of M.K. Gandhi’s political thought. Additionally, the riots upturned familiar notions of communalism: angry at repeated violations of a hartal Gandhi declared for the day of the Prince’s arrival, Muslim and Hindu supporters of the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat movements joined together to attack supposedly loyalist minorities, especially Parsis. Herein lay the riots’ broader significance. During the Non-Cooperation Movement, Gandhi had been keen to recruit the active support of the Parsi community. He was well aware of their financial and political clout and their leadership roles in liberal nationalist circles. Most Parsis, however, expressed strong reservations about Gandhi’s tactics, believing that a mass political movement under the banner of ‘Hindu–Muslim unity’ would be injurious to smaller minority communities. The riots, therefore, confirmed Parsis’ worst fears about Gandhi’s politics and their majoritarian implications. Gandhi, for his part, worked tirelessly to repair his relationships with the Parsis and reassure them of the Congress’ commitments towards minority rights. He reconsidered how smaller communities fit into India’s communal dynamics. By December 1921, Gandhi even unfurled a new slogan that was used towards the end of the Non-Cooperation Movement: ‘Hindu–Muslim–Sikh–Parsi–Christian–Jew unity’.

Leading at the edge of chaos: historical perspectives on the qualities of leadership for cultural diversity and conflict resolution

“…Gandhi was successful in achieving Hindu–Muslim unity to a larger extent between 1919 and 1924 when thousands of Hindus and Muslims marched together for the courses of the Khilafat Movement and the Non-Cooperation Movement (Singh, 2017). Though he was among the few leaders and thinkers of modern India who accepted and defended what may be described as popular Hinduism (Mishra, 2019), Gandhi unfolded a new slogan used toward the end of the Non-Cooperation Movement: “Hindu–Muslim–Sikh–Parsi–Christian–Jew unity” (Patel, 2018). He clearly revealed a deep understanding of Islam, his love toward the Muslims of India, his heartily desire for the maintenance of the Hindu-Muslim unity and, above all, his love toward humanity without considering the distinction of class, caste, religion and even nationality (Singh, 2017).…”

“…During the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1929, Gandhi worked tirelessly to repair his relationships with the Parsis and reassure them of the Congress' commitments toward minority rights. This effort was an exemplary case of his tolerance as most Parsis expressed strong reservations about Gandhi's tactics, believing that a mass political movement under the banner of “Hindu–Muslim unity” would be injurious to smaller minority communities (Patel, 2018).…”