Introduction: The Sacrifice of the Protector of the Hindu Nation
Swami Shraddhanand Saraswati, whose original name was Munshiram Vij, was one of those great personalities of India who dedicated his life to saving Hindu society from Islamic invasions and the conspiracies of religious conversion. Born on 22 February 1856 in Talwan village of Jalandhar district in Punjab, Swami ji transformed from a successful lawyer into a Vedic reformer. Through the Arya Samaj, he strengthened Hindu unity, but in the eyes of Islamic fundamentalists, he became a thorn. On 23 December 1926, in Delhi, a Muslim fanatic named Abdul Rashid brutally murdered him, which is yet another example of Islamic jihad. This ‘Balidan Diwas’ (Sacrifice Day) reminds Hindus how dangerous Islamic expansionism is.
Early Life: Upbringing in the Shadow of British Slavery and Islamic Deceit
Swami Shraddhanand’s family worked in the British police, but the home was steeped in Vedic culture. From childhood, he witnessed the British atrocities during the 1857 Revolution, which taught him patriotism. But the real danger came from Islamic and Christian missionaries. In one incident, the outrage committed by a Christian priest on an Indian girl made him realize the deceit of foreign religions, which was a conspiracy to weaken Hindu society. His wife Shiva Devi connected him to Swami Dayanand Saraswati through ‘Satyarth Prakash’, which exposed Islam and Christianity. In 1879, after listening to Dayanand ji’s discourse in Bareilly, he joined the Arya Samaj and started propagating it in Jalandhar, where he began the work of protecting Hindus from Islamic allurements.
Education Revolution: Saving Hindu Children from Islamic Influence
In 1902, Swami Shraddhanand established Gurukul Kangri, which became a fortress of Vedic education. He was enraged upon hearing his daughter singing a Christian song, as it was the infiltration of foreign religions. The Gurukul kept Hindu children away from Islamic and Christian propaganda, teaching them self-respect. After his wife’s demise, in 1917, he took sanyas and fully devoted himself to Hindu upliftment, which was a wall against Islamic expansionism.
Shuddhi Movement: Challenging the Conspiracy of Islamic Conversion
Swami ji’s greatest contribution was the Shuddhi Movement, which brought back Hindus converted over centuries through Islamic sword and allurements to their home. In 1920, the return of thousands of Malkana Muslim Rajputs in Uttar Pradesh infuriated the Muslim League and Jamaats. In Punjab, Bihar, Maharashtra, he connected countless ‘Muslim’-named Hindus to their roots, explaining that India’s Muslims are originally descendants of Hindu ancestors, whom Islamic invaders forcibly changed. But this movement became a threat to Islamic fundamentalists, as it was cutting the roots of their expansion. The homecoming of Mewatis and other communities created hatred in Muslim organizations, who cannot tolerate Hindu unity.
The Hypocrisy of Hindu-Muslim Unity: The Jama Masjid Speech and Betrayal
Swami Shraddhanand spoke of Hindu-Muslim unity, but it was not Islamic appeasement. In 1919, by delivering a speech with Vedic mantras in Delhi’s Jama Masjid, he showed that true unity should be based on shared Hindu heritage, not on Islamic jihad. The assembly took place amid shouts of ‘Allaho Akbar’, but the Muslim crowd tolerated it because the effect of Shuddhi had not yet appeared. Later, when Shuddhi started reducing the Muslim population, the Muslim League and Jamaats began opposing it, proving that their ‘unity’ is just an excuse to weaken Hindus.
Freedom Struggle: Distance from Gandhi ji’s Appeasement
Swami ji played an active role in Congress, proposing complete independence in the 1919 Amritsar session. But he disagreed with Gandhi ji on linking the Khilafat to the Non-Cooperation Movement, calling it Muslim appeasement and a boost to Islamic fundamentalism. He warned that it would strengthen Islamic forces that want to destroy Hindu culture. In the 1921 Malabar massacre, Muslims slaughtered thousands of Hindus, which was a gift of Khilafat. Swami ji went there, but Congress and Gandhi ji did not condemn this Islamic violence, as they wanted to save the Muslim vote bank. Thus, Swami ji left Congress, realizing that a separate path is necessary for protecting Hindu interests.
Sacrifice: Another Example of Islamic Jihad
On 23 December 1926 in Delhi, the Muslim fanatic Abdul Rashid showered bullets on Swami ji. This was no ordinary murder, but a conspiracy of the Muslim League, Jamaats, and missionaries who wanted to stop the Shuddhi Movement. Swami ji was 70 years old and ill, but Islamic hatred spared him not. The killer made comments on the Prophet an excuse, but in reality, it was jihad against Hindu awakening. Gandhi ji defended the killer by calling him ‘brother’ in the Congress session, which was insulting to Hindus. This shows how Islamic appeasement weakened Hindu leaders.
Warning Against the Islamic Threat
Swami Shraddhanand’s life is a symbol of protecting the Hindu nation, culture, and self-respect. He fought against Islamic expansionism and jihad, but fundamentalists killed him. His sacrifice teaches Hindus to abandon the hypocrisy of Islamic unity and protect themselves. Otherwise, massacres like Malabar will repeat. A hundred salutes to this immortal warrior, who was a light against Islamic darkness!
