New Delhi, Jan 20 (NationPress) On the occasion of the death anniversary of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as the ‘Frontier Gandhi’, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked on Tuesday that this esteemed freedom fighter made significant contributions to India’s independence struggle, facing numerous imprisonments for his steadfast beliefs.

In a post on the social media platform X, Kharge honored the revered leader, stating, “In heartfelt remembrance of Bacha Khan, the Frontier Gandhi, a recipient of the Bharat Ratna and a symbol of peace, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.”

“A monumental figure in the freedom movement, he made substantial contributions to India’s independence and endured multiple imprisonments for his ideals. He also held a position on the Congress Working Committee and was a member of the Constituent Assembly,” Kharge highlighted.

Emphasizing his philosophy, the Congress leader noted, “His unwavering commitment to nonviolence, harmony, and human dignity continues to motivate millions across India and South Asia, reminding us of the collective principles that unite us.”

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was born in 1890 in Utmanzai, present-day Pakistan. From an early age, he was actively engaged in promoting education and literacy among his fellow Indians. At the age of twenty, he established the first of several schools aimed at social reform and empowerment.

A prominent leader from the Pashtun community, Khan became deeply involved in the Indian independence movement during protests against the Rowlatt Act, where he first encountered Mahatma Gandhi. His relentless activism led to his imprisonment and harsh treatment on multiple occasions between 1920 and 1947.

He later became a part of the Khilafat Movement and, in 1921, was elected president of a district Khilafat Committee in the North-West Frontier Province. In 1929, he initiated the nonviolent Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, also known as the Red Shirt Movement, which closely aligned with the Congress party and played an essential role until the Partition of India in 1947.

While Mahatma Gandhi was spearheading the freedom struggle in mainland India, the North-West Frontier Province witnessed the emergence of another Mahatma—Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Deeply inspired by Gandhi’s nonviolence philosophy, Badshah Khan, as he was affectionately referred to, organized the world’s first large-scale nonviolent army in the region.

He successfully urged nearly 100,000 individuals to renounce violence and commit to combating the British through peaceful means. This group was named the Khudai Khidmatgar, translating to “Servants of God.”

Khan was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the North-West Frontier Province as a Congress member. Although not heavily engaged in debates, he contributed to the Advisory Committee. He strongly opposed the Partition of India but opted to remain in Pakistan, where he continued to champion nonviolence and sought greater autonomy for the Pashtun community.

His advocacy in Pakistan resulted in repeated imprisonments lasting nearly seventeen years. Later, he lived in exile in Afghanistan until 1972.

In 1987, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan became the first non-Indian to be awarded India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna. He passed away on January 20, 1988, in Peshawar and was interred in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.