Gadag‑Betigeri Citizens’ Resolution on Secularism, Hindu‑Muslim Unity, and the Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

Sub title : Resolutions and appeals from the citizens of Gadag‑Betigeri (Karnataka) addressed to the Government and the Congress

Subject: Gadag-Betigeri | Secularism | Hindu-Muslim unity | Mahatma Gandhi | Congress party | Language policy

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 201 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 28897

Keyword: Gadag-Betigeri -- Kannada resolution -- Hindu-Muslim unity -- Mahatma Gandhi -- Congress | Secularism -- Hyderabad 1948 -- Communal harmony -- Post-independence India

Abstract: This file contains handwritten political resolutions and appeals in Kannada script from the citizens of Gadag‑Betigeri (present‑day Karnataka). The documents express support for secular principles, condemn communal violence, and call for religious tolerance between Hindus and Muslims. They invoke the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress party’s vision for a united, secular India. Specific references are made to the situation in Hyderabad, urging the government to prevent atrocities and uphold justice. The resolutions also emphasize the importance of linguistic and cultural harmony, and appeal to all communities to work together for national integration. The date references (12‑12‑1947 and 14‑1‑1948) place the document in the immediate post‑independence period, when communal tensions were high and the Hyderabad issue was unresolved.

Description: The Kannada documents are political resolutions and appeals written by the residents of Gadag‑Betigeri, a town in present‑day Karnataka, India, dated around late 1947 and early 1948. The text invokes Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals, criticises communal hatred, and calls upon the government and the Congress party to uphold secularism and protect minority rights. Specific reference is made to the Hyderabad state, which was then facing a crisis that led to its police action in September 1948. The resolution urges all communities to follow Gandhian principles of non‑violence and truth. The document reflects the anxieties and hopes of ordinary citizens in South India during the turbulent early months after independence.Contain fragmented, repetitive text that does not form a coherent message; they may be misfiled or damaged. The material was scanned by the National Archives of Pakistan, though its origin appears to be Indian. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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