What
I saw in
By
Balshastri Hardas
of Nagpur
A brief
chronology
1945
May
War in Europe
ended with defeat of Germany.
June
Viceroy Lord
Wavell called for a Conference of Indian leaders to discuss formation of an
interim Government at Centre. It was held in Simla on from 25 June onwards.
Hindu Maha Sabha was excluded. Jinnah insisted that he should have the
exclusive right to nominate Muslim members of the Interim Government.
July
General elections
were held in Britain, resulting in a landslide victory for the Labour Party.
Attlee took over as Prime Minister from Churchill on 10th.
September
On the 2nd, Japan
surrendered.
December 1945/
January 1946
Elections were
held in all the Provinces of India. Congress Party won by a landslide in all
the HINDU constituencies, but failed to get a single seat in Muslim
constituencies. Congress formed governments in
1946
March
Cabinet
June
29th
- Members of caretaker Government are announced. Cabinet mission leaves
July
29th - Council of
the Muslim League at a meeting in Bombay resolved to withdraw its acceptance of
the Cabinet Mission's proposals set forth in the statement of 16 May in view of
Nehru’s statement of 10th July and to resort to "Direct
Action" to achieve Pakistan.
31st
Wavell meets Nehru who was rather shaken by Muslim League resolution
August
16th - As a result of ‘Direct Action’ of Muslim
League, Great Calcutta killings of Hindus took place lasting for four days,
5,000 Hindus were killed, 15,000 injured. On the 18th even Sarat
Chandra Bose leader of Bengal Congress (and brother of Subhash Chandra Bose)
rang Wavell and protested that during riots police in
September
2 - Nehru takes
office as Vice President of the Viceroy's Executive Council and member for
External Affairs. Patel becomes Minister for Home Affairs, Information and
Broadcasting.
October
Between 10th and
17th Muslims killed Hindus in
Muslims, of
course, played down this massacre, and the Congress led Provincial Governments
suppressed the truth from Hindus by using their power. As an example, on 26
June, Bombay Government stopped advertisements to Agrani (Nathuram
Godse's newspaper) by a single order and transferred them to Lokashakti
a rival daily. Few days later, Bombay Government forfeited 6,000 Rupees
security of Agrani and ordered the paper to close down Nathuram started
a new paper, Hindu Rashtra next day. But again he was ordered to pay
5,000 Rupees security.
It had been portrayed at that time that
as a result of the Noakhali massacre, Hindus of
A book was
published in 1946 describing horrors of Nehru’s policy. Of course, it was
suppressed by the Congress Party. Dr Nene of Badoda managed to get a photocopy
for me. I have scanned it and converted the text in WORD form.
Please note that
the language is 60 years old and those who wrote were not graduates. Some words
may not make sense and in some places the print was smudged. Despite these
defects, the document is worth studying.
Roots of present
day problems are in our History. We must never forget our History.
If you want to do
further research, please visit the British Library in
If you need
further information, please contact me.
V
Some -
explanations
Prime Minister –
Under the Government of India Act 1935,
Each Province had
its own legislature with two chambers. The upper chamber was called Legislative
Council, whose members were selected from specific groups, e.g. graduates,
businessmen.
The lower chamber
was called Legislative Assembly. Its members were elected by general elections.
They were called M L A s But please remember that only 10% of the population
had the vote.
--------
Some terms
B P C C -
M.L.A – member of
Legislative Assembly
A P I –
Associated Press of India (a news agency)
S I – Sub
Inspector of Police
D S P – District
Superintendent of Police
S D O – Sub
divisional officer
P S - Police station / Post Script
Khakasar –
Private army of the Muslim League
Section 93 – of
the Government of
Section 144 – of
the Indian Penal Code.
A District
Magistrate could prohibit public meetings for maintaining Law and order. But
these are only emergency powers.
WHAT I SAWIN |
*
by
BALSHASTHI
HARDAS
PRESIDENT
HINDU
SANGHATANIST PARTY,
*
Price Rs 1/8/-
Published by:
Rashtradharma
Prasarak Granthamala
Printed by:
P V Belwalkar
At Harihareshwar
Press
Mahal
The Hindu public
must feel obliged to Sahityacharya Balshastri Hardas for having published at an
opportune time his book, namely, " What l saw in Bihar. '' Therein
he gives a pen-picture of the happenings that took place in Bihar, wherefrom
every impartial reader will be convinced that the Bihar Hindus were more sinned
against than the sinners themselves, and had had to suffer terribly and even
now are required so to suffer at the hands of their own co-religionists in the
name of the so-called truth and the protection of the minority Muslim
community. I request every Hindu to read the Book through and through and draw
therefrom the right Iessons for his guidance and action.
L. B. Bhopatkar,
President,
All
(1)
times are most
critical for the Hindus, which are the backbone of the country.
The political
situation in the country is rapidly getting worse and worse since the notorious
Simla Conference in July 1945, and each succeeding step which the British have
taken thereafter and the Congress reaction to it, in spite of its appeasement
policy, has resulted in increased bitterness of the Muslim League against the
Hindus. Hindus were threatened with massacres like the Historical ones by
Chengiskhan and others. The Muslim League propaganda machine was working at a
high pitch to disseminate hatred against the Hindus.
(2) Hindus were
all this time quiet and peaceful. Neither the British nor the
Congress raised
their little finger to stop this vile and vitriolic propaganda of the Muslim
League. Finally the Muslim League passed their notorious ‘direct action’
resolution (August 1946) but the British Government, which arrested all
Congress leaders in (August) 1942, immediately after the Congress passed its
direct action (Quit India) resolution and declared the Congress illegal, did
not take any notice of the Muslim League resolution apparently because it is
the proverbial, favourite wife. Thus encouraged the Muslim League Government of
Bengal, declared a holiday on
non-league Muslims
keeping the Muslim League seats vacant against their future entry any time
(September 1946). It was naturally expected by every man with reason and
conscience that if and when the Muslim League decided to enter the Interim
Government they would be asked to withdraw their ‘direct action’
resolution before they entered.
But this never
happened. Whether the Muslim League bamboozled Lord Wavell the then Viceroy or
whether he duped the Congress we are not concerned. The fact remains that the
Muslim League were allowed to enter the Government with their ‘direct
action’ resolution flourishing with full force against the Hindus. They
were in the happy position of hunting with the hound and running with the hare
and they took lull advantage of it and the Congress members of the Interim
Government were looking on supinely like boobies or old cronies and their high
priest was administering dose after dose of his Ahimsa to the point of nausea,
to the down trodden Hindus and asking them not to resist or retaliate but to
die peacefully. The enemies of Hindus want nothing better. This is exactly what
they want to facilitate their task of extirpating the Hindus wherever they can
do so.
By all accounts
the Hindu is a tolerant race. Even Mahatma Gandhi has said once that the
average Hindu was a coward and the average Muslim was a bully. In spite of this
the Hindu is calumniated and the Muslim Leaguers lay great emphasis on the fear
of Hindu domination because it pays them to do so and use it as a plank for
propaganda in favour of
Mr. Balshastry
Hardas a young and energetic Hindu worker of
personally gone to
Dr. N. B. Khare,
Prime
Minister,
|
No |
Title |
Author |
pages |
|
1 |
What I saw in |
Balshastri
Hardas |
9 –16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
Statements |
Dr B S Moonje
and Kumar Ganganand Sinha |
17 –20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
What happened
in Monghyr? |
Secretary, Town
Hindu Sabha, Monghyr |
21 – 26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
What happened
in Bihar Shareef Sub-division? |
The poor Hindus
of Bihar Shareef Sub-division |
27 – 31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
What happened
in Jahanabad |
Secretary Jahanbad Hindu
Sabha |
32 – 35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
Kharagpur
Incidents |
P Vice President Hindu Mahasabha Haveli
Kharagpur |
36 – 38 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
|
Secretary Sheikapura,
Monghyr |
39 –41 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
What happened
at Sheikhpura? |
Secretary Sheikapura |
42 – 44 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
Anti-Hindu
Policy of the Congress Government |
Secretary Town Hindu
Sabha, |
45—46 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
An important
document |
Town Hindu
Sabha Barbigha |
47 – 48 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
Letters to
Secretary B.P.C.C |
Nandkishan
Agrawal |
49 – 50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 |
A suggestion to
Pandit Nehru |
A peace loving
Biharee. |
51- 52 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 |
Letter to P.M
of |
Dr B S Munje |
53 –55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 |
Mr Huq’s view |
A P I |
56 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 |
Proceedings in
Central Legislative Assembly |
A P I |
57- 61 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
16 |
Reported |
A.P.I |
62 |
[A Brief
report of the recent happenings in Bihar prepared by Sahityacharya Balshastri
Hardas, President of All India Hindusanghatanist Party and forwarded to the
President of .All India Hindu Sabha]
While Dharmaveer
Dr Moonje was lying in bed by an attack of asthama he
received an
urgent telegram on
In the
Congress-hired press (that is almost all the newspapers) it was being
propagated
regularly that Hindus of Bihar had committed terrible atrocities on Muslims as
a revenge of
On the 12th November1946 morning, we started for
Who started the rioting
in
At
We took down
reports and statements from respective tables from these places. From all such
statements, reports, confessions of the Military authorities who did actual
firing work, evidence procured in courts, oral and written applications of
Hindu victims, actual photos of innocent people, who had been shot down; some
remnant parts of machine gun and Bren gun bullets, we now are in a position to
sum up the story of Bihar riots and give our judgment on it. Such a short
report was already prepared by Dr. Moonje and handed over to Mr. Shrikrishna
Sinha, Bihar Premier. I personally mean to publish an exhaustive report in a
book-form as soon as possible. This report is being given to the public
specially to enable them to understand the real situation of
Moreover to
remove all misunderstanding and misapprehensions about the nature of the Hindu
resistance and sufferings in
Throughout rural
We do not feel
astonished how such a big dangerous conspiracy could be accomplished in a Hindu
province, ruled by a so-called democratic party, the Congress. Congress
Ministry by its inactivity, pro-Muslim policy, and in its eagerness to overdo a
stage-show of Muslim protection, indirectly became a party to Muslim conspiracy
and betrayed the public trust confided in it by Hindus of Bihar. The Ministers
were all the while keen and busy wit their party work. They relied on the
invocation of Mr Gandhi and God. They perhaps thought they were elected to
fight against the British only. What had they to do with this Muslim
aggression? It was after all a communal question. In spite of being in office,
they had to be neutral and inactive.
The moment the
Muslims thought their preparations were complete and it was time to strike,
they easily found some pleas to hit the spark. Not even a single riot began
except with a gun shot from a Muslim goonda (thug).
1. The fiery
propaganda of Muslim League Direct Action. The irresponsible speeches of
Muslim leaders like Mr Gazanfar Ali. Mr Liyaquat Ali Khan and Mr Jinnah.
2. The heavy
losses of Biharis in
3. It is heard
the emigrants being mainly Bengali Muslims and brought educated Hindu girls
from
4. On Bakar Id
occasion the Muslims committed cow slaughter publicly
and challenged
the religious and manly sentiments of Hindus.
5. There was news
that some Muslims had taken out procession of Brahmin and Mahar victims, who
were then sacrificed before a mosque.
6. Rapes on Hindu
girls committed publicly, which is very common practice with Muslims. There was
news of some incidents of unnatural intercourse with cows in public market and
Hindus were given open challenge to protect their
mothers.
7. Last but not
the least Muslims themselves started the riots by shooting the Hindus.
In spite of all
such huge preparations the Muslims had to repent for their follies; Bhumipar
Brahmins and Gops of Bihar, renowned for their customary bravery and hard
fighting soon retaliated and the Muslims had to taste the bitter fruits of
their own aggression. Hindus; led counter attack so vehemently and decidedly
that Muslims gave way, fell down and rolled before them. They were defeated,
uprooted, and exterminated. The Muslims gathered in mosques and brought to bay,
began firing desperately. Hundreds of Hindu Martyrs exhausted their ammunition
by paying full cost of their lives and then Hindus punished the Muslims. Mr
Vallabhbhai Patel only recently said, “Sword shall be answered with sword.” But
mere words however might there be, could not save the honour of congress in
tins land. The Bihari Hindus acted and gave a honourable fight to this roaring.
As soon as the
tables were turned against them, the Muslims began to cry for
Help. The
congress ever eager to flatter booz the Muslims hastened to succumb. Mr Nehru
in his pride of so-called premiership who till now contented himself with
speaking crocodile tears, at once rushed on the stage of
bombs.
machine-gun them if they did not slop at once. He now, feeling the prick of his
conscience and somewhat ashamed of his rashness, is making a fuss that he did
not utter any such threat in
Mr. Nehru did not
contend himself with mere threats; he executed them. He behaved childishly. He
treated the Bihari Hindus peevishly. He did not care to give audience to the
legitimate complaints of Hindus. “I have
come here only for Muslims and not for you." he warned the Hindus. In
spite of this warning some Hindus tried to speak to him but they were thrashed
personally by Mr. Nehru himself. Mr. Nehru seems to be very fond of wrestling
and boxing with Hindus. Once he ran alter a Hindu questioner, who for fear of
being kicked by such a great patriot and votary of non-violence Jumped into a
river. Mr. Nehru rashly and childishly himself jumped after him and began to
swim. On the bank, thousands of Hindus and police officers were looking at this
ridiculous scene with anger and contempt. When after complete dismay Mr Nehru
returned to
Atrocities
of the Military.
Mr. Nehru’s visit
to
clearly shows
that the congress propaganda is nothing but. a terrible lie .In
The true episode
of Nagarnosa is as follows:—
The place lies in
This story has
been gathered from all the statements of affected people themselves. We have
kept with us 23 remnant parts of those bullets. Tulsiprasad told us that even
Mr Nehru was shown 93 bullets. What happened in Nagarnosa was repeated in other
places also. We have given its detailed report in our larger work.
The Earth
was covered with dead bodies.
It is difficult
to ascertain the exact number of Hindu victims. One big Congress leader of
The Bihar
Ministry has proved to be inactive, unjust, blind and cowardly. The Congress
Govt had instructed the military to shoot, to kill and not to miss the target.
They were warned not to hesitate and were promised not only protection but also
special reward for effective firing. All Hindu volunteers organisations and
R.S.S branches had already been banned to parade, but the Khaksars and Muslim
League volunteers were specially allowed to wander everywhere in Military Khaki
dress. Lacs of rupees ( 1 Lac is 100,000 )are being squandered over Muslim refugees,
while Hindu refugees are denied even ordinary legitimate help. (One Lac is
100,000)
We ourselves saw
with our own eyes hundreds of naked weeping Hindu refugees; in Gazipur camp.
Even a handful of grain was denied to them. All arms of Hindus have been
confiscated, but Muslims are spared even illegitimate guns and ammunition.
Nobody enlists complaints from the Hindus. They are arrested and prosecuted for
defending themselves.
We hereby most
humbly request the Congress Govt of Bihar to be just, at least now and to stop
all import overflow of Khakasars and Muslim League volunteers in
The next step to
be taken is to make a search for arms in Muslim control, in order to avoid
another bloody riot.
Our beloved
Doctor is perhaps the first Hindu leader of
It is the
foremost duty of the Hindus, all over
---------------
Statement issued by Dr B S Moonje,
Acting President, All
“To start with we
must first of all whole-heartedly congratulate and express our feelings of
grateful thanks to the Hindu masses of Bihar who have boldly removed the black
blot of disgrace that was sought to be put on the face of the Hindus of Bihar
under the supposition that the Hindus of Bihar being a majority community did
not show consideration towards and protect the interests of the Muslims who are
in minority in Bihar. The fact however, we boldly and frankly declare, is quite
otherwise. In our tour of about a fortnight in the disturbed parts of
(about 25
villages) where the communications are the worst and sometimes
dangerous.
We have not found
one single incident where the Hindu took the initiative in committing;
aggressions on their MusaIman neighbours even though they were few and far
between. Always and in every instance of disturbance the story was told of how
the Muslims though quite in a minority being encouraged and reinforced by
outsider Musalmans have given provocations, thrown defiant challenges and even
actually committed acts of aggressions such as evil intentioned assaults and
even rape on Hindu women, murdering unsuspecting Hindus and committing loot and
arson of houses of innocent Hindus. No doubt the Hindus’ mind was terribly
agitated and even embittered, having read and heard reports from Bengal of
inhuman bestialities committed by the Muslims on the Hindus without any
provocation whatsoever such as forcible marriages of Hindu girls and, abduction
of Hindu women and forced conversions of Hindus, all on a mass scale and yet
the innate peaceful temperament of the Hindus quietly put up with all these
acts of aggression; but there is a limit to the patience of even a worm.
All this Muslim
aggression was planned and calculated with the object of terrorising the Hindus
so that the Congress may eventually succumb and yield to the Muslim demand of
division of
The Mahatma,
having readily assumed that the Hindus were guilty of sins of omissions and
commissions and have disgraced the humanity, declared as a penance in expiation
of the sins that he will fast unto death if the violence in Bihar would not be
stopped. The Hindu mass stepped in their tradition of love and meekness towards
those who are looked upon as a saint, succumbed to the threat. Beside, Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru hurled threats that he will bomb them from the air and
machine-gun them from the ground as if these murderous weapons are reserved for
being used against the Hindus alone. Consequently whatever violence there was,
has now practically ceased though it is still kept up here and there by Muslim
hooligans themselves. But the Muslim violence in Bengal and elsewhere not only
continues but also is being further organised on the scientific and analytical
basis to achieve their object of establishing a separate sovereignty of Muslims
in Punjab and in Bengal and its contiguous provinces Assam, and Orissa with
establishing a corridor between.
Thus it is
absolutely wrong to assume that what violence has taken place so far in
In fact it is a
war declared by the Muslims against the Hindus. Some say it is civil war, but
it does not appear to be even that. Mr Jinnah and the Muslim League have been
protesting and preaching that, because they profess Islam, they are entirely a
separate nation having nothing in common with the Hindus. Mr Jinnah has even
gone to the length of declaring that he is not even an Indian. Therefore, it is
not a civil war but a war between two nations like the Anglo-German war. Taking
such a realistic though painful view of the situation, the Hindu ministry and
government of
From this point
of view, we would like to tender respectfully a few suggestions to the Hindu
ministry of Bihar. They are as follows :–
(1)
Mass-migration of Bihar Muslims for settlement from
(2) That the
Muslim League appears to have drawn up a scheme of creating a Muslim corridor
for organic connection from
(3) There is a
general complaint that the Muslim evacuees are being fed and clothed on the
most generous scale as of they are state guests. On the other
hand, the Hindu
evacuees are absolutely uncared for and neglected; practically no food and no
clothing has been distributed to them. This is causing great demoralisation
amongst the Hindu masses and at the same time, great elation of feeling in the
Muslim evacuees who jauntily parade their importance over the Hindus of the
place. This must be put a stop to immediately. Practically all violence has
ceased now and there appears no reason why system of evacuee treatment should
be any further continued. The Ministry out of a brotherly feeling of
appeasement is spending money mostly of the Hindus from the Government
treasury, but the credit goes to the Muslim League, which is bent upon
discrediting and sabotaging the Hindu Ministry of Bihar.
(4)
Indiscriminate arrests are now taking place. Most of the people who are thus
arrested are Hindus. There are complaints of great and even wilful
discrimination in the matter giving bails. We are told that Muslims who are
arrested are given bails immediately and easily while excuses of various kinds
are put forward in giving bails to the Hindus. The Hindus are thus harassed and
kept for long in custody. This causes great demoralisation amongst the Hindus,
which however, is not due to head-breakings and killings of the disturbances
but to Government actions. Great panic prevails amongst the Hindus, which ought
to be allayed as fast as possible.
(5) There are
rumours that the Government intends to set up a special tribunal for disposing
of these riot cases. From the past experience it would be safe to say that it
would be inadvisable and even tragic. Ordinary procedure of law should be
allowed to prevail, but in the interest of peace and concord, we feel that now
that the violence has ceased, general amnesty should be declared to induce
feelings of a spirit of gratefulness to the Government and a desire .of
amicable reconcilement between Hindus and Muslims living in the same locality.
We have had talks privately on the subject with experienced and retired judges
and they appear to share our fears as well as our hopes.
(6) Muslim
refugees, it is reported, have occupied the Government and
Municipal grounds
and properties in towns. They should be made to evacuate immediately. Further,
Mr Jinnah has made a proposal for transport of refugees. Without, going into
details, we should say that this proposal of transport of populations besides
being thoroughly impracticable, is a double-edged weapon. Muslim and Hindu
interests are bound to come into terrible conflict. The demand, if conceded,
will increase the violence of the disturbances, and instead of peace being
established, it would tremendously increase the animosity and the bitterness
already existing. The Bihar Government should forcefully resist the demand.
Now we should
refer briefly to the propaganda that is carried on by the
Socialists who
say that, for the disturbances that are caused in
As for the Hindu
Mahasabha it needs no special mention here that the flood of
the last
elections (December 1945/ January 1946) had entirely wiped it out. But it is
now again raising its head, but not with the object of offending anybody or
putting obstacles in the way of the administration of the Congress Ministry but
for the re-establishment of Law and Order and for preventing breaches of public
peace for which the Hindu Mahasabha is whole-heartedly prepared to co-operate
with the Congress Ministry.
As for Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to
In the end, we
again beg to emphasize the fact that the provocation and actual aggression
which started these disturbances has come from the Musalmans of Bihar as a
pre-determined plan of Direct Action started by Mr. Jinnah against the
Congress and the Hindus. We are glad that we are wholly corroborated in this
estimate of the situation by no less an organisation than the All-India Shia
Conference who have unequivocally stated that all this trouble is the direct
result of the Muslim League’s demand of Pakistan and its propaganda in this behalf.
They further say that it has been worsened by the Congress policy of
appeasement of the Muslim League. The Hindus of Bihar kept their patience for
long but eventually retaliated boldly and manfully purely in self-defence. We
must give the credit to the Hindu masses of Bihar for maintaining the civilised
tenets of their culture even during the progress of the disturbances though
they were at the time without any leaders to guide them and advise them. They
have not done anything cowardly and whatever they have done is thoroughly
justifiable by political morality.”
Sd / Dr B S Moonje
Sd/ Kumar Ganganand Sinha
P.S: - It is most
unfortunate to note that owing to Mahatma Gandhi’s propaganda of non-violence
on with religious frenzy during the last 25 years which however Mahatma Gandhi
himself, owing to his bitter experience in
Noakhali is now
suspecting to have ended in failure; the Hindus remained absolutely unaware and
did not take advantage, which the ending of the last war had offered for
purchasing of various kinds of war-weapons. The Hindus are therefore generally
found to be unarmed so far as particularly the firearms are concerned. The
Muslims, on the other hand, being more realistic in politics and without caring
whether their agitation against the Hindus for Pakistan is violent or
otherwise, have taken full advantage of the occasion and are found to be
well-armed particularly in respect of firearms. This disparity between the
Mussulmans should be removed by all means possible. The Muslims have firearms
in their possession both lawfully and otherwise, and it is generally complained
that the Hindus are not given facilities for securing licences for possessing
firearms. This is the serious defect on the aside of the Hindus who are faced
by the actual declaration of what I may call a war against them by the
Mussulmans though they call it merely the ‘Direct Action’. This defect
must be removed or otherwise the Muslims must be seen to be as thoroughly
disarmed as the Hindus.
Dr B S Moonje
Telegram to the
PRIME MINISTER OF BIHAR, PATNA
We were surprised
to learn that near Tarapur more than two hundred Hindu refugees had fixed their
own camp themselves unaided by Government near Muslim Refugees’ Camp set up by
District authorities. Hindu refugees were absolutely ignored and uncared for so
much so that some of them were actually naked and weeping. No food, clothing or
relief of any kind was afforded to them. When this matter was brought to notice
of local authority one Mr Khan, Officer-in-charge, he pleaded complete
ignorance of their existence although the place was so close to Muslim
refugees’ camp, that it could not have escaped notice. He further said that he
did not know whether there was any refugees' camp at all for the Hindus. We are
informed that Muslim refugees attacked the inmates of Hindu refugees camp but
the attack was frustrated by local Hindus who immediately collected in numbers
to their rescue. Local authorities have been requested to look to them and they
have promised to do the needful. We appeal to you to investigate into the
matter and issue orders for giving them relief.”
Dr B S Moonje
25-11-1946
What happened
in Monghyr?
ACHARYA KRIPLANI,
President, Indian
National Congress.
Memorandum
submitted on behalf of the Hindu Mahasabha, Monghyr with regard to the communal
riots in the district.
Sir,
Monghyr, where
communal riots were unknown only a year back, has witnessed a long series of
them and last but not least, the most devastating present riot which staggers
imagination. The All-India causes, which led to the India-wide communal riots,
are not unknown. Here we propose to discuss only the local causes.
The Muslim League
had been active in the district for the past few years. It was waiting for a
congenial atmosphere, which was provided when a galaxy of high administrative
officials all imbued with the League spirit held the reins of administration.
Thus the illegal
interferences with the religious rites and festivities of the Hindus began.
Sponsored by the Muslim League these interferences were connived at by the
local officials and flourished under the intransigence of the Bihar Government.
To illustrate this fact we propose to discuss the stages by which the communal
frenzy arose and seized the whole of the district.
1. Early in the
month of February last a drama which aimed at the Hindu Muslim unity was to be
staged in the Zilla School on the occasion of Saraswati Puja, a festival. Some
of the Muslim students protested ‘it was a caricature of the Muslim League’ and
Mr Khurshaid Hussain, the then District Magistrate, on the initiative of the
Muslim League leaders, curtailed it. In other schools of the town the hooligans
created disturbances and on the subsequent day when the procession was to be
taken out the authorities were approached for police protection, when there was
an apprehension of some trouble.
The procession
was heavily stoned from a mosque, the image was thrown into a gutter and
defiled and a large number of Hindus sustained severe injuries.
Rowdyism was further
aggravated when some League hooligans looted one shop of a nationalist Muslim
to teach him a lesson. It is noteworthy that the procession was attacked under
the very nose of Mr Bashiruddin, the Additional Superintendent of Police and
the loot was made despite police patrols.
Mischief had
already been enacted the then followed the indiscriminate arrests and
house-searches of a large number of innocent and respectable Hindus,
prosecution against many of whom are still pending.
The authorities
resorted to all sorts of tactics to tyrannise the peace-loving Hindus but not a
hand was raised against the hooligans who stoned the procession and looted the
shops. Not a single arrest was made at the spot nor the mosque from where the
brickbats rained was searched although the mischief continued for about an hour
in the presence of the Additional Superintendent of Police, Mr Bashiruddin.
Agitation was
made in the Press condemning the acts of the authorities but to them it was
ineffective.
The next step was
taken at Hissainabad in Sheikpura P.S., which is the land of the Nawabs.
Troubles were brewing up from before and mischief was apprehended. The
Ramnaswami procession, which passed peacefully along the licensed route under
military escort, was heavily battered with a thick shower of brickbats that
rained from a mosque. Several persons sustained serious injuries and the
religious ensign was snatched and torn to pieces. All this happened in the
August presence of K B Omer, the District Magistrate but not an arrest was made
at the spot nor was the blessed mosque searched.
The same day the
Hissainabad trouble echoed at Sheikhpura where some prominent leaguers had
opened fire on some innocent citizens causing injuries to many of them.
Next day the
officials exhibited vigilance and a large number of innocent Hindus were
clapped behind the prison bars and many of them were prosecuted under Section
107 of Criminal Procedures Code, which prosecutions are still pending.
The Hindus of the
place were subjected to numerous harassments and humiliations and even beef was
exposed for sale in the outlaying skirts of the Devi temple.
Protests were
made in the Press and from the platforms and Kumar Ganganand Singh, M.L.A,
agitated the matter in the Assembly. From all quarters the transfers of K B
Omer, the District Magistrate and Mr Bashiruddin, the Additional Superintendent
of Police were demanded but the Congress Government paid no heed to it and
their intransigence lulled those official to a sense of security.
3. Ceaseless were
the activities of the Muslim League and boundless was the official’s patronage.
The Holi
procession at Gangra in Jamui P.S., which was proceeding peacefully under
military escort, was again battered by a shower of brickbats, which emanated
from the mosque. The procession was dispersed and a number of Hindus were
arrested and prosecuted.
Demands for the
transfer of the District Magistrate and the Additional Superintendent of Police
was pressed for but it did not avail with the Bihar Congress Government.
The Hindu public
of Shiekhpura who were by that time groaning under the tyrannies of the Monghyr
administration held a meeting, brought out a procession and made demonstration
demanding the transfer of the District Magistrate. The same demand was echoed from
many other platforms and in the Press but with the democratic Congress
Government it was a cry in the wilderness.
4. The officials
who were allowed to play with the religious sentiments of the Hindus with
impunity had grown bold and police fire was opened at Chewara in Sheikpura P.S.
against the Hindus who had conducted their procession strictly in terms of the
licence. The subdued voice of the Hindus protested once more and demanded the
transfer of the District Magistrate but the arrogance of the Bihar Ministry
persisted and could not allow its vanity to be trifled with.
The Muslim League
was triumphantly taking long strides and marching from success to success.
Inflammatory speeches were delivered from the Muslim League platforms and
hostile demonstrations were made.
They vomited
venom and preached violence. There was much talk of ‘Direct Action’ and
one leaguer was quoted to have said the sword of Islam was thirsty for the
Hindu blood and that one Muslim was alone equal to ten Hindus
Communal bitterness
was much in evidence and persistent indifference to their religious sentiments
by the local officials and the Bihar Government had
driven them to
desperation.
In the meantime
the Muslims of Darkha in Jamui P S. brought a title suit in which they demanded
the declaration of their title to slaughter cows in their village which is
mainly inhabited by the Hindus.
The Calcutta
carnage had strained the nerves of the Hindus and their feelings were further
exasperated when leaflets containing programmes which included the abduction
and ravishing of Hindu women were widely distributed throughout the district.
The Police officials who were otherwise so over zealous in tyrannising the
Hindus look no notice of the secret meetings held in the mosques and of so many
notorious elements and implements imported from outside. The atmosphere was
surcharged with communal frenzy and in that atmosphere the local Hindu Sabha
took upon itself the responsibility of conducting the long drawn out Kali-Puja
procession peacefully. The mammoth procession passed peacefully although stones
were pelted at the procession at numerous places. Nothing untoward happened at
the instance of the Hindus and the night passed off peacefully. But the Muslim
League could not allow the situation to go unavailed.
Without the least
provocation a Hindu was fatally stabbed and rowdyism ran
rampant
throughout the town. The gun of one Hindu citizen, which was used in
self-defence, was seized and ultimately the helpless Hindu citizen had to
evacuate due to Muslim fear. In consonance with a pre-arranged plan the Muslim
in shape of refugees centralised themselves in Muslim Mohollas and mobilised
all their forces against the Hindus. Mr Yasin, the gun-dealer shifted his
entire stock of arms and ammunitions to some unknown Muslim quarter and all
side attacks on the Hindus began. As usual the police refused cognisance to
many cases lodged by the Hindus against the Muslims and acts of lawlessness
were perpetrated. The abduction of Hindu females from East Bengal and their
import into the interior villages of Bihar was a great affront to the Hindu
feelings, which were tingling with mortification.
Leaflet had
already been distributed and when the communal frenzy ran high, a cow was
slaughtered at Lakhanpur without any occasion. Muslims of Ghazipur set fire to
the houses of Kayasth and it is learnt that two Kayastha girls were raped This
was the last straw on the camel’s back and the conflagration that arose
embraced many villages.
Pitched fights
were fought among the Hindus and Muslims mainly at Tarapur, Ratanpur.
Bariarpur, Seikhpura. and other places involving many murders and some arsons.
The town remained
quiet but panic reached its peak. Goondas (thugs) from outside began pouring
in. Following an incident at Koramaidan the A S P. went there when everything
had quietened but to break vengeance it is reported that, he shot down a man.
Refugees in the
centres counted one thousand near about but Mr. Sohail received daily rations
for fifteen thousand refugees and this continued for days together. Evacuees
were entitled to utmost protection and relief but the misadministration was
highly abominable.
The surplus grain
for 14,000 persons daily were either used for the consumption of a large number
of bad elements who flocked to the town or was sold in the black market. The D.P H. insisted .on grounds of
sanitation, the relief Commissioner suggested on grounds of emergency, eminent
citizens protested to the Hindu Sabha deputation urged upon the District
Magistrate to
remove all the refugees to centralise all of them at one place outside the town
under police protection. The District Magistrate gave no effect to it as his
game could have been exposed.
The horrible
carnage that has been wrought is really condemnable but we can’t help saying
the officials arrogance which connived at all past happening is none the less
responsible for the magnitude with which the riots tore asunder the whole
district.
The very fact
that Pandit Nehru who is enshrined in the Indian heart as one of the greatest
epoch-making leader could be interrupted in his speech shows the extent of the
despair and desperation of the Hindu Multitude.
We entirely
endorse the views expressed by Pandit Nehru that Nationalism will have and must
have precedence over communal affair.
We sincerely
denounce the havoc and feel that communal strifes will impede our National
Progress. We perfectly agree with him that the privileges of minorities must be
safeguarded and the majority is responsible for the same.
We can assure
Pandit Nehru and you, Sir, that Monghyr will not lack in respecting the command
of their great National Leaders. One word from Mahatmajee and other accredited
leader will be worshiped but the agony of Monghyr Hindu citizens has got to be
properly appreciated.
We can understand
the policy of appeasement advocated by the Congress
in the interest
of Nationalism but fail to appreciate the colossal partiality of the
Bihar Congress
Government and their total indifference to the wishes of the.
majority.
Protection of the minority privileges is a responsibility of the Government but
does it behave the Bihar Congress Government to have allowed the Muslim League
to have transgressed on the religious sentiments of the Hindus?
The. Hindus have
a creed of toleration and they never intend interfering with the religious
rites and ceremonies of other communities. We can fervently hope that the
Hindus will try their best to resolve normal situation.
We look upon you,
Sir, for the proper diagnosis of the troubles and for remedying our
longstanding grievances. For the present recall of K B Omar and Mr Bashiruddin
is most needed and a change in the policy will be most welcomed.
The great panic
which has enveloped the whole of the town and has completely paralysed the
entire normal life of the town and the district is due to the imprudence of the
official who brought a large number of dead bodies from the interior mofassil
to the town and importing of still larger number of evacuees. So many dead
bodies are certainly not meant for post-mortem examination and the refugees
could have been sheltered conveniently and safely in the Mofassil areas
The exhibition of
dead bodies and the refugees in town has greatly exasperated the communal fury
and has struck terror in the heart of Hindu
people.
We sincerely
trust that your arrival will save the district from ruin and wreckage.
Secretary
To,
Dr B S Moonje,
and .
Kumar Ganganand Singh
Saviours of Hindu Samaj.
An apology.
At the very outset
we feel ashamed to approach you with an apology. Firstly for not according you
a proper reception on account of our so many limitations and shortcomings and
secondly for not having done even a small fraction of the work we ought to have
done during these communal disturbances.
We lay bare our
sincere hearts and we plead guilty for our inability to do these things.
The little we
have been able to do is due to the hearty co-operation, untiring zeal and
ungrudging sacrifice of time and energy of the few hands in our office.
For an efficient
work, men, money and Motorcars are needed but unfortunately we have none of
these things at our disposal until now.
In view of such
circumstances it is not too much to expect of you that we shall be pardoned and
not accused of our shortcomings.
For funds we
could not have appealed to other provinces as today’s question is an all India
question and poor Bengal is too much afflicted herself to accede any help to
other sister provinces and so we have to depend upon and rest
satisfied with
resources at our disposal.
In spite of these
limitations, handicaps, and shortcomings, we accede our hearty and sincere
welcome to you whom the longing eyes of the Hindus of this Sub-Division were
looking forward for their protection and guidance.
A wrong
assumption.
It is in fact
logically fallacious to assume, as it is universally done by the
Congress and the
Government, that the Hindus are to be blamed for every thing that has happened
here and elsewhere and that it is due to repercussions of brutal atrocities of
East Bengal unparalleled in the History of the world. Had this assumption and
inference been true these unfortunate happenings in our province would have
taken place soon after the shameful acts of the Muslims in Noakhali and
Tipperah or. soon after the great Calcutta killing.
Authorities
to blame.
Had timely
precautions and preventive measure been adopted by the
authorities much
of the happenings would never have taken place at all.
Origin of
the trouble.
The inciting cause
of trouble in this Sub-division was the free and profuse
distribution of
the pernicious provocations and revolutionary programme laid down by the Muslim
League for the guidance of Muslims issued by the Propaganda Department, Muslim
League, Bengal in the latter part of October, 1946, a true copy whereof is
annexed herewith.
The distribution
of this programme at once kindled the fire, excited the flame and fostered
ideas of all sorts of lawlessness amongst the Muslims en-masse in the capital
town of the province as also in this Sub-division. They had a well-organised
plan hatched for months together to afflict, terrorise and do all sorts of
mischiefs to the lives and properties of the Hindus.
In order to carry
on and carry out their planned mischiefs they began pouring
in huge numbers
into this town, to increase their strength in selected centres of mischiefs and
to collect deadly weapons, acids, petrols, coal tars by smuggling. Knowing full
well that they had to create lawlessness on the poor Hindus on a mass scale
they stocked sufficiently large quantities of grains and brought all the guns
and deadly weapons licensed and unlicensed, into this town.
Having done all
these things they began their aggression in practical shape
on the 1st of
November 1946 when they stabbed to death as many as.5 innocent Hindus,
including women and children in Mohalla Katra, one of the centres of mischiefs.
The contagion of
lawlessness spread at once like wild fire and feelings became tense
everywhere.
Lawlessness on
the part of the Muslims did not remain confined to the town and to Mohalla
Katra alone. Samples of Naokhali and Tipperah incidents were exhibited by them
in other mohallas and in the rural areas. There also poor Hindus were none the
less afflicted and subjected to violence, coercion, arson and loot of their
houses.
Since after the
incidents of stabbings in Mohalla Katra there have been various other incidents
in this town and in the villages where the Muslim population was large or armed
with guns e.g. Mohalla Imadpur, Chhaju and villages Bilaya Bigha, Nagarnohsa,
Mafi, Belchhi, Desna and Katahari etc.
The houses of
poor Hindus who had left their houses or were small in number were set on fire
in Mohalla Salooganj, Chhaju and in villages Mafi, Belchhi, Bilaya Bigha,
Dekuli, Peruka, Oiao, Desna and Asthawan etc.
Almost all the
movables including grains, cash, ornaments and clothes left in the houses
evacuated by the panic-stricken Hindus were looted away including those of Babu
Kedar Nath, Pleader, in Mohalla Kaghzi, worth several thousands, the godown
(large store) of Messrs Nandulal Girwar Lal in Mohalla Alanganj worth several
thousands, Babu Sadashiv Prasad Singh, Pleader in Mohalla Alamganj worth
several thousands, Dr Didheshwar Prasad Sharma in Mohalla Alamgunj worth about
one thousand, B Chandeshwar Prasad Singha, Pleader Mohalla Qamruddin-ganj worth
several thousands, coal weighing about 1500 maunds (about 55,000 kg) of Babu
Lachhman Sao in Mohalla Mathuria, timber worth several thousands of Bishan
Mistri in Mohalla Salooganj, Shops and houses in Mohalla Katra witnessed by
Pandit Sheel Bhadra Yajee himself, shops and houses in Mohalla Chhaju and
numerous houses in Mohalla Banolia and in villages Mafi, Belchhi, Oiao, Bilayabigha,
Desna, Asthawan etc.
A tide of Muslim
volunteers in full fledged military dress armed with guns and
weapons carried
on the massacre of poor Hindus on a mass scale in village Nagarnohsa. Even now
for the last several days what is happening in villages in Asthawan Thana is
the pleasure of man-hunting resorted to by the mobilised Muslims of Belchhi
Mafi, Hargawan, Desna, Asthawan, Dekuli and Perka. Persistent reports to this
effect are coming to our office, to the police and to the authorities but it is
deplorable and our sheer misfortune that the authorities have been sitting
tight over the matter and not affording any protection to the Hindus even to
evacuate these villages.
Women folk and
children who go out in the fields in the morning and evening
for answering
calls of nature are victimised and made shikars (shooting targets) of gunshots.
Conduct
of Police.
For over a week
the informations sought to be lodged in Bihar Thana by the
poor Hindus were
torn off and thrown away by the Muslim D S P and by the Muslim S.I.P in
Asthawan Thana.
Not only that
these Muslim officers have not properly acquitted themselves but the police
Sub-Inspectors of Asthawan, Chandi and Giriak thana have fostered and
perpetrated lawlessness on poor Hindus in league with the Muslims.
Muslim S.I.
Police at Asthawan and the S I Police of Giriak having been carrying on
indiscriminate assaults, arrests and gun-firing on innocent Hindus in villages
Markatta, and Bhadai to such an extent that the dying declaration of one such
victim had to be recorded by the Magistrate on report of his precarious
condition by the doctor.
The Muslim Doctor
in the local Hospital and the Muslim telegraph clerk in the local post office
also did not fail to play their respective parts. The Muslim Doctor has
betrayed and exposed himself by his differential treatment towards the Muslims
and the Hindus.
Even the
telegraph clerk would not receive messages from Hindus for transmission on
false plea of pressure of work.
The growing
menace and source of apprehension to the poor Hindus of this town is the
incessant influx of Muslim refugees and volunteers in Military dress and armed
with weapons into this town. In spite of the fact having been brought to the
notice of the authorities and Mt Everest rank Congress leaders, no heed has
been paid to it so far.
In spite of
promulgation of curfew and section 144 orders and local Government Ordinances
Dated 12-11-46 the Muslims have been observing them only in their violations
and breaches without any legal consequences.
Guns and other
deadly weapons have been recovered from Muslim train
passengers and
several other persons including the Head Master of the Grunning Soghra H E
School. Bihar.
The Muslim
goondas (thugs) with deadly weapons arrested by the Military police in
Mohalla Chhaju
were let off cleanly by the local Muslim P. S. P.
Congress
attitude.
The attitude of
the Congress and its leaders is wholly partial and differential.
No protection or
relief is afforded even to really deserving Hindus as against their doors
having been freely opened to the Muslims. Even then the Muslim Leaguers would
persist in saying that Congress is a purely Hindu Organization meant only for
the safety of the Hindus. The poor Hindus in this province would not have
shared a worse fate even under a League
Government
False and
exaggerated reports.
We can assure you
with certainty that false and abnormally exaggerated reports have been given by
the press, by the Congress leaders and by the Muslim leaguers about Hindu
aggressions which can be revealed only if impartial enquiries attended by Hindu
Sabha Workers are conducted.
Work done
by as.
apprising the
authorities and the top Rank Leaders of the situation and the victimisations of
the Hindus. We have been affording reliefs to the patients, to the refugees and
to their dependants to the best of our capacities and we have been carrying on
a vigorous propaganda of our Sangathan works amongst the Hindus.
It is remarkable
that in spite of so many provocations and aggressions by the
Muslims the
Hindus of this town have restrained themselves and there has not been even a
single instance of murder, loot or arson by the Hindus.
Our immediate
needs therefore are as follows :-
1. The Police D.
S. P. Bihar, S. I. from Chandi. Asthawan and Giriak should be removed at once.
2. The local
doctor and the telegraph clerk should likewise be transferred to
some other place
at once.
3. The Muslim
outsiders should be segregated and kept under strong military guards preferably outside the town.
4. The curfew and
144 orders and local Government Ordinances dated
12 -11- 46
banning use of military dress and carrying of weapons should be enforced
strictly.
5. Protection in
shape of Military force should be given to Hindus in Asthawan Thana for putting
a stop to man-hunting by the Muslims.
6. Equal and
impartial distribution of reliefs in shape of grains, clothes and medicines
should be made to the Muslims and the Hindus alike.
7. The
rehabilitation enquiries should be conducted by Non-Muslim Officer.
8. Sufficient funds
should be placed at our disposal by the Provincial or the All India Hindu Maha
Sabha for defence relief and conduct of cases.
For which we
shall never forget you as the saviour of poor Hindus of this
Sub
-Division.
|
Dated –
Bihar } The 17th } November
1946 } |
We beg to
remain, Sir, The Poor Hindus
of Bihar Sub-Division |
To,
DR. SHAYAMA PRASAD MUKERJEE
President,
All India Hindu Sabha
Sir.
I beg to report
the following facts for your information.
On 30-10-46 on a
petty quarrel between two boys of village chamar bridge
P S Jahanabad
about 2 miles North from Jahanabad town, the Khaksars of Jahanabad all of a
sudden at about 11-30 A. M. asked the Muslim shop-keepers to close their shops.
This created suspicion in the minds of the Hindu shopkeepers. In the mean-time
one Dr Matiur Rahman of Jahanabad along with his compounder and 10 or 12
Muslims came out running on the public road with lathis and other deadly
weapons which alarmed the Hindus and
the whole town
out of panic began to close their shops and run away for their safely. A false
report was also propagated by the Muslims that Hindu mob was surrounding the
Muslim resident of Chamar Bighe and Muther, which on enquiry by the police
officers was proved to be entirely baseless.
Since several
days rumour was floating that some mob is proceeding southward to attack Muslim
village so the Mohammedans from different places formed centres at Keko,
Berawan. Pali. Firozi, Saidabad, Pinjaure etc and began to assemble there and
strengthen themselves with men and arms including guns licensed and unlicensed
The Muslims and Hindus of village Barawan jointly formed a defence committee to
face any aggression from outside which they actually did on the night of the
2nd November. But in the morning of the 3rd instant the Muslims finding
themselves sufficiently strong, in order to provoke the Hindus, began to fire
and injured some Hindus who were sitting at their doors quite unmindful and
some of the injured persons were brought to Jahanbad Hospital for treatment.
People of the neighbouring villages excited by the high handedness of the
Muslims, assembled in the evening and wanted to rescue the Hindus of the said
village from the clutches of the Muslims. Receiving this information the Police
along with Military and the Congress Workers rushed to the place to save the
situation. The Muslims began to fire with four guns indiscriminately on the
police, the workers and the mob so much so that some bullets passed very close
to the head of the S. I. whereupon the police, the Military and the congress
workers had to lie down on the ground for a short time to save their lives. In
the meantime the Muslims also set fire to several houses of the Hindus. Getting
opportunity the Police and the Military left the place and entered the village
from the Hindu Mohalla and anyhow brought the situation under control.
Enquiries and
house searches were made two or three days after by the Police, Jahanabad, who
searched the houses of only two Mohammedans and seized their guns. When the
Police wanted to search the house of one Moulvi Quashim, Pleader of Gaya, a
weighty box locked up was found. The Police asked him to open it but it was
given out that the key; was at village Saidabad. When the Police asked to break
open the box, Mr. Quashim talked something in English to the Police after which
the trunk was not opened and further enquiry and search were stopped. Four
Hindus and two Muslims were arrested and brought to Jahanabad. On the next day
the said Muslims were let off on bail but the Hindus’ petition for bail was
rejected and they are still in jail.
On 3rd instant
the Kako Muslims turned out some Goeles from their respective houses and put
some Muslim refugees in them. They set on fire the houses of Ram Chathoo Gope
and Ram Charan Passi of Kako. When they along with Butai Gope and Ram Kishan
Sahu and others went to extinguish the fire one Mr Shamshi fired at Butai of
Satanpore and Ram
Kishan Sahu of
Islam Chowk who had gone there for marketing and they fell down and were
butchered by the Muslims by sharp weapons. In the same scuffle one Muslim was
also killed. The Muslims removed the two dead bodies of the Hindus to some
other place in order to conceal the real fact and depict false evidence.
Thereafter the S.D.O the A.D.M. and the D.S.P. of
Gaya reached the
place and with the help of some Iocal people found out the Hindu corpses. Many
Hindus of the village Kako have left their houses out of fear of the Muslims
and shifted to the neighbouring village. Most of them are living without food
and cloth. The Muslims unlocked those houses and carried away all their
belongings worth at least 10,000 rupees.
The Hindu
villages namely, Barhers Tikyepar, Kothiye, Mushari. Kothia and
Par-Kothia are
surrounded by the Muslim villages namely Kako, Bibipore, Pali, Saildabad,
Firozi. etc where the Muslims occupy a predominant position and the Hindus are
poor agriculturists and labourers. Most of them have got their Bhauli jute
lands and some of them have cultivated the Bakasht lands of Muslim Maliks on
Batai (hali and hali) system, but now the Muslims are not allowing those Hindus
to go to their lands for harvesting the crops or for any other purpose, rather
they chase them with guns and other sharp weapons and are determined to cut
away their crops which are ready for harvesting and thus they want to deprive
them of their very subsistence of livelihood.
In Makhdumpote
Thana the Muslims have formed strong centres at various
places as for
example Melathi. Dhorhe, Dekra, Pekahi, Makhdumpore etc. The Muslims of Melathi
have set fire and looted the houses of 24 Hindus of Tola Ganga Sagar and 36
houses of Melathi proper. About 700 Hindu males, females and children are
living in the open sky without food and cloth in the suburbs. One girl and a
number of cattle have also been burnt and a large number of cattle have been
taken away by the Muslims. About 30 families of Hindus residing at village
Dakre have been turned out of their houses who are lying on Perssune Tent about
250 in number. Their houses have been looted and most of them have been burnt.
The S D O. after much difficulty gave about 16 maunds (about 580 kg) of grains
and some kerosene oil and sugar and some cloth for them, which was distributed
on 10-11-46. This was hardly sufficient for one day's ration. No further ration
has been given.
The Muslim
Military and the Muslim Sub-Inspector of Makhdumpore along with other Muslims
of the locality have made their business to loot and burn and molest the
innocent Hindus of the locality and indiscriminate arrests of Hindus are also
rampant. They also break open the doors of the Hindus and assault the inmates
severely. This practice has been adopted in almost all places in the affected
area of the Sub Division. Some of the accused persons of village Pinjaure in
Jahanabad P S having severely apparent serious injuries on their persons with
marks of Butts and Muzzles of the guns, appeared before the Hon'ble Mr Jug Lall
Chaudhry, Shah Mohammad Umair, Parliamentary Secretary and also the S D O
Jahanabad, but no notice was taken. The matter was also brought to the notice
of the Military Captain who refused to accept the application which was then
made over to the S D O.
Loot and arson
and assault by the Military, the Police and the Local Muslims have also been
committed in villages Lohgar, Nawabganj, Bishunganj Bazar and several other
places of which detail report is wanting as yet. Losses are very heavy. A number
of women have been assaulted and molested in these villages. Telegrams have
been sent by the local people to the Authority and Congress Leaders.
In Ghosi P S one
Mst Nago Kuer of village Belai was molested and raped by one Sadhu Mian in
presence of some Muslim constables while the Honourable Mr Jug Lall Chaudhery
and the S.D.O went through the village on 9-11-46. Some property was also
destroyed. The matter was reported to the Honourable Minister and the S.D.O on
spot but no step was taken. Complaint has been filed about it but no action has
been taken as yet.
The F.I.R and
Sanehas by the Hindus are mostly refused by the Police officers in charge of
Thanas and those recorded are not investigated as yet and Muslim accused are
not arrested while the Hindus are being arrested indiscriminately and bails are
refused.
Only two Muslims
have so far been arrested but they were immediately released on bail.
About 5 to 6
thousand of Muslims in the name of so called refugees have come to Jahanabad
town and are still pouring in. Mostly the females and children are now being
removed to other places from the town and males from Calcutta, Patna and other
places are daily coming. Among them a considerable number of hooligans are also
staying in the town. A large number of Khaksars have also come in. Deadly arms
including guns, licensed and unlicensed are in possession of the Muslims.
Sufficient stock of Kerosene oil, petrol and Acid have been kept for mischief
at the time of necessity. A large number of Hindu houses have been vacated out
of fear and the Hindus are awfully panicky. Sufficient arrangement of armed
force is lacking to safeguard the town. Muslim refugees everywhere in the Sub
Division .are being provided with sufficient free ration by the Government, but
about 1,200 Hindus who have lost their all are living in the open sky without
food and cloth and no care is being taken in spite of repeated request to the
authorities
concerned.
Total value of
the loss so far reported from only 4 or 5 villages comes to more
than 3 lacs of
rupees (300,000 Rs) . Guns of some Hindu Zamindars of Pandooi have been seized
without any reason.
Further
informations are being gathered of which report will be sent as early as
possible.
|
JAHANABAD,) Dated the ) 14-11-1946.
) |
I have the
honour to be, Sir, Your most
obedient servant. |
Secretary,
Jahanabad
Hindu Sabha.
Kharagpur
Incidents.
[Humble
petition on behalf of the Hindus of Kharagpur, District Monghyr
submitted to
the Hon'ble Prime-Minister of Bihar.]
Most respectfully
showeth :—
That the anti
Hindu fiery speeches made from time to time by the Muslim League clap trap
leaders have been responsible for the estranged feelings between the two sister
communities of Kharagpur. The Local Muslims first gave vent to this feeling of
hatred against the Hindus by stealing the image of Shree Parvatijee from the
temple, which situates in the thana compound in April last. The general opinion
was that the theft was committed by the Muslims living in the neighbourhood
with the connivance of the A. S. I of the Police station.
The Calcutta
carnage and the East Bengal atrocities gave a sorrowful picture to the Hindus
and whining and murmuring could be heard, as elsewhere. The Muslims kept mum on
the subject in public whereas they gloated over nefarious success in private.
No sympathy was heard from that quarter.
The ‘direct
action’ day on the 16th August last (i.e. 1946) gave food for the serious
thought of the Hindus as a result of secret meeting held in the Local Mosque
(in front of the Police station) where fiery speeches were made and ways and
means were devised to force the Hindus to embrace Islam and to loot their
property and kill them if they did not agree conversion, the same day, the 16th
August.
Thenceforth the
secret meetings were held from time to time in the local mosque and elsewhere
to encourage the Muslims in their anti-Hindu activities.
The Hindus did
not want any mischief in spite of all the effects produced by the Muslim
anti-Hindu activities. The Hindus called a meeting of both the communities in
the local National School compound where a peace committee was formed, and
Hindus and Muslims were elected President, Secretaries and members and it was
arranged that they should petrol the Union area at night making to the Hindus
and Muslims to keep their minds cool. The Hindus did petrol the area but the
Muslims did not do it,
co-operation was
lacking. The Muslims stayed at night in the Local Police station leaving their
Goondas (thugs) and mischief mongers at home who every night shouted ‘Ya Ali’
‘Ya All’ etc. Foreign Muslim elements were imported here and deadly weapons
were collected.
On the 2nd
November 1946 they held a meeting in the house of one Feda Hussain. The Muslims
appeared serious as a result of excitement created by the fiery speeches
delivered by some of them. Some Mushers were building his walls. Seeing their
offensive attitude the Mushers got frightened and fled away.
On the same day
(2nd November 1946) at about 9 p. m. Babu Narain Prasad, Babu Deo Nandan
Prasad, B. Bhagwal Lall Dass and B. Parbhu Narain Sinha were passing through
Momintola. Md. Hanifl also met them in front of his house on the road. They saw
nearly 40 or 50 Muslims, some of whom were unknown, standing with their weapons
on the road. They asked them to disperse but instead of dispersing they began
to shout ' Ya Ali' ‘Ya Ali’, which is
their attacking slogan. This greatly frightened them and the other Hindus who
took to their heels.
On Sunday the 3rd
November' 46 the Muslims set fire to the Kali temple and other 4 Hindus' houses
at Muzaffergunj. The same night the Muslim war slogan Nar-i-Takbir, Allah ho Akbar,
Ya Ali, was heard many times at about 10 P.M. The Local S I Police along with
some armed constables saw at the Manik Chouk smokes coming out from the western
roof of the liquor shop and some Hindus pouring water over it. The S I Police
ascertained at the spot that some 6 or 7 Muslims had set fire to the shop and
when challenged by the inhabitants they fled away towards the Police station.
He also ascertained that they had attacked the house of one Thakur Modi near
the liquor shop. They had also raided Kahar tolli, and the Kahars had to leave
their dwellings. The
S I then went to
the Momintolla along with Babu Deo Nandan Prasad and a few constables where
they saw a Muslim about 100 in numbers armed with deadly weapons standing in
the street and on the road. The S I seized two looks from them.
These incidents
were a signal to the Hindus to prepare for defence. It was
also learnt in
the latter part of the night of 3rd that a large Muslim mob had attached
Muzaffergunj and there was hand to hand fight between the two
communities. The
local Muslims of Kharagpur also seemed to flourish with the hope that they
would join the victorious Muslim mob of Muzaffergunj and would kill the local
Hindus.
But unluckily for
the Muslims their mob at Muzaffergunj was defeated. Their hope of further
attack was shattered. In consequence each and every Muslim
without any
exception of Kharagpur and other villages fled to the thana with their movables
and took shelter by 9 A.M.
At about 11 A.M.
all together a foreign Hindu mob reported to have been
victorious over
the Muslims of Tarapur P.S. rushed to Kharagpur. The local Hindus intervened
but the mob would not listen to their advices. Fortunately the military rushed
in time and the mob dispersed after setting fire to the vacant Muslim houses.
None of the local
Hindus, are concerned with the disturbances of the 4th November ‘46. But the
Muslims who were all without exception shut up in the Police Station building
and did not see the mob at all, have lodged complaints of loot, murder arson
etc against the local Hindus, the name of accused persons are all false.
Humbly submitted by :-—.
Prabhu Narain Sinha,
Vice-President,
Hindu Maha Sabha.
HAVELI KHARAGPUR
Dist.(Monghyr).
23-11-46.
Bhagalpur and
Tarapur.
Messrs Nanigopal
Bandopadhaya, Advocate, Surya Narain Prasad, B L,
Ex- Chairman
Bhagalpur Municipality, Gouri Shankar Prasad, M A, B L, Baidyanath Sjngh B L,
General Secretary, Bhagalpur District Hindu Sabha, Srijut Narendranath Gupta,
President Bhagalpur Arya Samaj. Akleshwar Prasad, B L after touring the riot
affected villages of Bhagalpur and Monghyr districts particularly Sultangunj,
and Tarapur P S have issued the following statement:—
We visited the
riot affected villages of P S Sultanganj in the District of Bhagalpur and also
of P S Tarapur in the District of Monghyr, the prominent amongst which were
Akbarnagar, Chichroan Nawada, Sultangunj, Rahmatpur, Lakhanpur, Bansipur,
Chauna, Asargunj, Gazipur, Tarapur, Badarkha, Machidin, Mirjapur, Bisanpur,
Birain, Kharwa and met a large number of persons and tried to ascertain the
causes of the riots and the relief required by the sufferers.
The League
propagandists, with their notorious disregard for truth have been trying to
create an impression that the Hindus attacked the innocent, peaceful
Musalmans and the
riots were wanton attacks by people who had run amock.
The Government
spokesman have done nothing to dispel this impression Rather, by their various
devices of censorship, they have prevented the truth from being published.
The real story
however reads otherwise. On 25-10-46 there was some trouble with Musalmans of
village Chichoran (near Akbarnagar about 8 miles west of Bhagalpur) regarding
Kali immersion ceremony. On 26-10-46 the
S D O of Bhagalpur of a particular community was deputed with a dozen armed
police. An incident in the meeting of inhabitants called by the S D O gives an
inkling of the mind of this Officer. Safi Alam son of Rafaquat of village
Chichron
(English) said
that if the procession passed on the road near Chichorn there would be trouble.
On this Najabat, an old man of 70, rebuked the young man. The S D O at once
intervened. Addressing the young man he said that his spirit was quite good but
that he must cautiously exercise that spirit. To the old Najabat the S D O.
said that he was already an old man and that death comes only once and it
cannot be postponed even for a day after the date destined for it.
It. was entirely
due to the mishandling of the situation by this Officer that it
became possible
for miscreants to attack the armed and peaceful processionists carrying Kali
image for immersion. The presence of the S D O afforded no protection to the
Hindus who were all along thoroughly non-violent and peaceful. The result was
that some 10 Hindus sustained various injuries, the image was desecrated and
its head was taken away. In the mob of attackers were Musalmans of other
localities including those of P S Tarapur. The S D O made no arrest on the
occasion, although he was present on the spot and had sufficient armed police.
No arrests excepting one have been made so far. Some of the injured have been
admitted to the Bhagalpur hospital.
The S D O. got
the image thrown in a ditch and the Hindus of village Chichorn seeing that they
had not been afforded any protection by the S D O. left the village for fear of
their lives.
Information has
been received that police enquiry is being conducted in a
slip-shod manner
by the S I. Sultanganj P.S. and the Inspector of Police, who, belong to a
particular community.
The same night
(i. e. 26th October ‘46) the houses of two Hindus (scheduled castes) were set
fire to, in village Nawarda (P S Sahebgunj), by local Musalmans and they then
proceeded to break their own mosque to implicate the Hindus falsely. Some
Military passing through the road caught them in the act. But some leaders of
the Muslim League, got them released. Only one Muslim so far has been arrested.
In the meantime
riots had broken in Bhagalpur town so the inhabitants of village Lakhanpur (on
Sultanganj Tarapur Road) assembled to form a peace '
committee on
29-10-46. It was agreed that outsiders would not be allowed to
stay in the
village. For some time past Leaguers had been frequenting the village, very
often. Hence the Hindus apprehended trouble. On 30th October, however, a large
number of Muslims from various villages came to Lakhanpur. On 31st October the
S I Sultanganj was informed by local Hindus of village Lakhanpur about this
assemblage and a Jamadar and two constables were deputed. Two Hindu girls were
kidnapped and raped and they still remain untraced. Temples were also
desecrated.
In the night of
1st November the Mohammedans raised their war cries, and
beat their drums.
The frightened Hindus ran away with their families. Next morning they returned.
In the afternoon, the Muslims set fire to several houses of the Hindus who ran
away for fear of their lives and the Muslims looted their properties. Several
Hindu passers by and villagers were killed or wounded. The Hindu inhabitants of
Lakhanpur had sought shelter in Bansipur M E School. The Headmaster of the school
learnt from Kokai Choukidar
that the Muslims
were likely to attack the refugees. So he at once wrote to
S I Amarpur for
help.
On the 2nd
November the Muslims gathered in large numbers in villages
Lakhanpur,
Bishanpur and Gazipur. The Bishanpur mob set fire to nearly 150 houses in the
neighbouring villages of Mohidih. Kharwa, Barain, Bhadarkha and Mirzapur and
looted or destroyed properties worth, killing some Hindus.
It was against
these concentrated strengths of the aggressive Muslims that
the Hindus had to
put up a desperate fight in self-defence with the result that there was a
number of casualties in villages Lakhanpur and Gazipur.
It appears that
Bishanpur had the largest concentration where Muslims of
such near and
distant villages as Madarpur, Rampur, Bangama, Khaira, Dorain, Muskipur,
Rampur. Bangaina, Khaira Doraia, Maskipur, Bhathaili, Kharwa, Gorho, Khar
Mathwa, Mamai, Turka Jorai, Bardah Ratan and Suiya had assembled for the
purpose of establishing Pakistan in the area bounded
on the north, by
the Ganges, on the south Deoghara Pahar, on the east
Shahkund Kharhi
and on the west Khirkhinia range, and they threatened the Hindus with Noakhali
atrocities.
On 3rd November
these hooligans numbering between 3 to 4 thousand donned new cloths of Jahadis
(fighters of Islam) and the Hindus again had to act in self-defence. Although
the odds were very heavy against the Hindus, who were leaderless and had been
taken by surprise, they succeeded in preventing the Muslims from inflicting
further loss on them.
It is these
incidents, which have been magnified into retaliatory aggressive massacres for
Noakhali wrongs. In fact, it was neither retaliatory nor aggressive. It was
simply an act of self-defence prompted by the instinct of self-preservation.
The Hindus of
villages Lakhanpur Machhidih, Kharwa, Barain and Bhadarkha
have left their
houses and not returned with their families. Some houses in
Lakhanpur and
almost all the houses in the rest of the above mentioned villages have been
completely looted, and burnt, the people of these villages. are suffering
untold troubles of food and clothing, which have been hightened due to the
rigours of winter. They require now to be rehabilitated and materials have to
be supplied for building their damaged houses. So far no measures have been
taken for their relief. They have been supplied food
by their kind
neighbours, but these neighbours, also cannot possibly give the help, which
these Hindu refugees require. Curiously enough, these Hindu refugees have not
attracted the attention either of the Congress or of the Government of Bihar,
which is supplying food, milk, meat, eggs and blankets at heavy cost to the
Muslim refugees. While Muslims of village Tarapur where not a straw has been
touched nor a man killed, are given reliefs, these unfortunate Hindus of the
above mentioned villages have not been able to get even a farthing from our
benign Government.
The problem of
straying cattle of the Muslim refugees which are damaging the crop of these
Hindus has also to be tackled. If the Muslim refugees want to enjoy the
refugees kept at Government cost, the matter is between the Government and
these refugees. But if the crop is damaged by their straying cattle, the Hindus
till suffer all the more.
----------------
To
Dr B S Moonje. Esq.,
Vice President,
All India Hindu-Maha-Sabha,
C/o. Bhonsala Military Training School,
Nasik.
Respected Sir,
Let us welcome
you, our great leader with feelings mixed with joys and sorrows— Joys to
receive you amidst us, and sorrows on the gloomy atmosphere that has
overshadowed our vast Aryabarta: —
Your presence at
this moment of juncture when we are really without a guide has greatly inspired
and has added strength to our moral courage with result that we feel confident
that with you as champion of our cause, we can actually come fully consolidated
and crystallised under the banner of our great organisation, the Hindu
Mahasabha of India.
Sir, there is no
denying the fact that the present Indian politics with its end of our cherished
Swarajya has been presenting an ideal example which though ideal in form has
proved to be awfully dangerous to the cause of the Hindus and their rights and
liberties. We all stand for freedom, and for the liberation of our Mother
Country, but not at the cost of our honour and self respect particularly, when
our Interim Government at the Centre holds the reign of administration. It is
rather a bit of misfortune that in their endeavours to prove themselves
impartial, the present fortune makers of India are actually not so and there
are facts on records to establish the bonafide of the same. This is what has
actually happened in our District as well, where it is a plain fact that our
rights have been ignored and we ourselves have been humiliated with Khan
Bahadur A N Omar as in-charge of our District. The next result would have been
something more awful and thrilling had we not stood in time and controlled the
situation in the interests of peace and order for our entire Elaka (province).
But the following mishaps and government effort in minimising the importance of
the same has really been shocking the Hindus who are actually
apprehended as to
what stands for them in the lap of future. Consequent upon these it will be
more welcoming, if vigilant enquiries are immediately taken up and the proper
be done in all fairness so that the local Hindus may be pacified, that justice
is coming forth.
Details:—
(1) In the month
of April last the procession of Shree Ramnawmi was peacefully passing, legally
licensed by the District authorities in village Hussainabad about two miles
from here, when all of a sudden, brickbats and stones were thrown upon the
processionists by the Mohammedans who seemed to have secretly conspired on the
occasion. It will really interest you to know that our District Magistrate,
Superintendent of Police and Sadar Sub-Divisional Officer were all present on
the spot and they all proved insufficient to control and check this initiative
from the side of the Mohammadans, before it was too late. That same night eight
Hindus were attending to their natural calls in open fields and taking
advantage of their helplessness, the
Mohammadans
opened fire, as a result of which they were injured and legal proceedings to
the effect have been launched. More surprising is the fact that the Government
Official, Local Sub Registrar had helped these Mohammadans particularly Mr
Taffazul Hussain, Secretary, Local Muslim League by lending him the service of
his gin facts established on records.
2) Similarly on
5th October the immersion ceremony of Shree Durga was
being observed by
a licensed procession in the village Chewara, six miles from this place. When
everything was peacefully over, the same conspired attack on the returning
processionists was carried out and that in the presence of our M L A, Mr Abdul
Zafiar who is also president of the District Muslim League, and Sadar
Sub-Divisional Officer who was deputed there with force in charge. This went
on, when the occasion was compensated with one Hindu shot dead and one injured.
Now, Hindus were arrested right and left and Government proceedings have been
launched against them.
(3) In spite of
all this the local weather was all cleaned it stood a proff even
to the pernicious
developments of East Bengal. Our strong
organisation with the co-ordinated help of its members were always attentive to
the call of time and we sincerely left no stone unturned in giving our best to
the maintenance of peace and order and we may be given the major credit with
regard to the same may be attributed to our organisation - local Hindu Sabha.
But clouds of unrest swept over, when a Dusadh girl was badly insulted by one
Mohammadan and when reports from here and there of the communal tension were
received particularly that of Barui a village about three miles from here where
one Muslim holding a gun shot dead three and injured several Hindus who were
innocent Musafirs. Even then all efforts were done to maintain local peace and
order and in the sittings of the Aman-Sabha attended both by Hindus and Muslims
all issues were discussed. In the meantime our market came under military
control and there was joy in all the quarters that we were returning to the
normal when like a bolt from the blew,
the panic spread
that an innocent Hindu Lady while drawing water from the well in a Muslim
Locality was mercilessly hit upon by daggers in her neck. This added fuel to
the fire and communal tension in all the Mohillas seemed imminent one, thanks
to God, peace was anyhow restored. In this connection I will also refer to the
treatment that is meted by the posted troops to the innocent villagers. On the
10th I had been to the local Police Station in connection with the funeral
ceremony of a Hindu who was shot dead as a result of the Military firing and
brought to the Sheikhpura Police Station. Just at that moment three Kisans from
Chandi presented themselves and submitted to Major Sindhu that they were
ill-treated and badly beaten by his Military men while they were on way to
Sheikhpura market. Major Sindhu a responsible man as he is, outbursted that the
Military people should have rather shot them dead and would not have let them
live to keep them fit to lodge this allegation. I approached the Major and
requested him with due respect to attend to the grievances of the villagers but
he rebuked me
harshly to be
off, lest I should not fall prey to his pistol. He was a Major, I am
ordinary citizen
and as such felt obliged to retreat with due respect to the Major but I wish
that in support to my submissions made to our Governor with a copy to our Prime
Minister, to the effect may kindly be attended to and on the basis of the facts
being established, necessary action may be taken in all fairness, for the
insult and humiliation imparted to me on the spot where the Sub-Inspector of
Police, Inspector of Police, Jamalpura and many a Hindu were present. When our
voices are thus hushed into silence, may I be supposed to know how and in which
language on earth, we can express ourselves, not to speak of standing for that
which is just and right. I may also refer to the orders of the District
Magistrate, whereby all the licensed gun-holders save the title holders have
been desired to deposit their guns with the local Police Officer. Facts will
establish that the guns from the Hindus have been seized, while the guns with
the major Muslim licence holders are still being retained on some plea or
other.
Before l end I
may refer to the partial attitude of the District Authorities in
regard to the
distributions of essential commodities, Kerosene Oil, Sugar, Cloth etc. On
records and from platforms it is made known to the public that they observe the
policy of distribution on the basis of population, but when required of me, I
undertake to establish from records the unfair and partial distribution to
which we the Hindus have been subjected to and over and above to the disregard
from the District authorities to our regular representation to them into the
matter. We would be grateful if you kindly look to these and see that in all
fairness we get our due share.
These are few
amongst so many with what our hearts are swelling to say before you as to guide
our course. Our major population is illiterate, quite ignorant of the
complexities of laws. The Mohammadans are now alleging that the crops standing
in their fields have been taken away by the Hindus who are Luteras (looters)
and that this and that thing is missing from their houses in their absence when
they had shifted to some other Mohilla and so on and so forth. We are
unfortunate as to be constrained to recount before you a long list of woes and
miseries, but great as you are we trust, you will accommodate us. We are really
sorry; we could not accord you a fitting welcome because we have been
handicapped due to the section 144 in our Elaka (province). The news that you
are coming to our market has inspired every Hindu and they had the earnest
desire to listen to you from platform, but they have been advised to remain
peacefully in their houses and in their heart of hearts pay respect to your
good self and pray to the Almighty Father for your long life, prosperity and
happiness. Let say our Vande Mataram to you and pay our due
respects.
Yours ever sincerely,
Thana Hindu Sabha,
Sheikapura, Monghyr.
Dear Dr
Mookherjee,
I trust you are
already in possession of facts regarding the alarming situation
in Bihar. It has
seriously deteriorated after the visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra
Prasad, Mr. Kriplani, and two Muslim Ministers of the Interim Government. You
must have read in the papers the violent anti-Hindu speeches of these big men
in general and Pt. Nehru in particular. The Congress Ministry of Bihar has been
asked to be more and more "impartial" to the two communities, and the
Ministers to show that they are as impartial as impartiality itself, have let
loose a veritable reign of horror over Bihar Hindus. The entire
administration of the riot-affected areas has been handed over to Muslim
officers who have been given enhanced powers to deal with the situation, as
well as Muslim military to quell the rioters. They allege that Hindu
military cannot do full justice to the situation. Pandit Nehru has been flying.
from one place to another preaching hatred against Hindus and impressing upon
the Hindu public their "duties" toward minorities. Mr Kriplani in
a speech delivered at the Bankipur Maidan gave out that Hindus were always in
the wrong as far as Bihar was concerned, and this the Congress Ministry would
never tolerate. Pandit Nehru has been threatening fire and fury on all
Hindus of Bihar if the situation does not improve. He has even gone to the
extent of saying that he would bomb the province to restore normal conditions.
These are of
course matters of common knowledge and have been duly published, in the
Newspapers. What I propose to write to you in this letter is that unless you
intervene immediately, Hindus in Bihar are bound to perish in thousands and
lacs (1 lac is 100,000). Five Muslim Deputy Magistrates; have been given
enhanced powers and they have been deputed to the riot areas with Muslim
military. Almost all of them have identified themselves completely with Muslim
fanatics and have been shooting the Hindus like wild beasts. One Nagvi was
sent to Nagar Nausa in Chandi P S in the Patna District has got about eleven
hundred Hindu casualties to his credit. People have been shot like wild
beats even after the mobs had dispersed at the sight of the military. Hindus
have been killed in their homes, in their fields and while engaged in their
daily routine work. Government figure for the rounds fired is nine hundred. But
it is understood the firing has been more severe and the casualties heavier. Till
now the estimated number of deaths is five hundred, but the majority of the
six hundred injured are sure to die as the result of the wounds inflicted by
the bullets. Most of the injured are still lying uncared for in the fields of
Nagernousa and the few that have been brought to Patna have been brought under
police custody. Hindu Sabha volunteers are denied all facilities to look after
the injured. They are not even allowed on the railway platform and their
applications for petrol and curfew passes have been summarily rejected. The
whole Hindu population of the province is panicky and nobody knows when the
non-violent Congress bullet will piece his breast.
The Prime
Minister has declared that he will not rest satisfied until he has killed
thousands and thousands of Hindus to avenge the death of his Muslim brethren. Reports of similar depredations of the
Muslim officers are in the air. The Ministry has taken stringent precautions to
prevent the actual state of affairs from leaking out. One Ashraf another Deputy
Magistrate has been deputed to another area and it is said that besides the
Military he is taking help of Muslim goondas (thugs) to terrorise the Hindus.
At one Police Station, for instance, he demanded that three Hindu rioters who
had been put in the lock-up by the local Sub-Inspector should be handed over to
him. The Sub Inspector who happened to be a Hindu refused to comply with his
order when he saw that the officer had kept a number of goondas (thugs) to
murder the three rioters. The Sub- Inspector has therefore been recommended for
dismissal and further developments are awaited. The Press has been completely
gagged. Panic and insecurity prevails everywhere. Hindus are without any
genuine leader. They look up to you for help and guidance. I shall send farther
details when available.
Yours,
-
B. P. Tripathi
Secretary.
Town Hindu Sabha, Patna.
Presented to Dr Moonje, Working President
All India Hindu Mahasabha
By the Town Hindu Mahasabha.
Statement of Capt. C. P. A. Menon
M.C. 1st. Bar
The Madras
Regiment. (Camp Biharshariff).
To
The Magistrates,
Barbigha
On 6th November
1946, I was ordered by my Commanding Officer Lt Col W
Kenings to go out
on patrol to the area Asthawa, Barbigha, and the surrounding villages. When I
came down near Ramzanpar I saw mob strength: of about five thousand attacking,
looting and setting fire to the village Ramzanpur. I hurried to the village in
my truck, when the mob who had already set fire to the village saw me, it
started running away. The citizens of the village on the top of the buildings
were shouting for help. I appreciated the
situation and
took over the responsibility and opened up fire on the mob. I had to fire to
disperse the mob. I fired sixty (about) rounds and might have killed
about forty or
fifty. All the casualties were carried away by the mob except few
here and there
left behind out of which one was produced before the Magistrate. When I gained
control, I had a thorough search of the village. There were few people with
swords and spears with iron points who were not able to get out of the village
when we surrounded. I arrested six of them.
Sd/ C. P. A. Menon, Capt
6-11-46.
P. S.- Collected
spears, two tins of kerosene from one of the culprit’s house. Magistrate Mr M
Gilani was with me all along. Statement given at Ramzanpur
Sd/ C. P. A. Menon, Capt
6-11-46.
To
S I. Barbigha for necessary action.
Sd/-. J.N.Pandit
7-11-16.
Deputy Magistrate,
Camp Barbigha
Received on 7-11-46.
Sd/- S M Nabi
S.I
7-11-46.
Case No, 7 (11) 46 under section
148/395/ 436 I.P.C has been instituted.
309
Investigation
will be made.
Sd/- S M Nabi.
S:I:Barbigha
.7-11-46
Examined by
Comparer,
--------------
To
Secretary B. P. C. C.
Patna
Dated Hilsa the 6th Nov. 46:
Sir,
Through the
following lines the humble petitioner prayeth for favourable
consideration
That on 5-11-46 a
chaukidar and a Military Soldier came to local P.S. He was told that Magistrate
Sahib has sent for you. He along with them started for P.S. at once and as he
came face to face with the Magistrate, the Magistrate said," you stand
there.“ and there Military soldiers were ordered by the Magistrate to be on
right, left and behind the petitioner with their guns. He further ordered them
to shoot the petitioner when he would utter one, two, three. The petitioner
said ‘What is my fault sir?’ The Magistrate angrily and roughly replied, ‘you
are the author of riot here.’ He replied how it may be possible? When the riot
commenced. I was there in the P.S. Local D I Police had convened a peace
meeting but he was then not present there. The members of the peace meeting
were sitting there. All of a sudden the Muslims attacked and the members ran away
from the P S. One bullet passed near the petitioner and Sardar Ishwarsingh but
they escaped. At this the Magistrate said, ‘ I do not want to hear anything '
The petitioner was kept in the thana maidan for 2 hours with the soldiers
aiming their guns at him. The Magistrate then threatened 'Assure me that no
attack will be made on the Muslims and they are out of danger.’ The petitioner
prayed, ‘Huzur, I have been ever loyal to the Government and am ready to do
what Huzur commands me. But who will hear me? Please call all the prominent
members of the locality. I am ready to go to villages along with them.’
The petitioner
prayeth that he has been grossly insulted and there suffered a. great shock at
heart and his petition be considered and justice done.
I
have the honour to be
Sir,
Your
most obedient servant
.Nandkishan Agrawal
To
Secretary, B. P. C. C.
. Patna
.
Dated Hilsa, the 5th Nov. 46
Sir,
The humble
petitioner prayeth the following for favourable consideration.
That on 4-11-46
at 11 A. M. the local divisional Inspector Police, has called a
peace meeting of
local Hindus and Muslims, in the local P S. In that meeting he, Sardar lshwar
Singh, Baboolal Gupta, Pt Mathura ShukIa, Pt. Lakshmi Narain Mishra, Ramchandra
Prasad Ramkisun Sab and Dr Safirul Haque were present. The D I Police was not
present and they all sat there for some time. One Muslim came and whispered
something into the ear of Dr Safrul Haque. After 5 minutes Dr Safirul Haque
went towards his home and firing began. At the sound of firing he and Sardar
Ishwar Singh ran homeward. It so appeared that the Muslims had attacked, Dr
Safirul Haque and fired at your humble petitioner and Sardar Ishwar Singh but
they escaped hairbreadth. When they were running away, they could mark that
shops were being closed. Just after this villagers began to pour in, thus riot
began.
The prayer is the
case be considered.
I have the honour to be
Sir,
Your most obedient servant
Nandkishan Agrawal
A Suggestion
to Pandit Nehru.
You have come to
Bihar to stop this great killings. I agree with you and every
sensible man will
agree. But how to stop this is a problem. It must be considered with cool
brain. You cannot terrorise the people of Bihar by resorting to the methods
which the Section 93, Government tried and failed in 1942. It is not a province
of cowards. It has always been, since time immemorial, in the forefront.
The Congress
Ministry whom the people voted to their present position got
more than
three hundred people killed on the stop by opening nine hundred shots in one
area at one time in your presence. The innocent people (women and children) were hunted and shot in their
dwelling houses. Is this the way of the Government constituted of
"perfectly non-violent" and tried and picked up Congressmen?
If you want real
peace and tranquillity in the province, I have a suggestion to
offer, and, in my
opinion, if tried, will bring the desired result.
Both Gandhiji and
Mr Jinnah should be invited to come to Bihar immediately and appeal to people -
both Hindus and Muslims from one platform to desist from the present path of
madness and forget the past. Mahatmaji must assure the Muslims that no such
thing will again happen in any of the Hindu majority provinces and so also must
Mr Jinnah assure the Hindus that he undertook to
see that nothing
of this kind will ever happen in any of the Muslim majority
provinces.
If both the
leaders are honest and sincere I think none should have any
objection to it
at this crucial hour. What is needed is the cleaning of heart and not the carth
of human beings. If any of them connive at this hour it will expose their
‘bonafides '.
The
"people's ministry'' is also resorting to the Laws of Jungle to suppress
the same and to quote your own words, " two wrongs can't make one
right."
Let both leaders
prove their bonafides,
For God's sake
please don't threaten to bombard Bihar. Why didn't you show
your own bravery
in Bengal?
A peace-loving
Biharee. .
N. B. The figure of killed-by the same firing has
now risen to more than 600.
Copy to:—
Mahatma Gandhi,
, H.
E. the Viceroy,
Sardar Patel,
: Dr V D Savarkar,
Dr S P Mokheriee,
Pt M M Malviya.
Dr Rajendra Prasad.
Master Tara Singh.
Mr Kiran Shankar Roy,
Dr B S Moonje,
.
Bhai Paramanand,
. Mr
M A Jinnah,
6th December. 46
Dear Prime
Minister Shri Krishna Babu,
Kindly accept my
most grateful thanks for having been pleased to grant me promptly an interview,
which I had with you on the 27th November 1946 in company with Babu Nawal
Kishore Prasad No 1. Our conversation was to me most interesting, thought
provoking and full of lessons.
Of the many
points that I had talked over with you, I am here mentioning only'
two, that is,
first - that the Army which is operating at present in Bihar is overwhelmingly
Moslem. You appeared to be in doubt at the time if it was so. I am herein enclosing a. cutting from the “Times
of India” of 8th November. It speaks for itself. Second, I had spoken
to you about the uniformed volunteers of Muslim League and the Khaksars moving about
in the province freely, apparently without any fear and compunction. You seemed
to be in doubt at the time if it was so. I had seen with my own eyes Khaksars
marching in military fashion with uniforms on a road quite near a Military Camp
on the occasion of my visit to Hilsa in my Bihar tour. I had told you of the
incident. In proof of such freedom, either given expressly or otherwise or
taken by the volunteers themselves, I am enclosing another cutting of the Times
of India of 2nd instant. It corroborates me.
I here repeat and
emphasize some of my experience and impressions of my Bihar tour. I hope you
will excuse me for my frankness arising out of the honesty and sincerity of the
statements, which I had sent to the Press for publication. In it I have said,
" The entire Hindu world and the Hindu
Mahasabha stand
behind them and will fight to the last for Independence and unity of India in
association with the Congress. This unholy ambition of the League for a
separate sovereignty of the Muslims in India must be fought once for all and
finally crushed. "
I may be wrong
but my honest impression is that the Government and administration of Bihar is
run not by you and your Ministry as the administration of Bengal is run by the
Prime Minister Mr Surawardy and his Ministry, which have also the Governor and
the Britishers in their alliance. It appears that the administration of Bihar
is run on behalf of the Ministry by the Chief Secretary, who, instead of being
a public servant under you as the Prime Minister under the Provincial autonomy,
is still acting as the master as he was accustomed to before the advent of the
Provincial autonomy. Kindly note that I am not mentioning this from any evil
motive or from party spirit. The crisis that is developing will be so serious
in the near future that all Hindus whether of the Congress or of the Hindu
Mahasabha will have to work with one united voice and one united mind as the
Moslems are at present doing.
You must
therefore assert yourself as Mr Surawardy asserts in Bengal and let the Chief
Secretary definitely know that you assert. All the Hindus will be by your side.
I repeat as I had
told you in my conversation that it is not merely a communal trouble as in the
years past and that it will likely to pass off soon. It is an actual war
declared by Mr Jinnah, though called “Direct Action", against the Congress
and the Hindus. In proof hereof, if proof still be needed, I quote from the
latest speech of Mr Gaznafarali Khan, a Member of the Central Interim Government.
He says, “If the demand of the Moslems for Pakistan was not conceded to, the
alternative for the Moslems was dangerous and terrible. It would be the reply
to the speeches delivered at the Meerut Session of the Congress where reference
was made to the "Blood balance sheet" and to the fact that "the
sword will be met with the sword."
Hereafter, all
the activities of the Congress Ministry should be inspired chiefly with the
thought and feeling that they are in the midst of the war declared against them
when they least desired it and that too without any provocation from the
Hindus. Looking at the problem from this point of view the present infiltration
of the province of Bihar with Moslem volunteers who are always armed with
deadly weapons including firearms whether held lawful or otherwise bespeaks
serious danger to the stability of Your Government. The sooner you stand out
boldly to wipe of this menace the better for your
administration.
The working of
the troops sent to your province does not appear to be under
your authority as
it is under the authority of Mr Surawardy, the Prime Minister of Bengal. The
Provincial autonomy demands that yours should be the supreme voice in the
matter as Mr Surawardy's is in Bengal. Even the Viceroy may not find it easy to
interfere with your discretion then what of the Governor and the Chief
Secretary. They have not yet interfered in Bengal then why should there be an
interference in Bihar?
In short, the
Muslim League and the Mussulmans generally are behaving as most skilful and
worldly realistic politicians. The Congress, on the other hand, as compared
with the Muslim League, is more moralist and spiritual than political. This
won't do. We must follow the rule of Shree Bhagwadgeeta : that is, Tit for tat.
Please, I pray, do
not misunderstand me. I am not speaking for the Hindu
Mahasabha party
or as a member of the Hindu Mahasabha. In the matter of preventing or putting
down breaches of public peace, I do not distinguish between Hindus and Hindus
whether of the Congress or of the Hindu Mahasabha. We shall willingly and
whole-heartedly co-operate with the Congress. This letter has gone a bit
lengthy for which I beg to be apologised. But please go over it carefully and
thoughtfully and you may even discuss the letter with the Hindu members of your
ministry. But let it be noted that I intend this letter to be strictly
confidential, whether you may approve or may not approve of my ideas.
Thanking you again,
Yours sincerely,
(Dr. B. S. Moonje)
To
The Hon'ble Shrikrishna Narayan Sinha,
Prime Minister of Bihar, Patna.
P S.- I am enclosing a copy of the statement that I
had read out before the
Press Conference
held by me in Patna on 27th November 1946, with a little further amplification
and addition.
Cutting from the Times
of lndia 2-12-46.
In pursuance of
the resolution of the Bihar Congress Working Committee and the Prime Minister's
appeal, the Patna District Congress Working Committee has resolved to launch a
vigorous “Forgive and forget" campaign in riot-affected areas in the
district. The Committee decided to open a large number of "peace"
centres in those areas in order to restore confidence among the people, protect
their properties and standing crops.
An ugly situation
was averted at Patna Junction platform on Friday evening when a number of
uniformed volunteers; coming from outside the province and led by some local
people, surrounded Prof Abdul Bari, President of the Bihar Provincial Congress
Committee, hurled abuses and attempted to
assault him. Even
daggers were said to have been whipped out by the volunteers in a menacing way.
The timely arrival of armed police however, saved the situation.
Appealing to the
Muslims of Bihar not to fly away from their homes, Mr Firoz
Khan Noon says
that Major-General Russell in charge of military operations in the
riot-affected areas has assured him that so long as the situation demanded, the
troops would remain and that in Patna itself British troops would continue to
do patrolling.
Time of India, 8-ll-1946
Troops used in Bihar Riots.
Press Reports denied.
New Delhi, November 46-
Troops employed
in connection with civil disorders in Bihar include
detachments from
the 25th Dragoon Guards, the First Battalion of the North Staffordshire
Regiment, 4/10 Gurkha Rifles, 4/3 Gurkha Rifles, 2/8 Punjab Regiment, one
Madras Regiment, one Dogra Regiment, 215th Garrison Company. 1st
Indian Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 5th Indian Anti-tank Regiment,
says an official
statement.
The first two
units are composed entirely of British troops, and there is a
high
percentage of Muslim troops in many of the remaining units. The three artillery
units, for example, are composed entirely of Muslims.
The statement by
the Patna correspondent of a Delhi newspaper that " no
British or Muslim
troops have been posted anywhere" is, therefore, wholly unfounded, the
statement adds.— A. P. I
CALCUTTA.
November 11: Mr A K Fazlul Huq, former Premier of Bengal who returned during
the weekend from a visit to disturbed areas in Bihar, stated in an interview
that calculations based on reports showed that the number killed in the Bihar
carnage was somewhere in the neighbourhood of 30,000 and there were reasons to
believe that this number had been exceeded by the time he left Bihar. The
number killed was roughly five or six times more than the number injured. It
should be added that all calculations regarding casualties were based on
reports and not on personal knowledge.
For the 'last few
days the attacks had been confined to mass invasions on
villages during
the night and a survey of the affected areas from the air during day time
conveyed no impression of the appalling havoc that was taking place.
Pandit Nehru had
taken a courageous stand against the depredations of Bihar hooligans, added Mr
Haq, but he was not only ignored but in many cases,had been subjected to
attacks by angry mobs. At any rate he had been insulted openly in public
meetings. This showed that the situation could not be brought under control by
peaceful means.
Bihar Muslim
leaders had made certain suggestions to the Viceroy and the
Governor through
Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, but, the Viceroy's replies were
reported to be
unsatisfactory. Concluding Mr Huq said that he was haunted by
the idea of the
possible extermination of the minority community in Bihar.—
A.P.I
-------------------------------
New Delhi,
November 20
The communal
situation in lndia was reviewed by Sardar Abdur Rab Nishhtar Leader of the
House, and by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Food Member, in the Council of State today
in reply to short notice questions.
Supplementary
questions from some members produced considerable heat in
the House and Sir
David Devaddas urged the President to stop further supplementaries in order to
prevent an exhibition of communal feeling in the Council.
Sardar Nishtar,
who was replying to Mr Hussain Imam said that although full figures were not
available, it was estimated that between 200 and 300 innocent persons lost
their lives in Noakhali. Reliable evidence indicated that the number of those
killed in Bihar was somewhere in five figures and the damage to property would
amount to several crores (1 crore is 10 million).
“In East Bengal
the task of rehabilitation of the unfortunate victims was reported to be
proceeding with the co-operation of the Bengal authorities and Mr Gandhi. The
immense problem of refugees and the rescue of abducted women in Bihar and
elsewhere had, however, yet to be tackled. It was reliably stated that there
were over 100.000 homeless persons huddled in refugees’ camps in some cases
without a roof over their heads – and in the houses of some private persons in
Patna and a few other towns of Bihar.”
“After referring
to disturbances in other parts of the country, Sardar Nishtar
said, "It is
time that all those who are in a position to influence the public made a
serious and whole-hearted effort to impress on the people of this country the
basic fact that no party can secure political objectives by killing, looting
and arson. It would be sheer madness for any one community to think that it can
wipe off the other by resorting to such methods.”
"As Quad-e-Azam
Jinnah emphasised in a recent public appeal we may have our political
differences but it will help neither party to try to resolve them by killing
innocent neighbours and their women and children or burning & looting their
houses, the most important contribution that we all can make towards the
restoration of peace in this country is to refrain from doing or saying
anything that may further create controversies or embitter feelings. I appeal
to the hon’ble members of this House, the elder statesmen of the country, to
use their great influence in putting out the flames of this orgy and restoring
peace and goodwill in the country.”
“We in this
country claim to be the inheritors of great and noble civilizations
and it is up to
us to see that by our deeds we do not bring disgrace on our traditions of
culture, humanity and chivalry. It is only by adhering to these noble
traditions that we can ever hope to reach our cherished goal of true freedom.
May God guide us to the right path.” (cheers).
" As hon'ble
members are aware, a conflict between strongly cherished
political
ideology caused a certain amount of controversy resulting in strained relations
between the two communities. In July last the growing tension manifested itself
in the form of communal rioting in Bombay province. This proved to be the first
of a series of tragic events, some of them of colossal magnitude. After a few
more incidents at various places there occurred the unfortunate tragedy of
Calcutta resulting in huge loss of life and property to all sections of the
population. A disturbance on a big scale soon followed in Bombay and still
continues in the form of murderous attacks on individuals.”
“ Then came news
of serious trouble in Baniabad in the Muzzaffarpur district of Bihar, a
province which had already attracted the notice of leading and responsible
public men, including Mr Gandhi, for its growing spirit of general lawlessness.
“
"Towards the
middle of October disturbances broke out in Noakhali in Eastern Bengal. One cannot
but feel extreme pain over the happenings in that area
where it is
estimated that between 200 and 300 innocent persons lost their lives. This was
bad enough but unfortunately certain news agencies and a section of the press
indulged in such gross exaggerations and presented their exaggerated versions
in such a lurid light that even responsible leaders of public opinion were
misled and some of them issued panicky and inflammatory statements making
matters much worse.”
"This
propaganda had the effect of increasing tension throughout the country,
leading soon to
killing, looting, arson, forced conversions, rape and abduction
of women on a big
and organised scale over a wide area in Bihar province.”
“The situation in
Bihar was reported to be improving though fresh outbreaks of
violence had
occurred in certain parts of that unhappy province.”
"A few days
back and not very far from Delhi, there occurred another instance of communal
frenzy when a huge mob of villagers turned a religious fair at Garhmukteshwar
in the U. P. into a scene of mass murder, arson, loot and abduction of women.
The Hon. Mr. Ghazanfar Ali Khan visited the affected areas.”
“This in short
was a tale of tragic happenings which had brought shame on
this country in
the eyes of the civilised world.”
Mr S K Roy
Choudhury asked why the Leader of the House had not said
anything about
the "thousands of abductions and forced marriages of women” in East
Bengal.
The President
intervened and said that Sardar Nishtar’s statement covered
everything.
RepIying to a
further supplementary on the same point by Mr G S Motilal
Sardar Nishtar
said "With all the emphasis at my command I condemn all
the happenings,
whether it is forced conversion or abduction, and that should be the duty of
everybody. They have been condemned so many times but I again condemn
them."
Pandit Kunzru
asked why Sardar Nishtar had made no reference to Tipperah district.
Sardar Nishtar:
we have had no opportunity to visit that area personally.
Pandit Kunzru:
Has he personally visited Ahmedabad to which he referred?
Proceeding Pandit
Kunzru asked what was the number of refugees in Eastern
Bengal.
Sardar Nishtar:
It is a big number but the actual number is not available to me.
Pandit Kunzru :
Has he any knowledge that responsible persons think that the number is between
50,000 and 100,000/
Sardar Nishtar: I
am not in a position either to affirm it or to contradict it.
Mr Sri Narian
Mahtha : Is it fact that the disturbances in Bihar started on October 25 and
the Prime Minister of Bihar demanded military help on October 28? When was
military assistance afforded?
Sardar Nishtar
asked for notice.
Mr Mahtha : Is it
a fact that the Bihar Government are spending Rs 40,000 a day in Patna alone
for feeding refugees in refugee camps?
Sardar Nishtar :
If he wants I will enquire. The number of refugees is very large and therefore
the Bihar Government must be spending a large amount. The very fact they are
spending a huge sum, as my honourable friend puts it, shows that there are a
large number of refugees and therefore they have to provide for them.
At this state
Sardar Nishtar appealed to members not to put any questions, which would add to
the difficulties of the situation.
Mr Mahatha: --Suppression
of facts leads to more trouble. May I ask whether
it is a fact that
a large number of lethal weapons were brought from outside Bihar and numerous
mosques were turned into arsenals?
Sardar Nishtar: I
have been to Bihar and nobody ever mentioned it. If it had been a fact, I am
sure that the members of the Government and other, influential people would
have certainly brought it to my notice.
Mr. Mahatha: Is
it a fact that a League M L A. was caught by the police
taking delivery
of lethal weapons at a railway station?
Sardar Nishtar :
This is not a fact so far as my information goes. I am sorry to say that if
such questions are put I may be forced to refer to the conduct of
certain
individuals that will be very much distasteful to my honourable friend.
I think we should
avoid it.
Question : Have
the Government of India found out why the Governor of Bihar
was so
mysteriously absent from Bihar from October 28 to November 5?
Sardar Nishtar :
We were told he went to receive his wife (laughter).
Mr Tirumal Rao
asked whether Sardar Nishtar would do all that was possible
to see the Muslim
League policy was changed in the proper direction.
Sardar Nishtar:
There is no question of changing the policy of the Muslim League. I may tell
him that the highest personage in our organisation is Quad-e-Azam Jinnah and if
he has so emphatically and in very strong words condemned these things and has
appealed to everybody to help in the restoration of peace I think this is the
strongest word that can be said on this side.
Dr Rajendra
Prasad, Food Member who recently visited Bihar agreed with.
the Leader of the
House that no statement should be made which would lead to a further
exacerbation of feelings. In fact he had not intended to make any
statements at
this stage but unfortunately statements made on the floor of the House today
led to the impression that what happened in Bihar was out of all proportion and
comparison to things happening in the country,
particularly in Bengal. " Knowing Bihar as I do." Dr Rajendra
Prasad said, " and knowing what has happened there, I cannot subscribe to
that statement and bad as things are, regrettable, unfortunate and deplorable
as they are, and condemning them as I do with the greatest emphasis that I command,
I cannot say; that things are any worse in Bihar than in Eastern Bengal for
more than four or five weeks."
Dr Prasad said
that the situation in Bihar was brought under control after four or five days
and he believed the situation could have been brought under control earlier
still, if military aid was brought sooner. The attention of the country and
Mahatma Gandhi's announcement of a fast had a great effect on the people of the
province. At the present moment things are perfectly quiet.
Although he had
received a telegram yesterday that some trouble had occurred in a corner of the
province, generally the situation was quiet. The isolated incident reported
yesterday had not affected the province as a whole.
In regard to
giving relief Dr Prasad said that the Government of India was
not directly
concerned but could only come in as an adviser to the provincial
Governments. He
would suggest that the influence of the Government of India
as also of
members individually should be exercised in such a way as to bring about some
sort of parity in relief also. The mob, he was grieved to note, had
brought about
some sort of parity in the damage caused.
Dr. Prasad hoped
that now that relief had been organised and rehabilitation
work was taken in
hand, the Government of Bengal and the Government of Bihar would exchange notes
as to what they were doing in their respective provinces. As regards the future
he could only appeal that all should join in creating calm atmosphere.
Pandit Kunzru
asked whether from the information at present available it could be said that
the number of people who had died during the disturbances in Bihar would reach
five figures.
Dr Prasad: It is
absurd to think that it is anything like five figures – A.P.I.
Survey
PATNA, November 18
Mr N M. Khan I C
S., Director of Agriculture, Government of Bengal who had been sent to Bihar by
the Government of Bengal on special duty has been asked by the Bihar Ministry
to go back to his own province, it is authoritatively learnt. The sending of a
representative of the Bengal Government is considered by the Bihar Ministry as
interference in the provincial administration.
The officer’s
coming to Bihar did not have the approval of the Bihar Ministry, which was
communicated to the Bengal Ministry prior to his arrival, said a Bihar
Government spokesman.
Mr N M Khan, who
left for Calcutta this evening, interviewed, said that he was leaving Patna
strictly in accordance with his programme, which he had not modified in the
least since his arrival in Patna. While in Patna he had contacted the Chief
Secretary, the Commissioner of Patna and other important officials of Bihar
Government and they had offered him every facility. He added that he was
supplied with petrol he required for his tour of the riot-affected areas.
The Bengal
Government have issued the following press note: “ Mr Khan has been sent to
Patna in consultation with and with the approval of the Government of Bihar to
co-operate the activities of the various organisations from Bengal doing relief
work in Bihar. The services of Mr Khan have been placed at the disposal of the
Government of Bihar to superintend the activities of these organisations and to
secure for them necessary facilities and assistance, without causing any
embarrassment to the Government of Bihar."—A. P.I.
--------------