VSK TN
Those Fifteen days
August 4, 1947
– Prashant Pole
Today is 4th August … Monday.
The routine of Lord Mountbatten in Viceroy in Delhi started just a little early than normal days. The atmosphere in Delhi was sultry, it was clouded, but not raining. Overall the whole atmosphere was frustrating and full of restlessness. In fact, Mountbatten had eleven nights to be free from all responsibilities, though he was to continue living in India, as the first ‘Governor General’ of India. But there was no special responsibility for that post, because after August 15,
everything was on the shoulders of Indian leaders.
But next eleven days and eleven nights were to remain under the control of Lord Mountbatten. The accusations or admiration of all the good and bad incidents that took place in these days was coming on his head, rather on the head of the British Empire. That’s why this responsibility was very big and the worries as well….
The first meeting of the morning was in connection with Balochistan province. At present, the British had an undeniable dominance in this entire region. This province, based on Iran’s border, was dominated by Muslim. For this reason, it was believed that this province would be included in Pakistan. But there were some hurdles in this imagination. The relationship, culture and mind of the Baloch people were never connected to the Muslims of Punjab and Sindh province of Pakistan. The Baloch people had their own distinct culture, their own language was different. The Baloch language was quite similar to the Baloch people on the border of Iran. In this Baloch language and culture, there was a glimpse of a language called ‘Avasta’, which was associated with
Sanskrit language. For this reason, joining Pakistan was never the first or last option in front of the Baloch people.
The opinion of the Baloch community was also divided into two parts. Some people wanted that Balochs should merge in Iran. But the problem was that Iran was ruled by Shi’a Muslims and Baloch were Sunni Muslim. For this reason, that option was rejected. Most of the leaders believed that remaining with India would be more correct. This idea was also supported by many leaders. But the geographical problem was a big obstacle. The region of Punjab and Sindh had to come between the Baloch province and India, then this option was also rejected in compulsion. Ultimately, there were only two options that either Balochistan would remain in the form of an independent nation or in Pakistan with compulsion, where there might possibly be a majority of the Sunnis. Today’s meeting of Mountbatten was about to take up this topic.
In this special meeting, Mir Ahmad Yar Khan alias ‘Khan of Kalaat’ of Balochistan and Mohammad Ali Jinnah were called. Jinnah had to go to Karachi on August 7, considering that his meeting was held this morning of August 4th.
In this meeting, Mir Ahmed Yar Khan presented many doubts in the context of ‘Pakistan of the future’. He had many questions. Mountbatten’s selfishness was that Balochistan should merge into Pakistan. Because transfer of power between small independent countries was a difficult task for him. That is why when Mohammad Ali Jinnah was giving huge assurance to Baloch leader Mir Ahmed Yar Khan in this meeting, at that time Lord Mountbatten clearly understood that these assurances are going to prove to be hollow. But still to reduce his problems he kept yelling in the support of Jinnah. At the end of this important meeting of one and half hours, Mir Ahmed Yar Khan appeared to be slightly inclined in favor of merger in Pakistan. However, he did not declare his final decision, and this meeting ended in indecision.
On the other hand, terrorism has started showing its influence today in the Lyallpur district of the Punjab province. Lyallpur area of Punjab is a very fertile land. That’s why the people here are wealthy and prosperous. There are tremendous yields of cotton and wheat. Due to cotton, many cotton mills, factories are in this district. There are also many mills of flour and sugar. Lyallpur, Gajra, Tandiwala, Jarnavala are big markets in these cities. These mills, factories, markets are mostly under the control of Hindu-Sikh traders. Sixty large companies are with Hindus and Sikhs, while Muslims have only two. 75% of the total district land is with the Sikhs. Only 80% of the revenue related to the farming system comes from the farmers. In Lilpur, in the last year, 1946, (Hindus and Sikhs had a tax of Rupees 61,90,000/-, while Muslims paid only Rs 5,30,000 rupees.
When it became news that the Lyallpur would join Pakistan and the posters of the Muslim League began to appear, even then Hindu and Sikh traders did not take it seriously. The district’s deputy commissioner Hamid, despite being a Muslim, had adopted neutral attitude. Therefore, Hindus and Sikhs never felt that they would have any problem in this area.
Today, i.e. on August 4, 1947, a meeting of ‘Muslim National Guard’ is underway in Jarnavala district. Before 15th August, how to kill or kick out Hindu-Sikh traders and farmers from this whole district here, and how to get their property-land-house in their possession … serious discussions are going on in this regard. The office bearers of Muslim National Guard from Lahore emphasized that Hindus – all except the girls of the Sikhs – will be killed. It was decided to take small actions on tonight It is decided to attack midnight homes on the owners of cotton mills.
Tonight , i.e., on August 4, 1947, if a person would have said to Hindus and Sikhs that in the next three weeks, almost all the Hindus and Sikhs in Lyallpur district could leave their property, prosperity, houses, land in helpless condition and will be forced to live in refugee camp, staring for two pieces of bread, more than half of them will be killed and their girls will be kidnapped. Cultured people
would have called him insane or mad …
But unfortunately, this was right, and that’s exactly what happened.
——– ——- ——–
On the 17th of Delhi, York Road, that is, Nehru’s residence was in full of action. The first Cabinet of Independent India was going to be formed. There were many formalities to be completed in this regard. The letter which was to be given yesterday to Dr. Rajendra Prasad in connection with the establishment of Cabinet was not delivered. So Nehru sent this letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s house this morning.
——– ——– ——–
Here in Srinagar the morning of Gandhiji was as usual. For the last three days His stay was at the house Kishori Lal Sethi’s house, it was quite comfortable. But now the time of Gandhiji’s departure had come. His next location was Jammu. Though he had not enough time to stay there, because he had to go to Punjab further. Therefore, after the end of the daily prayer, Gandhiji took his breakfast. Shekh Abdullah’s wife, Begum Akbar Jahan, and his daughter, had come to Gandhiji this morning to send him off. Begum sahiba’s heart-wished desire was that Gandhiji, using his full influence, tried to get Sheikh Abdullah out from jail. On this subject, she used to reminded Gandhiji repeatedly. Gandhiji also continued to support her with smile with his teethless mouth and poppy lips.
(At that time, Begum Shahiba had no idea that Gandhiji’s hosting and his frequent requests would be so beneficial, and Sheikh Abdullah Saheb would come out of jail long before completion of his jail term, only after a month and a half month.
A caravan of vehicles outside the door was waiting. The host, Kishorelal Sethi, was keeping an eye on all the arrangements. An official was also appointed for the farewell of Gandhiji from Maharaja Hari Singh’s court. At exactly ten o’clock, this convoy of Gandhiji began his journey towards Jammu after the end of his first Kashmir visit.
——– ——– ——–
Sayed Aaron A boy of nineteen years. Jinnah’s staunch devotee, Born and brought up in Karachi only came in contact with ‘Muslim National Guard” in the college and became a staunch activist.
At four o’clock in the afternoon, he held a meeting of some Muslim youths in a mosque located in a wealthy settlement called Clifton of Karachi. This meeting was to discuss different measures to kill and throw all the Hindus from Karachi.
On August 7, Jinnah was going to be in Karachi. Preparations for their receptions was also a major issue of this discussion. All the workers of the Muslim National Guard became emotional. All of them were undergoing training for the past few days. But one of these boys, Ghulam Rasool said, “RSS train it’s volunteers in a much better way ” In the end it was agreed that except from the RSS workers and some Sikhs, there is little chance of being more resistant from anywhere else. Accordingly, Hindus will be attacked.
——– ——– ——–
After his meeting meeting regarding Balochistan in Viceroy House in the morning, Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah returned to his bungalow in 10, Aurangzeb Road. Jinnah bought this bungalow in Lutyen Zone of Delhi in 1938. The walls of this giant bungalow had seen many important political meetings in the last four-five years. Jinnah had understood a few months ago that his days Delhi are now few. That is why he sold this bungalow a month ago to famous businessman Ramkrishna Dalmia.
Jinnah had come to realize that now perhaps the next two or three nights is going to be his last night in this Banglow. Because of this, he needed some time for packing and handling the household goods. On Thursday afternoon, on August 7, he was about to go to Karachi with a special Dakota aircraft made available by Lord Mountbatten. Karachi, that is in Pakistan … in the country of his dreams …!
Meanwhile, he had given appointment to a delegation. It was the delegation, the Nizam of Hyderabad, the vast princely state of South India, The Nizam did not want to merge in India. He had to join Pakistan. Geographically it was absolutely impossible. That is why the Nizam had the desire to live as a free nation, i.e. in the form of ‘Hyderabad State’. The Nizam of Hyderabad, who wanted the independent nation, needed a port to do business with other countries. Since Hyderabad was located in the middle of India, and had no coastline, ‘Hyderabad State wanted safe track ‘for some port from India, for
this, he wanted Jinnah to write a letter to Lord Mountbatten. ‘This delegation came with such request, so Jinnah was going to discuss.
Jinnah has gave warm reception to this delegation of Hyderabad He did not want to make unhappy to the Nizam too. Because a large part of the land was ruled by the Nizam. He had immense wealth and he was a Muslim too. That is why Jinnah listened to this delegation very carefully. He gave the assurance, to the members of the delegation that he will write exactly the same letter to Viceroy. The evening was setting in. There were still clouds in the sky. There was a kind of apathy in this atmosphere of Twilight. Even though in this almost unenthusiastic environment, Mohammed Ali Jinnah was making an unsuccessful attempt to keep his mind upbeat, thinking, “I am going to visit my country of dreams, i.e. to Pakistan” in the next two days.
——– ——– ——–
Far away, near Naj Cinema at Lemington Road, Mumbai, Office of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The offices are small, but today a whole consciousness is being seen in this entire complex. Many Swayamsevaks are seen going towards the office. The evening was getting dark. It was time for the lighting lamps. Today, in the office, the sarsanghchalak Shri Guruji himself is present.
Guruji’s meeting with the team officials of Mumbai ended in as scheduled. After the meeting, the Sangh Prarthana was held. After Wikir, volunteers got out in disciplined queues. Everyone had a desire to meet Guruji. Such informal meetings with Guruji proved very beneficial. But today in the minds of volunteers, there is concern only with the curiosity about this meeting. Because tomorrow Guruji is going on a four-day visit to Sindh. According to the June 3 decision, the whole Sindh province is going to be occupied by Pakistan. Sindh province with rich cities like Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah will not be in India, its tragedy is in the mind of every volunteer.
The reason for the concern of Sangh Swayamsevaks too is that more and more riots have started in Sindh province. Muslim League’s ‘Muslim National Guard’ has decided to annihilate all Hindus from Sindh before 15th August. Since the city of Karachi has become the ‘temporary capital’ of Pakistan due to Jinnah’s stay there. Therefore, large scale police and military was brought in this city. This is why the number of attacks and atrocities on Hindus in Karachi city is
comparatively lower. But in cities like Hyderabad and Nawabshah, large-scale violence in rural areas, taking away Hindus’ girls, burning their houses and factories. If two-four Hindus are seen separately, cutting them of in broad daylight could be seen everywhere.
In such a fierce situation, the concern of Guruji’s security lies in the mind of each volunteer and is being reflected in his face.
The whole Sindh province is burning, riots have raged. Kidnapping the girls of Hindus has become a favorite pastime of the goons. In many places, where the police are in a small number, active support of the police is also in the hands of these Muslims. In this difficult situation the Sangh volunteers are helping the Hindus as much as possible at their level and clearing the way to reach them safely.
To meet these brave Sangh volunteers, Guruji is going to go to the riotous area of Sindh province with doctor Abaji Thatta …
——– ——– ———
It was Eleven eleven o’clock in the night This is a moist night of August month. In Sindh, Balochistan, Bengal, most of the Hindus and Sikhs are staying in the houses. In this environment of panic, how would anyone even sleep? Young people are patrolling outside the house, while all the members of families are sitting around the house taking care of whatever weapons have inside them with worries seen on their faces. Only ten nights remains in the official division of the country are left.
Jarnawala village of Lyallpur district …, ancestral village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Though a village, it is not less than any city. Hindus and Sikhs live in large numbers in this village. Therefore their optimism is such that the Muslims will not be attacked on this village. But at eleven o’clock in the night, in the fifty-fifty jathas, the attackers of the Muslim National Guard came running with slogans of ‘Alla-Ho-Akbar’ with sharp-edged sword and knives. This attacking mob targeted the house of Sardar Kartar Singh first. Kartar Singh’s house is not a simple house, but a strong fortress. Inside Sardar Kartar Singh’s there are18-member of his family. They are also ready with their own saber and sword. Women have sticks and knives in the hands the women folk. In the eyes of Kartar Singh, anger has risen.
Soaked in kerosene from the outside of the house, a burning shell made of cotton and cloth came down on the calyx. The cottage began to burn. In the same way, many burning shells of clothes began to rain in the house. In the compulsion, Kartar Singh and his family did not left any any option but to get out of a strong house like the fort. In the annals of ‘Joe Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’, in the eyes of anger, eleven men of Kartar Singh’s family came out with their swords and saber. For almost half an hour, he responded with great courage and bravery of that vast inventory group of Muslims. But nine of these
Sikhs were killed there. Other Hindus from the village ran for help, but it was possible to save only two people. Four elderly women of the seven women who were hiding in the house were burnt alive by the goons of Muslim National Guard, while the two young Sikh girls escaped and fled. Where did Kartar Singh’s wife go, nobody knows?
Panic was created by Muslims. By the midnight of August 4th, many thousands of Hindu-Sikh families had come to their homeland to take refuge in India, leaving all their belongings there .