04-10-2004, 02:53 PM
This communal riot, which need never have occurred but for the provocative conduct of the
adherents of the Congress, was the worst which India has experienced for many years. The trouble,
moreover, spread from the city to the neighbouring villages, where there were sporadic communal
disturbances for several days afterwards.
The year 1932-33 was relatively free from communal agitations and disturbances. This welcome
improvement was doubtless in some measure due to the suppression of lawlessness generally and
the removal of uncertainty in regard to the position of the Muslims under the new constitution.
But in 1933-34 throughout the country communal tension had been increasing and disorders which
occurred not only on the occasion of such festivals as Holi, Id and Muharram, but also many
resulting from ordinary incidents of every-day life indicated, that there had been a deterioration in
communal relations since the year began. Communal riots during Holi occurred at Benares and
Cawnpore in the United Provinces, at Lahore in the Punjab, and at Peshawar. Bakr-i-ld was marked
by serious rioting at Ayodhya, in the United Provinces over cow sacrifice, also at Bhagalpore in
Bihar and Orissa and at Cannanore in Madras. A serious riot in the Ghazipur District of the United
Provinces also resulted in several deaths. During April and May there were Hindu-Muslim riots at
several places in Bihar and Orissa, in Bengal, in Sind and Delhi, some of them provoked by very
trifling incidents, as for instance, the unintentional spitting by a Muslim shopkeeper of Delhi upon
a Hindu passer-by. The increase in communal disputes in British India was also reflected in some
of the States where similar incidents occurred.
The position with regard to communal unrest during the months from June to October was
indicative of the normal, deep-seated antagonism between the two major communities. June and
July months, in which no Hindu or Muhammedan festival of importance took place, were
comparatively free from riots, though the situation in certain areas of Bihar necessitated the
quartering of additional police. A long-drawn-out dispute started in Agra. The Muslims of this city
objected to the noise of religious ceremonies in certain Hindu private houses which they said
disturbed worshippers at prayers in a neighbouring mosque. Before the dispute was settled, riots
occurred on the 20th July and again on the 2nd September, in the course of which 4 persons were
killed and over 80 injured. In Madras a riot, on the 3rd September resulting in one death and
injuries to 13 persons was occasioned by a book published by Hindus containing alleged reflections
on the Prophet. During the same month minor riots occurred in several places in the Punjab and the
United Provinces.
In 1934-35 serious trouble arose in Lahore on the 29th June as a result of a dispute between
Muslims and Sikhs about a mosque situated within the precincts of a Sikh temple known as the
Shahidganj Gurudwara. Trouble had been brewing for some time. Ill-feeling became intensified
when the Sikhs started to demolish the Mosque despite Muslim protests. The building had been the
subject of prolonged litigation, which has confirmed the Sikh right of possession.
On the night of the 29th June a crowd of 3 or 4 thousand Muslims assembled in front of the
Gurudwara. A struggle between this crowd and the Sikhs inside the Gurudwara was only averted by
the prompt action of the local authorities. They subsequently obtained an undertaking from the
Sikhs to refrain from further demolition. But during the following week, while strenuous efforts
were being made to persuade the leaders to reach an amicable settlement, the Sikhs under pressure
of extremist influence again set about demolishing the mosque. This placed the authorities in a
most difficult position. The Sikhs were acting within their legal rights. Moreover the only effective
method of stopping demolition would have been to resort to firing. As the building was full of
Sikhs and was within the precincts of a Sikh place of worship, this would not only have caused
much bloodshed but, for religious reasons, would have had serious reactions on the Sikh population
throughout the Province. On the other hand, inaction by Government was bound to cause great
indignation among the Muslims, for religious reasons : and it was expected that this would show
itself in sporadic attacks on the Sikhs and perhaps on the forces of Government.
It was hoped that discussions between leaders of the two communities would effect some
rapprochement, but mischief-makers inflamed the minds of their co-religionists. Despite the arrest
of the chief offenders, the excitement increased. The Government's gesture in offering to restore to
the Muslims another mosque which they had purchased years ago proved unavailing.
The situation took a further turn for the worse on the 19th July and during the following two days
the situation was acutely dangerous. The Central Police station was practically besieged by the
huge crowds, which assumed a most menacing attitude. Repeated attempts to disperse them without
the use of firearms failed and the troops had to fire twice on the 20th July and eight times on the
21st. In all 23 rounds were fired and 12 persons killed. Casualties, mostly of a minor nature, were
numerous amongst the military and police.
As a result of the firing, the crowds dispersed and did not reassemble. Extra police were brought in
from other Provinces and the military garrisons were strengthened. Administrative control was
re-established rapidly, but the religious leaders continued to fan the embers of the agitation. Civil
litigation was renewed and certain Muslim organisations framed some extravagant demands.
The situation in Lahore continued to cause anxiety up to the close of the year. On the 6th
November, a Sikh was mortally wounded by a Muslim. Three days later a huge Sikh-Hindu
procession was taken out. The organisers appeared anxious to avoid conflict but nonetheless one
serious clash occurred. This was followed by further rioting on the next day. But for the good work
of the police and the troops, in breaking up the fights quickly, the casualties might have been very
large.
On the 19th March 1935 a serious incident occurred in Karachi after the execution of Abdul
Quayum, the Muslim who had murdered Nathuramal, a Hindu, already referred to as the writer of a
scurrilous pamphlet about the Prophet. Abdul Quayum's body was taken by the District Magistrate,
accompanied by a police party, to be handed over to the deceased's family for burial outside the
city. A huge crowd, estimated to be about 25,000 strong, collected at the place of burial. Though
the relatives of Abdul Quayum wished to complete the burial at the cemetery, the most violent
members of the mob determined to take the body in procession through the city. The local
authorities decided to prevent the mob entering, since this would have led to communal rioting. All
attempts of the police to stop the procession failed, so a platoon of the Royal Sussex Regiment was
brought in to keep peace. It was forced to open fire at short range to stop the advance of the
frenzied mob and to prevent itself from being overwhelmed. Forty-seven rounds were fired by
which 47 people were killed and 134 injured. The arrival of reinforcements prevented further
attempts to advance. The wounded were taken to the Civil Hospital and the body of Abdul Quayum
was then interred without further trouble.
On the 25th August 1935 there was a communal riot at Secunderabad.
In the year 1936 there were four communal riots. On the 14th April there occurred a most terrible
riot at Firozabad in the Agra District. A Muslim procession was proceeding along the main bazar
and it is alleged that bricks were thrown from the roofs of Hindu houses. This enraged the Muslims
in the procession who set fire to the house of a Hindu, Dr. Jivaram, and the adjacent temple of
Radha Krishna. The inmates of Dr. Jivaram's house in addition to 11 Hindus including 3 children
were burnt to death. A second Hindu-Muslim riot broke out in Poona in the Bombay Presidency on
24th April 1936. On the 27th April there occurred a Hindu-Muslim riot in Jamalpur in the Monghyr
District. The fourth Hindu-Muslim riot of the year took place in Bombay on the 15th October 1936.
The year 1937 was full of communal disturbances. On the 27th March 1937 there was a
Hindu-Muslim riot at Panipat over the Holi procession and 14 persons were killed. On the 1st May
1937 there occurred a communal riot in Madras in which 50 persons were injured. The month of
May was full of communal riots which took place mostly in the C. P. and the Punjab. One that took
place in Shikarpur in Sind caused great panic. On 18th June there was a Sikh-Muslim riot in
Amritsar. It assumed such proportions that British troops had to be called out to maintain order.
The year 1938 was marked by two communal riotsâone in Allahabad on 26th March and. another
in Bombay in April.
There were 6 Hindu-Muslim riots in 1939. On the 21st January there was a riot at Asansol in which
one was killed and 18 injured. It was followed by a riot in Cawnpore on the 11th February in which
42 were killed, 200 injured and 800 arrested. On the 4th March there was a riot at Benares followed
by a riot at Cassipore near Calcutta on the 5th March. On 19th June there was again a riot at
Cawnpore over the Rathajatra procession.
A serious riot occurred on 20th November 1939 in Sukkur in Sind. The riot was the culmination of
the agitation by the Muslims to take possession, even by force, of a building called Manzilgah
which was in the possession of Government as Government property and to the transfer of which
the Hindus had raised objections. Mr. E. Westonânow a judge of the Bombay High Courtâwho
was appointed to investigate into the disturbances gives 30[f.30] the following figures of the
murdered and the wounded :
Taluka. Murders committed. Persons
injured.
Persons
Subsequently
died from injuries.
Hindus. Mdns. Ilindus. Mdns. Ilindus. Mdns.
Sukkur Town 20 12 11 11 1
Sukkur Taluka 2 2 23 5
Shikarpur Taluka 5 11 2
Garhi Yasin Taluka 24 4
Rohri Taluka 10 3
Pano Akil Taluka 6 1
Ghorki Taluka 1 1
Mirpur Mathelo Taluka 1
Ubauro Taluka 4 3 1 1
142 14 58 12 9
Of the many gruesome incidents recorded by him the following may be quoted:
" The most terrible of all the disturbances occurred on the night of the 20th at Gosarji village which
is eight miles from Sukkur and sixteen from Shikarpur. According to an early statement sent by the
District Magistrate to Government, admittedly incomplete, 27 Hindus were murdered there that
night. According to the witnesses examined the number was 37.
adherents of the Congress, was the worst which India has experienced for many years. The trouble,
moreover, spread from the city to the neighbouring villages, where there were sporadic communal
disturbances for several days afterwards.
The year 1932-33 was relatively free from communal agitations and disturbances. This welcome
improvement was doubtless in some measure due to the suppression of lawlessness generally and
the removal of uncertainty in regard to the position of the Muslims under the new constitution.
But in 1933-34 throughout the country communal tension had been increasing and disorders which
occurred not only on the occasion of such festivals as Holi, Id and Muharram, but also many
resulting from ordinary incidents of every-day life indicated, that there had been a deterioration in
communal relations since the year began. Communal riots during Holi occurred at Benares and
Cawnpore in the United Provinces, at Lahore in the Punjab, and at Peshawar. Bakr-i-ld was marked
by serious rioting at Ayodhya, in the United Provinces over cow sacrifice, also at Bhagalpore in
Bihar and Orissa and at Cannanore in Madras. A serious riot in the Ghazipur District of the United
Provinces also resulted in several deaths. During April and May there were Hindu-Muslim riots at
several places in Bihar and Orissa, in Bengal, in Sind and Delhi, some of them provoked by very
trifling incidents, as for instance, the unintentional spitting by a Muslim shopkeeper of Delhi upon
a Hindu passer-by. The increase in communal disputes in British India was also reflected in some
of the States where similar incidents occurred.
The position with regard to communal unrest during the months from June to October was
indicative of the normal, deep-seated antagonism between the two major communities. June and
July months, in which no Hindu or Muhammedan festival of importance took place, were
comparatively free from riots, though the situation in certain areas of Bihar necessitated the
quartering of additional police. A long-drawn-out dispute started in Agra. The Muslims of this city
objected to the noise of religious ceremonies in certain Hindu private houses which they said
disturbed worshippers at prayers in a neighbouring mosque. Before the dispute was settled, riots
occurred on the 20th July and again on the 2nd September, in the course of which 4 persons were
killed and over 80 injured. In Madras a riot, on the 3rd September resulting in one death and
injuries to 13 persons was occasioned by a book published by Hindus containing alleged reflections
on the Prophet. During the same month minor riots occurred in several places in the Punjab and the
United Provinces.
In 1934-35 serious trouble arose in Lahore on the 29th June as a result of a dispute between
Muslims and Sikhs about a mosque situated within the precincts of a Sikh temple known as the
Shahidganj Gurudwara. Trouble had been brewing for some time. Ill-feeling became intensified
when the Sikhs started to demolish the Mosque despite Muslim protests. The building had been the
subject of prolonged litigation, which has confirmed the Sikh right of possession.
On the night of the 29th June a crowd of 3 or 4 thousand Muslims assembled in front of the
Gurudwara. A struggle between this crowd and the Sikhs inside the Gurudwara was only averted by
the prompt action of the local authorities. They subsequently obtained an undertaking from the
Sikhs to refrain from further demolition. But during the following week, while strenuous efforts
were being made to persuade the leaders to reach an amicable settlement, the Sikhs under pressure
of extremist influence again set about demolishing the mosque. This placed the authorities in a
most difficult position. The Sikhs were acting within their legal rights. Moreover the only effective
method of stopping demolition would have been to resort to firing. As the building was full of
Sikhs and was within the precincts of a Sikh place of worship, this would not only have caused
much bloodshed but, for religious reasons, would have had serious reactions on the Sikh population
throughout the Province. On the other hand, inaction by Government was bound to cause great
indignation among the Muslims, for religious reasons : and it was expected that this would show
itself in sporadic attacks on the Sikhs and perhaps on the forces of Government.
It was hoped that discussions between leaders of the two communities would effect some
rapprochement, but mischief-makers inflamed the minds of their co-religionists. Despite the arrest
of the chief offenders, the excitement increased. The Government's gesture in offering to restore to
the Muslims another mosque which they had purchased years ago proved unavailing.
The situation took a further turn for the worse on the 19th July and during the following two days
the situation was acutely dangerous. The Central Police station was practically besieged by the
huge crowds, which assumed a most menacing attitude. Repeated attempts to disperse them without
the use of firearms failed and the troops had to fire twice on the 20th July and eight times on the
21st. In all 23 rounds were fired and 12 persons killed. Casualties, mostly of a minor nature, were
numerous amongst the military and police.
As a result of the firing, the crowds dispersed and did not reassemble. Extra police were brought in
from other Provinces and the military garrisons were strengthened. Administrative control was
re-established rapidly, but the religious leaders continued to fan the embers of the agitation. Civil
litigation was renewed and certain Muslim organisations framed some extravagant demands.
The situation in Lahore continued to cause anxiety up to the close of the year. On the 6th
November, a Sikh was mortally wounded by a Muslim. Three days later a huge Sikh-Hindu
procession was taken out. The organisers appeared anxious to avoid conflict but nonetheless one
serious clash occurred. This was followed by further rioting on the next day. But for the good work
of the police and the troops, in breaking up the fights quickly, the casualties might have been very
large.
On the 19th March 1935 a serious incident occurred in Karachi after the execution of Abdul
Quayum, the Muslim who had murdered Nathuramal, a Hindu, already referred to as the writer of a
scurrilous pamphlet about the Prophet. Abdul Quayum's body was taken by the District Magistrate,
accompanied by a police party, to be handed over to the deceased's family for burial outside the
city. A huge crowd, estimated to be about 25,000 strong, collected at the place of burial. Though
the relatives of Abdul Quayum wished to complete the burial at the cemetery, the most violent
members of the mob determined to take the body in procession through the city. The local
authorities decided to prevent the mob entering, since this would have led to communal rioting. All
attempts of the police to stop the procession failed, so a platoon of the Royal Sussex Regiment was
brought in to keep peace. It was forced to open fire at short range to stop the advance of the
frenzied mob and to prevent itself from being overwhelmed. Forty-seven rounds were fired by
which 47 people were killed and 134 injured. The arrival of reinforcements prevented further
attempts to advance. The wounded were taken to the Civil Hospital and the body of Abdul Quayum
was then interred without further trouble.
On the 25th August 1935 there was a communal riot at Secunderabad.
In the year 1936 there were four communal riots. On the 14th April there occurred a most terrible
riot at Firozabad in the Agra District. A Muslim procession was proceeding along the main bazar
and it is alleged that bricks were thrown from the roofs of Hindu houses. This enraged the Muslims
in the procession who set fire to the house of a Hindu, Dr. Jivaram, and the adjacent temple of
Radha Krishna. The inmates of Dr. Jivaram's house in addition to 11 Hindus including 3 children
were burnt to death. A second Hindu-Muslim riot broke out in Poona in the Bombay Presidency on
24th April 1936. On the 27th April there occurred a Hindu-Muslim riot in Jamalpur in the Monghyr
District. The fourth Hindu-Muslim riot of the year took place in Bombay on the 15th October 1936.
The year 1937 was full of communal disturbances. On the 27th March 1937 there was a
Hindu-Muslim riot at Panipat over the Holi procession and 14 persons were killed. On the 1st May
1937 there occurred a communal riot in Madras in which 50 persons were injured. The month of
May was full of communal riots which took place mostly in the C. P. and the Punjab. One that took
place in Shikarpur in Sind caused great panic. On 18th June there was a Sikh-Muslim riot in
Amritsar. It assumed such proportions that British troops had to be called out to maintain order.
The year 1938 was marked by two communal riotsâone in Allahabad on 26th March and. another
in Bombay in April.
There were 6 Hindu-Muslim riots in 1939. On the 21st January there was a riot at Asansol in which
one was killed and 18 injured. It was followed by a riot in Cawnpore on the 11th February in which
42 were killed, 200 injured and 800 arrested. On the 4th March there was a riot at Benares followed
by a riot at Cassipore near Calcutta on the 5th March. On 19th June there was again a riot at
Cawnpore over the Rathajatra procession.
A serious riot occurred on 20th November 1939 in Sukkur in Sind. The riot was the culmination of
the agitation by the Muslims to take possession, even by force, of a building called Manzilgah
which was in the possession of Government as Government property and to the transfer of which
the Hindus had raised objections. Mr. E. Westonânow a judge of the Bombay High Courtâwho
was appointed to investigate into the disturbances gives 30[f.30] the following figures of the
murdered and the wounded :
Taluka. Murders committed. Persons
injured.
Persons
Subsequently
died from injuries.
Hindus. Mdns. Ilindus. Mdns. Ilindus. Mdns.
Sukkur Town 20 12 11 11 1
Sukkur Taluka 2 2 23 5
Shikarpur Taluka 5 11 2
Garhi Yasin Taluka 24 4
Rohri Taluka 10 3
Pano Akil Taluka 6 1
Ghorki Taluka 1 1
Mirpur Mathelo Taluka 1
Ubauro Taluka 4 3 1 1
142 14 58 12 9
Of the many gruesome incidents recorded by him the following may be quoted:
" The most terrible of all the disturbances occurred on the night of the 20th at Gosarji village which
is eight miles from Sukkur and sixteen from Shikarpur. According to an early statement sent by the
District Magistrate to Government, admittedly incomplete, 27 Hindus were murdered there that
night. According to the witnesses examined the number was 37.