04-10-2004, 08:25 PM
" Pamanmal, a contractor of Gosarji states that at the time of satyagraha the leading Hindus of
Gosarji came in deputation to the leading zemindar of the locality Khan Sahib Amirbux who was
then at Sukkur. He reassured them and said he was responsible for their safely. On the 20th Khan
Sahib Amirbux was at Gosarji, and that morning Mukhi Mahrumal was murdered there. The
Hindus went to Khan Sahib Amirbux for protection and were again reassured, but that night
wholesale murder and looting took place. Of the 37 murdered, seven were women. Pamanmal
states that the following morning he went to the Sub-Inspector of Bagerji, which is one mile from
Gosarji, but he was abused and driven from the thana. He then went to Shikarpur and complained
to the panchayat, but did not complain to any officer there. I may mention that the Sub-Inspector of
Bagerji was afterwards prosecuted under section 211, Indian Penal Code, and has been convicted
for failure to make arrests in connection with murders at Gosarji.
" As Khan Sahib Amirbux, the zemindar, who was said to have given assurance of protection to the
Hindus of Bagerji, was reported to be attending the Court, he was called and examined as a Court
witness. He states that he lives half a mile from Gosarji village. The Sub-Inspector of Bagerji came
to Gosarji on the 20th after the murder of Mehrumal, and he acted as a mashir. He says that the
Hindus did not ask for help and there was no apprehension of trouble. On the night of the 20th he
was not well, and he heard nothing of the murders. He admits that he had heard of the Manzilgah
evacuation. Later in his evidence he admits that he told the villagers of Gosarji to be on the alert as
there was trouble in Sukkur, and he says he had called the panchayat on the evening of the 19th. He
went to Gosarji at sunrise on the 21st after the murders. He admits that he is regarded as the
protector of Gosarji. "
Mr. Weston adds 31[f.31] :â
" I find it impossible to believe the evidence of this witness. I have no doubt that he was fully aware
that there was trouble in Gosarji on the night of 20th and preferred to remain in his house. "
Who can deny that this record of rioting presents a picture which is grim in its results and sombre
in its tone ? But being chronological in order, the record might fail to give an idea of the havoc
these riots have caused in any given Province and the paralysis it has brought about in its social and
economic life. To give an idea of the paralysis caused by the recurrence of riots in a Province I
have recast the record of riots for the Province of Bombay. When recast the general picture appears
as follows :
Leaving aside the Presidency and confining oneself to the City of Bombay, there can be no doubt
that the record of the city is the blackest. The first Hindu-Muslim riot took place in 1893. This was
followed by a long period of communal peace which lasted upto 1929. But the years that have
followed have an appalling story to tell. From February 1929 to April 1938âa period of nine
yearsâthere were no less than 10 communal riots. In 1929 there were two communal riots. In the
first, 149 were killed and 739 were injured and it lasted for 36 days. In the second riot 35 were
killed, 109 were injured and it continued for 22 days. In 1930 there were two riots. Details as to
loss of life and its duration are not available. In 1932 there were again two riots. The first was a
small one. In the second 217 were killed, 2,713 were injured and it went on for 49 days. In 1933
there was one riot, details about which are not available. In 1936 there was one riot in which 94
were killed, 632 were injured and it continued to rage for 65 days. In the riot of 1937, 11 were
killed, 85 were injured and it occupied 21 days. The riot of 1938 lasted for 2 1/2 hours only but
within that time 12 were killed and a little over 100 were injured. Taking the total period of 9 years
and 2 months from February 1929 to April 1938 the Hindus and Muslims of the City of Bombay
alone were engaged in a sanguinary warfare for 210 days during which period 550 were killed and
4,500 were wounded. This does not of course take into consideration the loss of property which
took place through arson and loot.
Gosarji came in deputation to the leading zemindar of the locality Khan Sahib Amirbux who was
then at Sukkur. He reassured them and said he was responsible for their safely. On the 20th Khan
Sahib Amirbux was at Gosarji, and that morning Mukhi Mahrumal was murdered there. The
Hindus went to Khan Sahib Amirbux for protection and were again reassured, but that night
wholesale murder and looting took place. Of the 37 murdered, seven were women. Pamanmal
states that the following morning he went to the Sub-Inspector of Bagerji, which is one mile from
Gosarji, but he was abused and driven from the thana. He then went to Shikarpur and complained
to the panchayat, but did not complain to any officer there. I may mention that the Sub-Inspector of
Bagerji was afterwards prosecuted under section 211, Indian Penal Code, and has been convicted
for failure to make arrests in connection with murders at Gosarji.
" As Khan Sahib Amirbux, the zemindar, who was said to have given assurance of protection to the
Hindus of Bagerji, was reported to be attending the Court, he was called and examined as a Court
witness. He states that he lives half a mile from Gosarji village. The Sub-Inspector of Bagerji came
to Gosarji on the 20th after the murder of Mehrumal, and he acted as a mashir. He says that the
Hindus did not ask for help and there was no apprehension of trouble. On the night of the 20th he
was not well, and he heard nothing of the murders. He admits that he had heard of the Manzilgah
evacuation. Later in his evidence he admits that he told the villagers of Gosarji to be on the alert as
there was trouble in Sukkur, and he says he had called the panchayat on the evening of the 19th. He
went to Gosarji at sunrise on the 21st after the murders. He admits that he is regarded as the
protector of Gosarji. "
Mr. Weston adds 31[f.31] :â
" I find it impossible to believe the evidence of this witness. I have no doubt that he was fully aware
that there was trouble in Gosarji on the night of 20th and preferred to remain in his house. "
Who can deny that this record of rioting presents a picture which is grim in its results and sombre
in its tone ? But being chronological in order, the record might fail to give an idea of the havoc
these riots have caused in any given Province and the paralysis it has brought about in its social and
economic life. To give an idea of the paralysis caused by the recurrence of riots in a Province I
have recast the record of riots for the Province of Bombay. When recast the general picture appears
as follows :
Leaving aside the Presidency and confining oneself to the City of Bombay, there can be no doubt
that the record of the city is the blackest. The first Hindu-Muslim riot took place in 1893. This was
followed by a long period of communal peace which lasted upto 1929. But the years that have
followed have an appalling story to tell. From February 1929 to April 1938âa period of nine
yearsâthere were no less than 10 communal riots. In 1929 there were two communal riots. In the
first, 149 were killed and 739 were injured and it lasted for 36 days. In the second riot 35 were
killed, 109 were injured and it continued for 22 days. In 1930 there were two riots. Details as to
loss of life and its duration are not available. In 1932 there were again two riots. The first was a
small one. In the second 217 were killed, 2,713 were injured and it went on for 49 days. In 1933
there was one riot, details about which are not available. In 1936 there was one riot in which 94
were killed, 632 were injured and it continued to rage for 65 days. In the riot of 1937, 11 were
killed, 85 were injured and it occupied 21 days. The riot of 1938 lasted for 2 1/2 hours only but
within that time 12 were killed and a little over 100 were injured. Taking the total period of 9 years
and 2 months from February 1929 to April 1938 the Hindus and Muslims of the City of Bombay
alone were engaged in a sanguinary warfare for 210 days during which period 550 were killed and
4,500 were wounded. This does not of course take into consideration the loss of property which
took place through arson and loot.