Direct Action Day, also known as the Great Calcutta Riot,[1] was on 16 August 1946—a day of widespread riot and manslaughter in the city of Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) in the Bengal province of British India. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The day also marked the start of what is known as "The Week of the Long Knives". [2][3]
The Muslim League and the Indian National Congress were the two largest political parties in the Constituent Assembly of India in the 1940s. The All India Muslim League ( Urdu: آل انڈیا مسلم لیگ Bengali:?????? ??? founded at Dhaka in 1906 was a political party in British Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and served as its first Parliament as an independent nation The 1946 Cabinet Mission to India for planning of the transfer of power from the British Raj to the Indian leadership proposed an initial plan of composition of the new Dominion of India and its government. The British Cabinet Mission of 1946 to India aimed to discuss and finalize plans for the transfer of power from the British Raj to Indian leadership providing For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British However, soon an alternative plan to divide the British Raj into a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan was proposed. The Congress rejected the alternative proposal outright. Muslim League planned general strike (hartal)[4] on 16 August to protest this rejection, and to assert its demand for a separate Muslim homeland. A general strike is a Strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city region or country Hartal (also hartaal is a term in many Indian languages for Strike action, used often during the Indian Independence Movement. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting [5][6]
The protest triggered massive riots in Calcutta,[7][8] instigated[4][7] by the Muslim League and its Volunteer Corps against Hindus and Sikhs,[1][8] followed by retaliatory[7][8] attacks on Muslims by Congress followers and supporters. Riots are a form of Civil disorders characterized by disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of Violence, Vandalism or other A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. [1][8] In Calcutta, within 72 hours, more than 4,000 people lost their lives and 100,000 residents in the city of Calcutta were left homeless. [1][8] Violence in Calcutta sparked off further religious riots in the surrounding regions of Noakhali, Bihar, United Province (mordern Uttar Pradesh), Punjab, and the North Western Frontier Province. For the village in Barisal see Noakhali Barisal Division. Noakhali (নোয়াখালী জিলা is a district in South-eastern Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश اتر پردیش pronounced, Translation: Northern Province) referred to as '''U Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. These events sowed the seeds for the eventual Partition of India. The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, [9]
Contents |
Background
In 1946, the Indian independence movement against the British Raj had reached a pivotal stage when the British Prime Minister Clement Attlee sent a three member Cabinet Mission to India aimed at discussing and finalising plans for the transfer of power from the British Raj to the Indian leadership, providing India with independence under Dominion status in the Commonwealth of Nations. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Clement Richard Attlee 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC ( 3 January 1883 &ndash 8 October 1967 The British Cabinet Mission of 1946 to India aimed to discuss and finalize plans for the transfer of power from the British Raj to Indian leadership providing India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country [10] After holding talks with the representatives of the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League—the two largest political parties in the Constituent Assembly of India—on May 16, 1946, the Mission proposed initial plans of composition of the new Dominion of India and its government. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. The All India Muslim League ( Urdu: آل انڈیا مسلم لیگ Bengali:?????? ??? founded at Dhaka in 1906 was a political party in British The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and served as its first Parliament as an independent nation Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [8][11] On June 16, under pressure from the Muslim League headed by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Mission proposed an alternative plan to arrange for India to be divided into Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Muhammad Ali Jinnah Urdu: (December 25 1876 – September 11 1948 was a Pakistani politician and leader of the All India Muslim League who founded Pakistan [12] The princely states of India would be permitted to accede to either dominion or attain independence.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the one time Congressman and Indian Nationalist, and now the leader of the Muslim League, had accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan of 16 June whereas the Congress rejected it outright. Muhammad Ali Jinnah Urdu: (December 25 1876 – September 11 1948 was a Pakistani politician and leader of the All India Muslim League who founded Pakistan Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. [8][13] On July 10, Jawaharlal Nehru held a press conference in Bombay declaring that the Congress had agreed only to participate in the Constituent Assembly and regarded itself free to change or modify the Cabinet Mission Plan as it thought best. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial [13] Fearing Hindu Domination[14] in the Constituent Assembly, Jinnah denounced the British Cabinet Mission and decided to boycott the Constituent Assembly to try and put pressure on Congress and the British, by resorting to "Direct Action". [5]
Photo: Margaret Bourke-White.
In July 1946, Jinnah held a press conference at his home in Bombay where he declared his intent to create Pakistan. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Jinnah proclaimed that the Muslim league was "preparing to launch a struggle" and that they "have chalked a plan". [5] He had decided to boycott the Constituent Assembly. He rejected the British plan for transfer of power to an interim government which would combine both the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress. He said that if the Muslims were not granted Pakistan then he would launch "Direct Action". [5] When asked to specify Jinnah retorted: "Go to the Congress and ask them their plans. When they take you into their confidence I will take you into mine. Why do you expect me alone to sit with folded hands? I also am going to make trouble. "[5]
On the next day, Jinnah announced August 16, 1946 would be "Direct Action Day" for the purpose of winning the separate Muslim state and warned congress, "We do not want war, if you want war we accept your offer unhesitatingly. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. We shall have India divided or we shall have India destroyed. "[5] Muslim League Council Meeting held during the period 27 July–29 July 1946 passed a resolution declaring, the Direct Action Day was intended to unfold “direct action for the achievement of Pakistan. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ”
In his book The Great Divide, H V Hodson recounted, "The working committee followed up by calling on Muslims through out India to observe 16th August as direct action day. Henry Vincent "Harry" Hodson ( 12 May, 1906 – 26 March, 1999) was a British economist and editor On that Day meeting would be held all over the country to explain League's resolution. These meetings and processions passed of—as was manifestly the Central league leaders' intention—without more than commonplace and limited disturbance with one vast and tragic exception. . . what happened was more than anyone could have foreseen. "[15]
Prelude
Following Jinnah's declaration of 16 August as the Direct Action Day, the Muslim League Chief Minister of Bengal, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, declared a public holiday on that day. A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy ( September 8, 1892 - December 5, 1963) was a politician from Bengal in undivided India, and later [1][16] Bengal Congress protested against the declaration of public holiday, arguing that a holiday would enable 'the idle folks' to successfully enforce hartals in areas where the Muslim League leadership was uncertain. Congress accused the League government for "indulging in communal policies' for narrow goal". [17] However, the League went ahead with the declaration, and Muslim newspapers published the program for the day.
The Star of India, an influential local Muslim newspaper, published detailed programme for the day. Calling it a Jehad, the programme called for complete hartal and general strike in all spheres of civic, commercial and industrial life except essential services. Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. The notice proclaimed that processions would start from multiple parts of Calcutta, Howrah, Hooghly, Metiabruz and 24 Parganas, and would converge at the foot of the Ochterlony Monument (now known as Shaheed Minar) where a joint mass rally presided over by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy would be held. Hooghly is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. Metiabruz is a neighbourhood on the southern fringe of Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. 24 Parganas is a former district of the Indian state of West Bengal. For the other monunment in Dhaka known as Shaheed Minar see Shaheed Minar Shaheed Minar, literally 'tower of the martyrs' in words The Muslim League branches were advised to depute three workers in every mosque in every ward to explain the League's action plan before Juma prayers and to report to the district headquarters about arrangements. "Juma" redirects here For the indigenous Brazilian group see Juma people. Moreover, special prayer were arranged in every mosque on Friday after Juma prayers for the freedom of Muslim India, the Islamic world and the peoples of India and the East in general. "Juma" redirects here For the indigenous Brazilian group see Juma people. [18]
The notice drew divine inspiration from the Quran, emphasizing on the coincidence of Direct Action Day with with the holy month of Ramzaan, claiming that the upcoming protests were an allegory of Prophet Muhammad's conflict with heathenism and subsequent conquest of Mecca and establishment the kingdom of Heaven in Arabia. Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Mecca was conquered by the Muslims in January 630 AD (10th day of Ramadan[[ AH]] The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) It appealed all Muslims to make the day a success by securing moral and physical purge of the nation. [18]
On the other hand, Hindu public opinion was mobilised around the Akhand Hindusthan (United India) slogan. [19] The Congress leaders in Bengal were not necessarily Hindu communalists. But since most of the party's support came from Hindus, a section of the Congressmen imbibed a strong sense of Hindu identity, especially in view of the perceived threat from the Pakistan movement. Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan ( Urdu: تحریک پاکستان) was the struggle carried out by the Muslims of British India [8] Such mobilisation along communal lines was partly successful due to a concerted propaganda campaign which resulted in a 'legitimization of communal solidarities'. [8]
After his visits to neighborhoods (Mahallas), Suhrawardy claimed that he believed and found the Muslims peaceful and therefore had made arrangements so that the Police and the Military would not interfere with day's working plans. [4] Muslim League Volunteer Corps in Calcutta, however, took that comment of Suhrawardy to indicate that they were free to riot. [9] On the other hand, following the protests against the British after INA trials, the British administration decided to give more importance to protests against the government, rather than management of communal violence within the Indian populace, according to their "Emergency Action Scheme". The INA trials or the Red Fort Trials refer to the Courts martial of a number of officers of the Indian National Army between November 1945 and May 1946 [4] Frederick Burrows, the Governor of Bengal, rationalized the authorisation of the declaration of "public holiday" in his report to Lord Wavell —
| “ | . From 1690 a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers the nawabs of Murshidabad who were . . many of the mischief-makers were people who would have had idle hands anyhow. If shops and markets had been generally open, I believe that there would have been even more looting and murder than there was; the holiday gave the peaceable citizens the chance of staying at home. . . | ” |
—Frederick Burrows, Burrows' Report to Lord Wavell. [1] | ||
Riots and Massacre
Photo:Margaret Bourke-White.
Photo: Margaret Bourke-White.
Troubles started on the morning of the August 16. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Even before 10 o'clock Police Headquarters had reported that there was excitement throughout the city, that shops were being forced to close, and that there were many reports of stabbing and throwing of stones and brickbats. The trouble had assumed the communal character which it was to retain throughout. [1] The League's rally began at Ochterloney Monument. For the other monunment in Dhaka known as Shaheed Minar see Shaheed Minar Shaheed Minar, literally 'tower of the martyrs' in words The gathering was considered as the 'largest ever Muslim assembly' at that time. [20][21]
The meeting began around 4 pm though processions of Muslims from all parts of Calcutta had started assembling since the midday prayers. The dhuhr (ظهر prayer ("dh" representing Ẓāʼ, an Emphatic voiced dental fricative" it is often simplified to "z" is A large number of the participants were reported to have been armed with iron bars and lathis (bamboo sticks). Lathi ( Devanagari: लाठी is an ancient armed martial art of India. The numbers attending were estimated by a Central Intelligence Officer's reporter (a Hindu) at 30,000 and by a Special Branch Inspector (a Muslim) at 500,000. The latter figure is impossibly high and the (Muslim) Star of India reporter put it at about 100,000. The main speakers were Khawaja Nazimuddin and Chief Minister Suhrawardy. Al- Hajj Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin, KCIE ( Urdu: خواجہ ناظم الدین Bengali: খাজা নাজিমুদ্দীন Nazimuddin in his speech preached peacefulness and restraint but rather spoilt the effect by asserting that till 11 o'clock that morning all the injured persons were Muslims, and the Muslim community had only retaliated in self-defence. [1] The Chief Minister's speech consisted of both calming and excitatory passages, of which the audience remembered the hot passages more clearly than the cold.
The Special Branch had sent only one Urdu shorthand reporter to the meeting, with the result that no transcript of the Chief Minister's speech is available. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised But the Central Intelligence Officer and a reporter, who Frederick Burrows believed was reliable, deputed by the military authorities agree on one mischievous statement (not reported at all by the Calcutta Police). The version in the former's report was—"He [the Chief Minister] had seen to police and military arrangements who would not interfere". [1] The version of the latter's was—"He had been able to restrain the military and the police". [1] However, the police did not receive any specific order to "hold back". So, whatever Suhrawardy may have meant to convey by this, the impression of such a statement on a largely uneducated audience must have been that it was an open invitation to disorder; indeed, many of the listeners started attacking Hindus and looting Hindu shops as soon as they left the meeting. [1] Subsequently, there were reports of lorries (trucks) that came down Harrison Road in Calcutta, carrying Muslim men armed with brickbats and bottles as weapons and attacking Hindu-owned shops. Mahatma Gandhi Road, more commonly MG Road,(formerly known as Harrison Road) is a principal East-West thoroughfare in north Kolkata (formerly known as [5]
Hindus and Sikhs were every bit as fierce as the Muslims in the beginning. [5][19] Field Marshal Viscount Wavell estimated that appreciably more Muslims than Hindus were killed. Parties of one community would lie in wait, and as soon as they caught one of the other community, they would cut him to pieces. [22] Near military installations, static guards, forces specially trained to protect such installation, took over from police guards and a party of troops under Major Littleboy, the Assistant Provost-Marshal, did valuable work in the rescue operation for displaced and needy persons. Outside the military areas, the situation worsened hourly. Buses and taxis were charging about loaded with Sikhs and Hindus armed with swords, iron bars and firearms. [23] In later interviews some of the Hindu participants recounted —
| “ | . . . I heard that two goalas (milkmen) had been killed in Beliaghata and riots have started in Boubazar . . . ;it was a very critical time for the country; the country had to be saved. If we become a part of Pakistan, we will be oppressed so I called all my boys and said, this is the time we have to retaliate, and you have to answer brutality with brutality . . . We were fighting those who attacked us . . . We fought and killed them. So if we heard one murder has taken place, we committed ten more . . . the ratio should be one to ten, that was the order to my boys. | ” |
—Gopal Patha, BBC "50 years of India’s independence". [2] | ||
| “ | . . . I saw four trucks standing, all with dead bodies piled at least three feet high; like molasses in a sack, they were stacked on the trucks, blood and brain oozing out… that sight had a tremendous effect on me . . . One murder would fetch ten rupees, and a wounding would bring five . . . | ” |
—Jugal Chandra Ghosh, BBC "50 years of India’s independence". [2] | ||
The region most affected by the violence was the densely populated sector of the city bounded by Bowbazar Street on the south, Upper Circular Road on the east, Vivekananda Road on the north and Strand Road on the west. Strand Road is a major thoroughfare in the Indian city of Kolkata, running along the east bank of the Hooghly River, connects Fort William to Official estimate put the casualties at 4,000 dead and 100,000 injured. Other sources put the death toll at 7,000–10,000. [2] Some authors have claimed that most of the victims were Hindus. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical [20] However, others indicate appreciably more Muslims were killed than Hindus. [22][24]
Skirmishes between the communities continued for almost a week. Finally, on 21 August, 5 battalions British troops, supported by 4 battalions Indians and Gurkhas, were deployed in the city. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr Lord Wavell alleged that more British troops ought to have been called in earlier, and there is no indication that more British troops were not available. [22] The rioting reduced on 22 August. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. [21]
Characteristics of the riot
In earlier riots in Calcutta, shops dealing with immediate consumer goods or items whose price had just risen were mostly looted. However, in the riot of 1946 any shop was an object of attack, the only discriminatory feature being Muslims exclusively pillaging Hindu shops and vice versa. [4][7] Collective violence on either side also displayed features of organisation. The looted booty was carried to waiting lorries for transportation to a central place, shops were marked carefully with signs so that the crowd left untouched the establishments of their co-religionists. [19] Houses of a particular community were attacked simultaneously. Both League and Congress volunteers used Red Cross badges to evade police detection. [19] Perhaps at the height of antagonism the Hindu and Muslim crowd were impregnated with cross-fertilisation of ideas on collective conduct wherein one was copying the acts of others. [8]
The Muslim League mobilised all its frontal organisations to make the Direct Action Day a success. Special coupons for gallons of petrol (gasoline) were issued in the names of League ministers to be used by their party functionaries, the petrol was used to incinerate Hindu businesses. One month's food ration for 10,000 people was drawn in advance to feed the League activists. Once the riots began the Chief Minister, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, accompanied by his political aids, spent considerable time in the Police Control Room while Muslims executed the riots. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy ( September 8, 1892 - December 5, 1963) was a politician from Bengal in undivided India, and later [21] This made it extremely difficult for the Commissioner of Police, who was primarily responsible for handling the situation, to give clear and balanced decisions on all the numerous calls for help that were pouring in. It is not of course the function of a Minister to direct detailed operations, but the position was one of considerable delicacy as the Commissioner of Police could not insist on the extrusion from the Control Room of the Minister responsible for law and order.
On the other hand, Marwari merchants purchased arms and ammunitions from American soldiers, which were later used during the riot. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the [21] Acid bombs were manufactured and stored in Hindu-owned factories before the outbreak. Calcutta's Hindu blacksmiths were mobilised to prepare spearheads and other weapons. [21] Violence in Calcutta, between 1945 and 1946, passed by stages from Indian versus European to Hindu versus Muslim. Indian Christians and Europeans were generally free from molestation[25] as the tempo of Hindu-Muslim violence quickened. The decline of anti-European feelings as communal Hindu-Muslim tensions increased during this period is evident from the casualty numbers. During the riots of November 1945, casualty of Europeans and Christians were 46; in the riots of the 10 February–14 February 1946, 35; from February 15 to the August 15, only 3; during the Calcutta riots from August 15, 1946 to September 17, 1946, none. Events in November All Saints' Day (formerly All Hallows Day a Christian holy day is celebrated on November 1, the day after Halloween Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [26]
Aftermath
Photo: Margaret Bourke-White.
During the riots, thousands began fleeing Calcutta. For several days the Howrah Bridge over the Hooghly River was crowded with evacuees headed for the Howrah station to escape the mayhem in Calcutta. The Howrah Bridge is a Bridge that spans the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. The Hooghly River ( Bengali হুগলী Hugli; Anglicized alternatively spelled Hoogli or Hugli) or the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly, is Howrah Station is one of the two major Train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the other is Sealdah Station, in Kolkata Many of them would not escape the violence that spread out into the region outside Calcutta. [5] Lord Wavell claimed during his meeting on August 27, 1946 that Gandhi had told him, "If India wants bloodbath she shall have it . Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. . . if a bloodbath was necessary, it would come about in spite of non-violence". [27]
There was criticism of Suhrawardy, Chief Minister in charge of the Home Portfolio in Calcutta, for being partisan and of Sir Frederick John Burrows, the British Governor of Bengal, for not having taken control of the situation. Sir Frederick John Burrows, GCSI, GCIE (1887–1973 was a British politician who served as the last British Governor of Bengal From 1690 a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers the nawabs of Murshidabad who were The Chief Minister spent a great deal of time in the Control Room in the Police Headquarters at Lalbazar, often attended by some of his supporters. Lalbazar (লালবাজার is a neighbourhood in central Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta in the Indian state of West Bengal. Short of a direct order from the Governor, there was no way of preventing the Chief Minister from visiting the Control Room whenever he liked; and Governor Burrows was not prepared to give such an order, as it would clearly have indicated complete lack of faith in him. [1]
There are several views on the exact cause of the direct action day riots. According to intelligentsia, riots were instigated by members of the Muslim League and its affiliate Volunteer Corps'[1][4][7][8][28][17] in the city in order to enforce the declaration by the Muslim League that Muslims throughout the subcontinent were to 'suspend all business' to support their demand for an independent Pakistan. [1][4][7][29] However, supporters of the Muslim League believed that the Congress Party was behind the violence in an effort to weaken the fragile Muslim League government in Bengal. [1][10][17] Members of the Indian National Congress, including Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru responded negatively to the riots and expressed shock. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party The riots would lead to further rioting and pogroms against Hindus and Sikhs by Muslims, together with retaliatory attacks against Muslims. A pogrom is a form of Riot directed against a particular group whether ethnic religious or other and characterized by destruction of their Homes Businesses These events sowed the seeds for the eventual Partition of India. The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, [9]
Further Rioting in India
The Direct Action Day riots sparked off several riots between Muslims and Hindus/Sikhs in Noakhali, Bihar, Punjab, and the North Western Frontier Province in that year. For the village in Barisal see Noakhali Barisal Division. Noakhali (নোয়াখালী জিলা is a district in South-eastern Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan.
Noakhali–Tippera Riot
An important incident following Direct Action Day was the Noakhali district massacre on October 1946. For the village in Barisal see Noakhali Barisal Division. Noakhali (নোয়াখালী জিলা is a district in South-eastern The Noakhali–Tippera riot was a direct sequel to the Great Calcutta Riot and therefore, believed to be a repercussion of the later. ( Bengali script: ত্রিপুরা is a state in North-East India. However, studies have indicated that violence was different in nature from Calcutta.
Rioting in the districts began in the Raiganj police station area in the northern Noakhali District on October 10, 1946. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The violence unleashed was described as "the organized fury of the Muslim mob". [30] It soon engulfed the neighbouring police stations of Raipur, Lakshmipur, Begumganj and Sandip in Noakhali, and Faridganj, Hajiganj, Chandpur, Lakshman and Chudagram in Tippera. [20][31] The devastation caused by widespread violence was quite extensive. Initial statistics regarding casualties remained doubtful. If the "Hindu" press placed the figures in thousands, the "League" press went on to the other extreme and even denied incidents of death. [23] However, the official estimate was a conservative 200. [20][31]
The immediate occasion for the outbreak of the disturbances was the looting of a Bazaar (market) in Ramganj police station following the holding of a mass meeting and provocative speech by Gholam Sarwar Hussein. This included attacks on the house of Surendra Nath Bose and Rajendra Lal Roy Choudhury, the erstwhile president of the Nokhali Bar and a prominent Hindu Mahasabha leader. Akhil Bhāratīya Hindū Mahāsabhā (अखिल भारत हिन्दू महासभा All-Indian Hindu Assembly a Hindu nationalist organization was originally [20][31]
Rest of India
The worst reactions came in the form of massacre of Muslims in Bihar and Garhmukteswar in United Provinces. The Bihar riot began on 25 October 1946, which was being observed as Noakhali day. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Severe violence broke out in Chapra, Saran district, between 25 and 28 of October. Saran District is one of the thirty-seven districts of Bihar state, India. Very soon Patna, Monghyr and Bhagalpur became the sites of serious killings and destruction. Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited See Munger (disambiguation WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Munger town is the headquarters WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bhagalpur is a city and Municipal corporation in the Bihar state of Eastern By November 3, the official estimate put the figure of death at 445. Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. [8][31]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Burrows, Frederick (1946). Sir Frederick John Burrows, GCSI, GCIE (1887–1973 was a British politician who served as the last British Governor of Bengal Report to Viceroy Lord Wavell. The British Library IOR: L/P&J/8/655 f.f. 95, 96-107.
- ^ a b c d Sengupta, Debjani (2006). A City Feeding on Itself: Testimonies and Histories of ‘Direct Action’ Day. Sarai Reader.
- ^ L/I/1/425. The British Library Archives, London.
- ^ a b c d e f g Tsugitaka, Sato (2000). Muslim Societies: Historical and Comparative Aspects. Routledge, 112.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bourke-White, Margaret (1949). Margaret Bourke-White (ˌbɜrkˈʍaɪt June 14, 1904 &ndash August 27, 1971) was an American photographer and Halfway to Freedom: A Report on the New India. Simon and Schuster, New York.
- ^ Panigrahi, D. N. (2004). India's Partition: The Story of Imperialism in Retreat. Routledge, pp. 294.
- ^ a b c d e f Islam, Prof. Sirajul (Chief Editor) (2000). Calcutta Riot (1946), "Banglapedia". Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Das, Suranjan (2000). The 1992 Calcutta Riot in Historical Continuum: A Relapse into 'Communal Fury'?. Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 34, No. 2. pp. 283.
- ^ a b c Keay, John (2000). John Keay (born 1941 is an English Journalist and Historian. He specialises in writing popular histories about India and the Far East India: A history. Grove Press, 505.
- ^ a b Jalal, Ayesha (1994). Ayesha Jalal (عائشہ جلال is a Pakistani-American historian The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League and the Demand for Pakistan. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521458501.
- ^ Mansergh, Nicholas; Moon, Penderel (1977). Philip Nicholas Seton Mansergh (1910-1991 was a distinguished historian of Ireland and the British Commonwealth The Transfer of Power 1942-7 . Vol VII. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. ISBN 9780115800825.
- ^ Yusufi, Khurshid (1996). Statements and Messages of the Quaid-e-Azam . Vol IV. Bazm-i-Iqbal. ISBN 9698042008.
- ^ a b Azad, Abul Kalām (1988). Maulana Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed (11 November 1888 &ndash 22 February 1958 was a Muslim scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence India Wins Freedom. Orient Longman. ISBN 81-250-0514-5.
- ^ Kaufmann, Chaim D. (1998). When All Else Fails: Ethnic Population Transfers and Partitions in the Twentieth Century. International Security, Vol. 23, No. 2, Pg. 120-156. DOI:10.2307/2539381. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.
- ^ Hodson, H V (1997). Henry Vincent "Harry" Hodson ( 12 May, 1906 – 26 March, 1999) was a British economist and editor Great Divide; Britain, India, Pakistan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195778212.
- ^ Tyson, John D. . IOR: Tyson Papers, Eur E341/41, Tyson's note on Calcutta disturbances, 29 September 1946. .
- ^ a b c Chakrabarty, Bidyut (2004). The Partition of Bengal and Assam, 1932-1947: Contour of Freedom. RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 0415328896.
- ^ a b Programme for Direct Action Day, Star of India, Published: 13 August, 1946.
- ^ a b c d Das, Suranjan (1991). Communal Riots in Bengal, 1905-1947. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195628403.
- ^ a b c d e Batabyal, Rakesh. Communalism in Bengal : From Famine to Noakhali, 1943-47. Sage Publishers. ISBN 0761933352.
- ^ a b c d e Rashid, Harun-or (1987). The Foreshadowing of Bangladesh: Bengal Muslim League and Muslim Politics, 1936-1947,. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ a b c Wavell, Archibald P. (1946). Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May Report to Lord Pethick-Lawrence. Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence 1st Baron Pethick-Lawrence, PC ( 28 December 1871 &ndash 10 September 1961) was a British British Library Archives: IOR.
- ^ a b Tuker, Francis (1950). Sir Francis Ivan Simms Tuker, KCIE CB DSO OBE was a British Indian Army officer While Memory Serves. Cassell.
- ^ Wolpert, Stanley (1984). Stanley Wolpert (b 1927 is an American historian who specializes in the history of India and Pakistan. Jinnah of Pakistan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195034120.
- ^ Lambert, Richard (1951). Hindu-Muslim Riots. Ph. D. diss. , University of Pennsylvania, pp. 179.
- ^ Horowitz, Donald L. (1973). Donald L Horowitz is James B Duke Professor of Law and Political Science at Duke Law School and Duke University in Durham Direct, Displaced, and Cumulative Ethnic Aggression. Comparative Politics, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 11.
- ^ Seervai, H. M. (1990). Hormasji "Homi" Maneckji Seervai (1906 - 1996 was an Indian jurist Partition of India: Legend and Reality. Oxford University Press, 78. ISBN 9780195977196.
- ^ Chatterji, Joya (1994). Bengal Divided: Hindu Communalism and Partition, 1932-1947. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521523281.
- ^ Direct Action. Time. Time Inc (26 August 1946). Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2008-04-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama
- ^ Ghosh Choudhuri, Haran C. (6 February 1947). Proceedings of the Bengal Legislative Assembly (PBLA) Vol LXXVII. Bengal Legislative Assembly.
- ^ a b c d Mansergh, Nicholas; Moon, Penderel (1980). Philip Nicholas Seton Mansergh (1910-1991 was a distinguished historian of Ireland and the British Commonwealth The Transfer of Power 1942-7. Vol IX. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. ISBN 9780115800849.
See also
The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan ( Urdu: تحریک پاکستان) was the struggle carried out by the Muslims of British IndiaDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic