PARTITION AND CREATION OF NATION STATES...
Transcript of PARTITION AND CREATION OF NATION STATES...
Chapter - 3
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CHAPTER - 3
PARTITION AND CREATION OF NATION
STATES – 1947 TO 1950 INCEPTION OF THE PROCESS OF PARTITION:
After the Second World War was over (1939-45), the Imperial
Government realized that the colonial rule in India could no longer be
sustained. The Indian nationalists were vehemently opposing its contribution
and international opinion was also no more in favour of colonization. True to
its pledge, the newly elected Labour Government responded to the situation in
a very different way. Illustrative to their commitment, on 20 February, 1947,
where Clement Attlee, the British Prime Minister, declared that ‘His
Majesty’s Government wish to make it clear that it is their definite intention
to take necessary steps to effect the transference of power to responsible
Indian hands by a date not later than June, 1948.’1
His Majesty’s Government
had anticipated that it would not be possible for the both the Muslim League
and the Congress leadership to cooperate in the working out of the Cabinet
Mission’s Plan of 16 May, 1946 and evolve for Indian a Constitution
acceptable to all concerned but this hope had not been fulfilled.
Accordingly, Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, was entrusted with all
powers to devise an appropriate scheme to settle the Indian question. It was a
difficult task. Nonetheless, the Viceroy convinced both the Muslim League
1 India Office Records (IOR), R/3/1/157. Attlee’s Statement in the House of Commons, 20 February
1947.
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and the Congress Leadership to agree to the partition of Bengal and Punjab
and also assured completion of the process by August 1947, instead of June
1948, as decided earlier.2
It was against this background that Mountbatten
prepared a plan which was evolved at every stage by a process of open
diplomacy with leaders.3
Harping on the pledge of the Attlee Government to
withdraw from the subcontinent, the June Plan, as it came to be known,
elaborated the process as follows:
“For the immediate purpose of deciding on the issue of partition, the
members of the Legislative Assemblies of Bengal and Punjab will sit in two
parts according to Muslim majority districts and non-Muslim majority
districts. This is the only preliminary step of a purely temporary nature as it is
evident that for the purposes of or final partition of these provinces as detailed
investigation of boundary questions will be needed; and as soon as decision
involving partition has been taken for their province, a boundary commission
will be set up by the Governor-General. The members and terms of reference
of which will be settled in consultation with those concerned. It will be
instructed to demarcate the boundaries of the two parts of Punjab on the basis
of ascertaining the contiguous majority areas of Muslims and non-Muslim. It
will also be instructed to demarcate the boundaries of the two parts of the
Punjab on the basis of ascertaining the contiguous majority areas of Muslims
and Non-Muslims. Similar instructions will be given to the Bengal Boundary
2 Hodson, H.V., The Great Divide, Britain-India-Pakistan, Hutchinson, London, 1969, p. 13. 3 Mountbatten made this remark in his press statement on 3 June 1947. Quoted in Hodson 1969, p.
204.
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Commission. Until the report of the Boundary Commission has been put into
effect, the provisional boundaries indicated in the Appendix will be used”.4
Thus the plan made provision for the constitution of two Boundary
Commissions – one for the Punjab and the other for Bengal and if necessary
for Assam. At any point of the award not being executed before the transfer
of power to the Government of Pakistan in August 1947, the plan allowed for
‘the National Partition’ of the provinces of Bengal and the Punjab purely on
the basis of demographic composition of the provinces. It further emphasized
that the Commissions ‘shall be under non circumstances be conditioned by
the provincial boundaries and instead look into the matter afresh’.5
Accordingly to Mountbatten’s statement, the provincial Legislative
Assemblies of Bengal and Punjab would ‘meet in two parts, one representing
the Muslim-majority districts and the other the rest of the Province’ to decide
‘whether of not the Province should be partitioned’.6
THE FORMATION OF THE BENGAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION:
An official announcement was made on 30 June, 1947 where the
Governor-General declared the composition of the two Boundary
Commissions, one for Bengal and the other for the Punjab. The Bengal
Boundary Commission was also entrusted with the task of drawing a
4 IOR, R/3/1/157, statement by His Majesty’s government, 3 June 1947, Partition Proceeding I,
Government of India Press, New Delhi, 1949, p. 2 (reproduced in Menon 1993: 204). 5 The Statesman, Calcutta, 8 June 1947. 6 IOR, R/3/1/157, statement by His Majesty’s Government, 3 June 1947.
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boundary between East Bengal and Assam.7
Cyril Radcliff8
was appointed
Chairman of both the Boundary Commissions, to decide the frontiers and
chalked out the boundaries in just seven weeks. Radcliff who as an unknown
entity, neither an Indian Administrative Officer nor a person with prior
experience in adjudicating disputes of this type, whose credentials as an
eminent British Jurist were involved to compensate for his lack of knowledge
and experience of the sub-continent.9
On his arrival in Delhi on 8 July, 1947,
he finalized the terms of reference for the task in consultation with
Mountbatten and Claude Auckinleck (the Commander-in-Chief), the
Congress and the Muslim League leaders. In a meeting held on 10 July, 1947
it was agreed unanimously that the final report was to be submitted at the
latest by 15 August, 1947 – less than a month after Radcliff assumed
responsibility. In response to a discussion on the question of the importance
of ‘natural features’ in the demarcation of boundaries, Radcliff pointed that it
would be wrong to ‘draw the boundaries on the basis of natural features
(since) rivers which may appear to form suitable natural boundaries
frequently change their courses and so will not provide fixed boundaries.10
It
was henceforth decided that no directive in addition to the terms of reference
7 IOR, R/3/1/257, Mountbatten’s announcement of 30 June 1947 the statesman, 1 July 1947. 8 Cyril Radcliffe accepted the Chairmanship of the Boundary Commission on the following terms: (1)
salary 5000pounds sterling a year tax-free allowances of 200 pounds sterling; (2) suitable
accommodation without expense; (3) free travel for Mrs. Radcliffe; and (4) a competent personal
assistant-cum-secretary. IOR, R/3/1/257, Secretary of State to the Viceroy, 2 July 1947. 9 Hasan, Mushirul (ed.), Inventing Boundaries: Gender, Politics and the Position of India, Oxford
University Press, New Delhi, 2000, p. 16. 10 Partition proceedings: Reports of the members and awards to the chairman of the boundary
commission, Government of India Press, New Delhi, 1949, vol. IV, p. 146.
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should be given to he Commission that would be supreme in interpreting the
terms of reference.11
Even the Commission had members to help the
Chairman, it was virtually Radcliff who dictated the terms of reference and
decisions were taken accordingly. In fact Radcliff, in his discussion with
those involved in the Punjab Boundary Commission described the awards as
the recommendation of the Chairman of the Commissions, which would
finally be sent to the Viceroy.12
PROCEEDING OF THE BENGAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION:
The Commission was assigned with a daunting task ‘to demarcate the
boundaries of the two parts (of the province) on the basis of ascertaining
contiguous majority areas of Muslims and Non-Muslims; while taking into
account ‘other factors’.13
In fact, it was not a cause of anxiety for the Commission to
differentiate between Muslims and Non-Muslims majority districts as in
Bengal in 1941 census demonstrates, there were only two groups of districts.
These were the indisputably Non-Muslims majority areas of Midnapore,
Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah and Burdwan and the Musli-majority areas of
Chittagong, Noakhali, Tippera, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Pabna and Bogra.
Besides this, Calcutta was subject to contention and rival claims.14
11 IOR, L/PO/433, Viceroy’s Fortnightly Report to the secretary of state, 16 August 1947. 12 The Statesman, Calcutta, 23 and 24 July 1947. 13 “Statement by His Majesty’s Government, 3 June 1947” quoted in N. Mansergh, E.W.R. Lumby &
E.P. Moon (ed.), “The transfer of power, 1940-47”, vol-I, HMSO, London, 1970. 14 Menon, V.P., The Transfer of Power in India, Orient Longman, Hyderabad, 1993 (reprint), p. 407.
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The first meeting of the Bengal Boundary Commission was held on 16
July, 1947 at the Belvedere Palace, Calcutta. In order to complete the task
within the stipulated time, the first step the Commission initiated was to invite
memorandum and representations from the leading parties stating their views
on the demarcation of boundaries by 15 July. The Commission also organized
series of public meeting for a week between 16 to 24 July in which arguments
were made to defend the claims and the counter claims of the key players of
the Congress and the League. With regard to the district of Sylhet where the
referendum was scheduled to be held on 6-7 July 1947.15
On 4-6 August, 1947
the Commission had open declarations in which the representatives of the
major political parties defend their respective claims on Sylhet despite a clear
verdict for joining East Bengal; Table-3.1 shown, the voting patter in
referendum held on 6 – 7 July 1947.
Table 3.1
Voting pattern in referendum held on 5 – 7 July, 1947
Name of
Subdivision
Total
Muslim
electorate
Total
general
electorate
Votes cast
for East
Bengal
Votes cast
for Assam
Sadar 92268 48863 68381 38817
Karimganj 54022 46221 41262 40536
Habibganj 75274 60252 54543 36952
South Syllhet 38297 41427 31718 33471
Susnamganj 51846 39045 43715 34211
Total 311709 235808 239619 184041 Source: 10R, R/3/1/158, File No. 1446/20/GG/143– Referendum in Sylhet. Telegram from
the Governor of Assam to the Viceroy, 12 July 1947.
15 The outcome of the referendum held on 6-7 July was in favour of joining East Bengal by a majority
of 55,578 votes (239619 votes were cast in favour of joining East Bengal while 1,84,041 votes for
remaining in Assam).
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THE SYLHET REFERENDUM AND THE PARTITION:
Louis Mountbatten’s 3 June 1947 Statement was a watershed in the
history of India’s emergence as a free nation. Apart from the partition of
Bengal and Punjab, the 3 June, 1947 Statement also suggested a referendum
in the North-West Frontier Province and in Sylhet, a district in Assam. But
Sylhet was located in Assam, which was predominantly a non-Muslim
province. Hence the Viceroy in his 3 June Statement, forcefully argued that –
“Though Assam is predominantly a non-Muslim province, the district
of Sylhet which is contiguous to Bengal in predominantly .The rest of the
Assam province will in any case continue to remain in India.”16
SYLHET: A PROFILE:
Located in Assam, a north-eastern province in India, Sylhet (Srihatta
in the vernacular) was ‘a broad level valley bounder on either side by hills of
considerable height it is bounded on the north by Khasi and Jaintia Hills, on
the east by Cachar on the south by the State of Hill Tippera and on the west
by the district o Tippera and Mymensingh’.17
Table 3.2 shown, the district
was divided into five sub-divisions and each sub-divisions had several Thana
as within the administrative jurisdiction.
16 IOR, R/3/1/158, 3 June statement 1947. 17 Allen, B.C., District Gazetteers, Vol. II (Sylhet) Caledonian steam Printing Networks, Calcutta,
1905, p. 1.
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Table – 3.2
Subdivision of Sylhet
Subdivisions Thanas
Sunamganj Tahirpur, Sachna, Dharampasha, Dirai, Sunamganj,
Jagannathpur, Chhatak, Sulle.
Habiganj Almiriganj, Nabiganj, Baniyachung, Lakhai, Madhavpur,
Habiganj, Bahubal, Chunarighat
North Sylhet Gosainghat, Jaintapur, Kanairghat, Sylhet, Biswanath,
Balaganj, Gopalganj, Frenchuganj
South Sylhet
(Maulavi Bazar)
Maulavi Bazar, Srimangal, Kamalganj, Raj Nagar, Kulara
Karimganj Karimganj, Beani Bazar, Barlekha, Pathar Kandi, Ratha
Bari, Badarpur
Source: Census of India, Vol. XI, Assam, Government of India Press, 1943, pp. 2-3.
DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION:
Muslims constituted a majority in Sylhet. Out of the total population
of 30,41,631 Muslims were 18,92,117 General Hindus were 7,85,004 and
Scheduled Castes were 2,67,510.18
In short, Muslims constituted 60 per cent
while Hindus were 38 per cent of the total population of the district. Muslims
constituted an overwhelming majority of 67 per cent in the North Sylhet Sub-
division, ‘which was the first portion of the district to come to the Muslim
possession.’19
South Sylhet and Karimganj came less under the influence of
18 The census of India, Vol. IX, 1941, Assam, pp. 38-41. 19 Allen, B.C., District Gazetteers, Vol. II (Sylhet) op. it., p. 79.
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the Muslim faith and for many years ‘were probably dominated by the Hindu
Kingdom of Tippera’.20
PREPARATION FOR THE REFERENDUM:
It was decided on 21 June, 1947 to hold the referendum on 6 and 7 of
July 1947. In a meting of the District Officers, convened to decide dates, it
was pointed out that the dates in the first fortnight of July were to be avoided
due to the monsoon causing sever flooding almost every year in the district.
Hence, it would be better to change the dates to the second half of July,
otherwise people in the interior of the District were likely to be prevented
from exercising their rights.21
Attended of the meeting were convinced of the
adverse affect of flood and were willing to consider alternative dates to enable
most of the people in the district to defend their democratic rights. However,
H. C. Stock (the Secretary, Legislative Department, Government of Assam) as
the Referendum Commissioner argued that as the date of final withdrawal
from India was announced so no negotiation of dates was possible. The
Assam Governor, who realized the difficult of mobility during the flood, but
helpless as the Viceroy was committed to ‘freedom’ by 15 August. If the
decision on Sylhet was delayed, it would undoubtedly ‘upset the entire plan’
and the British Government was not willing to endorse it.22
Thus, the
referendum was held on 6 and 7 July. The outcome was favourable to those
20 Idem. 21 NAI (National Archives of India), Home Poll (Confidential), I.C. 69/47-II, report of the meeting,
held on 19 June 1947, in which the deputy commissioner of Sylhet, the Superintendent of Police and
officers in charge of the subdivisions participated. 22 IOR, R/3/1/158, The Governor of Assam to G.E.B. Abell, the Private Secretary to the Viceroy, 22
June 1947.
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demanding the amalgamation of Sylhet with East Bengal. The valid votes
case in the referendum 2,39,619 (56.6 per cent) were in favour for Sylhet’s
amalgamation with Pakistan and only 1,84,041 (43.4 per cent) in favour of an
individual Assam in India. The result was not astonishing, as it was almost
anticipated by virtue of the demographic composition of the district’s
population.23
As the Table 3.1 shown the detail figure of the result of Sylhet
Referendum, 6-7 July, 1947.
SEPARATION OF ASSAM:
Keeping in mind the Referendum results, the Viceroy recommended
the transfer of the entire District of Sylhet to East Pakistan except three
Thanas of Badarpur (47 square miles), Ratabari (240 square miles),
Patharkandi (277 square miles) and a portion of Karimganj Thana (145 square
miles). These three thanas with a total area of 709 square miles and a
population of 23 million were retained in the District of Cachar in Assam.24
As a result of the Radcliffe Award, Assam had undergone radical changes.
Though Assam lost a negligible area of only one-eighteenth of its existing
area yet it had lost nearly one third of its population and along with it the vast
paddy lands and the tea, lime and cement industries of Sylhet. Besides these,
Assam’s topographical distinctiveness had been affected. With the
amalgamation of Sylhet with Pakistan, the major portion of the Surma Valley
23 IOR, R/3/1/158, Mountbatten to Nehru, 13 July 1947. 24 IOR, R/3/1/157, The government Notification of August 1947. This was third time Sylhet was
divide since 1847. the district was metaphorically described as ‘The golden calf’ sacrificed in 1874
‘at the alter of the idol, called the province partition was revoked and finally in 1947 when the
referendum was in its, favour (see bar 1997: 33). The expression ‘Golden calf’ is however borrowed
from the Indian Statutory Commission Report, Vol. XV, p. 321.
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ceased to be past or Assam. Only a remnant of Sylhet earlier natural division,
namely the Catcher District as now constituted by including the new truncated
subdivision of Karimganj with Thanas of Patharkandi, Ratabari and Badarpur
and a portion of Karimganj Thana, remained in the divided Assam.25
CONSEQUENCE OF THE SYLHET REFERENDUM:
The Sylhet referendum was virtually a vote on the twin issues of the
reorganization of India on a communal basis and of Assam on a linguistic
basis. As it was appeared, the Hindus who had for decades agitated for
amalgamation with Bengal, voted to remain in Assam, while the Muslims
who had opposed the division of Assam till 1928, supported the partition.
Apart from the ethnic division between the Bengalis and Assamese
significantly influenced the processes to the separation of Sylhet. Thus it was
not surprising when Bardoloi, in his discussion with the Cabinet Mission,
expressed his desire to ‘hand over Sylhet to Eastern Bengal’.26
During the
referendum ‘the Congress control was so correctly exercised that it hardly
provided any advantage to the local Congress and its campaign to with the
referendum.27
The Assamese were not at stake in the separation of Sylhet.
Therefore, the result of the referendum extended the Assamese leadership
with a great opportunity to get rid of Sylhet and to carve out ‘a linguistically
more homogeneous province.’28
25 The Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part –I (Report). 26 Moon, P., Divide and Quit, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1998, p. 234. 27 Guha, Amalender, Planter Raj to Swaraj People’s Publishing House, New Delhi, 1977. p. 319. 28 Kar, M., Muslims in Assam Politics, Vikas, New Delhi, 1997, p. 49.
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IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS:
Question of Foreign-Born People:
Following the partition of the country, the question of foreign-born
nationals got the provenience. People born in foreign countries and censused
in Assam numbered 8,94,607.29
Following Table 3.3 gives its break up for
some important countries:-
Table 3.3
Number of people in Assam, born in foreign countries
Countries Number of people
Pakistan 8,33,288
Nepal 56,572
Burma 3,296
China 378
Afghanistan 131
Ceylon 34
Bhutan 378
Countries in Europe 1,540
Countries in Africa 15
America 153
Australia 41
Total 8,94,607
Source: Census of India 1951, Vol. XII: Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part I-A: Report P 71.
This table indicates that only two countries are significant from the
immigration point of view viz. Pakistan 8,33,288 and Nepal 56,572. Out of
8,33,288 persons hailed from Pakistan, the vast majority of 7,96,000
29 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part-V-A (Report), p. 71.
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(4,45,000 males and 3,51,00 females) were enumerated in the Assam Plains
Division and meager 37,000 (20,000 males and 17,000 females) enumerated
in the Assam Hills Division. This enormous figure of 833 thousand includes
the large number of refugees born in Pakistan, who have recently migrated to
Assam during the partition. Their number in Assam in 2,74,000 (1,50,000
males and 124 females) out of which 2,66,000 (1,42,000 males and 1,18,000
females) were in the Assam Plains Division and 1400 (8000 males and 6000
females) were enumerated in the Assam Hills Divisions. Subtracting the
number of refugees from the total number, we get the huge total of 5,59,000
(3,15,000 males and 2,44,000 females) who were non-refugee immigrants
from Pakistan. Out of which, 5,36,000 (3,04,000 males and 2,32,000
females) were in the Assam Plains and 23000 (12000 males and 11000
females were enumerated in the Assam Hill Division.30
Table 3.4 shows
detail figure of the persons hails from Pakistan both refugees and non-
refugees with their break-up and enumerated in the district of Assam in 1951.
30 Ibid, p. 74.
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Table 3.4
Person born in Pakistan – both refugees and non-refugees with their sex break-up and enumerated
in the districts of Assam, Manipur and Tripura in 1951 (000’s omitted)
State, Natural Division and Districts
Pakistan Non-Refugees Refugees
Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ASSAM STATE 833 465 368 599 315 244 274 150 124
Assam Plans 796 445 351 536 304 232 260 142 118
Cachar
Golpara
Kamrup
Darang
Nowgong
Sibsagar
Lakhimpur
130
136
186
84
173
26
61
70
78
106
44
98
15
34
60
58
80
40
75
11
27
37
91
143
65
135
19
47
20
53
82
34
77
11
26
17
38
61
31
58
8
21
93
45
43
19
38
7
14
50
25
24
10
21
4
8
43
20
19
9
17
3
6
Assam Hills 37 20 17 23 12 11 14 8 6
United K. & J. Hills
Naga Hills
Lushai Hills
Garo Hills
United M. & N.C Hills
Mishmi Hills
16
1
7
8
4
1
9
1
3
4
2
1
7
…
4
4
2
…
10
1
6
3
2
1
6
1
2
1
1
1
4
…
4
2
1
…
6
…
1
5
2
…
3
…
1
3
1
…
3
…
…
2
1
…
MANIPUR STATE 1 1 … … … … 1 1 …
TRIPURA STATE 210 108 102 109 54 55 101 54 49
Source: Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A: Report, p. 74.
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INFLUX OF REFUGEES:
The Hindus constituted the biggest migration stream or the refuges
from Pakistan into Assam in mid twentieth century. The first influx in any
substantial number was in October, 1946, immediately following the
Noakhali Riots. This riot led to as many as 6,860 persons had come over to
India largely from Noakhali by the end of 1946. The stream of refugees
declined after March 1947 reaching the all time low figure of 844 in May
1947. Soon after the Sylhet Referendum and the partition of Assam which
accelerated its peace. In the month of August 1947 alone as many as 12,297
persons came away followed by 6,348 in September and 4,409 in October
1947. This trend continued in every month thereafter not below 2000 persons
till October, 1948. The Assam Railway was manned mostly by Hindu
refugees from East Bengal and estimate made late in 1948 stated that about
50,000 old refugees were then staying in the main railway colonies of Assam.
An official census was taken of refugees in Assam in July 1949, which
revealed that there were 24,600 families of refugees in Assam consisting of
about 1,14,500 persons. About 60,000 out of this number were censured in
Cachar alone under the supervision and direction of the then Deputy
Commissioner of Cachar. In 1947 and 1948 the refugees came in at the rate
of 42,000 slash down to 33,000 in 1949. But the communal disturbances in
East Pakistan in early 1950 resulted in the sharp increase of the refugee
influx. Nearly 9,500 in January and 14,000 in February, 1950 reaching the all
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time high record of 48,857 in March and 32,359 in April 1950. There were
the two crucial months in which over 80,000 refugees out of a total 2,74,455
came into Assam.31
Table 3.5 gives the refugees/displaced persons by year of
their arrival into Assam.
SYSTEM OF REGISTRATION:
There was no system of registration of displaced persons till the arrival of
“new” refugees in 1950. During the beginning period of the influx of
refugees, there were border camps in all districts through which all incoming
refugees were expected to pass and where there were arrangements for their
registration as well as for the issue of refugee certificates, with the gradual
closing down of these camps there were no effective organization to register
these refugees and the State Government, henceforth, decided in September,
1950 that all unregistered “new” refugees should be registered as early as
possible. The last date of registration as originally fixed was 15 October,
1950. This was extended from time to time to 31 July, 1951. The original
instructions which covered registration of ‘new’ refugees only were later
modified to include ‘old’ refugees also.32
In the district of Cachar, registration
of refugees upto the end of July, 1950 were 19,048 families, i.e. 95,240
persons, 5 persons in a family on an average. As there were several complaint
regarding the refugees who had been left unregistered.
31 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 359. 32 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 360.
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Table 3.5
Displaced Persons by year of Arrival
State and Districts
Displaced persons from the East Pakistan
1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951
M.
17
F.
18
M.
19
F.
20
M.
21
F.
22
M.
23
F.
24
M.
25
F.
26
M.
27
F.
28
1.2 Eastern Himalayan Sub-Region –
Assam 3842 3018 23353 18993 23325 18415 18100 15038 77969 66543 2283 1196
1.21 Assam Plains Division 3590 2871 21997 17997 22257 17329 17643 14648 73567 62792 2218 1141
1. Cachar
2. Goalpara
3. Kamrup
4. Darrang
5. Nowgong
6. Sibsagar
7. Lakhimpur
1.22 Assam Hills Division
8. United Khasi and Jaintia Hills
9. Naga Hills
10. Lushai Hills
11. Garo Hills
12. United Mikir-North Cachar Hills
13. Mishmi Hills
14. Abor Hills
15. Tirap Frontier Tract
16. Balipara Frontier Tract
17. Naga Tribal Area
1.23 Manipur
1.24 Tripura
797
227
714
94
1055
199
504
252
185
4
15
9
34
5
…
…
…
…
11
1759
531
217
528
90
908
131
466
147
96
5
2
…
37
13
…
…
…
…
13
1558
5644
1760
6695
1028
3952
832
2086
1356
481
82
176
255
325
29
1
7
…
…
114
4233
4476
1297
5500
1023
3285
659
1757
996
393
71
167
24
319
13
…
9
…
…
83
3891
7655
3616
3063
1567
4253
581
1522
1068
325
73
100
320
220
27
1
2
…
…
61
4964
5814
2874
2349
1289
3502
426
1084
1086
279
45
76
481
188
13
…
4
…
…
46
4590
4555
2594
3210
1506
3924
764
1090
457
197
1
72
76
80
19
2
3
1
…
69
5701
3301
2457
2621
1393
3287
658
931
390
146
2
68
66
78
23
…
7
…
…
37
4874
31301
15772
9374
5868
7520
1752
1980
4402
1843
20
27
2035
357
109
5
6
…
…
290
36084
28389
13176
7428
4560
6282
1289
1668
3751
1657
13
20
1685
282
82
5
7
…
…
279
31067
461
533
466
206
326
56
170
65
31
2
…
24
8
…
…
…
…
…
3
817
212
221
252
111
239
22
84
55
13
…
…
36
5
…
…
1
…
…
6
1279
Source: The Census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-II-A (Table), D-V(i) – Displaced Persons by year of arrival, pp. 137-138.
Chapter - 3
98
Therefore, the date of registration was extended by the State
Government upto July, 1951. The applications for the issue of certificates
numbered to about 20,000.33
Table 3.6 shows the figure of displaced persons upto 30 June, 1951.
These figures do not include the District of Cachar.
Table 3.6
Displaced Persons
S. No. Displaced persons Numbers of families
1 Number of applications received 41,007
2 Number of applications disposed of 19,548
3 Registration Cards issued to 17,938
4 Number of applications pending
disposed on 1st July, 1951
21,464
Source: This information made available by the Rehabilitation Authority of Assam, Cachar
and Tripura.
From the above discussion we can assume that inherent cause of this
enormous influx of Hindu refuges lies with Political instability i.e., after the
partition of India and the transformation of East Bengal into East Pakistan, all
most cent percent experienced Hindu officers class were replaced by minor
inexperienced Muslim officers, weakened the administration machinery
immensely and created a general feeling of insecurity and lack of confidence
in the bonafide minorities of the new state.34
In addition to this, minimizing of
prospects for Hindus in Government, administrative services, in business and
33 Information made available by the rehabilitation authority of Assam, Cachar and Tripura”, The
census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 360. 34 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, op. cit., p. 356.
Chapter - 3
99
trade in which controls depend largely on permit, licenses and Government
sympathy and encouragement, examples of petty types of fanaticism and
intolerant attitude towards other religious and the often repeated declaration
of the top ranking leaders of Pakistan that Pakistan would become a purely
Islamic State – an ideology enshrined in the Objective Resolution of the
Pakistan Constituent Assembly, caused an exodus of Hindu from Pakistan to
India.35
The Noakhali riote of 1946, the partition of 1947 and the consequent
emergence of a new Islamic state followed by the gruesome communal
disturbances our large areas of East Pakistan in 1950 led to the inevitable
result, “the desertion by hundreds and thousands of Hindus in East Pakistan of
their hearths and homes to seek shelter in the neighbouring districts of West
Bengal and Assam which ever were nearer. Their number at one time must
have exceeded 5 lakhs. The April agreement between the Prime Minister of
India and Pakistan brought back a sense of security among these terror-
stricken masses, as a result of which large numbers went back to Pakistan
their number as revealed by the census is 2,74,455”.36
From this political frivolity we can draw the following out line
conclusion that (i) practically offer the Nehru Liaquat Agreement in 8 April
1950 would be effective on minorities “to ensure throughout is territory
complete equality of citizenship, irrespective of religion a full sense of
35 Idem. 36 The Census of India 1951, Vol. XII., Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), pp. 356-357.
Chapter - 3
100
security in respect of life, culture, property and personal honour, freedom of
moment within each country and freedom of occupation, speech and worship,
subject to law and morality” to these terror-stricken masses, viz, Hindus who
replaced by Muslims in most of the official jobs shut down all the prospects in
business and trade for them, encouragement of fanaticism by the government,
intolerant attitude towards other religion frequent riots and declaration of
Pakistan as a Islamic state imbibed sheer feeling of insecurity and lack of
confidence in their mindset.
(ii) According the census report 1951, that refugee number which was at
one time exceeded 5 lakhs had been reduced to 2,74,455.37
On the country,
Rehabilitation authorities of Assam, Cachar and Tripura argued that these was
no system of registration of displaced persons till the arrival of “new”
refugees in 1950, in the initial period of this new trend of refugee influx there
were refugee camps along the border areas through which all incoming
refugees were expected to pass and arrangements were made for refugee
certificates with the gradual closing down of these camps, these was no
effective organisatoin to registrar displaced persons and henceforth, the state
government decided in September 1950 that all unregistered “new” displaced,
persons should be registered as early as possible.38
Moreover the census report
of 1951 said that the displaced persons who came upto late 1949 were
scattered themselves almost imperceptibly among the local residents
37 Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Selected Indo-Pakistan Agreements, New Delhi
1970, p. 8. 38 The Census of India 1951, Vol. XII., Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 357.
Chapter - 3
101
especially of those areas which had predominantly Bengali population. In
such circumstances, it was quite impossible to ascertain the real member of
refugees who migrated to India.39
Therefore, we think that it would not be
appropriate to say that the Nehru Liaquat Agreement on 8 April, 1950 brought
back the sense of security among these terror-stricken Hindu Minorities led to
their returned back to East Pakistan in substantial number.
(iii). Even though we consider that the refugee number as revealed by the
census of India 1951, was 2,74,455 (1,50,148 males and 1,24,307 females).
Yet this figure indicates that a close approximation of their sex ratio which
gives only a slight preponderance of the permanent nature of this
immigration. So the question of return back of these Hindus to their land of
origin is paradoxal.
IMMIGRATION OF MUSLIMS FROM EAST BENGAL:
The Muslims considered to be the biggest non-refugees immigrants
from East Pakistan. Out of the total 8,33, 288 persons Pakistan born censured
in Assam, 5,58, 833 were declared as immigrants. “This member by and large
consists of land hungry elements of East Bengal, seeking refugee into Assam,
apart from an insignificant nember of those who come for purpose of trade,
commerce or miscellaneous sources of employment. A small element of
Hindus, especially of the Namashudra class, also forms part of the land
39 Ibid. p. 360.
Chapter - 3
102
hungry immigrants, yet an overwhelming majority of over 90 percent, if not
more consists of Muslims alone”.40
But in reality, the partition of 1947 followed by the series of events in
Assam such as (i) Amendment of the Assam land and revenue regulation,
1948, (ii) Immigration (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, (iii) Communal
incident in Assam, February – April 1950 (iv) National Register of Citizens,
1951.
For curving out this so call menace as Muslim immigration problem
the central government introduced a bill. The original title of the bill which
later came to be known as the Immigration (Expulsion from Assam) Act,
1950 passed in the Indian Parliament on 13 the February 1950, following an
earlier January Ordinance on similar line “Undesirable Immigrants (Expulsion
from Assam)”. The sole object of the bill was to confer necessary powers on
the central government to deal with the situation which has arisen from the
immigration of a very large member of East Bengali residents into Assam.
The Act provided for the removal of any immigrant persons, in Assam
excepting the displaced person, whose stay was detrimental to the interest of
the general public of India or of any scheduled tribe in Assam. It was effected
with proper caution and great discrimination. Cases tried under this Act did
not exceed a major three digital category.41
40 Ibid. p. 359. 41 Ibid, p. 78.
Chapter - 3
103
COMMUNAL INCIDENT IN ASSAM, FEBRUARY – APRIL 1950:
During the early years of the 1940’s, wide spread encroachments by
the Muslim immigrants on government lands, grazing and forest reserves
were allowed to happen during the regime of the Muslim League ministry,
when the Congress was bewildered due to its policy of non-cooperation with
the British Government against the war efforts . When the latter returned to
power in 1946 and began enforcing the revenue laws, precisely the eviction of
the unauthorized trespassers. This was vehemently criticised by a section of
the Muslim minority. Henceforth, the repercussions of the huge Muslim
immigrations on the social, political and economic life of Assam may will be
felt an important cause of the communal incidents in Assam in early 1950.42
THE NEPALI IMMIGRATIONS:
Another sizable stream of immigration is from Nepal. Those born in
Nepal and censuses in Assam in 1951 are 56,572 against 88,306 in 1931,
70,344 in 1921 and 47,654 in 1911 in the pre-partitioned Assam. 1941 date
are not available as these was no tabulation. Originally most of the Nepali
settlers were retired soldiers of Gurkhar Regiments and the rest of the
immigrants from Nepal were temporary or periodic visitors, buffalo grazers
and serving soldiers. Subsequently many took up land becoming cultivators
either in place of or in addition to grazing buffaloes and sailing milk and
ghee. The reasons reported for their leaving their country were (i) to get better
means of livelihood and (ii) to escape compulsory service or labour in
42 Idem.
Chapter - 3
104
Nepal.43
Table 3.7 which gives the number of persons born in Nepal and
enumerated in Assam and its natural divisions as well as some important
districts.
Table 3.7
Persons born in Nepal and enumerated in Assam and its natural division
(000’s omitted)
Persons Males Females
1. Assam 56 36 20
2. Assam Plains 39 24 15
3. Goalpara 4 3 1
4. Kamrup 6 4 2
5. Darrang 10 5 5
6. Lakhimpur 13 8 5
7. Assam Hills 17 12 5
8. United K. and J. Hills 9 6 3
Source: Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A:
Report, p. 80.
EMIGRATION OF MUSLIMS TO PAKISTAN:
The immigration of Muslims from Assam mainly due to political
census. The 1931 census report is the first one to refer to the remarkable and
divided change for the worse that come over during 1921-31 about the
relation between the Hindu and the Muslims communities. This was
particularly noticeable in Sylhet through the phenomenon was visible even in
the Assam Valley. The ever increasing communal bitterness and riots in other
parts of India and the activities of some irresponsible elements in the areas
had their inevitable repercussion in Assam. It is with this background that we 43 Ibid, p. 79.
Chapter - 3
105
can assume the raising emigration of Muslims from Assam. One of its most
important causes is the immense Muslim immigration from East Bengal into
Assam which induced to grow rise to many tensions and conflicts, large and
small in political, economic and social spheres. Various expedients devised by
the Assam administration like the ‘Line System’ balanced colonization
schemes, amendments of the Assam land and Revenue Regulation, Assam
(Expulsion of Emigrants) Act 1950 as well as some political factors did not
help to improve the existing situation. The continued and slow squeezing out
of the Hindu minority from East Pakistan even since the partition, followed
by their arrival in Assam in pitiable condition and in far large numbers, after
the communal disturbances in East Pakistan in early 1950 led to similar
stream of big emigration thereafter.44
As a result nearly one lakh of Muslims from Goalpara, Cachar,
Kamrup, Darrang and Nowgong left their homes and became displaced. A
large number of the displaced Muslims did not leave the state at all. The
Muslims displaced from predominantly Hindu area left their homes and
shifted temporarily to comparatively safer Muslims majority areas of the same
or the neighboring district from where they returned to their homes in a few
days time as soon as communal tension abated a little. The number of
displaced Muslims who were reported to have migrated to Pakistan was a
little over a lakh.45
The areas from where Muslims were displaced and the
44 Ibid, p. 81. 45 Idem.
Chapter - 3
106
approximate number of Muslims familiar displaced from each area as
reported by the state authorities were shown in Table 3.8.
Table 3.8
Number of Muslim Emigrants as reported by Sate authorities
Name of districts Displaced families Actual numbers who
left for Pakistan
Goalpara 27,000 60,000
Kamrup 10,800 20,000
Cachar 5,000 14,000*
Darrang 8,500 6,000
Nowgong 1,300 -
52,600 100,000 * official figures of displaced Muslims are not available from Cachar with any degree of
accuracy. The figure given here in an estimate which is considered fairly correct.
Source: Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A: Report, p. 81.
Apart from the census of Pakistan, 1951, the Muslim population which
left India for the erstwhile East Pakistan was mostly the Eastern zone of India,
which comprising Assam, West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. Out of the total of
around seven lakhs, which entered East Pakistan according to the Pakistani
census of 1951, almost 96 per cent were from the Eastern zone. It appears
from the Pakistani census sources that there migrants were equally drawn
from the agricultural and non-agricultural population. Assuming that the non-
agricultural population was urban, it can be concluded that in the Eastern zone
of India almost 50 percent of the migrants originated from urban centers.46
Details have been shown in Table 3.9.
46 The Census of Pakistan, 1951, vol. I, p. 33.
Chapter - 3
107
Table 3.9
Migration of Indian Muslims to Pakistan during 1947-48 area-wise origin from India and settlement in Pakistan (Figures
in ‘00s)
From
To
Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi
North Zone
Assam, W.
Bengal, Orissa,
Bihar
East Zone
Madra, Mysore
South Zone
Gujarat
Maharashtra
West Zone
Madhya
Pradesh,
Andhra
Pradesh
Central Zone
Punjab
Rajasthan
North-West
Zone
Other Places Total % %
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % %
East Bengal
Baluchistan
Karachi
NWFP
Punjab
Sindh
208
63
1976
171
1055
1169
4.5
1.4
42.5
3.7
22.7
25.2
3.0
22.6
32.0
33.5
2.0
21.2
3
190
5
56
43
7013
95.6
…
2.8
0.1
0.8
0.7
95.9
1.1
3.2
1.0
0.1
0.8
10
3
111
1
8
47
5.8
1.8
61.1
0.5
4.6
26.2
0.1
1.1
1.9
0.1
1
0.9
19
15
1101
4
56
321
1.2
0.9
74.3
0.2
3.4
20.0
0.3
5.4
19.3
0.8
0.1
5.3
27
30
496
17
172
210
2.8
3.2
52.1
1.8
18.0
22.1
0.4
10.7
8.0
3.3
0.3
3.8
20
165
2176
314
51407
3709
…
0.3
3.8
0.5
89.0
6.4
0.3
59.1
35.3
61.3
97.5
67.4
…
…
20
…
…
4
…
…
83.3
…
…
16.7
…
…
0.3
…
…
0.1
6991
280
6169
511
52812
5503
9.7
0.4
8.5
0.7
73.1
7.6
100
100
100
100
100
100
Total 4642 100 6.4 7013 100 9.7 180 100 0.2 1604 100 2.2 952 100 1.3 57851 100 80.1 24 100 0.1 72266 100 100
Source: Census of Pakistan, 1951, Vol. I, (Government of Pakistan, Karachi)
1. Column 1 indicates the total production which migrated from the specific region of Indian territory to different parts of Pakistan including the
erstwhile E. Pakistan.
2. Column 2 indicates the percentage of the total migration from a particular region of India to different parts of old Pakistan
3. Column 3 indicates the percentage of migrated Muslims from each region of India to a particular region of Pakistan.
Chapter - 3
108
Table 3.10
General Character of the population of Assam
Birth Place Actual No. Number per
thousand
1. Total Population
2. Districts of Enumeration
3. Other districts of the same
Natural Division
4. Other parts of the state
5. Adjacent states
6. Other parts of India
7. Pakistan
8. Other Territories
9,043,707
7,510,193
159,042
30,524
42,475
404,939
833,288
63,068
1,000
831
18
3
4
45
92
7
Source: Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A: Report, p. 61.
CONCLUSIVE ASSESSMENT:
General character of the population of Assam:
An overview of Table 3.10 shows that an overwhelming majority of
people of Assam, viz., 7,510,193 out of the total population of 9,043,707 i.e.,
83.1 present was born in the districts where they were enumerated. Of the
remaining people 1,59,042 were born in different districts of the same natural
division, while another 30,524 in other parts of the state. 42,475 persons were
born in the adjacent states of India and 4,04,939 in other parts of the Indian
Union. Pakistan accounts for 8,33,288 enumerated in Assam leaving only
63,068 for all the other territories put together. Only 2.1 percent of the people
were born in other parts of Assam excepting the districts of enumeration. The
percentage of people born outside Assam is as law as 14.8 percent out of
Chapter - 3
109
which 4.5 percent were born in other parts of India and 9.2 percent in
Pakistan. Only a microscopic number of 1,749 persons born outside Asia
were enumerated in Assam. Overall migration is thus confined to only 17
percent.