Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 1 ISPaD Partition Center Journal 2014

Editor: Sachi G. Dastidar, Ph.D. Published by Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project (ISPaD) New York Jamaica, Queens, New York City

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 2

The Table of Contents Sponsors: 46—60 Third (2013) Conference Report by Shuvo G Dastidar Page 1 Cover Picture: Historic 17th Century terracotta Kantajee Mandir (Temple) Bangladesh towards complete evic- of Dinajpur, Bangladesh constructed tion of Hindus by Raja Prananath and Raja Ramanath (Picture by Sachi G. Dastidar) Bimal Pramanik 2

Why do Compliance Failures Start in Central Asia? Nurlan Sarsenov 5 © Ispad Project Inc. NY Products of Indian Subcontinent’s Irrational Partitions – Wars, Date: October 2014 Intolerance, Terrorism, Militan- cy and Religious Radicalism! Editor: Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar Amalendu Chatterjee 8 Availability: ISPaD Office, 85-60 Parsons Blvd, Ist Bengal’s Partition and Assam’s Floor, Jamaica, NY 11432 Environmental and Cultural Catastrophe Phone: 917-524-0035 Richard Benkin 12 Email: [email protected] Migrant Settlers in India’s Assam Web: www.ispad1947.org Amanda Tersigni 28 Editorial Board: Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar, A Trial for Bangladesh War New York, Chair; Dr. Tom Lilly, Crimes Long Island; Dr. Anil Kumar Saha, New York; Dr. Ratna Karmakar, New Khaledur Rahman Shakil 23 Jersey; Dr. Caroline Sawyer, New York India Election 2014: The Pundits, Media, the Left in Partitioned Price: $5 Dollars; $7.50 by mail Bengal, Contradictions and Misinformation Sachi G. Dastidar 31

Raj Pal’s Act of Blasphemy : Part- ing of the Ways Between Hindus and Muslims of Northwest Fron- tier Province (Khyber Pakh- tunkhwa) and the Adjoining Khyber Agency Naushad Khan 41

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Third ISPaD (2013) Partition: struggle for freedom against the Pakistan Conference: A Report Army and its intolerant Islamist allies. Ms. Sweta Goswami's – a US-born business exec- Shuvo Dastidar utive – classical Indian dance performance, as Ispad Project Coordinator well as the beautiful voice of her mother, Mrs. Shubhra Goswami, a NYC school teacher, enchanted the attendees with their artistic The 4th Partition Center Conference was presentations. The session was dedicated to organized by ISPaD: The Indian Subcontinent the 150th birth anniversary celebration of Partition Documentation Project and was held Indian nationalist song writer, composer and on October 19, 2013 at the State University of singer Dwijendra Lal (D.L.) Roy. New York at Old Westbury, Long Island, New York. The Conference was opened by its The sessions were chaired by Prof. Tom chair, Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar. The Keynote Lilly, Prof. Larry Krause, Prof. Caroline Saw- Speech was given by New York social activist yer and Dr. Shefali S. Dastidar respectively. Pabitra Chowdhury and delegates were wel- After the conference ended, over thirty con- comed by SUNY Old Westbury Vice Presi- ference attendees joined campus’s Panther dent Dr. M.L. Langlie and by Arts & Science Pride Homecoming activities throughout the Dean Dr. Barbara Hillery. Certainly notewor- SUNY Old Westbury Campus. Essentially, an thy is the awarding of ISPaD Inspiration academic carnival was followed by a festival. Awards to Professor Dr. Becke Kalmans and Vice President Len Davis for their unwaver- The second ISPaD Partition Center Journal ing support of The ISPaD Project since its 2013 was released at the occasion of the Con- inception. Thereafter four sessions were held, ference. The Journal contained articles from the topics of these four panels were: the U.S., India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Some of the articles included 2012 Ispad Con- 1. Morals and Rights Issues— (Mahmoud ference Report (Shuvo Dastidar of Ispad); Reza Ebrahimi, Iran & Prof. Ali Reza Ebrahi- Kashmiri Hindus: Living in Exile (Reshmi mi, NY, “Life in the Border”; Alexandra Mer- Koul of Massachusetts); (Pakistan’s) Coexist- curio “Muslims in France”; Amamda Tersigni ence with India (Mobarak Haidar of Paki- “Migrants in Assam”; Prof. Sachi G. Dastidar stan); Raja Ram Mohon Roy and Arnos Vale and Shuvo Dastidar on “Ideas for a Documen- tation Center”); 2. Human Rights and Other Issues around the World—(Prof. Caroline Sawyer and Prof. Sandeep Singh “Punjabi Language and Culture since Partition”; Prof. Chitta Ranjan Mondol “The Tale of Woes”; Ramen Nandi on “Quandaries in Implementa- tion of Bangladesh Vested Property Act”; Nivea Jackson on “Women of Kashmir”); 3. Displacement/Memories of Refugees, Survi- vors & Protectors—First Person Narrative (Ashok Karmaker, Esq, “Atrocities on Hindus during 2001-2006: A Crime Against Humani- ty under the ICC Statute”; Priyotosh Dey on “My Village Moghadia and my Childhood in Cemetery of Bristol (Sachi G. Dastidar of Mrisarai, I Miss It”; Pratip Dasgupta “Effects New York): Impact of Partition on Culture of Indian Partition on my Family”); and a and Faith in Punjab (Caroline Sawyer of New panel on (4) Music that Unites & D. L Roy York); Liberation War and Identity Crisis of 150th Anniversary Commemoration. Mrs. Bangladeshi Muslims (Bimal Pramanik of Aparna Sarkar explained with Songs of Inde- Bangladesh and India); Education of Muslim pendence how music brought people of all Women in Colonial Bangla Literature faiths in Bangladesh together during her (Swarochish Sarkar of Bangladesh); Silence of the Dead: Policy of the Government of

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India for the Persecuted Hindus (Ramen Nandi and present Bangladesh think alike on Hindu of New Jersey); From Partition to Bangladesh: community. Actually, they do not want that On the Trajectory of a Troubled Quest Hindu community live in Bangladesh with (Mohsin Siddique of Maryland); and NY State dignity and rights, because, they were not willing to build a democratic attitude towards Hindu community and far away from amity. Apart from that they have been inheriting Muslim League (Islamic) legacy i.e. Pakistani thought. Majority population of Bangladesh still not accepts Bengali nationalism. Bangla- deshi nationalism i,e, Muslim first then Ben- gali which was introduced by General Ziaur Rahman, later President, is more acceptable to Bangladeshi Muslim. So, liberation war could not change Islamic concept in the majority population. Even a part of AL leadership thinks alike with BNP-BJI (Bangladesh Na- tionalist Party – Bangladesh Jamat-e-Islami) on this issue. For that reason, involvement of AL (pro-secularist Awami League Party) sup- Mr. Pabitra Chaudhuri is giving his porters with BNP-BJI were seen everywhere Keynote Speech asking participants to during atrocities on minorities. be vigilant in protecting rights of all As a result, Hindu population declined peoples — majority and minority. steadily in East Pakistan and Bangladesh since partition in 1947. A trend is given below: Table 1: Turns to Mediation (Tom Lilly of Long Is- Steady declination of Hindu population in land). Bangladesh 1951-2011 (1) ********************************* Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, pub- Bangladesh Towards Complete Evic- lished in Prathom Alo, a Bangla daily from tion of Hindus Dhaka, 22.09.2012

Bimal Pramanik It is a hard reality that, no government was ever interested to protect the minority commu-

nity in the state and society both in Pakistan Director, Centre for Research in Indo- and Bangladesh. Even in recent times a lot of Bangladesh Relations, Kolkata; and Former communal incidents happened all over Bang- Deputy Commander of Bangladesh Liberation ladesh at the last phase of AL’s rule and the Force Southwest Sector role of the government was disappointing.

‘Only one thing is discernible, and that was Persecution, torture, rape, loot and arson on the fate of hapless and hopeless Hindus, who the Hindu community are a common phenom- sacrificed in the 1971 freedom struggle, but enon in the history of Bangladesh since its appeared to be neglected after the assassina- independence. It is a religio-political phenom- tion of President and Founding Father Mujibur enon, but, most of the time, political leader- Rahman, and started moving as an endless ship and their cohorts irrespective of color flock of people from Bangladesh to multiple often use this weapon on the Hindu communi- directions into the land of India. Both the Cen- ty both on internal political issues and issues tral and neighboring state governments of of international incidents, particularly, in the Bangladesh were generally aware of this de- neighboring country India. velopment, yet no concern was visible. India as well as Bengal partitioned on reli- This sordid impact of Bangladeshi immi- gious ground and created a clear division gration upon India is but a logical conse- among the Hindu-Muslim population. Since quence of the stark failure of Bangladesh to then Muslim leadership both in East Pakistan evolve as a secular multicultural polity. The

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 5 ruling circle of present day Bangladesh is rity to the minorities, but alas! No govern- determined not only to broaden and deepen ments were active to take any initiative to the Islamization of Bangladesh. It is an open bring the perpetrators to book. secret that in Bangladesh many international During the period of last election (5 Janu- radical Islamic outfits with aggressive funda- ary, 2014), a lot of communal incidents were mentalist agendas are making all efforts to seen in the districts of Satkhira, Jessore, Di- envelop Bangladesh socio-cultural fabrics najpur, Thakurgaon, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, with new Islamic prints and designs at the Bogra, Pabna, Bhola, Feni, Moulvibazar, cost of the liberal tenets of Islam.’ (2) Sirazgonj and others. Well before election, In Bangladesh era, oppression against minor- leadership of minority communities and sev- ities, particularly, against the Hindus is noth- eral NGOs appeal to the government and ing new. At the time of every election, who- Election Commission to take precautionary ever won or lost, incidents of atrocities hap- measures regarding security of minority not pened on Hindus. Not only in election time, only on Election Day but also for pre and post entire period of so called democratic or dicta- election period. Government and Election torial rule since its independence, oppressions Commission assured them of full security on minorities seen more or less everywhere in deploying army and Para-militia all over the Bangladesh irrespective of party in power or country. But they failed to protect minority in opposition. It is a legacy of Muslim politics villages from aggression of looters, land grab- in Indian subcontinent. bers, rapists and political goons of different Though it is obligatory for any government colors. Advocate Subrata Choudhury, presidi- um member, Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist 1951 1961 1974 Christian Unity Council told to press on 17th January, ‘we did not see any role of joint forc- (%) (%) (%) es or police forces at the time of atrocities on Mus- 76.9 80.4 85.4 minorities, particularly, Hindus at Abhoyna- lim gar and Monirampur under Jessore district Hin- 22.0 18.5 13.5 during last election. Can we say that, there is no instigation of the government behind these du incidents directly or indirectly? Shall we get Bud- 0.7 0.7 0.6 justice from the government? If it is not possi- dhist ble to free the bias of the Constitution, this Chri 0.3 0.3 0.3 type of atrocities will be continuing in future. stian It is unthinkable that this type of serious at- tack on minorities never happened without Oth- 0.1 0.1 0.2 government or administrative support overtly ers or covertly’. (3) Leaders of sixty eight leading women and human rights organizations in 1981 1991 2001 2011 Bangladesh opined that, ‘communal terrorism (%) (%) (%) (%) on minorities in Bangladesh resistless due to stark failure of the State and Judiciary. 27 86.7 88.3 89.7 90.4 cases filed on 2001 communal pogroms, but not a single judgment out till today’. (4) 12.1 10.5 9.2 8.5 ‘Ekattarer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul (Eradication 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 of Killers and Collaborators of 1971) Com- mittee led by eminent Human Rights worker 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Shahriar Kabir has documented 1500 days incidents all over Bangladesh by three vol- 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 umes before and after 2001 general election owned by (pro-Islamist) BNP led alliance. to execute a) proper investigation of the com- 4179 selected reports have published during munal incidents, b) infliction of punishment, 1500 days period. Each report contains one or c) identification of the causes behind atroci- more than one incidents i.e., there are about ties and its remedies and d) assurance of secu- ten thousand incidents. All these incidents are

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 6 malicious, looting of houses, grabbing of land of law for all citizens.’ (8) and eviction from residences, destroyed tem- Bangladesh High Court ordered the govern- ples and deities, extortion of money and ran- ment to form a judicial commission on 6 May, som, rape of womenfolk etc.’ (5) 2009 against an appeal of a NGO ‘Human Dr. Anisuzzaman, Emeritus Professor of Rights and Peace for Bangladesh’; to investi- Dhaka University and leader of Rukhe Daraon gate communal pogrom and atrocities after Bangladesh (Affronting Bangladesh) opined 2001 general election won by BNP led alli- that ‘we shall not keep communal harmony by ance. Government formed three member com- police forces or through constitutional ar- mission headed by a retired district judge. The rangement; it is related with our mentality’, Commission produced its report to the Home that is important. (6) minister on 24 April, 2011. There were 5571 Now question is, were the governments or complaints in the report of which 355 are administrations willing to protect peaceful murder charges, 3270 raping and arson charg- living of minorities in Bangladesh? If answer es and other charges of heinous crimes. After is yes, then, how the Hindu population de- receiving the report, the then Home minister clined from 13.5% in 1974 to 8.5% in 2011 Ms. Sahara Khatun told to the press people, during 36 years? It is amply clear that all ‘perpetrators shall be brought to book’. (9) assurances were given by the successive gov- But nothing happened during the last tenure ernments and intelligentsia of Bangladesh of AL led government. People have forgotten since its inception was nothing but lip service. the commitment of the government as well as Now, Hindu community is appealing to the role of Begum Khaleda Zia government and government of Bangladesh ‘omits our names their cohorts who were the main culprits. from voter list or arrange separate electorate This is Bangladesh! How can one expect for us. It can save Hindu community from the justice from the government? The minority target during election time’. (7) community participated in the war of libera- It is observed that, main reasons of attack tion with the expectation that in the newly on Hindu communities are land grabbing and liberated country they would enjoy equal so-called vote bank of AL. Radical Islamic status and rights along with the majority com- ideology is justifying attack on non-Islamic munity. But in practice, persecution of the religious places like temples, pagodas, minority continued even after independence. churches etc., by saying that perpetrators are The forms of oppression of the religious mi- from different cross-section of society irre- norities in Bangladesh are many fold. Consti- spective of political belief. tutionally, they have been downgraded; eco- Religion based political organizations or nomically, they have been crippled through radical Islamic forces have no moral or ethical different discriminatory laws and practices; character. When the Koran was burnt into politically, they have been segregated and ashes by their cadres at Baitulmukarram, Dha- alienated from the main stream; and national- ka, all these religio-political Mullahs ly they are used as subjects tortured through (Moulanas) and preachers of Islam were communal riots organized by the government silent. These defenders of Islam are nothing for counteracting political unrest against the but aggressors of non-Muslims, and teaching ruling party. As a consequence of the discrim- their cadres how to oppress non-Muslims inatory policies, combined with land grab- through madrassas and religious subjects bing, looting, arson, rape, murder and attack taught in schools. So protection of Hindus in on religious institutions of the religious mi- Bangladesh is impossible. It is as like as other norities with the collusion, if not instigation, Islamic countries in the world. If AL govern- of the government or semi-government agen- ment wants to protect non-Muslims, particu- cies, there has been a continuous exodus of larly, Hindus in Bangladesh, four steps should the minorities from Bangladesh. be taken immediately; ‘i) rehabilitation and Anti-Hindu as well as anti-India sentiment compensation to the victims, ii) implementa- is growing faster in Bangladesh because of tion of uniform education policy for all the socio-cultural transformation since its incep- people of Bangladesh and ban non- tion. To raise the issue of India’s so called government private madrassas, iii) ban on highhandedness and guardianship most of the religion based politics, and iv) implement rule Bangladeshis have been trying to retaliate

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 7 against India through the Hindu community. (Since the breakup of the Soviet Union and It is a deep rooted perception that ‘Hindus are division of nationalities, linguistic and cultur- friend of India, don’t trust them. Hindus are al groups several problems of governance and idol worshiper, they will go to hell directly; identity have emerged. This research focuses Christians are disciples of one prophet, so you on one such area.) may believe Christian or Jews, but never be- Justification. lieve Hindus.’ (10) Post partition propaganda  Compliance challenges are very high in by Muslim clerics Mullahs (Maolanas), this the Post-Soviet countries of Kazakhstan, perception is now deep-seated in the society Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and of Bangladesh. Turkmenistan. In this socio-cultural backdrop and fear of EBRD and World Bank rank corruption so-called ‘India friendly party’ identity, AL is  not eager to protect Hindu community most of among the top obstacles for the business- the time. Then who will protect them? Which es of representative firms in most Central are the remaining forces in Bangladesh? Has Asian countries. India any thought regarding Bangladeshi Hin-  The number of cases is increasing in dus? Central Asia as SEC and the Ministry of Notes: Justice take a very hard stand on foreign 1. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, published corruption. in Prothom Alo, a Bengali daily from Dhaka,  Outright workplace harassment, stealing 22.09.2012. of office supplies, reimbursing of inflat- 2. Endangered Demography, Bimal Praman- ed personal expenses, and personal use ik, G.C. Modak, Kolkata, 2005 of corporate properties are among the 3. Amader Samay, a Bengali daily from Dha- most common violations. ka, 18.01.2014. Unless global compliance and ethics pro- 4. Janakantha, a Bengali daily from Dhaka, grams pay attention to local business customs 22.01.2014 and cultural specifics, the pendulum of severe 5. Janakantha, a Bengali daily from Dhaka, reputational damage and heavy penalties will 05.02.2014 always be swinging. 6. Amader Samay, a Bengali daily from Dha- ka, 22.01.2014. Do Central Asia and compliance have 7. Prothom Alo, a Bengali daily from Dhaka, something in common? Ethics and compli- 16.01.2014 ance policies have always been viewed among 8. Nasiruddin Yusuf, president, Sammilita the most undesired things to deal with, even at Sanskritik Jote (United Cultural Forum), Ja- headquarter offices of many multinationals. nakantha, a Bengali daily from Dhaka, The 2013 BDO’s Board Survey (1) revealed 13.01.2014 that compliance is the area corporate directors 9. Bhorer Kagoj, a Bengali daily from Dhaka, prefer to spend less time on. If it is so, some- 14.01.2014. one can imagine how much employees and 10. Bhorer Kagoj, a Bengali daily from Dha- managers at local offices, with their totally ka, 14.01.2014 different cultural backgrounds, would view ********************************* compliance and ethics as “burdensome.” The European Bank for Reconstruction and Why do Compliance Failures Start in Development (EBRD) and the World Bank Central Asia? rank corruption among the top obstacles for the business of representative firms in most Dr. Nurlan Sarsenov, MBA, CCEP of Central Asian countries. (2) (3) The 2013 Global Corruption Barometer says Dr. Sarsenov (nurlan@sarsenov- that from 34% to 50% of the population advisory.com) is a Founding Partner, CEO, is paying bribes in Post-Soviet Central and Principal Consultant of Sarsenov’s Cor- Asian countries.(4) Central Asia stands porate Governance Advisory in New York. out from other regions, showing the high- est third-party risk also. KPMG’s 2013

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 8 analysis shows 53% of red reports on third always been considered the most delicious parties in Central Asia – the highest of all and most expensive in Kazakhstan and Kyr- geographical regions.(5) gyzstan, usually eaten only for special occa- This all means very high exposure to for- sions. eign corruption and other compliance risks for You probably would be scared at restau- multinationals with businesses in Central rants in Central Asia when served with a Asia. And, by the way, at least six high- black, whole, boiled head of sheep on your profile FCPA cases have emerged, up from plate, with its teeth and eyes staring and with zero for the last several years in this region. its tongue hanging out of its mouth. It even (6) sounds horrible, does it not? But it is how Our experience of working in the region they treat the most honorable guests in some proves that if no due adaptation work is done countries of Central Asia. to global corporate ethics policies and proce- If someone ahead of you in traffic in Ka- dures, they are not going to be appropriately zakhstan blinks the turn signals on his car, understood by local managers and employees you probably would not understand that he is in Central Asia. Rather, they are always ne- saying “Thank you” to you. Why would he do glected by both local managers and many that? Well, probably for you yielding way for expats. The business culture of this region is him. Astonished? Of course. There are thou- particularly different. Non-compliance is a sands of other things that would surprise you. way of life, which has already brought some But differences are not all about food or multinationals to very bad worldwide “fame” traffic. Informal, unwritten, and unknown here in the region. differences are everywhere, including the To be honest, non-customized corporate business field. This requires that compliance ethics standards, coupled with standardized officers either customize and adapt business regular trainings, often have very low effect. conduct policies for Central Asian local offic- Normally, around 15% to 20% of local man- es, or increase dumb enforcement of existing agers take such “imported standards” serious- global standards by setting stronger penalties ly. (which is the least effective way, I think). Outright workplace harassment, stealing of Based on thousands of interviews and more office supplies, reimbursement of inflated out- than a decade of research on over 40 coun- of-pocket expenses, and personal use of cor- tries, culture scholar Geert Hofstede identified porate properties are normal occurrences five dimensions that distinguish all cultures across the region, in violation of all ethics across the countries. (7) Those dimensions policies. You will only be able to detect are: something wrong is happening when a viola- Power distance: the degree of inequality tion inevitably transforms into something that exists and that is accepted among peo- bigger, with huge reputational and financial ple with and without power. consequences. We all know well that if small Individualism: the strength or weakness misdeeds go undetected and unpunished, they of the ties people tend to have with others in never stop there. their community. The point is: the culture is not simply dif- Masculinity: how much a society values ferent in Central Asia, but it is a big factor and exhibits traditional male and female roles that strongly undermines otherwise very good and expects them to be different. compliance and ethics programs. What is Uncertainty avoidance: the degree of good in the U.S. may be considered inappro- anxiety people feel in an uncertain or unfamil- priate in Kyrgyzstan or in Kazakhstan, and iar situation. this really factors into a different perception Long-term orientation: a focus on long- of ethics and compliance. term planning, delivering on social obliga- Why Central Asia is so special? tions, and avoiding loosing face. We all remember when the discovery of horse These five dimensions distinguish all cul- DNA in hamburger meat for sale at supermar- tures across the countries. kets caused an uproar in Europe in early 2013. The problem for Central Asia is that Of course, many in the U.S. also felt horrible the cultural dimensions that have been about that. On the contrary, horse meat has

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 9 put into the base of most U.S. and Euro- Uzbekistan, or Kyrgyzstan. The same pean compliance and ethics programs people today at local governments are differ radically from those cultural di- still doing the same businesses, applying mensions of the people who live in Cen- the same “tactics” which might impact tral Asia. your local businesses the same way. Employees in Central Asian offices However, the number of corruption cases might not let you know they disagree is going to increase in the region. This is with you on some important points. This the only change we are observing so far. is inherent in most of Central Asian cul- The good news is that preventing such tures. Your compliance manager and big crashes here is much easier than deal- other staff may not be raising an issue ing with devastating consequences. Just when they should be. The compliance making global policies local means mak- manager lives in a different ethics dimen- ing them really work, which in turn sion, a different reality. That being said, means protecting your company from he has to live with double standards, very serious foreign corruption and fraud where one is the corporate standard and exposure. With no such adaptation, even the other is local ethics. the best ethics standards would, unfortu- There are so many conflicts between nately, miss the point and get misunder- these standards. When the local manager stood. agrees with you, it does not necessarily mean he understands or shares your view. Notes: It might look very impolite from your (1) See 2013 BDO Board Survey. Available at local subordinate’s view if he/she disa- http://www.bdo.com/download/2854 grees with you or criticizes your point. (2) “European Bank for Reconstruction and So, if you are not attentive to cultural Development: Recovery and Reform,” EBRD 2010 Transition Report. Available at http:// barriers in Central Asia, you may end up www.ebrd.com/downloads/research/ totally unaware of the real picture of transition/tr10.pdf; and EBRD compliance control effectiveness on the (3) World Bank's 2009 Business Environment ground. and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS). Available at http://www.ebrd.com/english/ Is it really hard to prevent failures pages/research/economics/data/beeps.shtml. in Central Asia? (4) Transparency International: 2013 Global Cultural differences are a vital issue if Corruption Barometer. July 19, 2013. Availa- you want to effectively implement global ble at http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/ pub/global_corruption_barometer_2013 compliance and ethics standards in Cen- (5) KPMG: Astrus Insights KPMG’s Analysis tral Asia. A huge cultural gap exists, and of Third-Party Integrity Risks, Edition 1. there is a lot of work that should be done 2013. Available at http://www.kpmg.com/US/ to fill the gap, before your corporate eth- en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/ ics policies start working in these coun- Documents/astrus-insights.pdf tries. (6) For FCPA cases in Central Asian coun- Corruption is a way of doing business tries, please, see Securities and Exchange in many of these countries. That is why Commissions website page at http:// Central Asia stands out in many corrup- www.sec.gov/spotlight/fcpa/fcpa-cases.shtml (7) Geert Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences: tion, fraud, and money laundering rank- Comparing Values, Beliefs, Behaviors, ings. Institutions, and Organizations Across Since the last cases happened here, Nations. 2010, Sage Publications, Thou- unfortunately, nothing positively changed sand Oaks, CA. in terms of corruption in Kazakhstan, or

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 10

Products of Indian Subcontinent’s Ir- prime minister, was unprecedented. Inde- rational Partitions – Wars, Intoler- pendent Bangladesh is still fighting its reli- ance, Terrorism, Militancy and Reli- gious radicals to form its proper identity –‘ a gious Radicalism! may be exemplary Muslim country’ with true democracy and secular constitution. Hope is slim but still possible. Sufferings of Hindus Dr. Amalendu Chatterjee under two military Bangladeshi Generals, Major Zia and General Ershad and Prime A. Chatterjee was born before Indian parti- Minister Khaleda Zia since 1975 know no tion in an Island of Bay of Bengal which hap- bounds –a worst result of partition or libera- pens to be in Bangladesh now. He did his tion. India-Bangladesh relationship deteriorat- Engineering from Bangladesh University of ed due to meddling by ISI of Pakistan on the Engineering and Technology in 1967. He was basis of religious grounds. In spite of all those posted in Kaptai Project during the liberation adverse elements, Bangladesh-India trade movement. He fled Kaptai for fear of his life balance and remittances of Bangladeshi immi- and was actively involved at Mujibnagar, the grant workers show a promising result (6% of First Capital of Bangladesh during 1971 Lib- Bangladesh’s GDP and 50% of world’s remit- eration War. He has a Ph.D. from Canada,. He tances from India) – more of it will help a cofounded a software company in 1999. He potential dynamic relationship. This is a great lives with family in the South. news and if one can rise above religious dif- ferences, the potential of Bangladesh-India Introduction - There is no shortage of relation can go a long way for improving the books on the division of India into India and economic condition of the people. Pakistan [1], [2], [3]. There is also no short- Unfortunately, over 93,000 Pakistani sol- age of books on the Bangladesh liberation diers went unpunished for killing 3 million movement [4], [5]. There are also many writ- people and making 10 million homeless in- ings on India-Pakistan wars [10]. India was cluding uncounted numbers of raped victims first divided into two parts by architects of [9], [10]. These soldiers and their generals two parties – Congress Party and Muslim took upon themselves to initiate terrorism League Party on the basis of religion when against India vigorously. They worked hand Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement was in hand with Kashmiri militants. Some of gaining support locally as well as by the Brit- these militants are called Talibans as we know ish Empire. The Bangladesh liberation was after 9/11. They got full support from Paki- achieved through the arms struggle against the stan Military Government’s so called Inter- powerful Pakistani army. Of course, powerful Service Intelligence (ISI). They even helped nation like USA supported Pakistan – a con- Khalistan movement against India. Different spiracy of Nixon-Kissinger duo to make a statements made in the national and Interna- deal with communist China. There are many tional media (CNN, MSNBC, India Abroad, other differences between these two struggles. etc.) by these Generals and Presidents such as Secular, liberal Muslims and Hindus of Bang- Ameer Abdullah Khan Niazi, Hamid Gul, ladesh fought against the Pakistani army to- Pervez Musharraf, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq gether. Casualties and sufferings of people and many others prove deep hatred for India and damage of properties were worse in the and non-Muslim citizens. Pervez Musharraf, Bangladesh liberation. Fortunately, religions the then President of Pakistan, even made did not play a direct role but Hindus and intel- bold statement in the western media saying lectuals were targeted by the army at the be- that terrorism against India is not the same as ginning to create a scary situation for the gen- terrorism against America in the face of such eral citizens. It backfired on the general mass heinous crime in front of the Delhi parlia- and timely participation of Indian army with ment. This hatred spread over generation’s the Bangladesh liberation forces had ad- blood stream since 1947 so much so that there vanced the liberation of Bangladesh so quick- were suicide bomb attacks in Indian big cities ly that adverse countries could not change the by Muslim radicals. The last one is in Mum- inevitable course. Smart international political bai. Masterminds of the Mumbai attack were maneuvering by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then two Pakistani Americans and it was carried

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 11 out in collaboration with Pakistani ISI forces. cooperation between extreme radical groups One of them is David Headley and the other residing in both Pakistan and Bangladesh. The one is Tahawwur Hussain Rana. Had there root of terrorism started when Pakistan demo- been no partition, such crimes could have cratic parliament succumbed to the military been prevented or contained much easily. power and the Pakistani military invaded Pakistan’s objective to acquire nuclear power Kashmir [11], [12]. Pakistani military formed was to destroy India – the message articulated a special branch called Intelligent Services by its leaders many times in the world’s stage. Intelligent (ISI) and through the organization With no strong civilian government and irra- started training militants and insurgents in tional internal terrorism in Pakistan for a Indian controlled territory. The influence of strong religious country by Talibans that fear those insurgents and militants were not felt is growing stronger and stronger - a time strongly in East Pakistan before 1971. It bomb of the next century and the worst dream changed after Bangladesh lost its democracy of the partition. There is hardly any book or under the rulers of Major Ziaur Rahman, gen- article on the movement of these 93,000 sol- eral Ershad and then Bangladesh National diers, their role in forming terror cells, their Party (BNP) with a coalition with Jamaite- conspiracy with various militants, influence Islam, a radical Islamic Party of Pakistan. The on the Pakistani military government, and fear of terrorism and the Hindu hating escalat- lastly the impact of 9/11 to the subcontinent’s ed in Bangladesh. The India Abroad article geopolitical future. This article is an attempt raised many questions than answers to curb to highlight some concerns. terrorism especially state sponsored terrorism. Based on the background given above, this I am trying to add some more perspectives on paper identifies many relevant issues for the the subject. The USA became aware of the political pundits and the world’s leaders espe- state sponsored terrorism after 9/11 and has cially Indian leaders to ponder upon. One been trying to draw world’s attention since should ask – should this world be a place for then. We, Bangladeshi minorities and Indians, rationale human beings or a place of religious had been aware of it since the division of zealots? Partitions of countries on religious, India by the British Empire. Two generations social or cultural differences have polarized of population grew up under the Pakistani the world and may not bring the best solution. military with an attitude of hate towards India Religious hatred, terrorism and militancy are and minorities. That was the mean and still is products of such polarizations. Priorities the mean Pakistan military dictators chose to should be economy, job, improvement of rule the country. That was also the reason for living condition of poor people and equal the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. opportunities for all. Days of big brother The India Abroad article raised only three countries dictating the fate of people based on unanswered questions related to 26/11 massa- dictatorial regimes are over. Examples are cre: Missing Paper of David Headley, Who is Arab springs. The newly elected prime min- Honey Bee and Is all the Siege Information ster of India, Mr. Modi’s gesture and willing- Authentic? ness to improve the situation may be a wel- Additional Issues – More potential issues come sign if reciprocated by affected coun- need to be raised to stop possible future 9/11, tries. 11/26s or like in India, Bangladesh or even in India Abroad Article and Issues Identi- Pakistan and elsewhere. fied: There was an article published in the  Bangladesh Situation – The country is India Abroad on December 29, 2013 with the torn apart by many radical and aggres- caption, ‘America Sacrificed Mumbai’. There sive Islamic elements promoting Shariat are some denialists for events like this includ- law. The power of Islamic alliance in- ing Pakistani torture and rapes during the creased manifolds after the present 1971 liberation war [11]. These articles failed Hasina government started trials of all to articulate the present and future landscape perpetrators of 1971 genocide. Even after of terrorism after Indian partitions into three the 1971 genocide, many minorities were pieces – first Pakistan and India in 1947 and either killed or forced out to India during then Pakistan, Bangladesh and India in 1971. Bangladesh election of 2001 when Presi- It neither narrated the impact of the close dent Bush declared the war against Al-

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 12

Quaida. The killing of those minorities shelter in India is facing abuse by these was committed by some leaders of the imams. Her fault is writing about facts of current opposition party (BNP) in collab- Islam. In addition, they are abusing Indi- oration with many other Islamic radical an secular constitutional power in the parties. The crime of those minorities name of Muslim family law such as rap- was that they did not vote for BNP party ing minors and then marrying her, stop- candidates. In that year, BNP also intro- ping family planning, and above all duced many Islamic regulations to the women’s rights. then secular Bangladesh constitution.  Nawaz Sharif, the current Pakistani BNP was a dangerous coalition with no Prime Minister – His track record with respect for other religions. Mr. Prabitra India does not speak very well. He was Chaudhury’s letter, ‘Don’t ignore Bang- prime minister of Pakistan during the ladesh’ published on December 6, 2013, period when Mr. Pervez Musharraf was India Abroad highlighted some of those. the military chief. It was during that Bangladesh’s BNP has a strong liaison period Kargil war was initiated by Mr. with Jamat-e-Islami, radical Islam. Lash- Musharraf and Mr. Sharif did not court kar-e-Tayiba through the central Jamai-e martial Mr. Musharraf though recom- -Islami party is supporting Bangladeshi mended by ISI and other military com- radicals against India. Those opposition missions [10]. Instead, he was promoted parties are also getting support from to the military chief position superseding Saudi Wahabi group to establish Madras- others. It will be an exemplary action by ahs and other radical Islamic teachings. the current Pakistani judicial system if In addition, millions of illegal Muslim Mr. Musharraf is prosecuted. That may workers (mostly women) are migrating stop the rest of military generals to coup to India especially to Assam and West against democratically elected govern- Bengal for household work creating the ment. Otherwise, the same old story will possible home grown terror cell. They continue with no end of the state sup- are also getting Indian residency with the ported terrorism directly or indirectly. help local corrupt political administration Another puzzle is that Mr. Sharif is from to increase supporting vote banks. Simp- Kashmir and he selected General Sharif ly put, the USA does not realize the as the next Pakistani commander-in-chief Bangladesh situation correctly as they who is also from Kashmir. I hope there is underestimated Al-Quaida power in Af- no conspiracy to get sympathy from ghanistan and Pakistan before 9/11. Kashmiri hide outs of radicals. It may There may be many congressional hear- simply be a strange coincidence but I ings in the USA arguing favorably on doubt. behalf of democratically elected govern- ment of Bangladesh. The situation in the  Nuclear Weapons in Pakistan – Paki- field is felt differently by all minorities stan became a rogue country against because of Islamization of the constitu- India by empowering itself with nuclear tion with biased judicial system. The weapons. Of course, the USA aid and similar situation prevails for minorities continuous support since 1947 has creat- in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran ed a balance of war power not economic and other Middle East Countries. power. The USA has taken a good policy against Iran on nuclear policy though  Radical Muslim Imams in India, Paki- Israel is objecting. The USA-India rela- stan and Bangladesh – They are ene- tionship must also curb Pakistan’s future mies of the society as they spread unpat- use of such weapons as a threat in case riotic messages. Many Imams are ex- terrorism between two countries goes out ploiting Indian secular constitution. of control - very likely due to home Many examples of their Fatwa can be grown radicalism with close to 200 mil- explained as serving imam’s own inter- lions Indian Muslims. Most of them, I ests detrimental to the interest of the am sure, are peace loving citizens but it general Muslims in India. Taslima takes only a few to create the havoc. The Nasreen, a Bangladeshi writer who took

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 13

USA is spending billions, if not trillions, crossed the border from Bangladesh and took to stop home grown terrorism with only that advantage of Indian benevolent laws to 3 million Muslims, most of them, of influence the election. These Bangladeshis course, are regular people like any other also created additional problems in West Ben- citizen. With Indian corrupt political and gal as well as in Assam. They crossed the economic system and cry for minority border to take economic advantage of India. If votes, Indian internal terror cells will be economic conditions improve Bangladeshis hard to beat. will not have crossed the border. Bilateral  Pervez Musharraf, ex President of cooperation is more important than creating a Pakistan – Mr. Musharraf, a charismatic partition on the false ground of separate iden- military officer, always differentiated tity. Partition or no partition, Mr. Modi can terrorism in India by Pakistani militants take many unilateral decision to improve bi- and terrorism against the USA by radical lateral relationship between many neighboring Muslims. During his Presidency he not countries. This will be an exemplary role of only polluted the USA air media with Muslim and non-Muslim countries working this kind of duality but also deceived the together for the world. US government for 8 long years. India USA was not optimistic or confident that needs media promotion to neutralize its Mr. Modi can win the election. After his win, impact – terrorism is terrorism (killing of USA made a unilateral goodwill gesture to innocent people) irrespective of its place give him a visa with a special unprecedented of occurrence. date for a bilateral meeting during United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and also  General Niazi and 93,000 Defeated outlined an American Wish-List, India Soldiers, 1971 – Neither General Niazi Abroad, dated June 13, 2014. This American nor any of his soldiers could take this Wish-List was developed by senator Mark humiliating defeat in the hand of Indian Warner (D-Virginia), co-chair of the biparti- soldiers. Many of them in his own word, san Senate India Caucus. America’s wish-list ‘We should never trust India’, wanted to and America’s priority may not match with take revenge. ISI took this opportunity to that of India. Mr. Modi’s goodwill gesture radicalize many of them as Talibans to was to invite all his adverse neighbors in his fight against India similar to Mujahi- inauguration ceremony. That was an excellent deens becoming Al-Qaida after USSR’s move and sets the priority of his government. defeat. Surviving soldiers of those 93K Bitter relationship with Pakistan and Bangla- and their next generation could be a time desh must end – a curse of partition. Im- bomb for India. They have been poi- proved relation will benefit all citizens. Yes, soned by retired ISI generals. The proof USA relationship is important but may not be of it is seen in General Hamid Gul and that critical at this moment of bilateral coop- other general’s interviews with western eration other than fighting the terrorism with- journalists. In-fights of Talibans will in India. Domestic action plan of 100 days or increase in Pakistan creating a problem 1000 days is required – fighting corruptions, for full functioning democracy. One day, infrastructures of land, sea and air transporta- not very far from now, those terrorizing tion as China has done to attract foreign in- radicals who do not respect any other vestment not only USA, robust IT/Telecom religions will get hold of Pakistani nucle- infrastructure, trade improvement to reduce ar weapons to create a nightmare for trade balance with critical partners, quality of India and the world. basic education, rural development (his elec- Unilateral Strategic Plan By India – The tion promise), equality of men and women in Prime Minister Modi fought the election not modern social fabric, and work ethics for all to please any block votes or any specific not only civil servants (corporations as well) group. He ran the election platform on the to name a few. Rebuilding Afghanistan in basis of equal opportunity for all. Both the collaboration with USA and Pakistan may be congress party and the communist party one of the priorities Mr. Modi may pursue in (especially in West Bengal) always played his own terms not due to nuclear threat from this game of block votes. Many Muslims Pakistani military. In addition, Mr. Modi can

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 14 take the leadership to improve the relationship Notes: and both Pakistan and Bangladesh can take (1) Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence the advantage of the opportunity to remove – 10 Edition by Jaswant Singh the curse of partitions. Peace among them can (2) A History of Modern India 1480-1950 lead to a healthier economic growth in the (South Asian Studies Series) by Claude Mar- region even without the USA cooperation. kovits, Meggy Hendry (Translator) and Nishi Future Thought - Partitions of both Paki- George (Translator) stan and Bangladesh made many millionaires (3) The Great Partion The Making of India and also created an environment for increas- and Pakistan by Yasmin Khan ing religious hatred and intolerance including (4) Zainul Abedin Great Master of Bangla- creation of a few self-dignified army generals desh by Rosa Maria (EDT)/Monsur Falvo and religious clerics. They do not realize that (5)The Indian Air Force in the 1971 Libera- India has the largest population of Muslims tion War – Eagles Over Bangladesh by P.V.S under the secular constitution and democratic Jagan Mohan and Samir Chopra foundation since independence. Preservations (6) YouTube’s Ispad1947 channel, Indian of Muslim family laws in India may not be a Subcontinent Partition Documents Project good idea now for their own good [12], [13]. Interviews – Study conducted by Prof. Sachi Religious practice should depend on individu- Dastidar and ISPaD al choice not the national mandate. The pro- (7) Post-Doctoral Studies at Emory Univer- gress of the country and also to build a rela- sity by Shirin Keen, Spring 1998, Last edited: tionship of neighboring countries will depend July 2012 a close cooperation - a coalition of global (8) Centre for Imperial and Post Colonial economy including free movement and inde- Studies at Southampton University by Profs. pendent thought of people coming together David Brown, Ilyas Chattha, Claire Eldridge, irrespective of their religious and social back- Stephanie Jones, John McAleer, Jane McDer- ground. Lack of that understanding by leaders mid, Pritipuspa Mishra, and others and citizens together will be harmful. Given (9) Different Documentaries and Books by the current state of affairs one question to be Bangladesh Journalist Shariyar Kabir asked and answered as follows: Was partition (10) Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia of 1947 necessary? (Internet) 1. For India, it does not matter now. There (11) Woodrow Wilson Center’s Hosting of are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. Dr. Sharmila Bose, Bangla Genocide Denial- The democratic foundation has been rooted ist well and Muslims are all well represented (11) India Abroad, December 29, 2013 politically, socially and culturally. Issue and many other Issues before and After 2. For Pakistan, it is not a different answer this December Issue but, in contrary, it is an opposite answer. It (12) India Abroad, June 13 Issue, 2014 was not necessary. A country which could not (Taking Charge By Prime Minister N. Modi) get democratic process working even after 67 years does not have any right to speak of de- ********************************** mocracy of Kashmiri citizens. In the militari- zation process, Pakistan eliminated minorities Bengal’s Partition and Assam’s Envi- to less than 1% and lost an ally, Bangladesh, ronmental and Cultural Catastrophe and may also be on the verge of losing Balu- chistan or North West Frontier Province. Dr. Richard L. Benkin 3. For Bangladesh, the answer is not clear. The intention was good and also it started Dr. Benkin is a human rights activist, living in well but could not keep up the pace. The fu- the Midwest. He holds a PhD from the Uni- ture looks bleak though there is well intended versity of Pennsylvania and is the author of A thought prevailing in some secular corners- Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleansing: the Murder may need some reinforcement from outside of Bangladesh’s Hindus. His current research and with positive and constructive outlook interests include the environmental and cul- from inside. Time will tell, of course. tural catastrophes in Assam.

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daily persecution of Hindus and other minori- ties goes unpunished; and an endemic culture of corruption. (3)

In 1905, the British partitioned Bengal into a western, Hindu sector and an eastern, Mus- Bangladesh’s history is one long tale of lim sector. They annulled the partition in political instability with rotating periods of 1911 due to Bengali unrest over their pen- dictatorship or military rule interspersed with chant to redraw Asian and African maps to a “zero-sum” political war between two politi- suit their colonial purposes, leaving Bengalis cal parties (4) whose leaders would rather see divided. Hindus largely opposed the partition the country fail than their rivals succeed.(5) as a British attempt to subdue the Indian pop- Both have made deals with Islamists in an ulation with a “divide and rule” policy. Mus- effort to win elections; and Bangladesh’s lims largely favored it as a step toward auton- former dictator, General H. M. Ershad and his omy. These lingering divisions laid the Jatiya (National) Party, who has been a part of groundwork for Bengal’s 1947 re-partitioning the country’s ruling coalition till 2013, led by that made East Bengal part of Pakistan. In the Awami League which ironically postures 1971, East Pakistan (nee East Bengal) won its itself as the liberal party. (6) Jatiya Party is independence with India’s help in a bloody the Official Opposition in BNP-boycotted revolution. Its immediate cause was the re- Bangladesh Parliament.(7) Compounding the fusal by West Pakistan’s leaders to let Sheikh problems, Bangladesh is the only country that Mujibar Rahman form a government though ranks among the world’s ten most populous his Bengali party won a majority of seats in and the world’s ten most densely populated, the Pakistani parliament. That capped an which is akin to cramming every other Ameri- ongoing list of grievances by Pakistan’s Ben- can into an area around the size of New York galis, who represented a majority of Paki- State. Bangladesh’s survival has therefore stan’s population but occupied a second-class required continual out-migration of Bangla- status in the country. (1) deshis to the contiguous Indian states of West The new nation of Bangladesh was small, Bengal and Assam.(8) poor, devoid of significant resources, and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina incapable of sustaining its large and growing Wazed admitted as much on March 4, 2014, population. Even the partitioners knew that at the BIMSTEC (9) summit in Nay Pyi Taw, such a polity could not survive on its own: Myanmar. She told the assembled audience Britain paired it with Assam in 1905 and with that Bangladesh was unable to sustain its West Pakistan (2) Thus the odds against the population and blamed it on “climate rump state of Bangladesh’s survival were long change.” As a result, she said, neighboring from the start, and the nation has done little in countries can expect more “climate refugees” its 43 year history to suggest otherwise. It is from her country.(10) It is doubtful she be- perennially poor, surviving on international lieved Myanmar and its ruling junta would donations; without a consistent rule of law; accept them with open arms; neither could she

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 16 expect a warm welcome from China/Tibet. Assam and India (an average yearly increase Nepal is too small and poor. Bhutan, also too almost 50 percent higher for the entire 20th small, is already expelling its “foreigner” century); the authors applied the Leslie matrix Hindus with Nepali roots.(11) The only for population (16) projection to extensive neighboring country that has been getting census data that include religion, language, these Bangladeshi “infiltrators” and can ex- mortality, fecundity, and migration (legal and pect more is India. (12) illegal) for the 1971-1991 and 1991-2001 Climate change activists handed Hasina periods. (17) that excuse by contending that rising seas and They concluded that migration made the reduced land mass are why Bangladesh can- difference in Assam’s higher population not support its population. They also provide growth; and that the “unusual[ly] high growth ideological cover for illegal migration as of Muslim and Bengali population in Assam Hasina’s BIMSTEC speech showed. On may be due to cross border illegal Muslim the contrary, large scale East Bengali migrants from Bangladesh to Assam,” which immigration to Assam predates the cli- they project at 830,755 from 1971-1991 and 534,819 in half that time from 1991-2001; mate change issue by more than a centu- both periods pre-dating attempts to blame ry. Assam’s 1931 census report noted Bangladesh’s inability to sustain its people on that “probably the most important event climate change. (18) in the province during the last 25 years, likely to alter permanently the whole The Consequences structure of the Assamese culture and In March 2014 at the behest of the All As- civilisation, has been the invasion of a samese Students Association and others, this vast hoard of land hungry Bengali immi- author visited the Assamese capital of Gu- grants… from the districts of Eastern wahati, the Bodo capital of Kokrajhar, tribal villages, and the Assam/Meghalaya border Bengal.” (13) with Bangladesh.(19) Informants include Its author, C. S. Mullan, also predicted tribal victims of the 2012 sectarian violence, that “in another 30 years [i.e. 1961], it tribal leaders and activists, Indian border was not improbable that Sibsagar (sic) guards, and researchers. This article analyzes district will be the only part of Assam in the result of those investigations, viz. that the which an Assamese will find himself at massive influx of illegal Bangladeshi mi- home.” Assam’s 2001 census appears to grants has caused both environmental and buttress Mullan’s warning: Only Sivasagar cultural catastrophes for Assam’s indigenous and other eastern Assam districts not border- tribes and will lead to increased violence if ing Bangladesh or West Bengal continue to not corrected. (This is true for plains as well, show tribal population dominance. (14) but the main focus of this paper is on tribes.) In 2012, Bhupen Kumar Nath, Dilip C. Members of indigenous Assam tribes be- Nath and Biswanath Bhattacharya published lieve that unchecked illegal migration poses what many consider the definitive study of an existential threat. The increased popula- illegal Bangladeshi immigration: tion pressure from Bangladeshi infiltrators is “The migration from Bangladesh to the destroying the forests and its wildlife that are Northeast region of India has been continuous critical to their culture and way of life. More- throughout the twentieth century due to the over, there is a growing sense of desperation reason of historical links, geographical and among the tribal populations because they physical proximity.” (15) have not seen the Indian or Assamese govern- They note “better employment opportuni- ments make any serious attempts to stop the ties and availability of fertile agricultural land illegal migration. Rather, they claim, illegal in Assam” as pull factors and “poverty, sub- Bangladeshi migrants are given a favored sistence living, ravages caused by floods and status for political reasons and soon find other natural calamities in Bangladesh” as themselves embedded with the rest of the push factors existing throughout the twentieth population.(20) Moreover, local tribes urged century. Recognizing the disparity between this author to observe conditions on the bor- average annual population growth rates in der and directed me to an area straddling both

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 17

Assam and Meghalaya that was said to be counts for about two-thirds of the land area secure. Rather, it was porous. Even in broad under cultivation. Its decline is foreboding, as daylight, my cohorts and I observed Bangla- is a decline in rice varietals reported by local deshis crossing openly. Border fences that farmers.(23) had gaping holes, at one point crossing a De-Forestation: Numerous infor mants bridge, but ending in the middle, and picked report that migrants use a “slash and burn” up on the other side. The area under the method for clearing large amounts of land for bridge was dry and passable with no barrier. their personal use. This author observed pre- At another point, the gate between the two viously forested area with large swathes of countries was open and unguarded. If mem- recent clearing. (24) The Indian government bers of India’s Border Security Force were also noted that “population pressure has led to present, they remained inert and only showed encroachment of the forestland. Since the themselves when I began taking pictures and coming of the immigrants and their settlement videos. Two armed guards accosted me and in the forests… the result is the gradual de- wanted to confiscate my camera. I refused, struction of the forest land.” This has had an and after some discussion, they left me with impact on increased temperatures, rainfall and two warnings. One, keep what you have but flooding, arable land and its productivity, and do not take any more pictures. Two, stop the destruction of many “precious flora and bothering about this. “Our hands are tied,” fauna, including medicinal plants.”(25) A they told me. “You will only anger higher credentialed organization that visited Assam ups.” in 2013 confirmed the de-forestation and at- Tribal groups have taken matters into their tributed it to “unscrupulous people… active in own hands as a result.(21) There have been large-scale tree felling and poaching of wild- frequent clashes between tribal Assamese and life with [help from] political leaders and illegal Bangladeshi migrants, culminating in higher officials of the Forest Depart- the 2012 disturbances that displaced over ment.”(26) 400,000 people. Less severe riots in 2014 Elephant and Rhino Extinction: Accord- sent “hundreds” fleeing. Several tribal As- ing to several tribal informants, migrants en- samese told me that they were prepared to act gage in large scale poaching, especially of in defense of their homes if the government Assam’s unique one-horned rhinoceros, fails to take action and showed me evidence which faces extinction as a result.(27) Addi- of their preparations. The only thing holding tionally, the Indian government reports “herds them back, they said, is the prospect that an of wild elephants coming inside human habi- Indian government under Prime Minister tation in search of food, and damaging paddy Narendra Modi will act. If the illegal migra- fields and properties, trampling huts and even tion is not stopped, however, expect major killing people. Lack of food in their natural violence in the region.(22) habitat must have driven the pachyderms to Researchers at the Vivekananda Kendra human locality. Unless the depletion of forest Institute of Culture (VKIC) in Guwahati, area is checked, this problem will grow in Assam, claim that the massive influx of Bang- future, and ultimately it will cause extinction ladeshi refugees has degraded Assam’s envi- of this great wild species.”(28) ronment. They have severely taxed natural Violence and Insecurity: I interviewed resources, with several consequences. three elderly individuals whose spouses were Decreased Food Production: As the killed by rioting migrants in 2012. All three amount of arable land continues to decrease couples were non-threatening and in their so does rice production. About a fourth of homes only because age and infirmity made Assam’s annual rice production was lost be- flight along with their neighbors impossi- tween 2001 and 2007, going from over 40 ble. One elderly widow described how metric tons to under 30. Since then, in order migrants hacked her bedridden husband to stabilize rice production, the Assamese to death leaving her with no alternative have experimented with hybrids and other artificial methods; something that in the past but to run. Another elderly couple was was not needed for adequate production. Rice sitting under a tree in front of their home is the staple of the Assamese diet and ac- when migrants attacked them. All in-

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 18 formants told a consistent but not identi- http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ cal story that comported with other veri- NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD/countries? fied facts and indicated a high degree of order=wbapi_data_value_2013% reliability. No one of any age with whom 20wbapi_data_value%20wbapi_data_value- last&sort=desc&display=default. On Bangla- I spoke believed that the violence and desh and corruption, see Transparency Inter- consequent insecurity will end soon.(29) national ranks Bangladesh the 136 out of 177 An end to Assam’s Tribal Cultures? countries on its corruption scale, which is an Before coming to Assam, I met with sev- improvement after spending some years at eral Assamese students at Delhi Universi- dead last. http://www.transparency.org/ ty and elsewhere in the city. While some country#BGD. For information on the perse- are determined to return to Assam after cution of Hindus and the rule of law, see Ben- their studies, others admit that the lack of kin, Richard, A Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleans- opportunity there likely will cause them ing: the Murder of Bangladesh’s Hindus, Akshaya Prakashan, Delhi, 2012. to remain in Delhi. Inside Assam, there (4) The Awami League and Bangladesh Na- was a pattern of parents sending their tionalist Party (BNP) children out of the area for schooling (5) Christine Fair and Kerem Levitas, knowing some will not return. Away “Bangladesh: Human Rights and the Rule of from the social and cultural supports for Law in Crisis?” United States Institute of their tribal culture, they lose touch with Peace, May 2005. http:// their heritage and soon their families. www.interfaithstrength.com/ZeroSum.htm. When I asked one parent if he thought his (6) General Hussain Muhammed Ershad was son would return, he told me that if he Bangladesh’s virtual dictator and President from 1983 to 1990 were in his son’s shoes he would not, (7) "Ershad ‘thanks’ Hasina," bdnews24.com, adding that so long as the future remains January 14, 2014; http://bdnews24.com/ uncertain, he does not really want him to politics/2014/01/14/ershad-thanks-hasina return. (8) Op. cit., Benkin, 160-168 Tribal leaders point to their close ties (9) Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Tech- with the forest and its inhabitants and nical and Economic Cooperation, which in- claim that by destroying the forests and cludes the nations of Bangladesh, India, My- killing its creatures, they are destroying anmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Ne- the basis of their way of life. “This is our pal. land,” one Bodo leader told me. “If the (10) Kalyan Barooah, “Climate change to [illegal Bangladeshi] migrant population con- trigger Bangla exodus: Hasina.” Assam Trib- tinues to increase day by day, where will we une, March 4, 2014. live?”(30) (11) Op. cit., Benkin, pp.123-125. Also I. P. Notes: Adhikari and Raju Thapa, “Human Rights & (1) Hussain, Hamid, “Demons of December Justice in Bhutan: Shadow Report on First — Road from East Pakistan to Bangladesh,” Universal Periodic Review of Bhutan,” Hu- Defence Journal, December 2002. Available man Rights without Frontiers, Nepal & Asso- at http://www.defencejournal.com/2002/dec/ ciation of Press Freedom Activists, Bhutan, demons.htm December 2009. (2) Pakistan was originally composed of two, (12) The vast majority of Assamese with non-contiguous parts. East Pakistan is now whom I spoke refer to these illegal Bangla- Bangladesh. West Pakistan is the current deshi immigrants as “infiltrators.” Doing so nation of Pakistan. emphasizes their illegal and unwanted status (3) In 2013, the World Bank ranked Bangla- among native Assamese, and suggests a meas- desh 164 out of 189 nations in per capita ure of intentionality behind their influx; spe- GDP, second lowest in South Asia (beating cifically to change Assam’s dominant cultural out 176th Nepal), and only 7.9 percent of per and demographic landscape capita GDP for the planet. The World Bank, (13) Census Superintendent C. S. Mullan, Census Report of 1931, quoted by D. N. Bez-

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 19 boruah, Editor, The Sentinel, at a seminar and reduced rainfall and other environmental public meeting, November 13, 2004, Gu- changes resulting from increased migration, wahati, Assam. Also cited in “The Truth of see Samudra Gupta Kashyap, “Floods, Urban- Illegal Migration in Assam & the Northeast,” ization eat into Assam’s Rice Fields,” Sin- Confederation of North Eastern People, Gu- lung, January 29, 2010. http:// wahati, 2012. www.sinlung.com/2010/01/floods- (14) Op. cit., Mullan. I was told by members urbanization-eat-into-assams.html. of the All Assam Students Association in a (24) Benkin, Assam. direct interview, March 5, 2014, Delhi, India. (25) “Hazards,” ENVIS Centre: Assam Status The material also appears in former ILO and of Environment and Related Issues. Hosted UNICEF consultant Hilary Pais’s web site, by Assam Science, Technology and Environ- http://hilarypais.org/ASSAM.html. Population ment Council; Sponsored by Ministry of En- figures from the 2001 Indian census are re- vironment and Forests, Government of India; ported in The Truth about Illegal Migration in http://asmenvis.nic.in/Database/ Assam & the Northeast, Confederation of Hazards_840.aspx. North Eastern People, Guwahati 2012. (26) “Deforestation to blame for rising tem- (15) Bhupen Kumar Nath, Dilip C. Nath and peratures,” Assam Tribune, Guwahati, June Late Biswanath Bhattacharya, 2012. Undocu- 18, 2013 mented Migration in the State of Assam in (27) Benkin, Assam; also see "Assam: 39 Northeast India Estimates Since 1971 to 2001. rhinos killed in 10 months in Kaziranga," Asian Journal of Applied Sciences, 5: 164- Press trust of India, IBN Live, October 5, 173. 2013. http://m.ibnlive.com/news/assam-39- (16) For more detail on the Leslie matrix, see rhinos-killed-in-10-months-in- Montshiwa, Mosimanegape Irvin, “Leslie kaziranga/298052-13.html; "Bangladeshi Matrix Model in Population Dynamics,” Uni- Infiltrators increasing in Assam; Vanishing versity of Witwatersrand, June 7, 2007. One-horned rhinos," News Bharati, Septem- (17) Space here does not allow for a detailed ber 27, 2012. http://www.newsbharati.com/ statistical and demographic analysis, to inter- Encyc/2012/9/27/Bangladeshi-Infiltrators- ested readers are referred to the original arti- increasing-in-Assam-Vanishing-One-horned- cle and calculations by Nath et. al. cited here. rhinos.aspx#.U8KAorEYXTo; "Wildlife man- (18) Op. cit. Nath et. al. p. 173. agement hits a low in Assam in 2012," The (19) First hand material gathered during that Shillong Times, December 30, 2012.http:// time in Assam will be cited as “Benkin, As- www.theshillongtimes.com/2012/12/30/ sam.” wildlife-management-hits-a-low-in-assam-in- (20) Benkin, Assam. Also see “Deforestation 2012/#J1RZRG6QU60h2ljH.99 to blame for rising temperatures,” Assam (28) Op. cit., ENVIS Tribune, Guwahati, June 18, 2013. (29) Benkin, Assam (21) Contrary to what some interested parties (30) Benkin, Assam. Interview in Kokrajhar, have claimed, tribal attacks are not directed Assam. against Muslims but migrant Bangladeshis. Bibliography They have not been directed at native Mus- Adhikari, I. P. and Raju Thapa, “Human lims who have been living in Assam for years Rights & Justice in Bhutan: Shadow Report and even at times have made common cause on First Universal Periodic Review of Bhu- with Hindu Assamese to challenge the gov- tan,” Human Rights without Frontiers, Nepal ernment. See Tehhelka http:// & Association of Press Freedom Activists, www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp? Bhutan, December 2009. filename=Ne300808backtothefuture.asp Barooah, Kalyan, “Climate change to trig- (22) Benkin, Assam. Some people close to ger Bangla exodus: Hasina.” Assam Tribune, the situation have suggested that the smaller March 4, 2014. 2014 disturbances were more a warning to the Benkin, Richard, A Quiet Case of Ethnic new Indian government than to the Bangla- Cleansing: the Murder of Bangladesh’s Hin- deshi infiltrators. dus, Akshaya Prakashan, Delhi, 2012. (23) “Rice Production in Assam Declining,” I Census Superintendent C. S. Mullan, Cen- Assam, June 14, 2009. Also on effects of sus Report of 1931, quoted by D. N. Bez-

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 20 boruah, Editor, The Sentinel, at a seminar and For decades now, the people of Assam have public meeting, November 13, 2004, Gu- been threatened by the incoming amounts of wahati, Assam. illegal immigrants into their region. The mi- Confederation of North Eastern People, gration most heavily comes from Bangladesh. “The Truth of Illegal Migration in Assam & The large-scale illegal migration is posing the Northeast,” Guwahati, 2012. such an issue to the Assamese that they are Fair, Christine and Kerem Levitas, currently becoming the minorities within their “Bangladesh: Human Rights and the Rule of own region; the demographic complexion of Law in Crisis?” United States Institute of Assam has been altered. (1) Illegal immigra- Peace, May 2005. tion is, in fact, a political key issue in the “Hazards,” ENVIS Centre: Assam Status of nation itself. In Assam, “Governments are Environment and Related Issues. Hosted by made and unmade on the issue of illegal set- Assam Science, Technology and Environment tlers from Bangladesh.” (2) As the governor Council; Sponsored by Ministry of Environ- of Assam has stated, this “poses a grave threat ment and Forests, Government of India; to both the identity of the Assamese people http://asmenvis.nic.in/Database/ and to our national security.” (3) The As- Hazards_840.aspx. samese are beginning to not feel secure within Hussain, Hamid, “Demons of December — their own region; it is as if they are now the Road from East Pakistan to Bangladesh,” “unwanted immigrants.” Defence Journal, December 2002. Available Bangladesh is the world’s most densely at http://www.defencejournal.com/2002/dec/ populated country having a population density demons.htm. of 969 per square kilometers. (4) The growth Kashyap, Samudra Gupta, “Floods, Urbani- rate of population in Bangladesh is 2.2%, zation eat into Assam’s Rice Fields,” Sinlung, approximately 2.8 million people per year. (5) January 29, 2010. http:// Living conditions are also extremely subpar in www.sinlung.com/2010/01/floods- Bangladesh. They frequently have flooding, urbanization-eat-into-assams.html. 60% of their population is below the poverty Montshiwa, Mosimanegape Irvin, “Leslie line and the per capita income is only 170 Matrix Model in Population Dynamics,” Uni- dollars per year. (6) Due to these factors versity of Witwatersrand, June 7, 2007. (along with many others), and a “very porous” Nath, Bhupen Kumar, Dilip C. Nath and border, the migration from Bangladesh into Late Biswanath Bhattacharya, 2012. Assam is practically inevitable. (7) “Undocumented Migration in the State of Community-wise growth rate for Assam vs. Assam in Northeast India Estimates Since All of India: 1971 to 2001.” Asian Journal of Applied Sci- Year Assam All India ences, 5 “Rice Production in Assam Declining,” I Hin Mu Hin- Mus Assam, June 14, 2009. Transparency International, http:// dus slim dus lims www.transparency.org/country#BGD. s The World Bank, http:// 1951- 33. 38. 20.29 25.6 data.worldbank.org/indicator/ 1961 71 35 1 NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD/countries? 1961- 37. 30. 23.72 30.8 order=wbapi_data_value_2013% 1971 17 99 5 20wbapi_data_value%20wbapi_data_value- 1971- last&sort=desc&display=default. 41. 77. 43.38 55.0 1991 89 42 4 ______Large-scale movement from Bengal, East Migrant Settlers in India’s Assam Pakistan and more recently, Bangladesh, has been an ongoing issue for well over a century Amanda Tersigni now. (8) The primary reason for this large- Senior, Politics, Economics & Law Depart- scale movement, initially, was for economic ment State University of New York reasons and largely began occurring after the Old Westbury British annexed Assam. (9) The British had

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 21 developed a tea industry in Assam; however, scheme, which had various types of posts set the Assamese people showed no interest to- up to keep guard against the massive illegal wards this industry and had no desire to have movement. (18) There were many officers any type of involvement. (10) Therefore, the who were involved in this organization and British encouraged peasants from, present-day involved in depleting the illegal immigrants Bangladesh, to move into Assam to work on out of Assam, however, it is extremely diffi- the land for their tea production. (11) This cult to deport these people. In 1987, the or- was the first major instance of the illegal ganization was enlarged from 1914 officers, movement into Assam. to 1280 officers, as well as hundreds of per- Another reason for the movement into As- sonnel provided by the government of India sam dealt with some political and religious and Assam, which totaled to approximately reasons. During Sir Mohammad Sadulla’s 4000 personnel. (19) Even with the large Muslim League Ministry, an encouraging amount of officers and personnel on duty, effort was made in attempt to push for migra- deportation is extremely difficult and it is not tion of Bengali Muslims into Assam. (12) easy to overcome and it is hard to overcome Lord Wavell wrote in the Viceroy’s Journal, this illegal migration. “The chief political problem is the desire of Although there have been many procedures the Muslim Ministers to increase this immi- taken towards expelling the illegal immigrants gration into the uncultivated government out of Assam, it has no fully been accom- lands under the slogan of Grow More Food, plished and there has been much chaos along but what they are really after is Grow More the process. There is much violence and con- Muslims.” (13) Ergo, there was a great pro- flict between people in Assam. The violence motion for migration into Assam. They within Assam peaked in the early 1980’s. (20) sought to expand the Muslim religion and In 1979, a group called the All Assam Stu- culture into other areas. dents’ Union was organized and began to The Muslim League came up with the idea campaign under the idea that the “Bangla- for a Partition in 1947, in order to continue deshi immigrants in Assam were changing the increase of the Muslim religion. This par- their state’s demographics and gaining politi- tition brought about significant amounts of cal influence.” (21) Which absolutely ap- change and an international border separated peared to be factual. In 1983, the All Assam Assam and East Pakistan. (14) This partition Students’ Union demanded that all illegal would also eventually lead to much violence, immigrants associated with this election be wars and chaos between the Hindus and Mus- removed from the electorate and immedi- lims in Assam. Much of the population move- ately deported. (22) Approximately 7,000 ment consisted of Hindu refugees fleeing people died in total around that election persecution from East Pakistan and seeking refuge in Assam. (15) Assam has a 262- and more than 1,600 bridges were burned kilometer border with Bangladesh out of with hopes to prevent election officials which 92-kilometers is riverine and with the from arriving. (23) Than in February of emergence of the two dominions on the Sub- 1983, fights broke out between the Nellie Continent, this became an international bor- villagers and the illegals. An estimated der. (16) There was much movement of Hin- 2,000 people lost their lives. (24) Many dus and Muslims between regions, but most people have died in the process of the specifically into Assam. This caused much Assamese struggling to gain back domi- resentment amongst the Assamese. nancy over their land, and to feel secure Attempts to reverse this movement have been made, but not many were too successful. and as the majority again. Especially considering the fact that the migra- Ultimately, the Assam Accord was tion has yet to subside. At the initial start of signed in 1985, which was a step towards this large-scale migration, State Police pa- another attempt to deport the illegal im- trolled the borders, however they could not migrants out of Assam. The Assam Ac- conquer the trans-border movement. (17) In cord was signed on August 15, 1985 and 1964, the government of India created the says “Foreigners, who came to Assam on Prevention of Infiltration from Pakistan or after March 25, 1971 shall continue to be

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 22 detected, deleted and expelled in accordance for the Bangladeshis. He has raised the issue with law. Immediate and practical steps shall of “humanitarian consideration.” (32) Tension be taken to expel such foreigners.” (25) This within Assam needs to simmer. Gogoi does accord also laid out the provisions that immi- not feel the need for persecution and harsh grants who arrived before January 1, 1966 treatment towards the illegals. Gogoi says, were to be recognized as citizens; immigrants “that these people should not be prosecuted that arrived between 1966 and 1971 would be when they enter our state or another in the categorized under the Foreigners Act and will country. These people should be given hu- have to wait 10 years to vote; and immigrants manitarian treatment and refugee status.” (33) who arrived after 1971 will be identified, He feels that the prior treatment of these peo- removed from the voting roles and ultimately ple has been potentially too harsh and that will be deported. (26) Since this Accord has they do deserve humane treatment. He does been signed, 42,449 foreign nationals have not want the constant fighting and disruption been identified, yet only 2,221 have been within Assam. Similarly, the president of the deported so far. (27) This illustrates how diffi- All Indian United Democratic Front has made cult, and frustrating, of an issue the illegal a statement demanding that citizenship be migration has become. It is nearly impossible granted to Hindu refugees. (43) He states that for the government to deport a large majority these people have been residing for the last 40 of the illegals because they are not easy to years, so why not ultimately grant them citi- locate, especially due to the lack of documen- zenship? (35) tation. In even more recent times, within the year Today, there is still an ongoing conflict and 2014, there is still a seemingly endless strug- struggle in Assam. People are still fighting gle for the Assamese to deal with. It seems as and dying. There is currently a serious con- if the battle to reclaim Assam as their own flict between the Bodos and the Muslims. In again, and reinstating Assamese as the majori- 2012, Bengali-speaking Muslims were forced ty group, is inevitably over. There are still out of their villages after being attacked by a killings occurring on a daily basis and a lin- Hindu Bodo tribe and the Muslims were relo- gering tension amongst the Bodo tribes and cated to meager condition “camps.” (28) the Muslims. In May of 2014, it was reported There is a major conflict and are consistent that a group of approximately twenty National acts of aggression between the Muslims and Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit mili- the Bodos. One male, Ronen Brahma, states tants began to rapidly kill civilians. (36) There that he was attacked one night with swords were two nights in a row in which killings and knives; luckily he was able to get away were enacted. The militants had bombarded with his mother but had to suffer and watch homes within the Balapara-I village in the his father get stabbed and tossed into the Kokrajhar district and massacred seven per- burning home. (29) On July 6, 2012, five sons instantly. (37) At least thirty persons Muslim males were shot at and than two have been killed and approximately twenty weeks later Mohibul Islam and Abdul Sid- were injured during the two consecutive at- dique Sheikh (both affiliated with Muslim tacks. (38) The most horrifying aspect is the organizations) were killed, followed by the little regard that these invaders have for killings of four young Bodo’s. (30) Many whom they are harming. They feel no remorse rumors of attacks and violence were also be- for the individuals in danger and will not limit ing circulated via text message and various their victims. Victims can come from any age social media websites. Due to all this chaos, group, whether they be young or old, there are the Indian central government blocked 250 no restrictions for who could be next. In this web sites and social media sites, as well as the recent killing in May, of the seven persons banning of text messages sent to more than murdered, two were children and four were five people for two weeks. (31) These actions woman, as well as a three-year-old-child. (39) were needed to be taken to try and reduce the All Assamese are in danger of their lives, hostility constantly arises between the Bodos as well as in danger of completely losing and Muslims. ties to their own land. Recently, the Chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, It is difficult to even precisely identify has been advocating potential refugee status

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 23 a number that could constitute for the not as if no one has ever desired this so- number of illegal immigrants within As- lution in the past, so what makes his sam. As of 2001, according to the India promise different than the rest? Why will census, there were 3,084,826 people in his party allow for success? In 1983, India who had migrated from Bangla- when the Illegal Migrant Determination desh. (40) The illegal immigration within Tribunal was established, it was proposed Assam has been occurring for too long. It to recognize the illegal immigrants from is also an underrated issue that is often Bangladesh and expel of them. (44) overlooked and truly needs to be fixed. However, this proposition was not ade- Although it is difficult to suppress this quately conducted and did not fulfill the immigration, and to reverse any of it as expectations. So it has been the case that well, this is a topic that needs to be not many have attempted to reinforce this brought to the light and devise more solu- ideology and fully carry out with any acts tions. Many of the illegals blend in with towards recognizing the Bangladeshi. It the natives and it is hard to distinguish is also not as easy as one would expect to between the two. The illegal immigration differentiate between the Assamese and does pose a serious threat to the natives the Bangladesh. As stated earlier, the two of Assam for they are slowly becoming groups have a strong commonality of the minority within their own state. “The language and their cultural values over- minority community in Assam now com- lap, so how exactly can one establish a prises nearly 30% of the population and predominant difference between the two? with their tendency to vote as a bloc, they This is a major issue that is virtually im- can hardly be considered a minori- possible to overcome. There is also an ty.” (41) So the “minorities” in Assam issue raised that one may sympathize for are ultimately becoming the “majority.” why some Bangladesh leave their nation, The Assamese have struggled for decades and that is due to a poor economy and an to expel the illegals out of their territory, unsuitable living environment. Is depor- however it has been occurring for too tation the most beneficial answer? (45) long that they may not be able to restore Modi and his party must take into consid- themselves as the majority of their state eration a plethora of factors and reasons any time soon. as to how to distinguish the Bangladeshi On the other hand, there may be a pos- from the Assamese and configure a rea- itive uprising blossoming throughout all sonable solution as to how the handle the the horrors the Assamese have endured. illegal immigrants. It is always important In India’s most recent 2014 elections, to keep friendly relations with as many prime-minister of the Bharatiya Janata nations as possible, therefore, maybe it is Party, Narendra Modi, claims that time to focus on how to create harmony “illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and establish balance between the As- would have to leave the country if his samese and the Bangladesh. party is voted into power.” (42) It is said Endnotes: that Modi dislikes the Nehru-Gandhi (1) Guwahati, Raj Bhavan. "Illegal Migration dynasty. (43) This may potentially be a into Assam." SATP. N.p., 08 11 1998. Web. prominent reason for which Modi desires 10 Oct 2013. . (2) Khan, Shahab, and Parvez Abbassi. "Modi for the Assamese, especially since -fying Bangladesh-India relations." . Dhaka Modi’s party did win the election. But Tribune, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 7 July 2014. how will this promise be carried out? It is

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 24 form/2014/apr/01/modi-fying-bangladesh- 04 2012, n. pag. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. india-relations>. . (5) Ibid (33) Ibid (6) ibid (34) Guha, Susenjit. "Give Citizenship to (7) Ibid Hindu Refugees: Assam Leader." N.p., (8) ibid 06 10 2012. Web. 10 Oct 2013. (12) ibid (35) Ibid (13) Ibid (36) Guwahati. "11 Killed in Militant At- (14) Ibid tacks in Assam." . The Times of India, 2 (15) Ibid May 2014. Web. 7 July 2014. (19) Ibid (37) Ibid (20) Bhattacharyya, Arpita. "Understanding (38) "Bloodbath in the Bodo belt." . The The Historical Conflicts Behind Vio- Telegraph, 2 May 2014. Web. 6 July lence In Assam, And How Climate 2014. climate/2012/08/30/773911/ (39) Op cit, Guwahati. The Times of India, 2 understanding-the-historical-conflicts- May 2014. behind-violence-in-assam-and-how- (40) Op cit, Khan, Shahab, and Parvez Ab- climate-change-could-make-it-worse/>. bassi. (21) Ibid (41) Op cit, Guwahati, Raj Bhavan (22) Ibid (42) Bhattacharjee, Joyeeta. "India: Resolv- (23) Ibid ing the Bangladesh Immigration Issue." . (24) Ibid The Diplomat, 27 May 2014. Web. 6 (25) Guwahati, . "Infiltration Still An Issue July 2014. artiles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007 (43) Op cit, Khan, Shahab, and Parvez Ab- -08-14/india/27991566_1_foreign- bassi nationals-assam-accord-infiltration>. (44) Op cit, Bhattacharjee, Joyeeta (26) Op cit, Bhattacharyya, Arpita. (45) Op cit, Bhattacharjee, Joyeeta. "India: (27) Op cit, Guwahati Resolving the Bangladesh Immigration (28) Unknown, . "How the Assam conflict Issue." creates a threat to all India." BBC 20 08 BIBLIOGRAPHY 2012, n. pag. Web. . lomat, 27 May 2014. Web. 6 July 2014. (29) Ibid (31) Op cit, Bhattacharyya, Arpita Bhattacharyya, Arpita. "Understanding The (32) Guwahati, . "Gogoi wants Refugee Sta- Historical Conflicts Behind Violence In As- tus for Bangladeshis." Times of India 24 sam, And How Climate Change Could Make

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 25

It Worse." (2012): n.pag. Climate Progress. Web. 10 Oct 2013. Bicharmonho (War Crimes Trial Stage; "Bloodbath in the Bodo belt." The Tele- www.warcrimetrialstage.org); International graph, 2 May 2014. Web. 6 July 2014. Member of The Indian Subcontinent Partition Friendship Mission; Activist and Writer. Guha, Susenjit. "Give Citizenship to Hindu Refugees: Assam Leader." .N.p., 06 10 2012. Crime against humanity and genocide, the Web. 10 Oct 2013. kind will face justice. We should not forget it Guwahati. "11 Killed in Militant Attacks in that the millions of victims who deserve that Assam." The Times of India, 2 May 2014. their tormenters are held accountable; the Web. 7 July 2014. War Criminals of the Second World War are Guwahati. "Dispur no to visa proposal." . being prosecuted. Trials of Genocide commit- The Telegraph, 19 June 2014. Web. 6 ted during the 1973 Chilean revolution and July 2014. knowledge that in 1981, Maurice Papon, who Guwahati, "Gogoi wants Refugee Status has died aged 96, was the Minister for the for Bangladeshis." Times of budget in the administration of Prime Minister India 24 04 2012, n. pag. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. Raymond Barre, when his role in the deporta- 1942 to 1944. Eventually brought to trial, he Guwahati, Raj Bhavan. "Illegal Migration was convicted in 1998 of complicity in crimes into Assam." SATP. N.p., 08 11 1998. Web. against humanity and sentenced to a 10-year 10 Oct 2013. dren, from the Bordeaux region to the Nazi Guwahati, "Infiltration Still An Issue After death camp in Germany [i]. 22 Years of Assam Accord." Times of India From the beginning we have to start, In 14 08 2007, n. pag. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. August 14, 1947, Indian Subcontinent was into being. Pakistan comprised two Muslim Khan, Shahab, and Parvez Abbassi. "Modi- majority regions in the north-west and north- fying Bangladesh-India relations." . Dhaka east of India. The north-eastern region com- Tribune, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 7 July 2014. prised East Bengal (Which is now Bangla- Province and part of the Punjab. Hindus, who Unknown, "How the Assam conflict creates a as the majority community in undivided India, threat to all India." BBC 20 08 2012, n. pag. aspired to be the sole inheritors of power after Web. creation of Pakistan. A prominent Hindu lead-

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 26 er, Gandhi, termed the partition ‘a vivisection action be dealt with as hostile elements. of the sacred cow’; while the Hindu Mahasa-  As A.L. has widespread support even bha Party said, ‘India is one and indivisible amongst the East Pakistani [EP] ele- and there will never be peace until and unless ments in the Army the operation has to the separated areas are brought back into the be launched with great cunningness, Indian Union and made integrated parts there- surprise, deception and speed combined of.’ In 21st March 1948, Quaid-e-Azam with shock action. (Leader of the Nation), Mohammad Ali Jin- 2) Basic Requirement for Success nah, the founder of Pakistan and its first Gov- ernor-General, while on a visit to East Bengal,  The operation to be launched all over the declared in Dacca (Dhaka) that Urdu would province simultaneously. be the only state language of Pakistan. The  Maximum number of political and stu- remark evoked an angry protest from the Ben- dent leaders and extremist amongst gali youth who took it as an affront; their teaching staffs, cultural organizations to language Bangla (Bengali) was, after all, spo- be arrested. ken by fifty-four percent of the population of  Operation must achieve a hundred per Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, then a cent success in Dhaka. For that Dhaka university student, was among those who University will have to be occupied and raised the protest slogan and was placed under searched. detention. The Dacca (Dhaka) University  Security of cantonments must be en- campus became the focal point for student sured. Greater and freer use of fire meetings in support of Bangla language. [ii] against those who dare attack the canton- The history goes on to portray that in the ment. general election of 1970, the Awami League Party under the leadership of Bangabandhu  All means internal and international (Friend of the Nation) Sheikh Mujibur Rah- communications to be cut off. Telephone man became the majority party of Pakistan. exchanges, Radio, TV, Teleprinter ser- But defying the democratic norms Pakistan vices, transmitters with foreign consu- Government did not care to respect this over- lates to be closed down. whelming majority. As a result, independence  EP troops [tps] to be neutralized by con- movement started in the territory of this part trolling and guarding kits and ammuni- of Pakistan and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in tion by [West Pakistani [WP] tps. Same his historic speech of 7th March, 1971, called for Provincial Armed Forces [PAF] and on the Bangalee nation to struggle for inde- East Pakistan Rifles [EPR.] pendence if people’s verdict is not respected. 3) Surprise and Deception In the early hour of 26th March, following the  At higher plane, it is requested that the onslaught of “Operation Search Light” by the President may consider the desirability Pakistani Military on 25th March, Banga- of continuing the dialogue-even of de- bandhu declared Bangladesh independent ceiving Mujib that even though Mr. immediately before he was arrested by the Bhutto may not agree he will make an Pakistani. announcement on 25 March conceding to On 25th March 1971 the massacres start the demand of AL etc. with program called “Operation Searchlight,” 4) At Tactical Level which was designed to deactivate and liqui- date Bengali policemen, soldiers and military  As secrecy is of paramount importance, officers, to arrest and kill nationalist and preliminary operations given below round-up professionals, intellectuals, and should be carried out by tps already lo- students. cated in the city : It’s important to know in brief – Operation (a) Breaking into Mujib’s House Searchlight [iii] - was and arresting all present. The house is well- 1) Basis for Planning- guarded and well defended. (b) Surrounding the important halls  Awami League [AL] action and reac- of the Universities –Iqbal Hall Dacca Univer- tions to be treated as rebellion and those sity [DU], Liaqat Hall Engineering Universi- who support or defy Martial Law [ML]

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 27 ty. mondi suspected homes, also Hindu houses in (c) Switching off telephone ex- old city (in order to collect data). change (b) All printing presses to be closed (d) Isolating known houses where down. All cyclostyling machines in the Uni- weapons etc. have been collected versity, Colleges (T&T) and Physical Train-  No activity by tps in the cantonment area ing Institute and Technical Institute to be till telephone exchange has been confiscated. switched off. (c) Curfew imposed with severity (d) Other leaders arrested.  Nobody should be allowed to go out the cantonment after 2200 hrs on the night of  Allotment of Tps to Tasks details to be operation. worked out by B[riga]de Com[man]d[er] but the following must be done :  On one excuse or the other tps in the city (a) Kotes of EP units taken over, should be reinforced in area of the Presi- including Sig[nal]s and other administrative dent’s House, Governor’s House, Mem- units. Arms to be given only to WP personal. ber of National Assembly [MNA] Hos- Explanation: We did not wish to embarrass tel, Radio, TV and Telephone exchange the EP tps and did not want them to be used in premises. task which may not be pleasant to them.  Civilian cars may have to be used for (b) Police stations to be disarmed operation against Mujib’s House. ( c) DG [Director General] EPR to 5) Sequence of Action ensure security of his kotes.  H Hr-0100 hrs. (d) All Ansar Rifles to be got hold  Timings for Move out of. (a) Commando [one Platoon]- Mu-  Info Required jib’s house - 0100 hrs (a) Whereabouts of the following: (b) Telephone exchange switched (1) Mujib,(2) Nazrul Islam, (3) Tajuddin, (4) off - 2455 hrs Osmani, (5) Sirajul Alam, (6) Mannan, (7) (c) Tps. earmarked for cordon Uni- Ataur Rahman, (8) Professor Muzaffar, (9) versity – 0105 hrs Oli Ahmed, (10) Mrs Motia Chaudhry, (11) (d) Tps. from the city to Rajarbagh Barrister Maudud, (12) Faizul Haq, (13) Police HQ and other PS [Police station] near- Tofail, (14) N.A.Siddiqi, (15) Rauf, (16) Ma- by – 0105 hrs khan and other student leaders. (e) Following surrounded – 0105  Location of all police station and of Ri- hrs: Mrs Anwara Begum’s House, Rd No. 29 fles & House No.148  Location of strong points and arsenal (f) Curfew imposed – 0110 hrs by houses in the city. Siren (arrange) by loudspeakers. Duration 30 hrs initially. No passes for the initial phase.  Location of tr[ainin]g camps and areas Due consideration to be given only to case of etc. delivery and serious heart attack etc. Evac by  Location of Cultural Centers which are Army on request. Also announce that there being used for imparting military train- will be no newspapers brought out till further ing. orders.  Names of ex-service officers who are (g) Tps. move out to respective actively helping insurrectional move- sectors with specific missions -0110 hrs. (For ment. tp alert a drill to be evolved). Halls occupied and searched.  Command and Control- Two Commands (h) Tps move to University area - be established: 0500 hrs (a) Dacca (Dhaka) Area (i) Road blocks and riverine blocks Comd - Major General Farman were established – 0200 hrs. Staff – Eastern Comd Staff/or HQ ML Tps – Loc[ated] in Dacca (Dhaka)  Operation during the day time (b) The Rest of the Province (a) House to house search of Dhan- Comd – Major General K H Raja

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 28

Staff – HQ 14 Div the university, seized Professor Muniru Za- Tps – Less those in Dacca (Dhaka). man, his son, his brother (employed by the  Security of the Cantonment: Phase I De- East Pakistan High Court), and his nephew, escalate. All arms including PAF depos- and marched the group to the first-floor foyer, ited. where they were machine-gunned. 6) A ma- chine gun was installed on the roof of the  Communication: terminal building at Sadarghat river port, the (a) Security dock area of Old Dacca. On March 26, all (b) Layout. civilians within range were fired upon. After A pathetic view of in the tragedy is given to the massacre, the bodies were dragged into us by the fact that in a single night in the city buses. Some were burned. Some were of Dacca (Dhaka) were killed 50,000 persons dumped into the Buriganga River, adjacent to by the invading army. Between 26th March the terminal. 7) On the morning of March 28, and 16th December the dead reached more machine guns were placed at opposite ends of than three million, and every day 30,000 per- Shandari Bazar, a Hindu artisan center in old sons leave East Pakistan and take refuge in Dacca (Dhaka). Central government forces Indian as amount of approximately one core. suddenly opened fire on civilians trapped in [iv] the bazaar. The corpses were strewn on the Truth flash out, Genocide in East Paki- street. 8) On the evening of March 28, sol- stan: “The most fundamental of all rights the diers invaded Ramna Kalibari, an ancient right of a man to come to the aid of a fellow Hindu settlement, killing all the occupants human being is now being denied with a de- (estimated at 200). On March 29, about one gree of official arrogance seldom displayed in hundred corpses were put on display in the recent history. It was inevitable that the disaf- village. 9) The flight of civilians from Dacca fection should reach an eruptive stage. There was blocked at gunpoint. 10) On the morning is no point here in detailing the facts attending of April 2, forty soldiers entered a village the emergence of political movements seeking named Barda, rounded up the male population self-rule for East Pakistan. The result of the (approximately 600) and marched them general election was an overwhelming vote in at favor of self-rule. The central government at gunpoint to Gulshan Park; where they Islamabad not only failed to respect this popu- were interrogated. Ten members of the lar decision, but ordered in armed troops to group were then taken off; their fate is forestall implementation. The official slaugh- unknown. ” [v] ter began on March 26th. Women were tortured, raped and A report published in Saturday review, killed. With the help of its local collabo- May 22 1971; where, 1) Tanks and soldiers rators, the Pakistan military kept numer- with submachine guns and grenades seized ous Bengali women as sex slaves inside Dacca University early in the morning on March 26. All students residing in Iqbal Hall, their camps and cantonments. Susan the dormitory center, were put to death. The Brownmiller, who conducted a detailed building was gutted by shells from tanks. 2) study, has estimated the number of raped One hundred and three Hindu students resid- women at over 400,000 [vi]. ing in Jagannath Hall of Dacca University Repression on women by occupation were shot to death. Six Hindu students were forces is no exception in world history. forced at gunpoint to dig graves for the others There are many books and films on wom- and then were shot themselves. 3) Professor en repression by Nazis of Germany, fas- C. C. Dev, widely respected head of the De- cists of Italy and soldiers of Japan during partment of Philosophy, was marched out of his home to an adjacent field and shot. 4) The the Second World War. But there is no last names of other faculty members who second example of brutal ways of re- were killed or seriously wounded: Muniru pressing women by Pakistanis in 1971. Zaman, Guhathakurta, Munim, Naqui, Huda, As the women couldn’t bear the pain of Innasali, Ali. 5) Central government troops repression many of them committed sui- forced their way into Flat D of Building 34 at cide. The sadist Pakistanis also killed many

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 29 women meeting their instinct of rape. It is suicide and some kept their babies. Dr Davis most unfortunate that the incidents of repres- reasoned to clarify his stand on the figure by sion on women were not recorded properly saying on an average two women were report- although there were many witnesses. A victim ed missing daily which put the number at of rape in this society doesn’t want to disclose 200,000 as the Pakistani troops controlled 480 her tragedy due to social taboos and family police stations for 270 days. No count of barriers. The post-liberation AL Government women raped in village as the occupation had taken steps to rehabilitate the women who forces moved from one village to another and were repressed during war of independence. they kept many of them in their camps to Bangabandhu Rahman was very sympathetic meet their sexual demands. Many of these towards them and called them as women were thrown out of the camps or ‘Beerangana’ (heroic women). A social work- killed when they got pregnant or were infect- er, Maleka Khan assigned to rehabilitate the ed with disease. In some areas girls as young repressed women at that time, said that no list as 12 or 13 were repeatedly raped and kept of the women was prepared as they didn’t naked always so that they did not flee. Some want these women to be identified to ensure of them hanged themselves when they got the their quick return to normal life. Maleka Khan chance to wear a sari, the traditional Bengali has herself read the deposition of more than dress, while others jumped into rivers tying 5000 war-repressed women. These papers themselves with heavy stones. Dr. Davis said were destroyed after the assassination of those who were rejected by other families as Bangabandhu Rahman. Maleka Khan said untouched “unclean” as they were raped and abortion was done on women who were in an pregnant, which was indeed very sad. early stage of pregnancy. She introduced us to Information about war-babies born in 1972 is Dr. Geoffrey Davis, who came from Australia also very rare. Most of them were adopted by and travelled across Bangladesh to provide Europeans or Americans. [vii] medical help to these women. According to Jamat-E-Islami (JEM) and some other pro- Dr. Davis the number of women raped was Pakistan political organizations substantially more than 400,000. The Banglar Bani news- contributed in creating these para-militias paper published an article on Dr. Davis in forces (auxiliary force) for combating the 1972. Excerpts follows: A large number of unarmed Bangalee civilians, in the name of women raped by Pakistanis are suffering from protecting East Pakistan. Actions in concert infertility or sexually transmitted disease. with its local collaborator militias, Razakar, Sydney’s Dr. Geoffrey Davis recently said in Al-Badar, and Jamat-E-Islami and other ele- London that these women were mainly suffer- ments of pro-Pakistani political parties were ing from syphilis or gonorrhea or both and intended to stamp out Bangalee national liber- most had abortion which could lead to infer- ation movement and to mash the national tility or can suffer from the diseases for the feelings and aspirations of the Bangalee Na- rest life. Dr. Davis, who arrived in Dhaka tion. when the victims were at least 18 weeks preg- The Pakistan Government and the military nant, said 170,000 women took the help of setup number of auxiliary forces as the Ra- quacks or village doctors with no education zakars, the Al-Badars, the Al-Shams, the background for abortion before international Peace Committee, essentially to act a team help arrived either because they were forced with the Pakistani occupation army in identi- to do so or were victims of social conditions. fying and eliminating all those who were Some girls suffered immensely because they perceived to be pro-liberation, individuals were too young to have sex and even if they belonging to minority religious groups espe- could afford to a doctor “it will be difficult to cially the Hindus, political groups belonging find a man to marry them,” he said. Doctors to Awami League and Bangalee intellectuals working at government clinic to help the tor- and unarmed civilian population of Bangla- tured women estimated their number at about desh. 200,000. But Dr. Davis rejecting the figure In East Pakistan General Agha Mohammed said it was over 400,000 and of them 170,000 Yahya Khan and his top generals] also had been abortion. Many of the 30,000 out of planned to murder its Bengali intellectual, the 200,000 government estimate committed cultural, and political elite. They also planned

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 30 to indiscriminately murder hundreds of thou- of Bangladesh, an independent state. Some sands of its Hindus and drive the rest into three million people were killed, nearly quar- India. And they planned to destroy its eco- ter million women were raped and over 10 nomic base to insure that it would be subordi- million people were forced to take refuge in nate to West Pakistan for at least a generation India to escape brutal persecution at home, to come [viii]. during the nine months battle and struggle of In the War of Liberation that ensued, all Bangalee nation. The perpetrators of the people of East Pakistan wholeheartedly sup- crimes could not be brought to book and this ported and participate in the call to free Bang- left an unfathomable abrasion on the coun- ladesh but a small number of Bangalees, Bi- try’s political awareness and the whole nation. haris, other pro-Pakistanis, as well as member The impunity they enjoyed held back political if a number of different religion-based politi- stability and saw the ascendency of militancy cal parties, particularly JEM and it’s student and destroyed the nation’s Constitution. wing Islami Chatra Sangha (ICS), Muslim Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Conven- League, Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) tion defines war crimes as: “Willful killing, Council Muslim League, Nejam-E-Islam torture or inhuman treatment, including … joined and/or collaborated with the Pakistan willfully causing great suffering or serious occupation army to aggressively resist the injury to body or health, unlawful deportation conception of independent Bangladesh and or transfer or unlawful confinement of a pro- most of them committed and facilitated the tected person, compelling a protected person commission of atrocities in violation of cus- to serve in the forces of a hostile power, or tomary international law in the territory of willfully depriving a protected person of the Bangladesh. “The Workers belonging to pure- rights of fair and regular trial, .. taking of ly Islami Chatra Sangha were called Al- hostages and extensive destruction and appro- Badar, The General patriotic public belonging priation of property, not justified by military to Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League, Nizam-e- necessity and carried out unlawfully and wan- Islami etc were called Al-Shams and the Urdu tonly.” -speaking generally known as Bihari were Some 92,000 Pakistani troops surrendered called Al-Mujahid.” [ix] to Bangladesh-India Joint Command on De- A report said that “To help control of Ben- cember 16, 1971. Bangabandhu Sheikh Muji- gali population, the army has been setting up bur Rahman was released from Pakistan jail a network of peace committees superimposed and returned home on January 10, 1972. He upon the normal civil administration, which pledged to try the war criminals. There were the army cannot fully rely upon. Peace com- two categories of war criminals- 1) Members mittee members are drawn from Beharis and of occupation Pakistan forces and 2) Local from the Muslim Leagues and Jamat-e-Islami. collaborators of Pakistani junta, who were The peace committees serve as the agent of mainly involved with Jamaat-e-Islami, Mus- army, informing on civil administration as lim League and Nejam-e-Islami and other well as on general populace. They are also in fundamentalist party. Bangladesh government charge of confiscating and redistribution of prepared a list of main war criminals with shops and lands from Hindu and pro- name of 500 Pakistani forces. Later the num- independence Bengalis. The peace committee ber was decreased to 200. The tough stand also recruited anti-independence Razakars. taken by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the then presi- Many of them are common criminals who dent of Pakistan, was the main problem in have thrown their lots with the (Pakistan) holding the trial of the Pakistani war crimi- army.” [x] nals. He had said no Bengali stranded in Paki- A famous writer Fox Butterfield wrote in stan will be freed if a single Pakistani soldier the New York Times at January 3, 1972; “Al- is tried. At that time some 500,000 Bangalees Badar is believed to have been the action were in Pakistan either as detainees or strand- section of Jamat-E-Islami, carefully organized ed. The policymakers of India have said that after the Pakistani crackdown last March” India before signing the Simla agreement Atrocious and dreadful Crimes were com- wanted that Bangladesh put some Pakistani mitted during the nine month long war of war criminals on trial. But Bangabandhu did liberation in 1971, which resulted in the Birth not agree. PN Haskar, the advisor of the then

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 31

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, said he the war. The section two of the press note (Bangabandhu) didn’t agree with the pro- issued on November 30, 1973 categorically posal. Bangabandhu’s argument was that said ‘those who were punished for or accused complexities will arise over return of Ban- of rape, murder, attempt to murder or arson galees if the war criminals are tried. It will will not come under general amnesty under also create problem over developing relations the section one.’ Some 26,000 people, out of with Pakistan and Islamic world. [xi] 37,000 sent to jail on charge of collaboration, According to political observers India alone were freed after announcement of the general could have held the trial of Pakistani war amnesty. But 11,000 were still in the prison. criminals as the victorious country. In this The government of Justice Sayem and Gen- regard India’s stand was that the crime was eral Zia scrapped the Collaboration Act on committed in Bangladesh, which was recog- December 31, 1975. As a result, the 11,000 nized by Indian as an independent country war criminals appealed and were released. long before the Simla agreement; it was not In our constitution Article 47 (3) says; possible by New Delhi to put the Pakistanis “Notwithstanding anything contained in this on trial under international laws. Under the Constitution, no law nor any provision thereof Simla agreement, the Pakistani soldiers were providing for detention, prosecution or pun- allowed to return home by New Delhi killed ishment of any person who is a member of both defense and civil Indian personal too. any armed or defense or auxiliary forces [xiii] Indians, who were captured by the Pakistanis (or any individual, group of individuals or during the war, were brutally killed. After organizations) [xiv] or who is a prisoner of 1971, India obviously witnessed how brutally war, for genocide, crimes against humanity or Pakistanis killed Indian soldiers after they war crimes and other crimes under interna- were arrested during the Kargil war. tional law shall be deemed void or unlawful, In January, 1972, Bangabandhu had formu- or ever to have become void or unlawful, on lated the Collaborators Act to try the local the ground that such law or provisions of any killers, collaborators. This Act covers those such law is inconsistent with, or repugnant to, individuals or organizations who collaborated any of the provisions of this Constitution.” the Pakistani army in mass killings, conducted Bangladesh Government is a signatory to crimes against humanity, unleashed torture on and has ratified the International Covenant for men, women and children, destroyed proper- Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), along ty, or helped in destructive activities or fought with its Optional Protocol. It is necessary to against the People’s Republic of Bangladesh state that the provisions of the ICTA 1973 siding with the occupation forces or supported [International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973] them. The Act also explained in details how a and the Rules framed there under offer ade- tribunal to punish them could be set up and quate compatibility with the rights of the ac- the trial process itself. [xii] cused enshrined under Article 14 of the IC- The 1972 Act gave no scope to put the CPR. The 1973 Act of Bangladesh has the Pakistani criminals on trial. He then enacted merit and mechanism of ensuring the standard the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of safeguards recognized universally to be 1973’ in July, 1973, basically to bring them provided to the person accused of crime under that process and to expand the scope of against humanity. their trial. An Act to provide for the detention, prose- Other people say demanding trial of war cution and punishment of person for geno- criminals is irrelevant as Awami League gov- cide, crime against humanity, war crimes and ernment had a general amnesty to them. This other crimes under international law. This Act was said time and again that none pardoned called the International Crimes (Tribunals) Pakistani war criminals. Their main associate Act, 1973. Ghulam Azam has also not been forgiven; in The Act of 1973 is meant to prosecute, try and 2013 Bangladesh war crimes court has found punish not only the armed forces but also the his guilty of five charges relating to Bangla- perpetrators who belonged to ‘auxiliary desh’s 1971 war independence with Pakistan forces’, or who committed the offence as an and was sentenced to 90 years in jail for his ‘individual’ or a ‘group of individuals’ and involvement in mass killing and rape during nowhere the Act says that without prosecuting

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 32 the ‘armed forces’ (Pakistani) the person or persons responsible for perpetration of crimes persons having any other capacity specified in enumerated in the Act of 1973.All possible section 3(1) of the Act of 1973 cannot be provisions ensuring adequate rights of defense prosecuted. Rather, it is manifested from sec- have been enshrined in the ICTA and the tion 3(1) of the Act of 1973 that even any Rules as well. person (individual or group of individuals), if Pakistan didn’t try the war criminals of he is prima facie found individually criminal- 1971 and also did not allow Bangladesh to ly responsible for the offence(s), can be hold the trial. In present, we got judgment of brought to justice under the Act of 1973. ten war criminals (local collaborators) from Thus, the Tribunal set up under the Act of tribunal-01 & tribunal-02 and others trials are 1973 are absolutely domestic Tribunal but going on. People of this country always de- meant to try internationally recognized crimes mand the trial of the war criminals (Members committed in violation of customary interna- of occupation Pakistan forces and Local col- tional law during the war of liberation in 1971 laborators of Pakistani junta). In fact Bangla- in the territory of Bangladesh. Merely for the desh’s existence will be threatened if the war reason that the Tribunal is preceded by the criminals are not tried and punished for their word “international” and possessed jurisdic- evil activities during our Liberation War in tion over crimes such as Crimes against Hu- 1971. manity, Crimes against Peace, Genocide, and War Crimes, it will be wrong to assume that Endnotes: the Tribunal must be treated as an ‘‘International Tribunal”. (i) Douglas Johnson: The Guardian, Mon- In order to bring to justice the perpetrator day 19 February 2007 of the crimes committed in 1971, the Interna- (ii) Witness to Surrender by Siddiq Salik- tional Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973 was Page 215-216 promulgated. However, Some significant (iii) Witness to Surrender by Siddiq Salik- changes have been brought in the Act, by way Page 228-231 of amendment, in 2009 and thereafter, to (iv) Bangladesh Documents-Volume II, come out from the culture of impunity the Page 76 government , for the purpose of section 3 of (v) Report in Saturday Review May 22, the Act, by notification in official gazette has 1971; p. 20-21 set up the ‘Tribunal’ on 25 March 2010. The (vi) http://bangladeshwatchdog1.wordpress. tribunal consists of three Judges of whom one com/razakars is Chairman and two are members. (vii) Tormenting Seventy One- Edited By On 22/3/2012 government by official ga- Shahriar Kabir, Page 12-14 zette notification established another tribunal (viii) Statistics of Denocide By namely international crimes tribunal-2. Thus, R.J.Rummel. Genocide and Mass Murder presently, two tribunal established under the since 1900 states ICTA (1973) are in operation with the same (ix) `Sunset at Midday’ (Exhibit-2 written jurisdiction mentioned in section 3 of the by Mohi Uddin Chowdhury ICTA (1973). The ICT-1 and the ICT-2 has (x) Report in The Wall Street Journal, July separate rules of procedures of its own. 27, 1971 he Tribunal is a domestic judicial mecha- (xi) Interview with the Editor, New Delhi, nism set up under national legislation and it is January 20, 1996 meant to try internationally recognized crimes (xii) Bangladesh Gazette, titled: President and that is why it is known as ‘International Order No. 8 of 1972: Bangladesh Collabora- Crimes Tribunal’. Despite the fact that ours is tors (Special Tribunal) Order 1972 a domestic Tribunal set up under International (xiii) Added by the Bangladesh Constitu- Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973, a domestic leg- tion {First Amendment} Act, 1973 {Act XV islation, the Tribunal shall never be precluded of 1973}, Section 2] to seek guidance from the universally recog- (xiv) Inserted by the Bangladesh Constitu- nized norms and principles laid down in inter- tion {Fifteenth Amendment} Act, 2011 {Act national law and International Criminal Law XIV of 2011} Section 19-ii] with a blend of national law, in trying the

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 33

India Election 2014: Parliament; that is 55 seats. This time no party The Pundits, Media, the Left in Parti- will have such status as Congress Party has tioned Bengal, secured only 44 seats, 11 short of required 55 Contradictions and Misinformation seats.

Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar AD Distinguished Professor, T State University of New York , & BJP+ INC+ M MC Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation K Project 4th July 2014 Stretching over six weeks during the ex- tremely hot months of April and May of 2014 334 60 3 India held its 16th Lok Sabha (Lower House) 37 national parliamentary election. Before the (BJP (INC 4 election, there were murmurs that the ruling Indian Congress Party (INC or Congress) 282) 44) coalition – United Progressive Alliance (UPA) – may lose seats but no one could foresee that opposition Bharatiya (Indian) Janata (People’s) Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would not only win a majority, but BJP alone would win a BJ TR CP S AA majority in the 543-member Lok Sabha. To D S M P P every pundit’s surprise BJP-NDA coalition won 334 seats, with BJP alone winning 282 seats, a laudable feat in the faction-ridden, state-, caste-, family-, and language-based regional party-dominated politics of India. A 20 11 9 05 4 single party hadn’t won a majority since 1984 when the Congress Party won a majority with sympathy vote after brutal assassination of In this election although BJP won 282 Congress Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her seats; their share of vote was 31% of votes own Sikh bodyguards. cast. This is a remarkable feat as it contested Following are the distribution of seats and only 428 seats leaving the rest to her coalition percentage of votes in 2014 election: partners. Congress contested 464 seats – leav- Following is the distribution of percentage of ing the rest for her partners – receiving votes various parties won in that election: 19.31% of the vote. The leader of the Left Source: http://www.india-election.in/lok- Democratic Front (LDF) Communist Party of sabha-election-2014-results India-Marxist contested 93 seats winning 9 In India Election Commission uses certain seats and receiving 3.25% of all votes. LDF’s formula to identify “All India” parties on the second important partner Communist Party of basis of receiving at least 4% of votes from at India contested 67 seats winning only one and least 4 of India’s 29 states. Through that receiving 0.65% of all votes cast. (i) What is measure, besides INC and BJP, two more worth noting is that after the All-India parties parties were declared “All India” – the Com- of BJP and INC, the next few large blocks in munist Party of India (CPI) and Communist the Parliament are all state based and/or per- Party of India-Marxist (CPM). After the 2014 sonality- or caste-based parties. They are: All election both CPI and CPM will lose that India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham status. Moreover, according to Indian Consti- party with 37 seats (a Tamil Nadu State-based tution, to be declared an official Opposition oppressed-caste party of Ms. Jayalalitha, alt- Party in Indian Parliament, that opposition hough she is from a privileged caste), All party must receive at least 10% of the seats in India TrinaMool Congress party with 34 seats

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 34

(a West Bengal-based anti-Communist party elite, Hindu-anti-Hindu, fundamentalist- of Ms. Mamata Banerjee) (ii), Biju Janata Dal liberal, pro- and anti-conversion, pro- and anti with 20 seats (a Odhisa-based party of the son -Islamic, Muslim-Hindu conflicts have be- of the late politician Biju Patnaik of the Odhi- come mainstay of politics. Added to that to sa-speaking state), Shiv Sena with 18 seats (of many anti-Hindu and anti-India bigots Mr. Marathi-speaking Maharashtra; a member of Narendra Modi, a successful Chief Minister NDA-BJP coalition), Telugu Desam Party of Gujarat State has become a moving target. with 16 seats (of Telugu-speaking Andhra He became a code word for both anti-India Pradesh; a member of NDA), Telengana and anti-Hindu (anti-indigenous faiths) acts, Rashtra Samithi with 11 seats (of newly creat- more so because he has risen from non-elite ed Telugu-speaking Telengana state of parti- poor chai (tea) seller with roots in oppressed- tioned Andhra Pradesh), and so on. For the caste. Sometimes anti-India and anti-Hindu past several decades as Congress party has are two sides of the same coin depending on increasingly become a property of Nehru which place one happens to be or whom one family (iii), a large number of politicians from is addressing to. Undoubtedly there are many all over India seeing no future in Congress Hindu bigots who are anti-Muslim and sup- have deserted Congress and formed their own port BJP. There are many Hindu bigots who party. Many of the former Congress activists support other parties as well but a polarization run several of the states and parties now. As is taking place in India and among Hindus the largest and oldest political party of India (Sikh, Jain, Buddhists and Parsees) as they has corrupted itself through family control, so learn the plight of Hindus in other Hindu has it allowed – willingly or unwillingly – homelands, now non-Hindu. corruption in every sphere of life. All parties share the blame. Possibly the most blatant T corruption and outright murder of opponents AD began in Communist-run West Bengal where BJP+ INC+ M MK even admission to colleges (thus later the C wrath of the youth!), state civil service and police were based on Party recommendation and bribe, disregarding test scores. Murders of 38.34% 3 23.5% 3.3 opponents were never investigated. (Law and (BJP .8 order is a state matter in India.) Thus (19%) % “fighting corruption” has become a slogan for 31%) % every political party and important personali- ties, including the most corrupt ones. Corrup- tion hits harder the poorer section of the soci- ety. The middle class and rich are either able to bribe corrupt businesses and government BJD TRS CPM SP officials, or are able to maneuver around cor- rupt road blocks through personal networks. As Congress Party has weakened it has used 3 3 many divide-and-rule and racist policies Co- 1.7% 1.2% .3 .4% lonial Britain used to manipulate Indian socie- ty against which Congress fought so valiantly during Colonial era. Playing the same divisive Breadth of the Mandate: card, right before the May 2014 election, Something quite remarkable has happened UPA-Congress coalition divided Telugu- in this election. First is the extent of the man- speaking Andhra Pradesh in February of 2014 date: BJP-NDA won from the northern-most to Telengana and Andhra (or Seemandhra) Tibetan Buddhist-majority constituency of states, thus opening up new demands for fu- Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir State to the ture partition of other states of India. Since southern-most Tamil-majority Kanyakumari a independence and partition of India in 1947, hop from Sri Lanka; from the Christian- privileged caste-oppressed caste, plains-hill, majority Nagaland in the east bordering Bur- tribe-non-tribe, language-region, elite-anti- ma to the western-most district of Kutch in

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 35

Gujarat State bordering Sindh Province of tonomous District to village panchayat levels. Pakistan. This is a fundamental shift. Second Let us now take up the labels of “Hindu is the linguistic regionalism that had raised its Right,” “Hindu Nationalist,” “Secular Con- divisive head for the past 60 years practically gress,” or “Progressive Left” (vii) that media vanished this time around. That Mr. Modi was uses frequently. How do they fit those labels? from a minority Gujarati-speaking communi- In this discourse it is worth noting that since ty, leading a major party, BJP, was never an independence of India in 1947 a peculiar issue in the dominant Hindi heartland or in communalism has crept in which many major- other non-Hindi states. Third, although the ity-Hindus claim that they are being maligned privilege-class-based elites including the com- by neo-colonial elites and by communal Left munal Left tend to deride oppressed castes, if they identify themselves as Hindu. Then Modi was able to bring together not only the they are labeled as “communal” or “Right,” electorates from oppressed castes, but also the but not for identifying one as a Sikh, atheist, privileged castes. (Modi belongs to an op- Jain, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or Parsee pressed caste.) On July 4, 2014 this was high- (Zoroastrian.) One rarely sees in Western or lighted by a Bangladeshi (Muslim) columnist Indian neo-colonial press “Hindu Left,” Mustafa Jaman Abbasi in the Opinion column “Hindu Socialists,” or “Hindu Democrats,” of daily Prothom Alo of Dhaka, Bangladesh, just as they often identify as “Christian Left,” “narendra modir deshey (In the land of Naren- “Christian Democrat,” or “Muslim Socialist.” dra Modi.) In the symbolically-important Can’t Hindus be socialist, democrat or Marx- Varanasi constituency of Hindi-speaking Ut- ist? This is even more true in West Bengal tar Pradesh State with the holy Shiva Temple State of India and among Indian elites, many (iv), and a large concentration of privileged of whom also profess to be atheists and/or caste managing other temples, from which he Marxists. (From 1977 through 2011 West contested received unprecedented support Bengal was governed by CPM. Bengali- from all sections of the electorate. Mr. Modi majority Tripura is still run CPM-Left. This received over 581,000 votes compared to his writer has written on the issues of socio- nearest rival getting 209,000 votes (v). politics of Bengal for over 40 years.) (viii) Fourth, that India was run by a Pakistan-born Does “Hindu Right” or “Hindu Nationalist” refugee Prime Minister from the minority include only Hindus or it represents a larger Punjabi-speaking Sikh community, governed indigenous, non-elite, non-Western coalition? by a party run by a naturalized Caucasian Nowhere in the press one would find that the woman of minority Christian faith, and for a “Hindu Right” or “Hindu Nationalist” include time in the past 10 years of Congress govern- the entire Jain community, large number of ance a President who came from the minority Sikhs, Parsees, Buddhists, indigenous Chris- Muslim community, never became a political tians (ix) as in Nagaland and Mizoram, and issue. (vi) many nationalist Muslims (x). Hindu Right Pundit’s Classification: Right, Left, Hin- came to protect Sikhs when they were at- du, Secular, Nationalist, Fundamentalist, tacked by “secular” Congress Party goons Liberal, and Reactionary: after the assassination of Prime Minister Indi- Pundits and press, distant scholars and neo- ra Gandhi in 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards. colonial writers have a proclivity of identify- Sikh religious political party, Akali Dal, has ing political parties and personalities with been steadfast BJP coalition partner for many sound bites and labels. India is a vast, mod- decades, as was in 2014 election. Years ago ernizing yet traditional, complex and diverse while visiting a Buddhist ashram in eastern country, thus simplistic labeling is often mis- India a prominent Buddhist monk boldly con- leading. But it is done nonetheless. It is a ferred, “I am not Hindu but a big supporter of nation of nations with substantial decentrali- BJP. All the Buddhists are activists of BJP?” zation. Thus one group could feel oppressed During this writer’s 2013 trip to the Christian- in one area, but in the very next district feel majority Mizoram it was a surprise to learn empowered enough to oppress their imagined how many residents of that remote state were oppressor in the neighboring jurisdiction. In clamoring for BJP. In Assam and all of North- India governance decentralization takes place east India, the spectacular rise of BJP is be- from federal to state to district to Tribal Au- cause the locals see the party is the last resort

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 36 to preserve their linguistic-tribal-religious happened during Congress’ rule but was identity from colonization by illegal Bangla- blamed on BJP. But why other book bans by deshi migration. (Most of Assam went to BJP- Congress and the Communists as demanded NDA, as did the lone seat from Christian- by Muslims and Christians are not held up to majority Nagaland.) To appease Assamese the same standard? “Koran and the Kefir” of and Northeasterners’ demand for protection Arvind Ghosh was banned by the “secular” from illegal Bangladeshi colonization, Con- Congress Party Government in Delhi as well gress Party, and the first BJP Government of as by the “progressive” Left Front Govern- Prime Minister Vajpayee, amended Indian ment of the Communist Party-Marxist-run Constitution disallowing citizenship to Bang- West Bengal way back in the 1980s. Was this ladeshis settled after Bangladesh’s independ- to appease Muslim voters? Banning of Sal- ence in 1971 (xi), and promising deportation man Rushdie’s Satanic Verses to appease of illegal settlers, as Assamese have become intolerant Islamists by “secular” Federal and minority in Assam, like many other groups in “progressive” State governments is well the Northeast. To this day no one has been known. “Last Temptations of Christ” was deported. Result has been recurring violence – banned to please Christian communities. Assamese-Bengali, Bodo-Muslim, plains- Bangladeshi (Muslim) writer Dr. Taslima tribal, Muslim-tribe – on a routine basis. Lat- Nasrin’s Lajja (Shame) was first banned by est is the gruesome atrocities in Bodo Territo- the Left Front Government in West Bengal, rial Area (xii). Congress couldn’t deport be- followed by the anti-communist TrinaMool cause of “Muslim vote bank” politics. It did- Congress (TMC) Government, also of West n’t hurt Congress as long as they were able to Bengal, who ousted the Left Front, but hardly divide Hindu vote on the basis of caste-tribe- any mention is made in the press. Dr. Nasrin language. Left’s position on persecuted Bang- who fled Bengali-Muslim Bangladesh after an ladeshi Hindu refugees and Muslim settlers Islamic fatwa (decree) to Bengali-Hindu West are even more bizarre, yet dependent on the Bengal was quickly banished by the Left same Hindu divide-and-rule, and Muslim-vote Government to appease communal anti-Hindu -bank politics. Although most Bengali Left Islamists. TMC banned her too. She was ex- are Hindu refugees from Bangladesh yet in iled to Hindi-speaking territory of the “right.” order not to offend Muslims, they could nei- In 2002 Sujan Publishers of Calcutta ther admit publicly that they fled Islamic per- (Kolkata) published Jagadis Chandra Man- secution and chose not to live with majority dal’s Marichjhapi: Naishabder Antaraley Muslims in Bangladesh, nor could they admit (Marichjhapi: beyond silence) documenting that Hindus are fleeing persecution while Left Front atrocities against oppressed-caste Muslims are migrating for economic reasons. peasants in MarichJhapi Island in the Left Front even had virulently anti-Hindu Sundarban Forest area of deltaic West Bengal Muslim League Party as their coalition part- (xiii). Left Front government and communist ner in 1977. Marxists fled en mass atrocities cadres killed, drowned, “fed to crocodiles” (as of Muslim League in their homeland, leaving the peasants and their families tried to swim the poor behind. Muslim League Party cham- to other islands in crocodile-infested river), pioned Partition of India as “Muslims and non shot in police firing 380 men, women and -Muslims are separate races.” But Left would children. The book contained a complete list have no part with groups identifying as Hindu of names of the victims, and how they died. and who sheltered them in India. Incidentally There was a review of the book on the 2003 in the outgoing Congress alliance that ruled Calcutta Book Fair Souvenir. Yet within India it too had Indian Union Muslim League minutes of the opening of the Book Fair, all as a coalition partner. Ruling party of Muslim the Mandal books were confiscated by police -majority Indian Kashmir also ruled India as a as were the entire stock – thousands of copies partner of Congress Party alliance. – of souvenirs. Later a censored souvenir was made available without the review, replaced Book Banning by Vilified Hindu Right and by a review of a Bengali children’s book Left – Reality or Fiction: (ironically by a teacher who taught this writer The recent non-reprinting of Wendy Do- in grade school.) (xiv) Why was/is there a niger’s book received huge coverage though it silence? Is this the hypocrisy of the communal

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 37 left, neo-colonialists and sectarian liberal tine, the U.S., South Africa, Israel, Afghani- press? Left not only did not appoint any in- stan, Iraq, but never ever against Islamic op- quiry commission, but also confiscated the pression (from which they fled) in their own report made by a non-party Citizen’s Commit- homeland, against their own divided family, tee. (Ms. Banerjee’s new administration has sometimes a few minutes away from their appointed a one-judge inquiry commission.) new home in West Bengal or Tripura. Many Rest of India and the international community Bengalis say that the communal left’s slogan ignored the mass killing of poor peasants by has been: hindu-muslim bhai bhai (Hindus the “progressive” Left. There was no visa ban and Muslims are brother together) at the pub- by the West and America of Chief Minister lic forum while living in Muslim-majority Basu. Why? Is that because victims were poor homeland of Bangladesh, then they would run oppressed-caste Hindus? During the Com- home and tell their wives or parents, kintu munist rule of West Bengal, 1977 through tader songey bash naai (don’t live with them 2011, there were 55,000 political murders (see as your neighbor), then dash for the Indian Tehelka, January 22, 2011) (xv). Yet the head border and proclaim their “secularism” and of that state government Mr. Jyoti Basu was brand all the opposition parties as welcomed as liberator in Europe and Ameri- “communal” or reactionary for being anti- ca. Muslim. In Bengali areas of India – east and In the Left ruled states, especially in two northeast – Left came to power on the backs Bengali-majority Left states of India – West of hapless Bangladeshi Hindu refugees. Bengal (now called Paschim Banga) and Trip- (Hindu cleansing continues to this day.) In the ura – one hears of “communal left” a lot. This 1950s and 1960s the refugee areas were turn- is oxymoron, or sonar pathar bati (gold-made ing left – then called Red Belt – as leftists stone bowl) in Bengali. The Left – the Com- were able to convince refugees that their munist Party of India, Communist Party of homelessness was the fault of the Congress India-Marxist, Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Party. They never mentioned for fear of of- Socialist Party, and more – the ruling elites, fending Muslim voters that Congress never all privileged caste, of West Bengal and Trip- wanted partition but it was the Muslim ura – have championed Hindu-Muslim cohab- League Party who proposed Muslim-Non- itation. Great! In Indian politics those who Muslim partition of India; and to prove that proclaim neighborly habitation from the roof- point organized two pogroms in 1946 in Mus- top or from podiums at mass rallies identify lim League-ruled British Indian Province of themselves as “secular” and “progressive” yet Bengal. (They also organized anti-Sikh kill- not the people who live next door to each ings in British India’s Punjab Province.) And other, who are often called “communal” or in case of Bengal partition, all the Muslim “racist” in American jargon. And they profess legislators of the British Province of Bengal to be atheist, and are engaged in conversion as voted for partition, as did the Hindu legisla- monotheistic evangelists are engaged in con- tors, including two communists – Mr. Jyoti version. Monotheists are honest in their ap- Basu, a native of Dhaka, East Bengal/ proach. (Congress workers do not profess to Bangladesh, and Mr. Ratanlal Brahman of be atheist, and indicate that they fled Islamic Darjeeling in the hills of north West Bengal, Pakistan/East Pakistan/Bangladesh/Pakistani yet Left reasoned any Hindu who voted for Kashmir, because of religious persecution.) partition of the state was “communal,” but not But there is a problem; very, very big prob- Muslims – who all voted for that partition, lem. The Bengal Left leadership and activists and communists. This author argued in 1989 are from Muslim-majority Bangladesh. While in weekly Desh, the largest-circulation Benga- they preach Hindu-Muslim cohabitation and li weekly, then again in 1991 in the book of profess to have no religion they chose neither same name, Ai Bangla Oi Bangla (This Ben- to live with the majority-Muslims in their gal that Bengal), that this misinformation may Muslim-majority homeland, nor with the op- not stick forever. (xvi) Indeed this is unethi- pressed-caste Hindus who still form the vast cal, dishonest, communal and suicidal politics majority of Hindus in Bangladesh. Moreover, in a state where 33% (now 30 million of 90 the Left routinely organizes mass rallies million) people are Bangal (East Bengali) or against real or imaginary oppression in Pales- of Bangladeshi Hindu-refugee-origin. In mid-

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 38

1990s it was Miss Mamata Banerjee, now can guarantee that the majority will not rebel Chief Minister, who first got elected from a some day and would not attempt to change the refugee-majority constituency in South Cal- Constitution again. cutta of West Bengal challenging Left’s hy- The Trend: pocrisy. Soon other refugee Left areas turned As one travels through India, Pakistan, to her party, finally making left movement to Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar) or even Sri the point of irrelevance (xvii). Later, Miss Lanka one hears from a section of population Banerjee too attracted Muslim vote by making that their existence is threatened by “others,” even more appeasement to Muslims than the which often means their neighbors. Partition Left. Communists censored traditional materi- of India in 1947 and independence of India als from texts, banned books, (xviii) personal- and Pakistan, and Partition of Pakistan in ities, and never uttered a word about Islamic 1971 and emergence of Bangladesh has a lot oppression in the neighboring Bangladesh to do with that. More importantly ethnic though they were themselves from Bangla- cleansing, demographic changes, impunity of desh. These are serious anti-secular acts. To mass killers, and condoning by the interna- those Ms. Banerjee added paying salary to tional community have added a measure of Islamic mosque workers but not to workers of insecurity in the Subcontinent. Indians, espe- Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh tem- cially Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, ples, refused to carry out Court Orders to ban Brahmos – the indigenous faiths of India, loudspeaker noise from mosques but en- Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan – and force on Hindu and other religious groups Zoroastrians and Christians look to India’s (xix), and protecting Muslim thugs. Yet the neighbors and see vanishing population of 2014 election may prove to be a watershed their faiths and institutionalized discrimina- event for her as well. Although her TrinaMool tion. Pakistan was over a quarter non-Muslim Congress Party (TMC) won 34 of 42 seats – Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Buddhist and from West Bengal, yet the same South Calcut- Parsee, is barely 2% now. Where have sons of ta state assembly constituency – 1/7th of a the soil gone? Pakistani Kashmir was 20% parliamentary constituency – that ushered her non-Muslim, now practically devoid of any. into politics BJP secured the largest number Bangladesh was over 30% non-Muslim of votes followed by TMC, Congress and Left (Hindu), now less than 10%. Number of Hin- Front. Moreover, the geographical area that dus missing from 1947 India/Bengal partition comprise the Kalighat Municipal Ward of through 2001 Bangladesh Census is stagger- Kolkata Corporation that TMC controls for ing 49 million! (And the number of Hindu long, and where Banerjee lives, the majority casualty varies from 1.4 million to 3.1 million voted for BJP, not TMC, although that area (xxiii). These numbers are not made up!) constitutes a small part of the larger parlia- Afghanistan had substantial Hindu-Sikh mi- mentary constituency (xx). In West Bengal nority before Taliban takeover. Only a hand- Left won only 2 sets, with all their stalwarts ful is left now. Even in India’s Muslim- losing election. In many areas their share of majority Kashmir Valley of Jammu & Kash- votes has shrunk from the first to even fourth. mir State 20% of the population was Hindu In Left areas now it is the turn for communists minority where a handful exists now. Minori- and anti-communists workers to join BJP. A ty Muslim population in the Hindu-majority recent newspaper headline reads “40,000 Jammu Region and Buddhist-majority Ladakh activists from TMC, Congress & CPM in Region of the Muslim-majority Jammu & Bengal join BJP,” in remote poverty-stricken Kashmir has been stable nonetheless. Thus tribal forested area. the majority in India, the Hindus, feel they are In Tripura – the most backward state of under existential threat from all around. In India – both the parliamentary seats were case of India all the minority religious popula- retained by CPM. Yet to remain in power tions have increased. In spite of influx of CPM-Left changed one person, one vote prin- millions of non-Muslims from Pakistan, Paki- ciple of Indian Constitution. Congress Party stani Kashmir, Afghanistan and Bangladesh helped CPM by restricting the majority Ben- the minority Muslim population has increased galis to a smaller share of assembly represen- from 13% in 1947 to more than 14% now; tation compared to minority tribes. No one and in West Bengal in spite of the presence of

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 39

30 million Bangladeshi Hindu refugees and the nation for most of her existence have used their descendants, Indian Muslim population militarism, Islamism, anti-Indianism, and anti has risen from 17% in 1947 to 31% in 2011. -Hinduism as their tool for survival. Thus Added to this demographic shift, many Hin- when Pakistan’s Bengali majority won the dus complain that when they are terrorized election in 1971 the military-bureaucracy whether in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri couldn’t compromise and hand over the pow- Lanka or in India no one cares. Large-scale er to the majority which they saw as inferior anti-Hindu pogroms took place in Bangladesh Muslim as they follow traditional Bengali in 1990, 1992, 2001, 2013 and 2014, to name script, not an Arabic one. (In1960’s Pakistan a few. Then there are killers of 1971 anti- President General Ayub Khan tried to replace Hindu, anti-secular Muslim, and anti-Bengali Arabic for the traditional Bengali script.) genocide of Pakistan who all live happily ever Bangladesh came into being in 1971 after an after. No one in the world censored them. In anti-Bengali, anti-secular and anti-Hindu Pakistan and Bangladesh attack and forced genocide by the Army of Islamic Republic of conversion of Hindus and Christians are rou- Pakistan and her Islamist Bengali allies. U.S., tine. How has the world reacted? Sri Lanka’s China, Arab- and Muslim-majority nations anti-Tamil-Hindu genocide has come under opposed the emergence of the first secular scrutiny from the UN; but did anyone pay any Muslim-majority nation since WWII. After price? After an unprecedented 1992 anti- the assassination of the Founding Father Hindu pogrom in Bangladesh pro-Islamist Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 26 members of Mrs. Khaleda Zia came to power. On October his family, intolerant military Islamists raised 17, 1993 Ms. Barbara Crosette of New York their anti-India and anti-Hindu slogan, alt- Times wrote a glowing report of Zia “A hough Bangladesh was liberated by India, and Woman Leader for a Land That Defies Islam- the vast majority killed for Bangladesh inde- ic Stereotypes” (xxiv). Yet no mention of the pendence were the Hindu minority. Again, anti-Hindu pogrom. Again after another anti- like Pakistan, fear of the “larger neighbor” Hindu pogrom in 2001, Mrs. Zia won elec- was brought back to rally the faithful. Simul- tion. This time secular Bangladeshi Muslims taneously cleansing of Hindus was intensified. and minority Hindus, Buddhists and Chris- Even the pro-independence and pro-secular tians of New York begged The Times to send party hasn’t extended any protection to vic- a reporter. The Times sent their Delhi Bureau timized Hindus, Buddhists and Christians, or Chief, a Bengali-American Somini Sengupta. rebuild their torched homes and businesses, In the midst of Hindus living under open sky and punish the rapists and forcible converters. in their torched homes Sengupta reported, It is the same anti-Hindu psyche that has “Child Traffickers Prey on Bangladesh,” a not allowed the learned Sri Lankan Buddhist- very important issue, but not a word on the Sinhala majority to share power with their pogrom and atrocities. (xxv) indigenous Tamil-Hindu minority connected Since her bloody birth Pakistan sees India to India through India’s Tamil Nadu State. as a threat, and has reached out to anti- And now with the opening up of Myanmar we democracy, intolerant Muslim-majority na- are witnessing a fear of migration and coloni- tions in the Middle East, delinking her Indian zation by Muslim Bangladeshis convulse the heritage (xxvi). It sees India and Hindus as its nation. existential threat; not the heritage of their I would also argue that neo-colonialist, anti ancestors. Thus even the ancient sites of Indus -India and anti-Hindu groups of India, distant Civilization and millennium-old Hindu scholars assume that Indians in general and shrines are not projected as their heritage. Hindus in particular, would forever continue (During this writer and his wife’s trip to 3,500 to be fatalist and suffer from amnesia. They -year old Harappa ruins in 2007 they were the assume that the enormous displacement, pain, only two visitors. The small road sign was killing, and cleansing of Hindus from their only in Urdu.) (xxvii) Three and a half war ancestral lands of Islamized Pakistan, Paki- with India can certainly cause such a psyche. stani Kashmir, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Though there is lot of warmth with “Indians” would have no effect on Indian and Hindu and “Hindus” among a section of population psyche. As Hindus urbanize, become less (xxviii), the military dictators who governed fatalistic, caste-creed-language differences

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 40 recede, and as technology allows information conflict that erupted for days after Rodney to move faster, a religion-based composite King verdict. Still question remains, is he Hindu (plus Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsee, even being maligned to curry favor with Muslim- indigenous Christian and Muslim) identity majority nations, or for receiving funding may emerges, bringing a communal solidari- from money-rich anti-democratic intolerant ty, like other religious groups. The 2014 elec- Middle East nations? Otherwise why Con- tion may have ushered a sea change in that gress Party leaders are not being blamed for psyche. large killings of Bengali Hindus in Assam in Gujarat Syndrome: 1960s, 1970s, and in 1990s? And killing of In India anti-BJP and anti-Hindu commu- tribes and Bengalis in Assam? Why the world nalists of the left and right, and anti-India, anti provided red carpet to Communist Chief Min- -Hindu pro-proselytizing interests have used ister Jyoti Basu for killing 20 Hindu monks the State of Gujarat, its Chief Minister Naren- and nuns in the heart of Calcutta in Ballygunj dra Modi as a target to energize its base. This neighborhood, within 700 meters from Gari- is supposedly to hold him responsible for ahat Police Station and 1.5 kilometer from 2002 Hindu-Muslim carnage in that state. No Kasba Police Station? (xxxii) No anti-Hindu question people responsible for carnage must leader or gang member was arrested in spite be held accountable. (Some ministers are of having videos and pictures. (The present serving long sentences.) Mr. Modi had just TMC Government has appointed a one-man come to power before the carnage, and subse- inquiry commission.) Or, why Basu was not quently he was elected three times to that censored for killing 380 Hindu oppressed- position. No matter several courts, including caste peasants, as mentioned earlier? Why Supreme Court, after considerable investiga- Congress or Left Front was not rebuked for tion declared Modi innocent of accusation allowing killing of 280 Hindus (or 355 ac- (xxix) vested groups, including people in the cording a second report) in Tripura’s Mandai U.S. Congress (xxx), were only interested in massacre led by Bijoy Rankhel, a Christian, maligning not only Modi, but also Gujarat, and for not convicting a single person for the and anyone claiming to be Hindu. There is no killings? (xxxiii) Or why Congress, Kashmir contradiction for being judge and jury for and Mizoram leaders were not censored for Modi accusers. Modi is being held responsi- cleansing all Hindus from India’s Kashmir ble when Hindus retaliated against Muslims Valley, and for cleansing all non- after a train coach full of 59 Hindu pilgrims – converted Hindus – the Reangs/Brus – mostly children and women – were burned to from Christian Mizoram to Tripura’s death when Muslims at Godhra station set it refugee camps (who are now living there on fire. Why was Modi not held responsible for failing to protect Hindu pilgrims in the for over a decade)? (xxxiv) There are first place? Western press reported that “More many other examples of such hypocrisy. than 1,000 people died, most of them Mus- In the end this election may prove to lims. Blamed by many for (Modi – author) have made a shift in paradigm; from failing to take steps to stop the vio- Westernized elites to indigenous non- lence,” (xxxi) yet the same report censors that elites; from atheists to worshippers; from of the 1,000 at least 300 killed were Hindus, whisky drinkers to bidi smokers; from many of whom were killed when Modi’s po- the West to the East; from English- lice tried to protect Muslims. Even activists speaking babus to Hindi-speaking chai- defending gun ownership in America as a self -defense accuse Modi and Hindus for defend- walas; from brown sahibs to native desis; ing themselves. Why such defense does not from eating breakfast served in bed to exist – individually or collectively – for suf- one who has breakfast only after a dip in ferers? Or, is Modi blamed because for the Ganga, followed by thanksgiving to Sun first time in modern history Hindus acted God Surya and offering (breakfast) of communally when they were attacked com- water and grains to plants and animals! munally? Moreover, holding a Chief Minister Notes: in a civil war-like situation would be like (i) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reults_ blaming the California Governor for racial of_the_Indian_general_election,_2014

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 41

(ii) Banerjee came to power after decimat- Sunday claimed that he was facing ing Left Front of CPM and CPI in West Ben- ‘intellectual threats’ after he expressed his gal at the 2011 election to the State Assembly. support for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate At least three times Left Front tried to assassi- Narendra Modi on a social networking site.” nate her during their 1977 through 2011 rule. http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP- No one was arrested for the crimes. sahitya-akademi-winning-author-rn-joe-dcruz (iii) First Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal -axed-by-a-publishing-house-for-suppo- Nehru, his daughter Prime Minister Indira 4581005-NOR.html April 14, Daily Bhaskar, Gandhi, her son Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, April 14, 2014 his widow born Italian-Catholic now Presi- (x) Historian, editor and Nehru biographer dent of Congress Party Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, (Muslim) M.J Akbar support of BJP didn’t her son Congress Vice President Rahul Gan- please many of the fundamentalists of the dhi. communal Left. “Journalist and ex-Congress (iv) The original ancient temple was demol- MP M J Akbar on why he chose to join BJP,” ished by a Muslim king. A Muslim mosque The Economic Times, March 24, 2014 http:// was built on top of that temple. In the 1700s articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014- when the Islamic rule weakened a Hindu Shi- 03-24/news/48524118_1_gujarat-riots- va Temple was built overnight on an outer narendra-modi-economic-vision wall of the mosque. Now one is searched and (xi) http://www.deccanherald.com/ re-searched, with all belongings left behind, content/276683/amend-citizenship-act-assam- before one is allowed to visit the shrine. The public.html author visited the shrine in 2012. Even picture (xii) Bodo-Muslim Conflict http:// taking is banned. www.telegraphindia.com/1140504/jsp/ (v) http://www.elections.in/parliamentary- frontpage/story_18305848.jsp and http:// constituencies/2014-election-results.html timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/11-killed- (vi) Even during my election campaign to in-militant-attacks-in-Assam/ the New York City School Board in 1996 in articleshow/34524108.cms Bodos, a plains the enlightened, open New York City my tribe of Assam, are complaining that even ethnicity became an issue in public debates in after creating a special Bodo Autonomous a land of immigrants. I was elected to the Area in Assam they have become a minority board becoming the first with my background. in their homeland and settlers are the majori- (vii) See Ellen Barry, “In Indian Candidate, ty. In India with no birth or citizenship record, Hindu Right Sees a Reawakening,” NY one’s face is one’s record of citizenship. Times, May 10, 2014; Wendy Doniger, Op- (xiii) http://empireslastcasualty. blog- Ed, “Banned in Bangalore,” NY Times, spot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html. March 5, 2014; for example. (xiv) I had the book plus the old and new (viii) See Regional Disparities and Regional Souvenirs as I was asked to review the book Development Planning of West Bengal, with for another publication. Dr. Shefali S. Dastidar, Firma KLM Publish- (xv) http://www.tehelka.com/ ers, Calcutta, 1990; Ai Bangla, Oi Bangla story_main48.asp? (This Bengal that Bengal), Tulat Publisher, filename=Ne220111Coverstory.asp Calcutta, 1991; Bengal Studies 1994: Essays (xvi) op cit, Ai Bangla…. on Economics, Society and Culture, Editor, (xvii) Amulya Ganguly, “Indian Marxists at Old Westbury Foundation, Long Island, 1996; a Dead End,” News India Times, July 11, Calcutta 300 Kolkata: Memoirs of a Diverse 2014; 3 City, Overseas Tribute to Calcutta on Her (xviii) Communist Government was the first Tercentenary, (Editor), South Asia Forum of to bring politics in Indian text books. They North America, 1993; Empire’s Last Casual- banned Sanskrit – the mother language of ty: Indian Subcontinent’s Vanishing Hindu almost all major languages of India and the and Other Minorities, Firma KLM Publishers, language of all ancient Hindu and Indian liter- Kolkata, 2008 ature. India is the only nation that follows (ix) Tamil-Christian author R. N. Joe traditional religion not converted by monothe- D’Cruz support didn’t go well with his pub- ism. Thus all the literature before 19th Centu- lisher. “Tamil novelist R.N. Joe D’Cruz on ry Indian Renaissance had to do with gods,

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 42 goddesses, Mother Nature, rivers, mountains, Woman Leader for a Land That Defies Islam- sacred forests, holy men and women, sages, ic Stereotypes,” by Barbara Crosette, NY saints and deities. Monotheists call this Hindu Times literature. Thus to appease monotheist lob- (xxv) NY Times, April 29, 2002 bies, including Marxists, if one bans these (xxvi) Haroon Khalid, “How archaeology in literature one loses the entire Indian literature Pakistan is forced to deny the nation's Hindu covering the past 4,000 to 5,000 years of Indi- past,” HTTP://SCROLL.IN/ARTICLE/ an history. It would be like if America was 670462/HOW-ARCHAEOLOGY-IN- run by Native Americans in a Native-majority PAKISTAN-IS-FORCED-TO-DENY-THE- America following indigenous religion, but NATION'S-HINDU-PAST banned those indigenous literatures to appease (xxvii) http://empireslastcasualty.blogspot. Hindu or Muslim settlers, and com/2008/12/indus-valley-civilization harap- converts. Thus in West Bengal no Bengali pa.html learns about their heritage literature of Rama- (xxviii) During our trip to Peshawar, Khy- yana, Mahabharata, Veda, Upanishads, Bud- bar-Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan we dhist Jataks down to15th Century Vaishnava were requested by a secular Muslim to help literature from which the modern Bengali them save a pre-Islamic Hindu Gorkhatree attained its developed status. Shiva Temple. After my letter writing cam- (xix) After witnessing firsthand such dis- paign with the guidance from the locals, the crimination when a Hindu Sagar Mela (fair) temple was given back to the small surviving festivity was being stopped for “noise pollu- Hindu community. After 1947 first time they tion” on the beaches of Bay of Bengal, this celebrated the Diwali Festival of Lights was author wrote a protest note on February 27, in 2011 October. See http://empireslast casu- 2013 to West Bengal Minister of Urban De- alty.blogspot.com/2008/12/peshawar-pakistan velopment Mr. Firhad Hakim (a Muslim) and -pre-islamic-hindu.html ; and this author’s the Chief Minister Banerjee (a Hindu.) Sagar "An Indian’s Journey through Pakistan-III: Mela is an annual festival going on for many The Similarities and Contradictions," The centuries, perhaps millennium, where Ganga Pakistan Times: Magazine Section, April 27, (Ganges) River meets the ocean. The Mela 1990 1 & 6; "An Indian’s Journey through comes alive on the beach at a remote corner Pakistan-II: Traveling through the Punjabi of India, at the end of the month of Poush Heartland," The Pakistan Times: Magazine (mid-January), pilgrims camp on the beach, Section (Id holiday month special), April 20, away from any human habitation. Scripture 1990, 1 and 4; "An Indian’s Journey through tells that Lord Bhagirath connected Ganga Pakistan- I: Crossing the Border, First Time," River to the Ocean. Thus Ganga is known as The Pakistan Times: Magazine Section, April Bhaghirathi. In that process Bhagirath brought 13, 1990, 1 & 5 back 60,000 lives from the dead through the (xxix) http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report touch of Ganga water. -supreme-court-rejects-plea-questioning-clean (xx) See daily Bartaman of May 17, 2014 -chit-to-narendra-modi-on-role-in-2002- http://www.bartamanpatrika.com/ gujarat-riots-1977348 archive/2014/may/170514/content/rajya.htm; (xxx) On March 21, 2012 Tom Lantos Hu- and May 18, 2014 http:// man Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress www.bartamanpatrika.com/archive/2014/ held a hearing where this writer was present. may/180514/content/kolkata.htm The U.S. Commission on International Reli- (xxi) The Economic Times, June 10, 2014; gious Freedom and some individuals asked On May 17, 2014 a Kolkata daily Bartaman the U.S. Congress to uphold a ban on Chief writes “of the 12% vote loss by the Left has Minister Modi to travel to the U.S. for preju- mostly gone to BJP as their share of state vote dicial reasons. No explanation was given for has risen by 11%.” the bias. (xxii) This is the only place in India where (xxxi) Ellen Barry, “Local Policies Help an airport security asked to see the author’s pass- Indian Candidate Trying to Go National,” N port as “you are carrying a handcart.” Y Times, May 7, 2014. Several individuals, (xxiii) op cit Empires Last Casualty…. including some State administrators were (xxiv) “Conversations: Khaleda Zia; A convicted, and are serving sentences.

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 43

(xxxii) Incidentally this area is barely 100 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan meters from this writer’s home in Calcutta Unlike the first two decades of the Twenti- where my parents lived. http://empireslast eth Century, in the third decade, a series of casualty.blogspot.com/2009/07/hindu-monks- events took place in the North-West Frontier and-nuns-killed-in-india-by.html Province as well as in other parts of the Brit- (xxxiii) See Mandai Massacre in Wikipedia, ish India, which not only severely strained the and "Indian tribe massacres 350 'outsiders,'" relations between the Hindus and Muslims but The Miami News. June 16, 1980 also caused communalization of politics and (xxxiv) Ethnic Mizo activists demanded that ultimately Hindu-Muslims riots in the Muslim the cleansed Hindu Reangs not be allowed -majority province of N.W.F.P. and the ad- return back home and not allowed absentee joining tribal areas. Some of the most im- ballot for Mizoram election. They called a portant events and their consequences are general strike on the day of Parliamentary explained as under: election in 2014 to prevent Reangs from exer- Just after twenty years of the creation of cising their rights. As a result Indian Election N.W.F.P. as a separate province in 1901, the Commission changed the polling date. Hindus, who constituted only 8 per cent of the “Mizoram strike called off after poll de- population of the province, while dubbing the ferred,” Daily Star, Dhaka, April 8, 2014 province as Sarzamin-e be Aain (the land Bibliography: without law), demanded re-amalgamation of Anandabazar Patrika daily, Kolkata, May the North-West Frontier Province with Pun- 16, 2014; May 17, 2014; May 18, 2014 jab. Rai Bahadur Diwan Chand Obhrai in his Barry, Ellen, “In Indian Candidate, Hindu book, The Evolution of North-West Frontier Right Sees a Reawakening,” NY Times, May Province, while explaining the divided opin- 10, 2014 ions, writes: Bartaman daily, Kolkata, May 16, 2014; In the debates of the Punjab Legislative May 17, 2014; May 18, 2014 Council, it was curious to observe Dastidar, Sachi G. Empire’s Last Casualty: that while the Sikhs votes were divided, the Indian Subcontinent’s Vanishing Hindu and Hindus of the Punjab voted as a body, against Other Minorities, Firma KLM, Kolkata, 2008 their own class-interests, for re-amalgamation ______, Ai Bangla Oi Bangla (This Ben- of North-West Frontier Province with the gal that Bengal), Tulat Publishers, Calcutta Punjab.(1) (Kolkata), 1991 To look into the demand of the Hindus for Daily Star, Dhaka, April 8, 2014 re-amalgamation of the North-West Frontier www.dnaindia.com Province with Punjab, Government of India Doniger, Wendy, Op-Ed, “Banned in Ban- appointed an enquiry committee under Sir galore,” NY Times, March 5, 2014 Denys Bray, Foreign Secretary to the Govern- The Economic Times, June 10, 2014 ment of India. (2) The Committee in its report http://empireslastcasualty.blogspot.com favoured the scheme for a separate North- N Y Times, May 7, 2014 West Frontier Province upon the doctrine of Telegraph daily, Calcutta, May 4, 2014 inseparability of the districts and tracts and The Times of India daily, May 2, 2014 upon the theory of self-determination for the www.elections.in Pathan population. (3) ********************************* .Another issue, which severely damaged the Raj Pal’s Act of Blasphemy : Parting Hindu-Muslim relations in the North-West of the Ways Between Hindus and Mus- Frontier Province, were the communal riots, lims of Northwest Frontier Province which broke out in 1924 in Kohat (N.W.F.P) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and the Ad- on account of distribution of a poem by Ji- wandas, Secretary of the Sanatan Dharm Sa- joining Khyber Agency bha, Kohat, which injured the religious senti- ments of the Muslims. Dr. Naushad Khan, The Government of India investigated the Dean, Faculty of Social & Behavioral Scienc- communal riots, which broke out in Kohat in es, 924 and issued the following resolution: Islamia College University Peshawar, The publication of such a poem, which to

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 44

Moslems could hardly seem other than blas- It is on the record that before the Raj Pal’s phemous, would be mischievous and provoca- act of wicked folly, the people of the Khyber tive anywhere. Its publication in the N. W. P. Agency in accordance with their code of con- Province, where the Hindus are in a small duct, Pakhtunwali used to treat the Hindus minority, among a Moslem people, intensely with immense consideration and generosity religious in feeling and observances, and in a and there existed healthy social and commer- town already troubled by communal feeling, cial relations between them but all these ami- and hardly three miles from fanatical tribal cable relations were strained by one iniquitous territory was, if deliberate, an act of wicked act of Champawati and Mahasha Krishna, the folly. (4) writers of the pamphlet titled, Rangila Rasool After the Khilafat Movement, the publica- and of course, of its publisher, Raj Pal. tion of a pamphlet, titled, Rangila Rasool by The following is an extract from the news- Raj Pal, a Hindu publisher of Lahore, once paper, Siyaast Lahore, which in its issue of again extremely injured the religious senti- July, 16, 1927, under the caption, Exemplary ments of the Indian Muslims and badly ex- regard of the Pathans (Pakhtuns) for the Hin- posed the idealism of the proponents of the dus and the Sikhs; At last the cup of patience Hindu-Muslim Unity in India. The Indian has overflowed, throws light on the Pakhtun- Muslims, particularly the pan-Islamists and Hindu relationship prior to the publication of the Khilafatists were convinced that the Pal’s Rangila Rasool by Raj Pal. act was a plain act of blasphemy and a libel- “The behaviour of the Pathans towards the ous attack on Islam by some extremist Hin- Hindus and the Sikhs has always been very dus, therefore they ultimately started a move- good. These people participate cheerfully in ment against the publisher and the writers of the marriage and death ceremonies of the the pamphlet in 1927. Many Muslim leaders Pathans, and the latter treat them like respect- like Abdul Rehman Ghazi and Syed Attaullah able guests among them. If a Pathan of any Shah were sent to jail during the anti-Raj Pal tribe looks upon a Hindu or Sikh with a con- Movement, which further augmented the re- tempt, or causes him a little trouble, the Pa- sentment of the Muslims. It was during this thans of a number of villages champion the spell of high tension in the Hindu-Muslim cause of the Hindus or the Sikhs and either relations, when a zealous Muslim and a great kill that Muslim or plunder him, because they hero of Islam, Ilmud Din, commonly known hold the Hindus and Sikhs in high esteem for as, Ghazi Ilmud Din Shaheed, stabbed Raj being in minority, or as aliens belonging to a Pal to death on April 6, 1929. Ghazi was ar- different religion. So that the Hindus may not rested, sent behind the bars and awarded death think that they are Hindus and the Pathans are penalty. The Muslims lodged an appeal Muslims, and as such they are aliens in the against the court decision. Muhammad Ali Pathans’ land. At the time of harvest every Jinnah, then a distinguished Barrister was Zamindar (land owner) gives them bhoosa asked by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal and (crushed corn plants) and corn as free gifts other prominent Muslims of Punjab to plead according to his means. If a goat is slaugh- the case of Ghazi Ilmud Din, which he did tered, the Hindus are given a share of the without charging even a single penny but the meat. On the occasion of Eid (Muslims’ reli- appeal was rejected. Consequently, the Ghazi gious festival), the Khans (wealthy Pakhtuns) was hanged to death on October 31, 1929, give the Hindus and Sikhs goats as a bakh- under the Indian Penal Code, which again shish (charity). Hindu-Muslim riots have gave birth to Hindu-Muslim riots in India at a often been occurring in Peshawar, the Punjab very larger scale. and in the other parts of India, but the Pathans It is worth-mentioning here that the Pesha- have never looked down upon any Hindu or war-based local Khilafat Committee played a Sikh living in the independent territory (tribal pivotal role in taking the anti-Raj Pal move- territory) with contempt. But the ‘Rangila ment to its logical consequences and conse- Rasool’ pamphlet made the Pathans so antag- quently the history recorded and the people of onistic to the Hindus that they were com- N.W.F.P. and Khyber Agency witnessed part- pelled to hold a meeting at the direction of ing of the ways between the Hindus and the Haji Chaknawar, Maulana Sahib, Khan Sahib Muslims in 1927. Malik Abdul Jabbar Khan Zakhakhel,

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 45

Subedar Major Sher Jan Khan and Subedar condemns and expresses its resentment Major Malik Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Malik against the Hindus’ propaganda. (6) Abdul Jabbar Khan told the inhabitants of the Before the adoption of the above mentioned Khyber with regrets, but in strong words, that resolution, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar of Pesh- the slanderous attempt of the Aryan Hindus at awar, who was very active in the Khilafat insulting their prophet had shocked them and Movement, delivered a vehement speech dur- the inhabitants of the tribal territories and that ing the course of which he blamed the Hindus all other Hindus were also with them. “They for provoking the Muslims to commit breach could no longer tolerate this malicious deed, of peace. He said that the Hindus, instead of and hence they order the Hindus and Sikhs of condemning Raj Pal and others were carrying the Khyber that, after 11 July (1927), no Hin- out a false propaganda against the Muslims, du or Sikh would have a shop or a house in whose religious sentiments had been outraged the Khyber”. All the Pathans said Ameen so flagrantly. He also went on to say that it (yes) to this decision. “Now the Hindus are was the right of the Muslims to exhort their co making arrangements to carry their belong- -religionists to improve their economic and ings from the Khyber. Consequently, the Hin- commercial conditions and purchase things dus with tears in their eyes are cursing the from the Muslim shopkeepers. This was, he founders of their religion (Hinduism)”. No remarked, his open advice to his co- Hindu shall be found living in the Khyber religionists and it does not mean boycott at after 20th July (1927)” (5) all. The Hindus, he added, were holding secret The heinous act of Raj Pal not only cut the meetings daily to malign the Muslims. There economic and commercial ties between the was no legal or moral justification for pre- Hindus and Muslims but also caused commu- venting the Muslims from improving their lot. nal riots between the two major communities They had every right to do so and they were across the country. Consequently, the Mus- not committing any crime. When in the villag- lims of N.W.F.P. and of the trans-border areas es, he said, the Muslims gave up buying launched a boycott movement, popularly things from the Hindu shopkeepers; the Hindu known as Buy from Muslims Movement, with came to the city (Peshawar) and raised a hue the sole aim and objective to reform and de- and cry in the press that they had been ex- velop their own local economy. It is quite pelled and looted by the Muslims. Touching evident that the Muslims did this with the sole on the mode of action taken by the Mus- resolve of ending their exploitation at the lims as part of the “Buy from Muslims” hands of Hindus. But the Hindus took it ill Movement, he advised the Muslims to and viewed it as an act of open hostility of the Muslims against them. Consequently, they carry out their movement (Hindus) launched a counter propaganda cam- steadily and peacefully if they were in- paign against the Muslim, as they knew that tended to make it a success. The Hindus their (Hindus’) developed and sustained econ- and Sikhs in the tribal territories had been omy would suffer a fatal blow. The Hindus called upon to condemn the action of Raj during the course of their anti-Muslim propa- Pal etc. Those who did so were still liv- ganda condemned the “Buy from Muslims” ing peacefully in the tribal territories and Movement as an unwarranted agitation. those who refused were told that the To condemn the false propaganda of the tribesmen would no longer be responsible Hindus, a meeting of the local Khilafat Com- mittee was held in Mahabat khan Mosque for their safety and consequently, the (Peshawar) on the evening of 16th August tribal administration sent them to the 1927, in which the following resolution was political Sarai (inn) in Landi- Kotal passed: (headquarter of Khyber Agency) with all The Government should contradict the safety of their lives and belongings. false propaganda, unleashed by the Hindus About the charges of the Hindus against through the press in the length and breadth of the Afridis of the tribal territories he said, the country against the people of the Frontier that the news of humiliating treatment Province and the trans-border areas. This with the tribal Hindus and Sikhs by the meeting of the Muslims of Peshawar strongly

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Afridis, as published in the Hindu and Sikh khan, O.B.E. of Tehkal (Peshawar). The aim press was entirely baseless. The Afridis had of the meeting was to ease the Hindu-Muslim never imposed those conditions, and no hu- tension in Peshawar and reconcile between man being would ever do it .This was merely the innocent members of both of the Hindus a malicious propaganda started to malign the and Muslim communities. In the meeting the Afridis. Referring to the pamphlets, published following three resolutions were adopted: by Kali Charan and Raj pal etc. he remarked Resolution # 1 that the Hindus claimed on the one hand, that This meeting of the Hindus, the Muslims it was an individual, who, was responsible for and the Sikhs unanimously injuring the Muslims’ religious sentiments but condemns scurrilous writings against the on the other hand they were virtually support- founders of all religions, especially ing the actions of Kali Charan and Dalip Raj Pal, the publisher of ‘Rangila Rasool’ and Singh by collecting subscriptions for the one realizing that the punishment under section and praising the judgment of the others.(7) 153-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is inad- When rivalry between the two rival com- equate for such offences, recommends to munities, the Hindus and the Muslims, Government that such insults should be made reached to its climax and the former realized punishable with a heavier sentence. the resolve of the latter, who were determined to promote their own trade, they reacted with Resolution # 2 a counter-move of vilification against the This meeting recommends that a Concilia- Muslims, in order to sabotage their move- tion Board should be established whose mem- ment. For example, a poster was issued in bers in the first instance investigate without Urdu as well as in Pashto with the following communal prejudice the causes which have warning: led to the present Hindu-Muslim tension, and AN ULTIMATUM FROM THE HINDUS promote Hindu-Muslim Unity in Peshawar and the adjoining areas. “EITHER GIVE UP THE SHARIAT FOR EVER OR EMIGRATE FROM THE Resolution # 3 SCARED LAND OF THE BAHARAT WA- This meeting condemns the activities of RASH (INDIA) (8) those persons who have caused a breach of Hindus circulated this poster on the 24th peace in Peshawar city and those who lately August 1927 in Peshawar city for the infor- assaulted certain persons and requests the mation of the Muslims. In this poster the au- Government to at once release all persons thor had remarked that the boycott movement who have been arrested on account of fan- against the Hindus was an empty threat as it ning the Hindu-Muslim tension. (9) could never affect the Hindu community. It Similarly, in a meeting, convened by the was further asserted that the Muslims were local Khilafat Committee in the Mahabat weakening their own cause and that they khan’s Mosque, on the 6th September 1927, might have to quit India in consequence of under the Chairmanship of Maulvi Abdul this movement. Hakim, the speakers, while explaining the The contents of the poster exposed the grievances of the Muslims, said that their primordial state of mentality of the Hindus patience had been put to an extreme test by towards the Indian Muslims. With this devel- the Hindus who had attacked the honour of opment, in Peshawar, the provincial capital of the Prophet of Islam for which every Muslim the North-West Frontier Province, the Hindu- was ready to shed the last drop of his blood. Muslim stand-off rose to an alarming point. Elaborating their views on the attack of the Consequently, some representatives of the Hindus on Islam, they attributed the cause to Hindus and Muslims felt the urgent need of the poverty and disunity in the ranks of the effecting reconciliation between the innocent Muslim community. They exhorted their audi- citizens of various communities. Accordingly, ence to develop their trade and deal only with they convened a Unity Conference in the the Muslims so as to strengthen their econom- Government Mehmankhana (guest house) on ic condition. They added that if they wished the 4th of September 1927, under the Chair- to exist on the face of the earth with dignity manship of Nawab Arbab Dost Mohammad they should become traders and should take a

Journal of Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Fall 2014 47 vow to buy from the Muslims. During the constitutionalists among the South-Asian course of their speeches, they also pleaded for Muslims dominated the political scene in unity among the various sects of Islam. They Muslim India. It was in this new era of politi- asked the Muslims not to buy any food item, cal awakening, when Khan Abdul Ghaffar prepared by a person who did not eat anything Khan, who at the outset of his political career prepared by them. This, they added, was quite was a follower of Haji Sahib of Turangzai and consistent with their Shariat (Islamic way of a social reformer, was able to lead a pro- life). They also appealed to their audience not secular and anti-separatist movement among to be so provoked as to cause the breach of the Pakhtuns, particularly in the rural areas of peace, as that would be detrimental to their the North-West Frontier Province. He and his trade campaign. (10) Khudai Khidmatgar Movement rose to promi- To pursue, its agenda, a meeting of the nence in the thirties. On account of his per- Conciliation Board, was held on September, sonal attachment with M.K. Gandhi and his 7, 1927 under the Chairmanship of Arbab Gandhian approach for independence of India, Dost Mohammad khan of Tehkal, in which the non-violent Pakhtun leader was dubbed as secretaries of the Anjuman-e-Ittihad-o-Aman Frontier Gandhi. It was during this period, he (Association of Unity and Peace) were elect- attracted many Hindu leaders, including Da- ed. Needless to say, Arbab Dost Mohammad dabhai Naoroji’s grand-daughter; Khurshid Khan was also elected one of the secretaries Naoroji, who worked with the Khudai Khid- of the newly established Anjuman. (11) matgars in the North-West Frontier Province Similarly in another meeting of the Mus- and was very close to Khan Abdul Ghaffar lims of Peshawar city (NWFP), held in the Khan. (14) But it is worthy to note here that Islamia Club Hall, on the 21st September the Unionist Party, which also was a secular 1927, under the auspices of the Anjuman-e- party and which included Muslims, Hindus Ahmadia, the following resolution was and Sikhs and which no, doubt was the most passed: popular and the leading political party of Pun- This meeting requests the Muslims to jab, from 1923 to 1937, as is confirmed by the develop Islamic trade and also to abstain from results of the elections (15) for Punjab Legis- eating at the hands of persons who did not eat lative Council in 1923, 1926 & 1930 and for at the hands of the Muslims. (12) the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1937 but This resolution was supported by Syed there was no significant impact of the Union- Zaffar Shah of Education Department and ists on the politics of the Frontier due to the Agha Mahmud Shah and was finally passed. reasons, that the Sikhs of the Punjab were The pages of history reveal the fact that in the always found divided in the legislative de- post-Khilafat Movement era, the publication bates on the minorities’ issues in N.W.F.P. of the ‘Rangila Rasool pamphlet by Raj Pal, and likewise the Hindus of the Punjab too did first led to communalization of politics and not support them in their quest for re- then Hindu-Muslim riots in different parts of amalgamation of the North-West Frontier the British India but in the North-West Fron- with Punjab for the obvious reason that they tier Province and the adjoin tribal areas, it did not want to become perpetual hopeless paved the way for parting of the ways be- minority that confronted their brethren in the tween the Hindu-Muslims. Frontier Province. (16) It is also worth-mentioning here that the Hin- To conclude, like the two edges of a stream dus of the North-West Frontier Province al- or like the two lines of a railway track, the ways opposed the introduction of reforms in Hindus and Muslims were not destined to N.W.F.P. on communal basis as well as on become one Indian nation. After the Second population strength basis. Their plea was that World War, the only solution of the Indian the separation of five districts from the Punjab problem was the partition of India. Through for creation N. W. F. P. as a separate province the Elections of 1946, the Indian Muslims in 1901 had reduced the Hindu minority from proved that their survival as a separate nation about 40% in the Punjab to 7% in the North- in South-Asia lies in the creation of Pakistan. West Frontier Province. (13) Notes: It is worth-mentioning here that unlike the (1) Rai Bahadur Diwan Chand Obhrai, The preceding decade, in 1930s the moderates and Evolution of North-West Frontier Province,

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(Peshawar: The London Book Company Role of the Minorities in Freedom Struggle. 1938), 111 Jawahar Nagar, Delhi: Ajanta Publications (2) E.B. Howell, Story of the North-West (India) Frontier Province, (Peshawar: Government Howell, E. B., 1930, Story of the North- Stationery and Printing Office, North-West West Frontier Province. Peshawar: Govern- Frontier Province 1930), 61 ment Printing and Stationery Office, North- (3) Rai Bahadur, op.cit.,110. Also see, T. West Frontier Province, Peshawar Rangachariar & N.M. Samarth, Report of the Obhrai, Rai Bahadur Diwan Chand, 1938, North-West Frontier Enquiry Committee and The Evolution of North-West Frontier Prov- Minutes of Dissent, (Delhi: Government Cen- ince. Peshawar: The London Book Company tral Press 1924), 15 (India). (4) op cit., Rai Bahadur, 208 Police Department Peshawar, North-West (5) Unpublished Confidential Political Dia- Frontier Province, Confidential Special Dia- ries, NWFP (Khyber Pakhtunkhawa) Ar- ries of 1920s,(declassified documents) chives, Peshawar, Bundle No. 17, Serial No. N.W.F.P. (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Archives, 420, 27-29. (Hence after cited as Unpublished Peshawar, Higher Education Department, Confidential Political Diaries) Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Paki- (6) op. cit., Unpublished Confidential Dia- stan. ries, Part, IX, 3,4 ______(7) ibid (8) Ibid; Part: II, 38 (9) Unpublished Confidential Special Dia- Wishing a Successful Confer- ries, NWFP. (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Ar- chives Peshawar, Bundle No. 17, Serial No. ence and Journal 422, Part: 1, 149-151. (Hereinafter cited as, Confidential Special Diaries) (10) op. cit., Confidential Special Diaries Laura Healey (11) op. cit., Unpublished Confidential Po- litical Diaries, Part: IX, 16 Long Island (12) op. cit., Unpublished Confidential Po- ______litical Diaries, Part: XIII, 25 (13) op. cit., Rai Bahadur, 128 (14) Engineer, Asghar Ali, (Ed.), 1986, The Role of the Minorities in Freedom Struggle. Jawahar Nagar, Delhi: Ajanta Publications (India), 156. (15) Azra Asghar Ali & Sajid Mahmood Wishing a Successful Conference Awan, “Political Development and Political Parties in Punjab: 1849-1947,”Pakistan Jour- nal of Social Sciences, 29, no1(June 2009): 74 Habib Ryan (16) op. cit., Rai Bahadur, 111 Chase Bank Mortgage Banker Bibliography: Ali, Azra Asghar & Awan, Sajid Mehmood. “Political Development and Politi- Mob: 718-581-6800 cal Parties in Punjab: 1849-1947,” Pakistan [email protected] Journal of Social Sciences, 29, no.1 (June 256 Union Tpk, Glen Oaks, 2009): 74 New York 11004 C.I.D. Peshawar, North-West Frontier Province, Confidential Political Diaries of 1920s, (declassified documents), N.W.F.P. (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Archives, Peshawar, Higher Education Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Engineer, Asghar Ali, (Ed.), 1986, The

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Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Inc. ISPaD Needs Help from Y O U Several Bengali-Americans in New York, individuals whose families were victims of parti- tion of the Indian Subcontinent – especially of former British-Indian Bengal – formed a parti- tion documentation project called ISPaD or Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project Inc. to save the history and experiences of lost and displaced individuals and families, their villages, their life, and of survivors and that of protectors.

The Project has received not-for-profit status from the Departments of Educa- tion and State of New York State and a 503-C tax-exempt status from the I.R.S. (of the U.S. Government). ISPaD is open to all.

The purposes of the project are:

a) Document information from the people affected by the partition; b) Collect historical records; c) Study and document demographic and social changes caused by the partition; d) Create a center to disseminate and share the information with the public and civic groups and rights organizations engaged globally in such activities; e) Interact with the concerned governments and international bodies to raise awareness about the plight of the victims of ethnic cleansing and support the needy; f) Organize meetings, seminars, conduct scholarly research, and publish journals and books. g) Solicit funds to support the above activities. Ispad is looking for individual and family stories, documents, pictures, narratives, deeds, artifacts, books, family history, stories of refugees, survivors, protectors and that of the lost ones, tapes, films, videos of Bengal and Indian partitions – from 1947 through the present.

I’m pleased to help Partition Documentation! Here’s my gift! Please make checks payable to ISPaD: The Indian Subcontinent Partition Documen- tation Project Inc. Donation Amount $______[ ] One time; [ ] Yearly ______; [ ] Monthly ______(Approx. Date) Name ______Address______Email______Phone ______Mail to: ISPaD, c/o Politics, Economics and Law Department, State University of New York, Old Westbury, NY 11568; Attn: Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar; Phone: 917-524-0035; Fax: 516- 876-9677; www.bengalpartitionvictim.org; ISPaD: Indian Subcontinent Partition Documenta- tion Project Inc. and Check on YouTube Ispad1947, Channel

Board of Directors: Dr. S. G. Dastidar, Founder (Distinguished Professor, NY); Mr. Pratip Dasgup- ta, Social Advocate (NY); Mr. Ramen Nandi, Engineer, (NJ;) Mr. Dilip Nath, IT Specialist, NYC; Dr. Tom Lilly, Attorney & Professor; Dr. Shefali S. Dastidar, (City Planner, NYC); Dr. R Talukdar, Physi- cian, Texas; Project Coordinator — Shuvo G. Dastidar

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Best Wishes for a Successful 2014 Conference & Journal

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