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Remembering Sylhet: a Forgotten Story of India's 1947 Partition

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Remembering Sylhet: a Forgotten Story of India's 1947 Partition COMMENTARY anarchist movements and anti-globalisation culture and has existed before in history, all forms of terrorism must be appreci- movements are also now added to the list particularly in the Indian context. For ated. At the same time, one must make a of terrorisms. One agency in the US even example, the Muslim sea traders were sup- contrast between terrorism and the jehad once included India’s security agency, ported in their efforts to oppose Portuguese against western hegemony (which is a the RAW in the list. Every year the list is hegemony through a jehad by the Zamorins constructive one). This jehad should expanding. At present, officially designated of Calicut. Kunhalis belonging to coastal o rient itself to recognise and protect the terrorist groups might be around 800 at Kerala including Calicut, Malabar and rights of women, dalit Muslims and the the global level; however, if we add non- Kochi had also opposed Portuguese hege- poor, through the process of opposing designated groups, the numbers might mony [Makdum 2008]. Another example western hegemony which has manifested cross 1,000. is that of the 1857 revolt (as revealed by through the processes of globalisation Jehad has been linked to terrorism in William Darlymple’s latest book on The and capitalism. another context: that of globalisation. The Last Moghul). Even colonialists of today jehad against western symbolism, regard the struggle against western hegem- References hegemony in culture, power and against ony a form of jehad (“Clash of civilisations” Darul Uloom, Deoband (2008): ‘Declaration: All India western lifestyle has been conflated with according to Samuel P Huntington). Anti-Terrorism Conference’, http://darululoom- terrorism by many. This jehad is however It is but obvious that the Darul Uloom deoband.com/english/index.htm Makdum, Shaykh Zainuddin (2008): Tuhfat Al- a struggle against hegemony of another Deoband school’s decision to denounce Mujahidin, Other Books, Calicut. Given that the people who can remember Remembering Sylhet: and retell the story of the 1947 Sylhet par- tition, are more than 80 years old now, A Forgotten Story of India’s this task assumes even greater urgency. 1947 Partition Eastward towards Assam Of late, historians in south Asia have been using non-traditional sources like memo- ANINDITA DASGUPTA ries, folk history and popular fiction to shed new light on the experiences of Studies of India’s Partition have espite major methodological o rdinary people whose lives were thrown been focused on the cases of strides1 made in recent years, most into turmoil by the 1947 Partition. Their Punjab and Bengal, but very Dstudies of India’s 1947 Partition studies have helped flesh out the hetero- continue to remain focused on the two geneity and the unevenness in the expe- few have been based on the site better-known cases of Punjab and Bengal. rience of Partition and generated a de- of partition in colonial Assam, Remarkably little is known about other bate among academics. But in spite of “Sylhet”. Urgent attention partition sites – the Sylhet district of colo- vast and rich research, this “new” history is required to record the nial Assam, for instance – which was still falls short of providing a wide- ceded to (East) Pakistan following the ranging view of the local nuances of historiography of partition in outcome of a referendum held on July 6 P artition of India due to its near exclusive Sylhet as many of those who had and 7, 1947 according to Mountbatten’s focus on Punjab and Bengal. Against this experienced the phase of partition partition plan of June 3, 1947. Besides a background, it may be interesting to turn are more than 80 years old now. small Hindu pocket consisting of Ratabari, the lens further east and north of Bengal, Patherkandi, Hailakandi and half of Kar- to look at a third site of partition, the imganj thana, the rest of the district left d istrict of Sylhet in the erstwhile colonial This article is part of a larger study ‘Where Is Assam/India to join East Pakistan. Sixty province of Assam. Sylhet? Hindu and Muslim Voices from a years afterwards, the stories of such lesser Assam was little known in British India Forgotten Story of India’s Partition’ that has known partition sites face the danger of except for its tea production but which been supported by a postdoctoral grant from SEPHIS, International Institute of Social being overlooked and forgotten by what eventually became included in Jinnah’s History, The Netherlands. The author thanks may be called “mainstream” partition his- demand for a six-province Pakistan. Khaleda Sultana Ahmed for her valuable toriography unless documented without fieldwork support for this project. delay. Because oral history uses spoken A Background Anindita Dasgupta ([email protected]) sources, even in the absence of written Sylhet, a Bengali-speaking district histori- teaches history at a Malaysian University, and is documentation oral historians are able to cally a part of East Bengal, was joined currently a recipient of SEPHIS postdoctoral document the histories of groups which with its Assamese-speaking neighbour grant to write an oral history of Indian Sylhetis. have long been out of historical focus. Assam in 1874 by the British who wanted 18 august 2, 2008 EPW Economic & Political Weekly COMMENTARY to make the latter province “economically their right to remain in Assam/India while i dentity politics in post-colonial years. In viable” and self-sustaining. For several many Sylheti Muslims wanted to separate. spite of being challenged by assimilative years afterwards, the Hindus of Sylhet When the referendum was held on July 6 drives from time to time, festering citizen- demanded for a return to the more and 7, the outcome was by and large ship issues, and the loss of a firm territori- “advanced” Bengal, whereas the Muslims c onsistent with the demographic com- alised identity, Sylhet and Sylheti-ness of Sylhet by and large preferred to remain position of the district where Muslims continue to be recreated in many social, in Assam where its leaders, along with had a numerical edge: 56.6 per cent of cultural and political forms in different the Assamese Muslims, found a more Sylhetis voted for joining East Pakistan parts of north-east India, particularly powerful political voice than they would and 43.3 per cent voted for remaining in Assam, which remains today home to a have had if they returned to a Muslim- Assam/India. Following this outcome, large Sylheti settlement. majority East Bengal. The indigenous most of the Sylhet district was ceded to Assamese too supported the separation East Pakistan. The Indian Sylheti Identity of Sylhet from Assam for the entire Over the next few years, large numbers The 1947 Sylhet referendum and partition period from 1874-1947 as the Sylhetis – or of Sylheti Hindus from the ceded parts was the defining moment of the (Indian) inhabitants of Sylhet – with their earlier of Sylhet district began to relocate to the Sylheti identity for two reasons. access to English education were seen as Indian north-east, particularly to southern First, it marked the fracture of the competitors for jobs, and as exercising a Assam, where they had established con- Sylheti identity into at least two: the East cultural hegemony over an incipient siderable economic and social networks in Pakistani (since 1971, ‘Bangladeshi’) and Assamese middle class trying to come the period 1874-1947.2 Over time there the Indian Sylheti. The Bangladeshi into its own under the aegis of British emerged a de-territorialised Sylheti iden- S ylheti identity is commonly associated colonialism since 1826. tity in Assam/India, as Sylhetis formed with Muslims from the Sylhet division of Ironically, when the opportunity for a pockets of minority groups – despite con- modern Bangladesh who claim to be return to East Bengal (later East Pakistan) siderable indigenous opposition to refugee e thnically and culturally separate from came in 1947, the Sylheti Hindus defended settlement – giving rise to powerful other Bengalis in Bangladesh. The Indian INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDY Rashtrapati Nivas, Shimla 171005 Advertisement No. 5/2008 AWARD OF FELLOWSHIPS 1. Applications for award of Fellowships for advanced research in the following areas are invited: a. Social, Political and Economic Philosophy; b. Comparative Indian Literature (including Ancient, Medieval, Modern Folk and Tribal); c. Comparative Studies in Philosophy and Religion; d. Comparative Studies in History (including Historiography and Philosophy oF History); e. Education, Culture, Arts including perForming Arts and CraFts; F. Fundamental Concepts and Problems oF Logic and Mathematics; g.Fundamental Concepts and Problems oF Natural and LiFe Sciences; h. Studies in Environment; i. Indian Civilization in the context oF Asian Neighbours; and J. Problems oF Contemporary India in the context oF National Integration and Nation-building. 2. Since the Institute is committed to advanced study, proposals involving empirical work with data collection and fieldwork would not be considered. 3. Applications from scholars working in, and on, the North Eastern region are encouraged. 4. Scholars belonging to the weaker section of society would be given preference. 5. The Institute shall publish the monographs of the Fellows on completion of their term. 6. The prescribed application form and details of the Fellowship grants payable to the Fellows are available on the website of the Institute www.iias.org and can also be obtained from the Institute by sending a self-addressed envelop (5x11") with postage stamp of Rs. 10 affixed. The application on the prescribed form may be sent to the Secretary, Indian Institute oF Advanced Study, Shimla 171005. Applications can also be made on line at www.iias.org. 7. The term of Fellowship would initially be for a period of one year, extendable further, but in no case will it extend beyond two years.
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