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Category: CONGRESS

  • UN-TOLD HISTORY OF FREEDOM MOVEMENT IN SINDH ( ACTIVITIES OF VARIOUS BRANCHES OF SINDH CONGRESS):

    Dr.Dur Muhammad Pathan

    Founder Gul Hayat Institute

    gulhayat@gmail.com

    03337526616

    UN-TOLD HISTORY OF FREEDOM MOVEMENT IN SINDH ( ACTIVITIES OF VARIOUS BRANCHES OF SINDH CONGRESS):

    DADU

    on 7th of May 1946, the branch observed Bhulabhai Dessai Death Day. Complete hartal was observed in Dadu. In the evening a silent procession was organised that terminated at the Municipal Park, where a public meeting was held.Various speakers made speeches and highlighted the National Role played by Dessai. A condolence resolution was also passed on this occasion.

    UN-TOLD HISTORY OF FREEDOM MOVEMENT (Activities of Sindh Congress & its branches)– HALA:

    Application, signed by many responsible persons of Hala Taluka have been sent to the Sindh Provincial Congress Committee and other Party leaders against the local Congress Committee for their open anti-Hindu activities in the Taluka resulting in much communal tension.

    Prof. N.R.Malkani, the local M.L.A came to Hala,in July 1947, and he was told all about activities of his party men. He did his best to persuade his workers to desist from these objectional methods, but the President of the local Congress Committee told him openly that he was no his subordinate and refused to follow his advice.Under the excuse that the last year Sindh Provincial Congress Committee passed a resolution in favour of dissolution of Zamindari System and it has badly affected the social status and stand of Hindu Zamindar and now every Hindu Zamindar is being hit. It paved way for Musim Haris to launch movements for their Hindu Zamindars.

    HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    In its meeting held on 11th December 1918, the Hyderabad District Congress Committee,recommends Mr. Jamshed N.R. Mehta, Mr. Durgdas B. Advani and Mukhi Jethanand Pritamdas for the presidential post/chair of the Sindh Provincial Congress Committee.

    The HDCC, considers …the remarks made in the Annual Report of the Hyderabad Managing Committee agaist the people of Hyderabad and Subordinate Judge, and having accorded their resentment, appoints Sub-committee to probe into the matter and study the Cases filed by the people against the Hyderabad Management Committee, and find out what had offended the late Municipal Commissioner, Mr. Carter and Mr.Gibson, the Collector.

    HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    In its meeting held on 28th June 1920,the District Hyderabad Congress Committee decides by 17 votes to 10 to recommend the principle of Non-Cooperation to the Special Indian National Congress. Unlike Mr. Gandhi and the Central Khilafat Committee, the meeting/DHCC considers however that the police and soldiers should be exempted. They will await the decision of the Special Congress for or against Non-Cooperation before putting it in practice locally.

    HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    The meeting of the General Body is held on 3rd of December 1926 and following office-bearers are elected for the year 1927:

    Dr.Choithram Gidwani (President), Lalchand Jhangyani (Vice-President), Utamchand Jewansing Gidwani (Secretary), Chaturbhuj Tejomal (Auditor).

    Managing Committee; Jairamdas Doulatram, Prof. Ghanshayam Jethanand, Kessomal Teckchand, Hiranand Karamchand, Mansing Chuharmal, Dr. Chimandas Isardas, Moulvi Muhukumuddin & Koluram Vassanmal Bulani.

    On Provicial Congress Committee: Dr. Choithram, Lalchand Jhangyani, Jairamdas Doulatram,Mansing, Prof. Ghanshayamdas, Kesomal, Gopaldas Jhamatmal,Moulvi Muhukumuddin,Utamchand Jewansing & Hiranand Karamchand.

    HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    The meeting of the General Body is held on 3rd of December 1926 and following office-bearers are elected for the year 1927:

    Dr.Choithram Gidwani (President), Lalchand Jhangyani (Vice-President), Utamchand Jewansing Gidwani (Secretary), Chaturbhuj Tejomal (Auditor).

    Managing Committee; Jairamdas Doulatram, Prof. Ghanshayam Jethanand, Kessomal Teckchand, Hiranand Karamchand, Mansing Chuharmal, Dr. Chimandas Isardas, Moulvi Muhukumuddin & Koluram Vassanmal Bulani.

    On Provicial Congress Committee: Dr. Choithram, Lalchand Jhangyani, Jairamdas Doulatram,Mansing, Prof. Ghanshayamdas, Kesomal, Gopaldas Jhamatmal,Moulvi Muhukumuddin,Utamchand Jewansing & Hiranand Karamchand.

    THE HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    The meeting is held on 19th August 1934 and following office-bearers are elected for the next year:

    City Executive Committee: Prof. Ghanshamdas (President), Prof. Vaswani (Vice-President), Pandit D. Kundanram (Secretary) & A. Sadacharya (Treasurer).

    Members of the Executive Committee for District: Jairamdas Doulatram, Prof. Ghanshamdas, Dr. Chamandas, Dr.Partabrai, Shewaram Bhatia, Bheromal Suratsing, Shrimati Sati Vaswani,Shrimati Devi Hasoomal and Surat Utamsing.

    THE HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    Following are remaining names of office-bearers elected on 19.8.1934:

    DISTRICT GENERAL BODY: Jairamdas Doulatram, Prof. Vaswani, Prof. Ghanshamdas, Dr. Chimandas, Naraindas Vensimal, Shewaram Bhatia, Bheromal Suratsing, Bheromal Issardas, Lachmandas Bhatia, Bachanand Hiranand, Devdat Kundaram, Surat J. Utamsing, Himath Lal, Hasomal Issardas, Dr.Dayaram, Dr.Pirtabdas, Lilaram Hiranand,Devibai Hasomal, Satibai Vaswani, Omparkash Chetandev; Mohnibai Lalchand; Bapo Kishinchand; Master Chaichaldas; B.Gokaldas; Thakurbai Salamatrai; Atramroop Shevapuri; Sardar Dayasing and Sardar Santsing.

    THE HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    [Note: I have been sharing names of office-bearers with friends, it will help them to compile list of our Freedom Fighters]

    The meeting is held on 22.5.1946 for the election of office-bearers.A big sensation is provided because nomination papers for City Congress Committee as well as in District Congress Committee, of Prof. Ghansham Jethanand (MLA and Leader of Sindh Congress Party in Assembly) and Prof. N.R.Malkani (MLA) are rejected by the Returnnig officer Mr. Ladharam Mohandas.Following were elected for City Congress Committee:

    Dr. Chimandas Issardas (President), Mithu Shahani (Vice-President), Santsing Shahani (Secretary); Lokumal Punvani (Secretary);Mrs. Thakuri Salamarai (Hon.Treasurer)’

    Managing Committee: Mrs. Sati Vaswani, Vishindas Jagtiani; Lachmandas Lalchand; Naraindas Vansimal; Dayasing Uttamsing; Devdat Kudaram; Kirpaldas Jairamdas and Bapo Kishinchand.

    THE HYDERABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    The meeting is held on 3.7.1947 with special agenda to condemn the recent Sindh Ordinance.The meeting is chaired by the President of HDCC, Chimandas. Some leaders of Sindh Hindu Sabha manage to sit in the meeting and demand an amendment in the draft of Resolution to be tabled in the meeting. Dr.Chimandas regrets to allow them and Hindu Sabhai start shouting and blaming Congress for being responsible for creating such an anti-Hindu situation. They manage to occupy and control the stage.Master Chainchaldas and Kirshanchand of Arya Samaj created trouble and make the meeting free for all.

     ACTIVITIES OF JACOBABAD CONGREES COMMITTEE.

    The public meeting is held on 13th March 1923, with Bhai Newandram, Vice President of city branch, in chair. The proceedings begin with singing of some National Songs by three Sahti Non- Cooperators. Next comes a resolution of congratulating Veromal, teacher of Tilk High School Sukkur, who was sentenced to 12 month’s imprisonment. The meeting ended with speeches.

     ACTIVITIES OF JACOBABAD CONGRESS COMMITTEE.

    The public meeting is held in the city.Mr. Rajendra Parsad, Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, together with Mr. Viromal Begraj, the President of the Congress Committee in Sindh attended the meeting also.

    The meeting is held on 7th Sept. 1924, and following office-bearers are elected for the next year: Dr. Menghraj (President), Dr. Hemandas ( Vice-President) and Mr. Choithram (Secretary). It was resolved that Mahatma Gandhi be invited to Jacobabad on his ensuing visit to Sindh.

    JACOBABAD DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    The meeting is held on 5th May 1946 and is decided to observe a week in the memory of the late Allah Bux Soomro and Aslam Achakzai with effect from 11.5.1946. It is further decided that Indian leaders including Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia,Attaullah Shah Bukhari;Capt, Segal and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan will be invited on this occasion.

    THE KARACHI DISTRICT CONGRESS:

    The meeting is held on 2nd of March 1917 in which series of resolutions of disapproval and protest were passed against the illiberal spirit of the recommendations of the Public Service Commission,and against the action of Punjab Government in excluding Tilak and Bepin Chadar Pal.Thanks were offered to Mr. Justice Abdul Rahim for his minority report as member of the Public Service Commission.

    ACTIVITIES OF THE KARACHI DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    A meeting of Karachi District Congress Committee is held at Khalik Dina Hall on 23.3.1917, under the Chairmanship of Harchandrai Vishindas; 44 delegates were elected for “Sindh Provincial Conference” to be held at Shikarpur. Participants were Jamshed Mehta; Abdul Rahman; Lokamal Chelaram; R.K.Sidhwa and Dr.Choithram.

     THE ACTIVITIES OF KARACHI CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    A public meeting under the auspices of the Karachi District Congress Committee is held in the first week of December, 1917, in the Khalik Dina Hall to elect delegates for the forthcoming Congress at Calcutta and to form a Reception Committee for “Sindh Provincial Conference” to be held in Karachi in April 1918. Mr.Ghulam Ali Chagla persided and speakers were Messrs Nasinglal; Muhammad Khan; P.S.Shahani; Dipchand T.Ojha; Lokomal Chelaram; Tikamdas Wadhomal; R.K.Sidhva. 52 delegates were elected, including a few Parsis and a Goans

     ACTIVITIES OF THE KARACHI CONGRESS COMMITTEE:

    1. Seth Harchandrai Vishindas is resigning from the presidentship of the Karachi District Congress Committee on 7th December 1920 and Mr.T.L. Vaswani is replacing him.

    2. In conformity with wishes of Mahatma Gandhi, nightly public meetings are held with effect from 26th of June 1921 in different parts of the city. Subscription is raised and Congress membership is launched. R.K.Sidwa, Lalchand A. Jagtiani; Dr.Pateel; Durgdas Advani; Muhammad Khan etc take part.

     THE ACTIVITIES OF KARACHI CONGRESS:

    At yesterday’s (27-6-1921) meeting of the Non-co-operation organized in the Lalchand Lekhraj’s godown there were a number of piece-goods merchants present. Pundit Amarsen was in the chair while Messrs Muhammad Khan; Narsinglal; Lalchand Jagitiani and Mahraj Damodar spoke. When Mr. Gandhi was last here in Karachi, the people had garlanded him at varous places with wreaths of yarm which when leaving he had given over in charge of Muhammad Khan and Lalchand. The former had out of them made a piece of Khadar measuring twenty three yeards and this way offered for sale. Mr. Lalchand said that inspite of his utter poverty he would offer for it Rs. 100 but eventully a Shikarpuri merchant came to his rescue and took it up for an amount which he would not then give out but would pay to the organisers without having it publicly announced. Other collections made amounted to about Rs. 1,500.

  • گانڌي ويچار ديپچندر تلوڪچند 1945ع

    گانڌي ويچار ديپچندر تلوڪچند 1945ع

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  • گانڌي ويچار-ديپچندر تلوڪچند-1945ع

    گانڌي ويچار-ديپچندر تلوڪچند-1945ع

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  • Indian National Congress Report of the Proceedings of the 28 Congress Karachi 1913

    Indian National Congress Report of the Proceedings of the 28 Congress Karachi 1913

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  • Famous Letters of Mahatma Gandhi

    Famous Letters of Mahatma Gandhi

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  • MAHATMA Volume 3 [1930-1934] By: D. G. Tendulkar

    MAHATMA Volume 3 [1930-1934] By: D. G. Tendulkar

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  • REPORT OF THE· XXXII SESSION OF_ THE INDIAN. NATIONAL CONGRESS

    REPORT OF THE· XXXII SESSION OF_ THE INDIAN. NATIONAL CONGRESS

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  • REPORT OF THE THIRTIETH lNDIAN NATI0NAL C0NGRESS 1915, BOMBAY

    REPORT OF THE THIRTIETH lNDIAN NATI0NAL C0NGRESS 1915, BOMBAY

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  • JALLIANWALA BAGH

    JALLIANWALA BAGH

    truth

     

    Germany and Japan, the looser of WW2, have a list of apology statements to be issued every year during anniversary day. A hundred years after the Jallianwala Bagh incident, the Brits expressed their deep regret and not an absolute apology. This regret from the British PM Theresa May is the first one from the victors side. Remember Britain has never even regretted for millions of Indian sepoys killed as cannon fodders in both world wars, millions died in famines, plunder of natural resources etc. The dark skinned Asians were considered by the racists as White man’s burden. Our soldiers were counted among the donkeys and mules in both world wars.

    During the Colonial Raj, there were many apologists and rationalization workers justifying each and every act of the empire. The empire loyalists even supported the brutality of Jallianwala Bagh. Governor O’Dwyer was also given a fund of Rs 1.75 lakh collected by Punjabi elite like Kunj Bihari Thapar, Umar Hayat Khan, Chaudhary Gajjan Singh and Rai Bahadur Lal Chand. There were hardly any princes who condemned the massacre. The Maharaja of Patiala actually supported it.

    The Justice Party in Madras Presidency (fore runners of Dravida Kazhagam) had supported the Rowlatt act and even defended the British on Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The Dravida Kazhagam leader, Periyar EV Ramssamy Naicker, wished for British to stay to fight against upper castes and even called on observing August 15 as black day. Until 1947, the Dravidean movement functioned as handmaiden of colonial Raj. Just prior to the transfer of power, Periyar even pleaded for the continuance of British rule in TN. But because of the political ambitions, leaders like Annadurai and Karunanidhi parted ways and formed DMK in 1949. Also please refer the book “The Life and Times of C.N. Annadurai” by R. Kannan.

    It is a fact that the official priests of the Golden Temple endorsed Colonel Dyer and honored him with a Saropa (robe of honor). This caused an outrage and led the formation of the SGPC (Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee) on 15 November 1920 to manage and to implement reforms in Sikh shrines.

    Even though General Dyer was forced to resign, he was welcomed as a hero in England. The House of Lords voted 129 to 86 in favor of Dyer. Many conservatives like Lord Salisbury supported him. The Morning Post launched an appeal to patriots for monetary subscriptions for helping Dyer, the man who saved India. The response was massive : 26,000 pounds (a huge amount at that time) were donated so that the butcher of Jallianwala Bagh could spend the rest of his life in comfort. The Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling heaped praise upon him and gave ten pounds. Worse still, some Indian elites collected money for General Dyer as he was forced to retire from service for his brutal act.

    Even the composition of the special force involved in the massacre had no British soldiers. The Indian sepoys belonging to Gurkhas and Baluchees had fired the shots on orders from Dyer.

    General situation at that time

    ————————————–

    Undivided Punjab had contributed a large number of soldiers for WW1. Gandhi recruited 13 lakh ( 1.3 million ) Indian soldiers in the first World War. During war time, there were a series of repressive emergency acts that were intended to combat subversive activities. Many expected that these measures will be removed after the war and more political autonomy will be granted for Indians. The Montagu-Chelmsford Report recommended limited local self-government.

    After winning the war, the British instead enacted the draconian Rowlatt Act, which essentially extended the wartime repressive measures. The demobilised soldiers from various fronts in Europe returned home without jobs. The food shortages and skyrocketing prices complicated the matters. The trial of Ghadrites (members of Ghadar movement) had created considerable unrest particularly among the Sikhs. For the soldiers who fought for Britain, and without whom there would have been no victory on the Western front, this was an unforgivable act of betrayal.

    Events before the massacre

    ————————————-

    The joint fight of Hindus and Muslims is one thing that the British feared the worst. On 9 April 1919, whole city celebrated Ram Navmi with a procession led by Dr Hafiz Mohd Bashir. It was for the first time that it was fronted by a Muslim. Deputy Commissioner Miles Irving sent a telegram to then Punjab Governor Gen Michael O’ Dwyer, saying “they have united” like in 1857 revolt. The ordinary Muslim and Hindu masses of North India were the prime movers and basic engine of the freedom struggle in 1857.

    The next day, police arrested DrSatyapal and DrKitchlew on April 10 morning, and packed them off to Dharamshala in Himachal. This led to a general strike in Amritsar. Excited groups of citizens soon merged together into a crowd of about 50,000 marching on to protest to the deputy commissioner against the deportation of the two leaders. Around a dozen people killed in police firing. As those killed were being carried back through the streets, an angry mob of people went on the rampage. Government offices and banks were attacked and damaged, and five Europeans were beaten to death.

    The crowd also attacked Miss Marcella Sherwood, an English missionary. This was an apparent trigger for the fanatic Irish governor Michael O’Dwyer to bring in Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer from Jalandhar, to restore order.

    The secret Inquisition

    —————————–

    What followed was a medieval times religious inquisition that used to exist only in Europe until 18th century. The infamous Irish jail superintendent in Andamans, David Barry, was also experimenting the same inquisition with the hapless prisoners in Cellular jail.

    On 12 April he issued an order prohibiting all meetings and gatherings. On 13 April which marked the Baisakhi festival, a large number of people, mostly Sikhs, had poured into the city from the surrounding villages for a meeting at 4.30 in the evening. Gen Dyer set out for the venue of the meeting with 50 riflemen and two armored cars with machine guns mounted on them. The army had sealed off all escape routes before gunning down people. There was no warning. They used up every single bullet they had even as the crowd had begun to disperse as soon as the firing began. Dyer directed them to aim and fire for maximum damage. Later, he said he would have used the machine guns had the two armoured cars been able to enter the garden.

    Dyer had tasted blood and realised that the more he humiliated the Indians, the more his stock rose with the British and there was no one to stop him.

    The shooting was followed by the proclamation of martial law in the Punjab that included public floggings and other humiliations. The martial law orders were meant to reinforce the low status of the natives. There was clampdown on all news going out of Punjab.

    General Dyer erected a flogging booth in the middle of the lane where Mrs Sherwood fell, manned by British troops to punish locals. Teenagers were given thirty whiplashes. There was no escape. They were fastened to the flogging post. Their families were asked to watch the flogging. One boy shrieked with pain: “Oh mother, I am dead. Oh sahib, leave me”.

    After visiting the missionary Sherwood, Colonel Dyer issued an order requiring every Indian man using that narrow Kucha Kaurianwala Street leading to the Bagh, to crawl its length on his hands and knees. Colonel Dyer later explained : “Some Indians crawl face downwards in front of their gods. I wanted them to know that a British woman is as sacred as a Hindu god and therefore they have to crawl in front of her too”.

    Similar punishments were meted out randomly in Lahore. The main bazaar and the villages surrounding the town of Gujranwala was subjected to aerial bombardment from the RAF.

    The number of people who were stripped, jailed, whipped, made to crawl, starved, etc. grew disproportionately larger. For six weeks or more, as long as martial law was imposed, the people of Punjab became slaves who had to accept every whim of their masters. Martial Law was imposed on April 16 and was in force in Amritsar up to June 9.

    Miss Marcella Sherwood later defended Colonel Dyer, describing him as the saviour of the Punjab.

    Very slowly the news of the massacre began to leak out. MK Gandhi initially was hesitant to act, but he soon began organizing his first large-scale and sustained nonviolent (satyagraha) and non-cooperation movement. The Khilafat movement turned violent with Malabar revolt in 1921. After the chauri chaura incident, Gandhi called off all protests. Even at Amritsar, in Dec 1919 after all the tragic events of the year, a resolution of loyalty to the emperor and of satisfaction on successful termination of War was passed. Admittedly, Gandhi was at the helm of affairs of Congress, at the time.

    Impact on freedom movement

    ——————————————

    The immediate result was that even those who were not much concerned also joined freedom struggle. The brutalities had only made the people’s determination stronger. The prisoners of the Andaman cellular jail also got some relief. The jail superintendent, David Barry, was asked to give up his inquisition. The savarkar brothers were shifted to prisons in the mainland.

    The incident gave a huge impetus to the freedom movement. The incident exposed the idea of a benevolent British rule as a myth. The only comparison is the Marichjhapi massacre of 1978-79 in West Bengal by the then communist government of Aam Admi.

    On the day of massacre a 20-year old orphan boy named Udham Singh was serving water to the people. He escaped death but the incident affected him deeply. Over the next 21 years, Lt Governor Dwyer retired and returned to Britain. In the meantime Udham Singh also grew up and managed to reach England. The savage governor O’Dwyer was later assassinated by Udham Singh in 1940. He did not attempt to flee. During the trail Udham Singh said he was proud of assassination, was convicted, and hanged to death.

    Such an inept handling of protesting mob was again seen during the Sabarimala festival season this year. The Kerala communist government dealt with the protesters by imposing the section 144 of IPC. The lackeys of the communist government in IAS,IPS behaved like the same monsters of the colonial Raj. The situation never went out of control due to the sensible handling by some police officers. Remember that CrPC 144 is used to disperse crowd even with firing squad. Sabarimala is the place that attracts huge crowd in batches.