MUSLIM LEAGUE MISCHIEF IN PUNJAB, 1947.

Date: 17 Mar 2008

Comment:

The making of Muslim League mischeif in the Punjab 

The riots of march 1946 started in Calcutta,then spread to Bihar, where a 
very large number of muslims were killed.This news reached the Punjab and other 
parts of NWFA and Sarhadi Suba.Passions were running high, and the muslim 
league was further igniting these by spreading rumours and unfounded  stories.

By February 1947, the Muslim league in the Punjab started to challenge the 
Unionist government of Sir Khijar Hayat Tiwana by demonstrations and mass 
protests and hurling pro pakistan slogans, but anti Congress / indian,anti 
Sikh and anti slogans in the streets of Lahore..Lyalpur,Peshawar, Amritsar and 
other major towns.

The Western districts of Punjab, west of Amritsar in the north and Abohar - 
fazilka in the South were heavily muslim populated, with hindus and Sikhs 
in the minorities.The central districts Like Ferzepore, Ludhiana, and central 
Punjab were habited by Sikhs largely in substantial numbers, with only 
Ludhiana there was a over all Sikh majority.The eastern punjab south to where 
today it is Hariana was predominately hindu.

In the whole Punjab, while the muslims formed 56 % the combined Punjab 
population,the hindus and Sikhs combined were not a minscule minority but a 
substantial 46% of the population.

It was after one such street protest by the ML that Master Tara Singh met 
with the Sikh members of the state legislative Assembly, where he declared 
Pakistan Muradabad.This inflamed the situation, as well as the unionist 
government collapsed, and Sikhs in the west became prime targets of Muslim league 
goondas.

Although there was restlessness already on going, there had been no open 
attacks upon the hindus and Sikhs.However, in the on going atmosphere, many 
sikhs and hindus in the western districts had moved their home and families to 
safety of the Eastern Punjab.But a larger number, decided to wait it out and 
see what happens.

One of the first attacks upon the Sikhs started in the district of 
Rawalpindi and Rawalpindi rail station where Sikhs queing for tickets were 
stabbed.This escalated to the streets, where ever a Sikh came into sight on his own.

Rawalpindi was the smallest of districts of the North west India.The river 
Jhelum ran on its eatern side separating it from kashmir.It is largely a hilly 
area, and it was also known as Pathohar.Two rivers, Suan and Kanshi flow 
through this region.

There were four sub districts or tehsils known as Muree, Kahuta, Rawalpindi 
and Gujarkhan.Muree fell within the district of Hazara and is located at one 
end near to Kashmir.

Along the Jhelum river was another hilly tract known as Kahuta.

The whole area was about 2022 square miles, and there were 1166 villages 
within the Rawalpindi district.According to the 19941 census the total 
population was 785,231.Out of these the Muslims wer an overwhelming majority numbering 
611,128.The Sikhs numbered 64, 127 and the rest were hindus at 109,976.

As soon as the unionist Government collapsed in march 1947 attacks started 
openly upon Sikhs in Rawalpindi, Attock and Multan, By mid march 1947,the 
whole area was declared as Disturbed Area by the administration.The police gained 
extra powers.Nehru tioured the area as head of the interim government at 
Delhi.He condemed the atrocities and said he has seen humans acting like 
animals.Moutbatten in his secret report wrote that the hindu Sikh population of 
Kahuta is almost completely wiped out.It looks like these atrocities were 
committed from the air.

By now dozens more areas in the region were affected, where there was 
destruction upon Sikh - Hindu lives and properties.Some of the villages and small 
towns were Thoha Khalsa, Sayed,Kahuta, Bhagpur, Beval, Rihaal, Panj Graa'n, 
Sihala, Basali, Charnaal, Usman Khatter. Laitgarh bala Ji,Kahangarh,Kori baba 
Bhag Singh,Chohaan Bhagta Khalsa,Wahali, Addiyala, Nara, Mandhra and others.


In Toha Khalsa, one sucg story tells of Sikh women jumping into the wells in 
their hundereds to save their honour and not fall into enemy hands, as the 
Sikh men and able bodies put up a defence around in a circle to fight the 
enemy. This village lies in Paothar,a place blessed by the Sikhi of Guru Gobind 
Singh ji.This place had the privilege of producing a number of well entities 
of sikh parchar.Sant Atter Singh Ji Mastuana meditated in this area for a 
long time. Thaker baba Nihal Singh Ji Puran Brahm Giani blessed with his 
presence.It was also the place where The utmost respectful and holy Baba Khem Singh 
ji planted the ever green seeds of Guru Sikhi, that saw pewople in their 
thousands take amritpaan and become Sikh.Other famous sikh personalities and 
Sikh sants too originated from here.

Thoha khalsa is known as an historic strong hold of Sikh Sardars in 
Pathohar, and holds an inportant place in the history of Sikhs and pathohar.It is 
said Sardar Karam Singh sat up this village of thoha Khalsa and people of all 
religions came to settle here.The parchar of Sikhi made such an impression 
here that it is said whole tribes and villages of brahmins turned to become 
Singhs after amritpaan.

Thoha Khalsa was sat in a beautiful ever green valley.It was a beautiful 
village populated densely by Sikhs with about 600 hundered homes.To the east and 
west of the vilage were muslim homes.The village had been peaceful and never 
a sectarian issue arose.

But this all changed in march 1947.There was a change in the air noted by 
the people.Muslims were behaving oddly.Many were wearing relic Koran pieces on 
their the necks and appearing cold towards the Sikhs.

Another village of Sikhs nearby called Kohmari had been sat on fire by the 
muslim league goondas.According to Sant Gulab Singh, who escaped, the Sikhs 
only realised when the muslims had surrounded the tehsil of Kahuta, that the 
situation was not safe any longer for Sikhs and Hindus.All roads leading out of 
Thoha Khalsa were blaocked by the fanatical enemy.They were cut off the rest 
of the world.They could only see flames from distances as villages were 
burnet and sat on fire.They found out that a company of british police had been 
turned back by the muslim tehsil daar who claimed there was peace and no 
issues in the area.When a Sikh Sr Bhagat Singh tried to point out the hils and 
mountains were full of muslim raiders, the tehsildaar tried to get Bhagat Singh 
shot..


The Sikhs decided to gather in the Village Gurduara.It was decide only Guru 
ji could now help them.It was also decided that instead of living in their 
own homes , they would collect at Sant Gulab Singh's home and fortify the 
surrounding area into an enclosure for safety.Almost 1300 Sikhs and Hindus 
collected including children and the old.Water and other essentials was collected 
.All 36 Birs of Guru Granth sahib in the village were collected and stored in 
a safe place.Sentries were posted around the fortified enclosure.The langger 
started.

On the 8th of march, 1947, as the Rehraas sahib was being conducted , it was 
noted thousands upon thousands of muslims strated arriving from the 
direction of Kahuta, shouting Muslim league Jindabad, Allah hoo Akbar,and kill the 
kafirs.There must have been easily over 10,000 people in the muslim crowds, 
carrying axes, spears,and talwaars.There were some horsemen, leading them.Some 
were also swearing foul against Master Tara Singh Ji.The msulsim of pathohar 
too had served in the army and many had their own firearms too.

We the Sikhs among whom there were also youngmen did ardas and let off Sat 
Sri Akal jaikaras in return.

Inside the enclosure there was chanting of Waheguru ..Waheguru from aomong 
the children and women and old.

The muslims gathered at the school and started setting some buildings on 
fire near by.They also used home made bombs.AS a group of them advanced from one 
side towards the Sikhs, they got one Sr Darshan Singh, to take attackers 
on with his firearm.He kept them at bay single handedly killing many of 
them.By now it was 10pm.But some of them were on high ground, kept their fire upon 
the Sikhs.

The next day the muslims started again to attack.satting fire to homes and 
factories near by.Some young Sikhs felt that instead of keeping within the 
enclosure, an attack be made upon them and chased away.

Ar Partap Singh took out a jatha of ten Sikh youth, armed with kirpans and 
some rifles and fell upon the enemy.Even though the goondas had sten guns and 
other home made rifles, they did not stand up to the Sikh jatha , they 
started running back. but as they ran some one managed to shoot Sr Partap Singh 
in the leg.he was taken back into safety of the enclosure.Like wise a second 
day passed.

The third day too passed with skirmishes as they advanced nearer and started 
looting some homes.The Sikhs stood their ground.By now they had the news 
that the Sikhs in the village of Nara has been burnt down and large massacre had 
taken place with Sikhs fighting to the last man and woemn jumping into wells 
to save themselves.

By the fourth day thousands more arrived to surround the Sikhs.It also 
became apparent that many of these were Pathans as well, who had been sent by the 
muslim league to wipe out the Sikhs.

The Sikhs consulted and did an ardaas.They decided to move out and collected 
at the sarowar of tyhe Gurduara.the men formed a circle, with children nd 
women inside, path was starte das thousadns of muslim now numbering over twenty 
thousand attacked....young gilrs were put to end by the kirpans held by 
mothers, young children jumped into wells nearby.As the wells filled up, more 
were put to end with utterance of waheguru wahguru with kirpans.Whole families 
refused to accept conversions, but chose to die with their faith intact.The 
scene was very grostque as childen and yioung ladies qued willingly.The whole 
ground swelled wet with red blood..a stream ran down into the sarowe..by now 
looking a stream ...and slowly chnaging the water into red through the large 
pool.In some places the muslims broke through and reached the women, who by now 
wiith thgeir swords turned upon the goondas killing them and fighting back 
through to the spirit of mata Bhago and as daughters of Gur Gobind Singh ji.In 
between ensuring any one comming forward from among their sisters to end 
their life was ....helped on.As these scenes raged, Sikh men raced to their 
rescue and fell upon now streaming hordes of the enemy.The Sikhs repating this 
time what the Sikh women had done.putting their sisters wives and mothers to 
the sword of the khalsa rather then the enemy triumphing in getting hold of 
them.The stream running the Sikh blood was now mixed by the flow of muslim 
murderous goondas.For a whole day the tired and worn out Sikhs fought with 
valour and by the evening, the murderous goondas with drew warning the Sikhs 
that they would be put to death should they not accept Islam by morning.

However by morning a militrary truck arrived to rescue the Sikhs.Sant GUlab 
Singh went along with the officers and identified Sikh bodies and cremated 
them.Tears rolled down his eyes and emotions were so overwhenlming,, that only 
way he could console himself and the few surviving Sikhs was to loudly sing 
...

Shin me rau rank kau karyii rau rank kar darre
Reete bhare Bhare Sakhnave yeh ta ko bevhare ...

After the cremations...first the surviving females and children wetre 
evacuated, then the men.About 400 survived, some of them stayed back with army 
escort and went back to the village to cremate the Sikhs that were killed 
there.Collected any surviving Guru Granth sahibs and evacuated all to the safety 
of the refugee camp at Rawalpindi.

From there they collected more Sikhs and returned with police escort and 
sealed the wells where hundereds had jumped, rather than fall into the hands of 
the enemy.

This was the start and end of one such story of the begining of killings of 
Sikhs in the west punjab.

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