partition and creation of nation states...

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CHAPTER - 3

PARTITION AND CREATION OF NATION

STATES – 1947 TO 1950 INCEPTION OF THE PROCESS OF PARTITION:

After the Second World War was over (1939-45), the Imperial

Government realized that the colonial rule in India could no longer be

sustained. The Indian nationalists were vehemently opposing its contribution

and international opinion was also no more in favour of colonization. True to

its pledge, the newly elected Labour Government responded to the situation in

a very different way. Illustrative to their commitment, on 20 February, 1947,

where Clement Attlee, the British Prime Minister, declared that ‘His

Majesty’s Government wish to make it clear that it is their definite intention

to take necessary steps to effect the transference of power to responsible

Indian hands by a date not later than June, 1948.’1

His Majesty’s Government

had anticipated that it would not be possible for the both the Muslim League

and the Congress leadership to cooperate in the working out of the Cabinet

Mission’s Plan of 16 May, 1946 and evolve for Indian a Constitution

acceptable to all concerned but this hope had not been fulfilled.

Accordingly, Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, was entrusted with all

powers to devise an appropriate scheme to settle the Indian question. It was a

difficult task. Nonetheless, the Viceroy convinced both the Muslim League

1 India Office Records (IOR), R/3/1/157. Attlee’s Statement in the House of Commons, 20 February

1947.

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82

and the Congress Leadership to agree to the partition of Bengal and Punjab

and also assured completion of the process by August 1947, instead of June

1948, as decided earlier.2

It was against this background that Mountbatten

prepared a plan which was evolved at every stage by a process of open

diplomacy with leaders.3

Harping on the pledge of the Attlee Government to

withdraw from the subcontinent, the June Plan, as it came to be known,

elaborated the process as follows:

“For the immediate purpose of deciding on the issue of partition, the

members of the Legislative Assemblies of Bengal and Punjab will sit in two

parts according to Muslim majority districts and non-Muslim majority

districts. This is the only preliminary step of a purely temporary nature as it is

evident that for the purposes of or final partition of these provinces as detailed

investigation of boundary questions will be needed; and as soon as decision

involving partition has been taken for their province, a boundary commission

will be set up by the Governor-General. The members and terms of reference

of which will be settled in consultation with those concerned. It will be

instructed to demarcate the boundaries of the two parts of Punjab on the basis

of ascertaining the contiguous majority areas of Muslims and non-Muslim. It

will also be instructed to demarcate the boundaries of the two parts of the

Punjab on the basis of ascertaining the contiguous majority areas of Muslims

and Non-Muslims. Similar instructions will be given to the Bengal Boundary

2 Hodson, H.V., The Great Divide, Britain-India-Pakistan, Hutchinson, London, 1969, p. 13. 3 Mountbatten made this remark in his press statement on 3 June 1947. Quoted in Hodson 1969, p.

204.

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Commission. Until the report of the Boundary Commission has been put into

effect, the provisional boundaries indicated in the Appendix will be used”.4

Thus the plan made provision for the constitution of two Boundary

Commissions – one for the Punjab and the other for Bengal and if necessary

for Assam. At any point of the award not being executed before the transfer

of power to the Government of Pakistan in August 1947, the plan allowed for

‘the National Partition’ of the provinces of Bengal and the Punjab purely on

the basis of demographic composition of the provinces. It further emphasized

that the Commissions ‘shall be under non circumstances be conditioned by

the provincial boundaries and instead look into the matter afresh’.5

Accordingly to Mountbatten’s statement, the provincial Legislative

Assemblies of Bengal and Punjab would ‘meet in two parts, one representing

the Muslim-majority districts and the other the rest of the Province’ to decide

‘whether of not the Province should be partitioned’.6

THE FORMATION OF THE BENGAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION:

An official announcement was made on 30 June, 1947 where the

Governor-General declared the composition of the two Boundary

Commissions, one for Bengal and the other for the Punjab. The Bengal

Boundary Commission was also entrusted with the task of drawing a

4 IOR, R/3/1/157, statement by His Majesty’s government, 3 June 1947, Partition Proceeding I,

Government of India Press, New Delhi, 1949, p. 2 (reproduced in Menon 1993: 204). 5 The Statesman, Calcutta, 8 June 1947. 6 IOR, R/3/1/157, statement by His Majesty’s Government, 3 June 1947.

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boundary between East Bengal and Assam.7

Cyril Radcliff8

was appointed

Chairman of both the Boundary Commissions, to decide the frontiers and

chalked out the boundaries in just seven weeks. Radcliff who as an unknown

entity, neither an Indian Administrative Officer nor a person with prior

experience in adjudicating disputes of this type, whose credentials as an

eminent British Jurist were involved to compensate for his lack of knowledge

and experience of the sub-continent.9

On his arrival in Delhi on 8 July, 1947,

he finalized the terms of reference for the task in consultation with

Mountbatten and Claude Auckinleck (the Commander-in-Chief), the

Congress and the Muslim League leaders. In a meeting held on 10 July, 1947

it was agreed unanimously that the final report was to be submitted at the

latest by 15 August, 1947 – less than a month after Radcliff assumed

responsibility. In response to a discussion on the question of the importance

of ‘natural features’ in the demarcation of boundaries, Radcliff pointed that it

would be wrong to ‘draw the boundaries on the basis of natural features

(since) rivers which may appear to form suitable natural boundaries

frequently change their courses and so will not provide fixed boundaries.10

It

was henceforth decided that no directive in addition to the terms of reference

7 IOR, R/3/1/257, Mountbatten’s announcement of 30 June 1947 the statesman, 1 July 1947. 8 Cyril Radcliffe accepted the Chairmanship of the Boundary Commission on the following terms: (1)

salary 5000pounds sterling a year tax-free allowances of 200 pounds sterling; (2) suitable

accommodation without expense; (3) free travel for Mrs. Radcliffe; and (4) a competent personal

assistant-cum-secretary. IOR, R/3/1/257, Secretary of State to the Viceroy, 2 July 1947. 9 Hasan, Mushirul (ed.), Inventing Boundaries: Gender, Politics and the Position of India, Oxford

University Press, New Delhi, 2000, p. 16. 10 Partition proceedings: Reports of the members and awards to the chairman of the boundary

commission, Government of India Press, New Delhi, 1949, vol. IV, p. 146.

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should be given to he Commission that would be supreme in interpreting the

terms of reference.11

Even the Commission had members to help the

Chairman, it was virtually Radcliff who dictated the terms of reference and

decisions were taken accordingly. In fact Radcliff, in his discussion with

those involved in the Punjab Boundary Commission described the awards as

the recommendation of the Chairman of the Commissions, which would

finally be sent to the Viceroy.12

PROCEEDING OF THE BENGAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION:

The Commission was assigned with a daunting task ‘to demarcate the

boundaries of the two parts (of the province) on the basis of ascertaining

contiguous majority areas of Muslims and Non-Muslims; while taking into

account ‘other factors’.13

In fact, it was not a cause of anxiety for the Commission to

differentiate between Muslims and Non-Muslims majority districts as in

Bengal in 1941 census demonstrates, there were only two groups of districts.

These were the indisputably Non-Muslims majority areas of Midnapore,

Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah and Burdwan and the Musli-majority areas of

Chittagong, Noakhali, Tippera, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Pabna and Bogra.

Besides this, Calcutta was subject to contention and rival claims.14

11 IOR, L/PO/433, Viceroy’s Fortnightly Report to the secretary of state, 16 August 1947. 12 The Statesman, Calcutta, 23 and 24 July 1947. 13 “Statement by His Majesty’s Government, 3 June 1947” quoted in N. Mansergh, E.W.R. Lumby &

E.P. Moon (ed.), “The transfer of power, 1940-47”, vol-I, HMSO, London, 1970. 14 Menon, V.P., The Transfer of Power in India, Orient Longman, Hyderabad, 1993 (reprint), p. 407.

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The first meeting of the Bengal Boundary Commission was held on 16

July, 1947 at the Belvedere Palace, Calcutta. In order to complete the task

within the stipulated time, the first step the Commission initiated was to invite

memorandum and representations from the leading parties stating their views

on the demarcation of boundaries by 15 July. The Commission also organized

series of public meeting for a week between 16 to 24 July in which arguments

were made to defend the claims and the counter claims of the key players of

the Congress and the League. With regard to the district of Sylhet where the

referendum was scheduled to be held on 6-7 July 1947.15

On 4-6 August, 1947

the Commission had open declarations in which the representatives of the

major political parties defend their respective claims on Sylhet despite a clear

verdict for joining East Bengal; Table-3.1 shown, the voting patter in

referendum held on 6 – 7 July 1947.

Table 3.1

Voting pattern in referendum held on 5 – 7 July, 1947

Name of

Subdivision

Total

Muslim

electorate

Total

general

electorate

Votes cast

for East

Bengal

Votes cast

for Assam

Sadar 92268 48863 68381 38817

Karimganj 54022 46221 41262 40536

Habibganj 75274 60252 54543 36952

South Syllhet 38297 41427 31718 33471

Susnamganj 51846 39045 43715 34211

Total 311709 235808 239619 184041 Source: 10R, R/3/1/158, File No. 1446/20/GG/143– Referendum in Sylhet. Telegram from

the Governor of Assam to the Viceroy, 12 July 1947.

15 The outcome of the referendum held on 6-7 July was in favour of joining East Bengal by a majority

of 55,578 votes (239619 votes were cast in favour of joining East Bengal while 1,84,041 votes for

remaining in Assam).

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THE SYLHET REFERENDUM AND THE PARTITION:

Louis Mountbatten’s 3 June 1947 Statement was a watershed in the

history of India’s emergence as a free nation. Apart from the partition of

Bengal and Punjab, the 3 June, 1947 Statement also suggested a referendum

in the North-West Frontier Province and in Sylhet, a district in Assam. But

Sylhet was located in Assam, which was predominantly a non-Muslim

province. Hence the Viceroy in his 3 June Statement, forcefully argued that –

“Though Assam is predominantly a non-Muslim province, the district

of Sylhet which is contiguous to Bengal in predominantly .The rest of the

Assam province will in any case continue to remain in India.”16

SYLHET: A PROFILE:

Located in Assam, a north-eastern province in India, Sylhet (Srihatta

in the vernacular) was ‘a broad level valley bounder on either side by hills of

considerable height it is bounded on the north by Khasi and Jaintia Hills, on

the east by Cachar on the south by the State of Hill Tippera and on the west

by the district o Tippera and Mymensingh’.17

Table 3.2 shown, the district

was divided into five sub-divisions and each sub-divisions had several Thana

as within the administrative jurisdiction.

16 IOR, R/3/1/158, 3 June statement 1947. 17 Allen, B.C., District Gazetteers, Vol. II (Sylhet) Caledonian steam Printing Networks, Calcutta,

1905, p. 1.

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Table – 3.2

Subdivision of Sylhet

Subdivisions Thanas

Sunamganj Tahirpur, Sachna, Dharampasha, Dirai, Sunamganj,

Jagannathpur, Chhatak, Sulle.

Habiganj Almiriganj, Nabiganj, Baniyachung, Lakhai, Madhavpur,

Habiganj, Bahubal, Chunarighat

North Sylhet Gosainghat, Jaintapur, Kanairghat, Sylhet, Biswanath,

Balaganj, Gopalganj, Frenchuganj

South Sylhet

(Maulavi Bazar)

Maulavi Bazar, Srimangal, Kamalganj, Raj Nagar, Kulara

Karimganj Karimganj, Beani Bazar, Barlekha, Pathar Kandi, Ratha

Bari, Badarpur

Source: Census of India, Vol. XI, Assam, Government of India Press, 1943, pp. 2-3.

DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION:

Muslims constituted a majority in Sylhet. Out of the total population

of 30,41,631 Muslims were 18,92,117 General Hindus were 7,85,004 and

Scheduled Castes were 2,67,510.18

In short, Muslims constituted 60 per cent

while Hindus were 38 per cent of the total population of the district. Muslims

constituted an overwhelming majority of 67 per cent in the North Sylhet Sub-

division, ‘which was the first portion of the district to come to the Muslim

possession.’19

South Sylhet and Karimganj came less under the influence of

18 The census of India, Vol. IX, 1941, Assam, pp. 38-41. 19 Allen, B.C., District Gazetteers, Vol. II (Sylhet) op. it., p. 79.

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the Muslim faith and for many years ‘were probably dominated by the Hindu

Kingdom of Tippera’.20

PREPARATION FOR THE REFERENDUM:

It was decided on 21 June, 1947 to hold the referendum on 6 and 7 of

July 1947. In a meting of the District Officers, convened to decide dates, it

was pointed out that the dates in the first fortnight of July were to be avoided

due to the monsoon causing sever flooding almost every year in the district.

Hence, it would be better to change the dates to the second half of July,

otherwise people in the interior of the District were likely to be prevented

from exercising their rights.21

Attended of the meeting were convinced of the

adverse affect of flood and were willing to consider alternative dates to enable

most of the people in the district to defend their democratic rights. However,

H. C. Stock (the Secretary, Legislative Department, Government of Assam) as

the Referendum Commissioner argued that as the date of final withdrawal

from India was announced so no negotiation of dates was possible. The

Assam Governor, who realized the difficult of mobility during the flood, but

helpless as the Viceroy was committed to ‘freedom’ by 15 August. If the

decision on Sylhet was delayed, it would undoubtedly ‘upset the entire plan’

and the British Government was not willing to endorse it.22

Thus, the

referendum was held on 6 and 7 July. The outcome was favourable to those

20 Idem. 21 NAI (National Archives of India), Home Poll (Confidential), I.C. 69/47-II, report of the meeting,

held on 19 June 1947, in which the deputy commissioner of Sylhet, the Superintendent of Police and

officers in charge of the subdivisions participated. 22 IOR, R/3/1/158, The Governor of Assam to G.E.B. Abell, the Private Secretary to the Viceroy, 22

June 1947.

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90

demanding the amalgamation of Sylhet with East Bengal. The valid votes

case in the referendum 2,39,619 (56.6 per cent) were in favour for Sylhet’s

amalgamation with Pakistan and only 1,84,041 (43.4 per cent) in favour of an

individual Assam in India. The result was not astonishing, as it was almost

anticipated by virtue of the demographic composition of the district’s

population.23

As the Table 3.1 shown the detail figure of the result of Sylhet

Referendum, 6-7 July, 1947.

SEPARATION OF ASSAM:

Keeping in mind the Referendum results, the Viceroy recommended

the transfer of the entire District of Sylhet to East Pakistan except three

Thanas of Badarpur (47 square miles), Ratabari (240 square miles),

Patharkandi (277 square miles) and a portion of Karimganj Thana (145 square

miles). These three thanas with a total area of 709 square miles and a

population of 23 million were retained in the District of Cachar in Assam.24

As a result of the Radcliffe Award, Assam had undergone radical changes.

Though Assam lost a negligible area of only one-eighteenth of its existing

area yet it had lost nearly one third of its population and along with it the vast

paddy lands and the tea, lime and cement industries of Sylhet. Besides these,

Assam’s topographical distinctiveness had been affected. With the

amalgamation of Sylhet with Pakistan, the major portion of the Surma Valley

23 IOR, R/3/1/158, Mountbatten to Nehru, 13 July 1947. 24 IOR, R/3/1/157, The government Notification of August 1947. This was third time Sylhet was

divide since 1847. the district was metaphorically described as ‘The golden calf’ sacrificed in 1874

‘at the alter of the idol, called the province partition was revoked and finally in 1947 when the

referendum was in its, favour (see bar 1997: 33). The expression ‘Golden calf’ is however borrowed

from the Indian Statutory Commission Report, Vol. XV, p. 321.

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ceased to be past or Assam. Only a remnant of Sylhet earlier natural division,

namely the Catcher District as now constituted by including the new truncated

subdivision of Karimganj with Thanas of Patharkandi, Ratabari and Badarpur

and a portion of Karimganj Thana, remained in the divided Assam.25

CONSEQUENCE OF THE SYLHET REFERENDUM:

The Sylhet referendum was virtually a vote on the twin issues of the

reorganization of India on a communal basis and of Assam on a linguistic

basis. As it was appeared, the Hindus who had for decades agitated for

amalgamation with Bengal, voted to remain in Assam, while the Muslims

who had opposed the division of Assam till 1928, supported the partition.

Apart from the ethnic division between the Bengalis and Assamese

significantly influenced the processes to the separation of Sylhet. Thus it was

not surprising when Bardoloi, in his discussion with the Cabinet Mission,

expressed his desire to ‘hand over Sylhet to Eastern Bengal’.26

During the

referendum ‘the Congress control was so correctly exercised that it hardly

provided any advantage to the local Congress and its campaign to with the

referendum.27

The Assamese were not at stake in the separation of Sylhet.

Therefore, the result of the referendum extended the Assamese leadership

with a great opportunity to get rid of Sylhet and to carve out ‘a linguistically

more homogeneous province.’28

25 The Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part –I (Report). 26 Moon, P., Divide and Quit, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1998, p. 234. 27 Guha, Amalender, Planter Raj to Swaraj People’s Publishing House, New Delhi, 1977. p. 319. 28 Kar, M., Muslims in Assam Politics, Vikas, New Delhi, 1997, p. 49.

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IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS:

Question of Foreign-Born People:

Following the partition of the country, the question of foreign-born

nationals got the provenience. People born in foreign countries and censused

in Assam numbered 8,94,607.29

Following Table 3.3 gives its break up for

some important countries:-

Table 3.3

Number of people in Assam, born in foreign countries

Countries Number of people

Pakistan 8,33,288

Nepal 56,572

Burma 3,296

China 378

Afghanistan 131

Ceylon 34

Bhutan 378

Countries in Europe 1,540

Countries in Africa 15

America 153

Australia 41

Total 8,94,607

Source: Census of India 1951, Vol. XII: Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part I-A: Report P 71.

This table indicates that only two countries are significant from the

immigration point of view viz. Pakistan 8,33,288 and Nepal 56,572. Out of

8,33,288 persons hailed from Pakistan, the vast majority of 7,96,000

29 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part-V-A (Report), p. 71.

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93

(4,45,000 males and 3,51,00 females) were enumerated in the Assam Plains

Division and meager 37,000 (20,000 males and 17,000 females) enumerated

in the Assam Hills Division. This enormous figure of 833 thousand includes

the large number of refugees born in Pakistan, who have recently migrated to

Assam during the partition. Their number in Assam in 2,74,000 (1,50,000

males and 124 females) out of which 2,66,000 (1,42,000 males and 1,18,000

females) were in the Assam Plains Division and 1400 (8000 males and 6000

females) were enumerated in the Assam Hills Divisions. Subtracting the

number of refugees from the total number, we get the huge total of 5,59,000

(3,15,000 males and 2,44,000 females) who were non-refugee immigrants

from Pakistan. Out of which, 5,36,000 (3,04,000 males and 2,32,000

females) were in the Assam Plains and 23000 (12000 males and 11000

females were enumerated in the Assam Hill Division.30

Table 3.4 shows

detail figure of the persons hails from Pakistan both refugees and non-

refugees with their break-up and enumerated in the district of Assam in 1951.

30 Ibid, p. 74.

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94

Table 3.4

Person born in Pakistan – both refugees and non-refugees with their sex break-up and enumerated

in the districts of Assam, Manipur and Tripura in 1951 (000’s omitted)

State, Natural Division and Districts

Pakistan Non-Refugees Refugees

Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ASSAM STATE 833 465 368 599 315 244 274 150 124

Assam Plans 796 445 351 536 304 232 260 142 118

Cachar

Golpara

Kamrup

Darang

Nowgong

Sibsagar

Lakhimpur

130

136

186

84

173

26

61

70

78

106

44

98

15

34

60

58

80

40

75

11

27

37

91

143

65

135

19

47

20

53

82

34

77

11

26

17

38

61

31

58

8

21

93

45

43

19

38

7

14

50

25

24

10

21

4

8

43

20

19

9

17

3

6

Assam Hills 37 20 17 23 12 11 14 8 6

United K. & J. Hills

Naga Hills

Lushai Hills

Garo Hills

United M. & N.C Hills

Mishmi Hills

16

1

7

8

4

1

9

1

3

4

2

1

7

…

4

4

2

…

10

1

6

3

2

1

6

1

2

1

1

1

4

…

4

2

1

…

6

…

1

5

2

…

3

…

1

3

1

…

3

…

…

2

1

…

MANIPUR STATE 1 1 … … … … 1 1 …

TRIPURA STATE 210 108 102 109 54 55 101 54 49

Source: Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A: Report, p. 74.

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95

INFLUX OF REFUGEES:

The Hindus constituted the biggest migration stream or the refuges

from Pakistan into Assam in mid twentieth century. The first influx in any

substantial number was in October, 1946, immediately following the

Noakhali Riots. This riot led to as many as 6,860 persons had come over to

India largely from Noakhali by the end of 1946. The stream of refugees

declined after March 1947 reaching the all time low figure of 844 in May

1947. Soon after the Sylhet Referendum and the partition of Assam which

accelerated its peace. In the month of August 1947 alone as many as 12,297

persons came away followed by 6,348 in September and 4,409 in October

1947. This trend continued in every month thereafter not below 2000 persons

till October, 1948. The Assam Railway was manned mostly by Hindu

refugees from East Bengal and estimate made late in 1948 stated that about

50,000 old refugees were then staying in the main railway colonies of Assam.

An official census was taken of refugees in Assam in July 1949, which

revealed that there were 24,600 families of refugees in Assam consisting of

about 1,14,500 persons. About 60,000 out of this number were censured in

Cachar alone under the supervision and direction of the then Deputy

Commissioner of Cachar. In 1947 and 1948 the refugees came in at the rate

of 42,000 slash down to 33,000 in 1949. But the communal disturbances in

East Pakistan in early 1950 resulted in the sharp increase of the refugee

influx. Nearly 9,500 in January and 14,000 in February, 1950 reaching the all

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96

time high record of 48,857 in March and 32,359 in April 1950. There were

the two crucial months in which over 80,000 refugees out of a total 2,74,455

came into Assam.31

Table 3.5 gives the refugees/displaced persons by year of

their arrival into Assam.

SYSTEM OF REGISTRATION:

There was no system of registration of displaced persons till the arrival of

“new” refugees in 1950. During the beginning period of the influx of

refugees, there were border camps in all districts through which all incoming

refugees were expected to pass and where there were arrangements for their

registration as well as for the issue of refugee certificates, with the gradual

closing down of these camps there were no effective organization to register

these refugees and the State Government, henceforth, decided in September,

1950 that all unregistered “new” refugees should be registered as early as

possible. The last date of registration as originally fixed was 15 October,

1950. This was extended from time to time to 31 July, 1951. The original

instructions which covered registration of ‘new’ refugees only were later

modified to include ‘old’ refugees also.32

In the district of Cachar, registration

of refugees upto the end of July, 1950 were 19,048 families, i.e. 95,240

persons, 5 persons in a family on an average. As there were several complaint

regarding the refugees who had been left unregistered.

31 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 359. 32 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 360.

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Table 3.5

Displaced Persons by year of Arrival

State and Districts

Displaced persons from the East Pakistan

1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951

M.

17

F.

18

M.

19

F.

20

M.

21

F.

22

M.

23

F.

24

M.

25

F.

26

M.

27

F.

28

1.2 Eastern Himalayan Sub-Region –

Assam 3842 3018 23353 18993 23325 18415 18100 15038 77969 66543 2283 1196

1.21 Assam Plains Division 3590 2871 21997 17997 22257 17329 17643 14648 73567 62792 2218 1141

1. Cachar

2. Goalpara

3. Kamrup

4. Darrang

5. Nowgong

6. Sibsagar

7. Lakhimpur

1.22 Assam Hills Division

8. United Khasi and Jaintia Hills

9. Naga Hills

10. Lushai Hills

11. Garo Hills

12. United Mikir-North Cachar Hills

13. Mishmi Hills

14. Abor Hills

15. Tirap Frontier Tract

16. Balipara Frontier Tract

17. Naga Tribal Area

1.23 Manipur

1.24 Tripura

797

227

714

94

1055

199

504

252

185

4

15

9

34

5

…

…

…

…

11

1759

531

217

528

90

908

131

466

147

96

5

2

…

37

13

…

…

…

…

13

1558

5644

1760

6695

1028

3952

832

2086

1356

481

82

176

255

325

29

1

7

…

…

114

4233

4476

1297

5500

1023

3285

659

1757

996

393

71

167

24

319

13

…

9

…

…

83

3891

7655

3616

3063

1567

4253

581

1522

1068

325

73

100

320

220

27

1

2

…

…

61

4964

5814

2874

2349

1289

3502

426

1084

1086

279

45

76

481

188

13

…

4

…

…

46

4590

4555

2594

3210

1506

3924

764

1090

457

197

1

72

76

80

19

2

3

1

…

69

5701

3301

2457

2621

1393

3287

658

931

390

146

2

68

66

78

23

…

7

…

…

37

4874

31301

15772

9374

5868

7520

1752

1980

4402

1843

20

27

2035

357

109

5

6

…

…

290

36084

28389

13176

7428

4560

6282

1289

1668

3751

1657

13

20

1685

282

82

5

7

…

…

279

31067

461

533

466

206

326

56

170

65

31

2

…

24

8

…

…

…

…

…

3

817

212

221

252

111

239

22

84

55

13

…

…

36

5

…

…

1

…

…

6

1279

Source: The Census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-II-A (Table), D-V(i) – Displaced Persons by year of arrival, pp. 137-138.

Chapter - 3

98

Therefore, the date of registration was extended by the State

Government upto July, 1951. The applications for the issue of certificates

numbered to about 20,000.33

Table 3.6 shows the figure of displaced persons upto 30 June, 1951.

These figures do not include the District of Cachar.

Table 3.6

Displaced Persons

S. No. Displaced persons Numbers of families

1 Number of applications received 41,007

2 Number of applications disposed of 19,548

3 Registration Cards issued to 17,938

4 Number of applications pending

disposed on 1st July, 1951

21,464

Source: This information made available by the Rehabilitation Authority of Assam, Cachar

and Tripura.

From the above discussion we can assume that inherent cause of this

enormous influx of Hindu refuges lies with Political instability i.e., after the

partition of India and the transformation of East Bengal into East Pakistan, all

most cent percent experienced Hindu officers class were replaced by minor

inexperienced Muslim officers, weakened the administration machinery

immensely and created a general feeling of insecurity and lack of confidence

in the bonafide minorities of the new state.34

In addition to this, minimizing of

prospects for Hindus in Government, administrative services, in business and

33 Information made available by the rehabilitation authority of Assam, Cachar and Tripura”, The

census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 360. 34 The census of India 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur and Tripura, op. cit., p. 356.

Chapter - 3

99

trade in which controls depend largely on permit, licenses and Government

sympathy and encouragement, examples of petty types of fanaticism and

intolerant attitude towards other religious and the often repeated declaration

of the top ranking leaders of Pakistan that Pakistan would become a purely

Islamic State – an ideology enshrined in the Objective Resolution of the

Pakistan Constituent Assembly, caused an exodus of Hindu from Pakistan to

India.35

The Noakhali riote of 1946, the partition of 1947 and the consequent

emergence of a new Islamic state followed by the gruesome communal

disturbances our large areas of East Pakistan in 1950 led to the inevitable

result, “the desertion by hundreds and thousands of Hindus in East Pakistan of

their hearths and homes to seek shelter in the neighbouring districts of West

Bengal and Assam which ever were nearer. Their number at one time must

have exceeded 5 lakhs. The April agreement between the Prime Minister of

India and Pakistan brought back a sense of security among these terror-

stricken masses, as a result of which large numbers went back to Pakistan

their number as revealed by the census is 2,74,455”.36

From this political frivolity we can draw the following out line

conclusion that (i) practically offer the Nehru Liaquat Agreement in 8 April

1950 would be effective on minorities “to ensure throughout is territory

complete equality of citizenship, irrespective of religion a full sense of

35 Idem. 36 The Census of India 1951, Vol. XII., Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), pp. 356-357.

Chapter - 3

100

security in respect of life, culture, property and personal honour, freedom of

moment within each country and freedom of occupation, speech and worship,

subject to law and morality” to these terror-stricken masses, viz, Hindus who

replaced by Muslims in most of the official jobs shut down all the prospects in

business and trade for them, encouragement of fanaticism by the government,

intolerant attitude towards other religion frequent riots and declaration of

Pakistan as a Islamic state imbibed sheer feeling of insecurity and lack of

confidence in their mindset.

(ii) According the census report 1951, that refugee number which was at

one time exceeded 5 lakhs had been reduced to 2,74,455.37

On the country,

Rehabilitation authorities of Assam, Cachar and Tripura argued that these was

no system of registration of displaced persons till the arrival of “new”

refugees in 1950, in the initial period of this new trend of refugee influx there

were refugee camps along the border areas through which all incoming

refugees were expected to pass and arrangements were made for refugee

certificates with the gradual closing down of these camps, these was no

effective organisatoin to registrar displaced persons and henceforth, the state

government decided in September 1950 that all unregistered “new” displaced,

persons should be registered as early as possible.38

Moreover the census report

of 1951 said that the displaced persons who came upto late 1949 were

scattered themselves almost imperceptibly among the local residents

37 Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Selected Indo-Pakistan Agreements, New Delhi

1970, p. 8. 38 The Census of India 1951, Vol. XII., Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A (Report), p. 357.

Chapter - 3

101

especially of those areas which had predominantly Bengali population. In

such circumstances, it was quite impossible to ascertain the real member of

refugees who migrated to India.39

Therefore, we think that it would not be

appropriate to say that the Nehru Liaquat Agreement on 8 April, 1950 brought

back the sense of security among these terror-stricken Hindu Minorities led to

their returned back to East Pakistan in substantial number.

(iii). Even though we consider that the refugee number as revealed by the

census of India 1951, was 2,74,455 (1,50,148 males and 1,24,307 females).

Yet this figure indicates that a close approximation of their sex ratio which

gives only a slight preponderance of the permanent nature of this

immigration. So the question of return back of these Hindus to their land of

origin is paradoxal.

IMMIGRATION OF MUSLIMS FROM EAST BENGAL:

The Muslims considered to be the biggest non-refugees immigrants

from East Pakistan. Out of the total 8,33, 288 persons Pakistan born censured

in Assam, 5,58, 833 were declared as immigrants. “This member by and large

consists of land hungry elements of East Bengal, seeking refugee into Assam,

apart from an insignificant nember of those who come for purpose of trade,

commerce or miscellaneous sources of employment. A small element of

Hindus, especially of the Namashudra class, also forms part of the land

39 Ibid. p. 360.

Chapter - 3

102

hungry immigrants, yet an overwhelming majority of over 90 percent, if not

more consists of Muslims alone”.40

But in reality, the partition of 1947 followed by the series of events in

Assam such as (i) Amendment of the Assam land and revenue regulation,

1948, (ii) Immigration (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, (iii) Communal

incident in Assam, February – April 1950 (iv) National Register of Citizens,

1951.

For curving out this so call menace as Muslim immigration problem

the central government introduced a bill. The original title of the bill which

later came to be known as the Immigration (Expulsion from Assam) Act,

1950 passed in the Indian Parliament on 13 the February 1950, following an

earlier January Ordinance on similar line “Undesirable Immigrants (Expulsion

from Assam)”. The sole object of the bill was to confer necessary powers on

the central government to deal with the situation which has arisen from the

immigration of a very large member of East Bengali residents into Assam.

The Act provided for the removal of any immigrant persons, in Assam

excepting the displaced person, whose stay was detrimental to the interest of

the general public of India or of any scheduled tribe in Assam. It was effected

with proper caution and great discrimination. Cases tried under this Act did

not exceed a major three digital category.41

40 Ibid. p. 359. 41 Ibid, p. 78.

Chapter - 3

103

COMMUNAL INCIDENT IN ASSAM, FEBRUARY – APRIL 1950:

During the early years of the 1940’s, wide spread encroachments by

the Muslim immigrants on government lands, grazing and forest reserves

were allowed to happen during the regime of the Muslim League ministry,

when the Congress was bewildered due to its policy of non-cooperation with

the British Government against the war efforts . When the latter returned to

power in 1946 and began enforcing the revenue laws, precisely the eviction of

the unauthorized trespassers. This was vehemently criticised by a section of

the Muslim minority. Henceforth, the repercussions of the huge Muslim

immigrations on the social, political and economic life of Assam may will be

felt an important cause of the communal incidents in Assam in early 1950.42

THE NEPALI IMMIGRATIONS:

Another sizable stream of immigration is from Nepal. Those born in

Nepal and censuses in Assam in 1951 are 56,572 against 88,306 in 1931,

70,344 in 1921 and 47,654 in 1911 in the pre-partitioned Assam. 1941 date

are not available as these was no tabulation. Originally most of the Nepali

settlers were retired soldiers of Gurkhar Regiments and the rest of the

immigrants from Nepal were temporary or periodic visitors, buffalo grazers

and serving soldiers. Subsequently many took up land becoming cultivators

either in place of or in addition to grazing buffaloes and sailing milk and

ghee. The reasons reported for their leaving their country were (i) to get better

means of livelihood and (ii) to escape compulsory service or labour in

42 Idem.

Chapter - 3

104

Nepal.43

Table 3.7 which gives the number of persons born in Nepal and

enumerated in Assam and its natural divisions as well as some important

districts.

Table 3.7

Persons born in Nepal and enumerated in Assam and its natural division

(000’s omitted)

Persons Males Females

1. Assam 56 36 20

2. Assam Plains 39 24 15

3. Goalpara 4 3 1

4. Kamrup 6 4 2

5. Darrang 10 5 5

6. Lakhimpur 13 8 5

7. Assam Hills 17 12 5

8. United K. and J. Hills 9 6 3

Source: Census of India, 1951, Vol. XII, Assam, Manipur & Tripura, Part-I-A:

Report, p. 80.

EMIGRATION OF MUSLIMS TO PAKISTAN:

The immigration of Muslims from Assam mainly due to political

census. The 1931 census report is the first one to refer to the remarkable and

divided change for the worse that come over during 1921-31 about the

relation between the Hindu and the Muslims communities. This was

particularly noticeable in Sylhet through the phenomenon was visible even in

the Assam Valley. The ever increasing communal bitterness and riots in other

parts of India and the activities of some irresponsible elements in the areas

had their inevitable repercussion in Assam. It is with this background that we 43 Ibid, p. 79.

Chapter - 3

105

can assume the raising emigration of Muslims from Assam. One of its most

important causes is the immense Muslim immigration from East Bengal into

Assam which induced to grow rise to many tensions and conflicts, large and

small in political, economic and social spheres. Various expedients devised by

the Assam administration like the ‘Line System’ balanced colonization

schemes, amendments of the Assam land and Revenue Regulation, Assam

(Expulsion of Emigrants) Act 1950 as well as some political factors did not

help to improve the existing situation. The continued and slow squeezing out

of the Hindu minority from East Pakistan even since the partition, followed

by their arrival in Assam in pitiable condition and in far large numbers, after

the communal disturbances in East Pakistan in early 1950 led to similar

stream of big emigration thereafter.44

As a result nearly one lakh of Muslims from Goalpara, Cachar,

Kamrup, Darrang and Nowgong left their homes and became displaced. A

large number of the displaced Muslims did not leave the state at all. The

Muslims displaced from predominantly Hindu area left their homes and

shifted temporarily to comparatively safer Muslims majority areas of the same

or the neighboring district from where they returned to their homes in a few

days time as soon as communal tension abated a little. The number of

displaced Muslims who were reported to have migrated to Pakistan was a

little over a lakh.45

The areas from where Muslims were displaced and the

44 Ibid, p. 81. 45 Idem.

Chapter - 3

106

approximate number of Muslims familiar displaced from each area as

reported by the state authorities were shown in Table 3.8.

Table 3.8

Number of Muslim Emigrants as reported by Sate authorities

Name of districts Displaced families Actual numbers who

left for Pakistan

Goalpara 27,000 60,000

Kamrup 10,800 20,000

Cachar 5,000 14,000*

Darrang 8,500 6,000

Nowgong 1,300 -

52,600 100,000 * official figures of displaced Muslims are not available from Cachar with any degree of

accuracy. The figure given here in an estimate which is considered fairly correct.


Apart from the census of Pakistan, 1951, the Muslim population which

left India for the erstwhile East Pakistan was mostly the Eastern zone of India,

which comprising Assam, West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. Out of the total of

around seven lakhs, which entered East Pakistan according to the Pakistani

census of 1951, almost 96 per cent were from the Eastern zone. It appears

from the Pakistani census sources that there migrants were equally drawn

from the agricultural and non-agricultural population. Assuming that the non-

agricultural population was urban, it can be concluded that in the Eastern zone

of India almost 50 percent of the migrants originated from urban centers.46

Details have been shown in Table 3.9.

46 The Census of Pakistan, 1951, vol. I, p. 33.

Chapter - 3

107

Table 3.9

Migration of Indian Muslims to Pakistan during 1947-48 area-wise origin from India and settlement in Pakistan (Figures

in ‘00s)

From

To

Uttar Pradesh,

Delhi

North Zone

Assam, W.

Bengal, Orissa,

Bihar

East Zone

Madra, Mysore

South Zone

Gujarat

Maharashtra

West Zone

Madhya

Pradesh,

Andhra

Pradesh

Central Zone

Punjab

Rajasthan

North-West

Zone

Other Places Total % %

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % % Pop. % %

East Bengal

Baluchistan

Karachi

NWFP

Punjab

Sindh

208

63

1976

171

1055

1169

4.5

1.4

42.5

3.7

22.7

25.2

3.0

22.6

32.0

33.5

2.0

21.2

3

190

5

56

43

7013

95.6

…

2.8

0.1

0.8

0.7

95.9

1.1

3.2

1.0

0.1

0.8

10

3

111

1

8

47

5.8

1.8

61.1

0.5

4.6

26.2

0.1

1.1

1.9

0.1

1

0.9

19

15

1101

4

56

321

1.2

0.9

74.3

0.2

3.4

20.0

0.3

5.4

19.3

0.8

0.1

5.3

27

30

496

17

172

210

2.8

3.2

52.1

1.8

18.0

22.1

0.4

10.7

8.0

3.3

0.3

3.8

20

165

2176

314

51407

3709

…

0.3

3.8

0.5

89.0

6.4

0.3

59.1

35.3

61.3

97.5

67.4

…

…

20

…

…

4

…

…

83.3

…

…

16.7

…

…

0.3

…

…

0.1

6991

280

6169

511

52812

5503

9.7

0.4

8.5

0.7

73.1

7.6

100

100

100

100

100

100

Total 4642 100 6.4 7013 100 9.7 180 100 0.2 1604 100 2.2 952 100 1.3 57851 100 80.1 24 100 0.1 72266 100 100

Source: Census of Pakistan, 1951, Vol. I, (Government of Pakistan, Karachi)

1. Column 1 indicates the total production which migrated from the specific region of Indian territory to different parts of Pakistan including the

erstwhile E. Pakistan.

2. Column 2 indicates the percentage of the total migration from a particular region of India to different parts of old Pakistan

3. Column 3 indicates the percentage of migrated Muslims from each region of India to a particular region of Pakistan.

Chapter - 3

108

Table 3.10

General Character of the population of Assam

Birth Place Actual No. Number per

thousand

1. Total Population

2. Districts of Enumeration

3. Other districts of the same

Natural Division

4. Other parts of the state

5. Adjacent states

6. Other parts of India

7. Pakistan

8. Other Territories

9,043,707

7,510,193

159,042

30,524

42,475

404,939

833,288

63,068

1,000

831

18

3

4

45

92

7


CONCLUSIVE ASSESSMENT:

General character of the population of Assam:

An overview of Table 3.10 shows that an overwhelming majority of

people of Assam, viz., 7,510,193 out of the total population of 9,043,707 i.e.,

83.1 present was born in the districts where they were enumerated. Of the

remaining people 1,59,042 were born in different districts of the same natural

division, while another 30,524 in other parts of the state. 42,475 persons were

born in the adjacent states of India and 4,04,939 in other parts of the Indian

Union. Pakistan accounts for 8,33,288 enumerated in Assam leaving only

63,068 for all the other territories put together. Only 2.1 percent of the people

were born in other parts of Assam excepting the districts of enumeration. The

percentage of people born outside Assam is as law as 14.8 percent out of

Chapter - 3

109

which 4.5 percent were born in other parts of India and 9.2 percent in

Pakistan. Only a microscopic number of 1,749 persons born outside Asia

were enumerated in Assam. Overall migration is thus confined to only 17

percent.

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