By Vinay Nalwa
The political violence in Bangladesh following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina marks a tragic continuation of the persecution of Hindus in the Indian subcontinent. In the wake of Hasina's departure, Bangladesh's Hindu community has faced a surge in attacks, reminiscent of past horrors. Temples have been burned and desecrated, homes looted, and Hindus forced to flee in fear, mirroring the trauma of previous generations. Despite assurances from the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, the Hindu minority remains sceptical of any real change, their hopes of safety and security dimmed by history's cruel lessons.
Today, witnessing the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh, one cannot help but feel that the freedom of August 15, 1947, came as a curse for Bengali Hindus living in Muslim-majority provinces, particularly rural areas. Even in the present time, they are losing their ancestral homeland, honour, identity, dignity, and liberty, facing an uncertain future under the relentless onslaught of radical political Islam.
This recent violence evokes memories of the “Great” Calcutta Killings, one of the most brutal and underreported episodes in the annals of Indian history. The atrocities committed during these events highlight the dangers of unchecked Islamic radicalism and the devastating impact of political manoeuvring on vulnerable communities. The killings underscore the failure of political leaders to protect Hindus and the catastrophic consequences of political use of radical Islam.
It was a year before Independence on August 16, 1946, the streets of Calcutta became a battleground. it was not a political event but a brutal assault on Hindus very existence, dignity, and identity. The horrors unleashed on that fateful day were a grim prelude to the widespread violence, suffering, and displacement that would soon follow, culminating in the Partition of India.
The call for "Direct Action" by the Muslim League, under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was a chilling declaration of war against the Hindu community. What followed was a massacre of unimaginable proportions. Hindus were hunted down, their homes and businesses looted, their temples desecrated, and their loved ones slaughtered in cold blood. The cries of helpless women, the wails of orphaned children, and the stench of burning flesh filled the air, creating a living nightmare for the Hindu population.
For the Hindu families, it was a day when they saw their world torn apart. The streets they once walked with pride became rivers of blood. The homes that were once filled with laughter and warmth were reduced to ashes. The sacred spaces where they worshipped were defiled and destroyed. The very fabric of their community was ripped to shreds by a frenzied mob that had been incited by the venomous rhetoric of communal hatred.
The horror did not end with the killings. The survivors were left to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives, but for many, there was nothing left to salvage. The trauma of that day, and the subsequent violence that spread like wildfire across Bengal, left deep scars that would never heal. The Hindus of Bengal, once a thriving and vibrant community, were reduced to refugees in their own land. They were forced to flee their ancestral homes, abandoning their property, their memories, and their way of life, to seek refuge in an uncertain future.
As the violence spread to places like Noakhali, where Hindus were systematically targeted, the community was further pushed to the brink of extinction. The organized attacks were not just random acts of violence; they were part of a deliberate strategy to drive Hindus out of Muslim-majority areas, to cleanse the land of their presence. The atrocities committed against them, especially the brutal rapes and abductions of women, were intended to break the spirit of the Hindu community, to make them feel like strangers in their own homeland.
For the Hindu survivors, the pain of Direct Action Day is not just a historical event; it is a living wound that still bleeds. The memories of that day are passed down through generations, a reminder of the horrors their ancestors endured.
The events of August 16, 1946, and the days that followed, were a stark reminder of the fragility of Hindus and the devastating consequences of unchecked hatred. For the Hindu community, it was a day when they were abandoned by the very system that was supposed to protect them. The British authorities, who were supposed to maintain law and order, turned a blind eye to the carnage, allowing the violence to escalate. The political leadership, caught in their power struggles, failed to prevent the bloodshed, leaving the Hindu community to fend for themselves.
The legacy of Direct Action Day is a painful one for the Hindu community. It is a reminder of the sacrifices they made, the lives they lost, and the suffering they endured. But it is their ability to rise from the ashes, they rebuild their lives despite the odds. They held on to their faith, their traditions, and their identity, and continued to contribute to the cultural and social fabric of the region.
Some accounts of the horrific events of The Direct Action Day and what followed found mention in the book The Great Calcutta Killings And Noakhali Genocide 1946 written by Dinesh Chandra Sinha and Ashok Dasgupta:
On the afternoon of the 16th, I intended to go to a friend’s house. I just stepped out of my house and heard slogans like ‘Nara-e-Takbir—Allah-ho-Akbar”, and immediately thereafter an extremely abominable incident occurred before my eyes. I saw a gang of Muslim hooligans armed with sticks and other weapons. One of them hit a middle-aged man on his head with a big lathi. His head split in four and he was bleeding profusely. I knew the man; his name was Sushil Bose.
Witnessing this horried scene and hearing wild cry of Allah-ho-Akbar, I realised the situation was ominous and went inside the house. Thereafter a group of Muslims attacked Hindu houses one after another. Our door was damaged and letterbox broken. Inside the house, we were all confounded and panic-stricken. Father forbade us not to go outside.
At about 11 or 12 in the night, the ruffians again attacked the locality. I saw group of Muslims with swords, daggers and other kinds of arms in their hands. They were belligerently shouting at the top of their voice—that they would slaughter the Hindus one by one.
Mother, father, elder sister and me were all extremely terrified. We could be attacked any time. The main cause of concern was my elder sister. She was fairly handsome. I realised that sister would be their first target. Lust for Hindu girls was inherent in their blood.
One day a ghastly scene of barbarity came to my notice, while going to the University through Rajabazar area. Like butchers, who keep parts of slaughtered animals hanging by hooks, similarly naked bodies of Hindu girls—their hands and legs severed, were kept hanging by hairs. Horrid and heinous was that scene. It was the first time that I saw the open upper of ladies.”
Mr.G.B.Majumdar, Ex. I.G. of Police, West Bengal
“Fortnightly Report of the Govt. of Bengal, 2nd Half of August, 1946. Sir Henry Twynam, the retired Governor of the Central Province, told Reuters at Liverpool that it has been estimated that the Calcutta riots had caused more than 40,000 casualties rather than 4,000 officially stated. He said, “It is within my knowledge that at least 4,000 dead were counted in the streets of Calcutta and I believe that more than that number was thrown into Hooghly river.”
Vide Amrita Bazar Patrika, Oct. 11, 1946
It was this tour that convinced me that the reports that I had received of the seriousness of the situation had erred on the side of under-estimation. I observed very great damage to property and streets littered with corpses. I can honestly say that parts of the city on Saturday morning were as bad as anything I saw when I was with the Guards on the Somme. Feeling was entirely communal not anti-Government or anti-Police—but the attitude of the crowds was extremely hostile and menacing... I actually saw-though at a distance-three cold-blooded murders committed in quick succession—a crowd clubbing three unfortunate individuals to death. It is worth remarking on the bestiality of the mobs, to which many people have testified. Many corpses were stripped and mutilated.
The marauders were not just goondahs or ruffians. Seemingly suave, sophisticated young men, quite a few college students among them, crazed by the spirit of Jihad, participated in the mass murders. A hapless Bengali Hindu family had just alighted from a train at Sealdah station and were trying to find their way home. The rioters caught up with them, stripped a fifteen-year-old girl to nothing, and made her stand at the crossroads in full view of the world. Not a single policeman was in sight anywhere. Then the torching began. Hindu-inhabited areas such as the southern part of Amherst Street, Bortola, Joransanko were in flames in no time. The fires burnt right through the night, punctuated by the war-cries of “Alla ho Akbar, Ladke Lenge Pakistan.”
Prof. Tathagata Ray, My People Uprooted
The endless suffering of the Hindu community, from the atrocities of Direct Action Day to the present-day persecution in Bangladesh, is a stark reminder of the urgent need for practical solutions to safeguard their future. It is imperative that the global Hindu diaspora, along with sympathetic governments and human rights organizations, unite to demand stronger protections for Hindus in Muslim-majority regions. This includes advocating for stricter international sanctions against regimes that allow or perpetuate religious violence, establishing safe zones for vulnerable Hindu populations, and creating global awareness campaigns to highlight their plight. Moreover, it is crucial for the Hindu community to strengthen internal solidarity, support grassroots organizations, and invest in education and legal empowerment to resist radicalization and defend their rights. The time has come to transform our collective grief into action, ensuring that the horrors of the past are not repeated, and that Hindus can live with dignity, security, and hope for a peaceful future.
(The writer is an author & columnist and her latest book is “Blood In The Sea: The Dark History of Hindu Oppression in Goa”)
ความคิดเห็น