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REDEEMING HINDUDOM: THE RSS AND THE 1947 PUNJAB

    1 Author(s):  KANWAR CHANDERDEEP SINGH

Vol -  5, Issue- 2 ,         Page(s) : 260 - 292  (2014 ) DOI : https://doi.org/10.32804/IRJMSH

Abstract

It is believed by the Hindu and the Islamic ideologues that Hinduism and Islam are two separate civilizations. In spite of liberal and neo liberal ideas, thriving democracy and pacing globalization, the true spirit of democracy is conspicuously eluding. Samuel Huntington (1998) has rightly caught up the pulse prevailing in the today's culture and identity conscious world in his Clash of Civilizations. He states that people were more prone to the separatist tendencies i.e. what makes them different from others in a particular context and thus not by what they were? But by what they were not (Huntington 1998:67)? The quest for triumph over the other is thus ingrained in the thought process which leads the different civilizations. So far from eroding the warring religio-cultural identities and promoting the spirit of inclusiveness, the modernity has brought about more jingoistic tendencies to the fore. The reasons behind the recent antagonisms in the space of religio-cultural are not too hard to locate. Some of them can be attributed to the contemporary developments in the sphere of new found assertion in the society, economic dynamism, and power politics and of course realpolitik. But the historical and semi historical causes also resonate. It is all the more true in the Indian context.

1. Samuel Huntington, Clash of Civilizations and Remaking of the World Order, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1998.
2. Ibid. p.67.   
3. For the Hindu nationalist views see, Ram Swarup, Hindu View of Christianity and Islam, Voice of India New Delhi, 2000.
4. Jenkins to Mountbatten, 3 May 1947, MSS Eur F 200/125, OIOC, cited in Ramchandra Guha, India After Gandhi, The History of Worlds Largest Democracy, Picador, London, 2001, p.32.
5. For details of the election results see Ayesha Jalal, The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, The Muslim League and the Demand for Pakistan, Cambridge, 1985, p. 150.
6. Anita Inder Singh, The Origins of the Partition of India: 1936-1947, OUP, New Delhi, 1987, p. 141.
7. Governor's report dated March 15, 1946, IOL, L/P and J/5/249, P.139, cited in Anders Bjorn Hansen, Partition and Genocide, Manifestation of Violence in Punjab: 1937-1947, India Research Press, New Delhi, 2002, p. 90. 
8. Anita Inder Singh, op. cit., p. 153.
9. Fortnightly Report, First Fortnight of May 1946, p. 111.
10. Fortnightly Report, First Fortnight of August 1946, p.71.
11. Shamasul Hasan Collection, Volume-4, n.d., pp. 48-69.
12. The Dawn, Delhi, August 3, 1946.
13. The Eastern Times, Lahore, August 17, 1946.
14. The Dawn, Delhi, August 6, 1946.
15. Ibid. August 20, 1946.
16. Ibid.
17. Fortnightly Report, First Fortnight of January 1947, p. 98.
18. "Jenkins to Pethick Lawrence, January 26, 1947", in Nicholas Mansergh and Pendrel Moon (eds.), The Transfer of Power Volume- 9, London, 1970-83, pp. 556, 557.
19. Ibid.
20. G.D.Khosla, Stern Reckoning, A survey of Events leading up to and following the Partition of India, London, 1950, p.100.
21. Swarna Aiyar, “Violence and the State in the Partition of Punjab”, Cambridge, 1994, Ph.D. dissertation, p. 50, cited in Anders Bjorn Hansen, Partition and Genocide, Manifestation of Violence in Punjab; 1937 – 1947, India Research Press, 2002, New Delhi, p. 112 .
22. Ibid. p. 53.
23. "Jenkins to Abell, Telegram March 17, 1947" in TOP op. cit., pp. 961, 962.
24. "C. Auchinleck to Abell, March 22, 1947", in ibid. pp. 1004-1008.
25. Anders Bjorn Hansen, op. cit., p. 116.
26. Fortnightly Report, Second Fortnight of 1947, p. 60. 
27. Fortnightly Report, Second Fortnight of April 1947, p. 51.
28. Ian Talbot, Punjab and the Raj, 1849-1947, New Delhi, 1988, p. 229.
29. "Abbott to Captain Brockman, May 21, 1947", TOP, Volume-10, op.cit. p.942.
30. Fortnightly Report, Second Fortnight of May 1947, p.36.
31. Anita Inder Singh, op. cit., p. 232.
32. Fortnightly Report, First Fortnight of June 1947, p.29.
33. Ibid.
34.   Ibid.
35. "Abbott to Abell, Telegram June 15, 1947, TOP", Volume-11, op. cit., P.397.
36. "Jenkins to Mountbatten, Telegram June 24, 1947", in ibid. pp. 605,606.
37. Fortnightly Report, First Fortnight of July, 1947, p.14.
38. Swrana Aiyar, op. cit., p. 68.
39. "Report of Major General D.C.Hawthorn, August 11, 1947", TOP, Volume-12, op. cit., pp. 667, 668.
40. Anders Bjorn Hansen, op. cit., pp. 146, 147.
41. G.D.Khosla, op. cit., p.125.
42. Kirpal Singh (ed.), Select Documents on the Partition of the Punjab 1947, India and Pakistan: Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh - India and Punjab - Pakistan, Delhi, 1991, pp. 511-513.
43. Rashtra Sadhana, Lokhit Prakashan, Lucknow, (n.d.), p.148.
44. M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, Jyoti Jala Nij Pran Ki, Suruchi Prakashan, New Delhi, 1999, p. 32.
45. Interview cited in W.K. Andersen and S. Damle, The Brotherhood in Saffron, New Delhi, Vistar, 1987, p. 48 Chaman Lal sometimes back was the in charge of Vishwa Vibhag, a RSS unit responsible for maintaining contacts with the RSS organs and swayamsevaks across the world.
46. K.D.Jhari, "I was a Swayamsevak: Creating the Urge to Kill", Secular Democracy, July 3, 1970, pp. 27-29.
47. Interview with Vishwanath and Satpal Kaka at Amritsar on September 10, 2006 and November 22, 2004, respectively.
48. Interview with Avatar Krishan Vaid, at Dinanagar on June 15, 2007. He was born in 7.3.17, joined RSS in 1940. He was also an active member of the Congress in those times.
49. I.H. Qureshi, "A case study of Social Relations between Muslims and Hindus, 1935-47," in Partition of India, (n.d.), pp. 360-368.
50. Civil and Military Gazette, “Punjab Government Press Communiqué”, January 29, 1947. 
51. G.D.Khosala, op. cit., p. 96.48.                
52. Interview with Satpal Kaka and same thing was confirmed by Balvir Sharma at Jalandhar.
53. Report of the Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation, 'Fact Finding' Branch, Government of India, cited in Kirpal Singh, op. cit., pp. 621, 622.
54. M.C. Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 175-177. Also, interview with Vishwanath.
55. The Tribune, Lahore, March 16, 1947; also see M.C. Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp.179, 180 and G.D. Khosla, op. cit., p 110.
56. Report of Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation, GOI, also interview with Vishwanath.
57. M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp. 68, 69.
58. "Minutes of Joint Defence Council Meeting, August 16, 1947", cited in Kirpal Singh, op. cit., pp. 489-494. 
59. Ibid.
60. M.C. Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 70, 71.
61. Interview with Dinanath at Ferozepur, March 23, 2007.
62. M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., p. 94, G.D.Khosla, op. cit., p. 121.
63. Madan Lal Virmani, Bharat Vibhajan Ka Dukhant Aur Sangh, Volume-4, Lokhit Prakashan, Lucknow, 2001, pp. 51-55.
64. Interview with Pandit Lekhraj Sharma, Jalandhar and also see M.C. Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp. 125-127.
65. Interview with Bhagwan Dass Makkar, sanghchalak of Shivaji Nagar Meerut city, U.P. who was an eyewitness to episode on November 1, 2006 at Keshav Kunj, New Delhi, also see, G.D.Khosla, op. cit., P.186 and Report of Work by Liaison Agency in District Multan, East File No.LIX/2, Punjab Liaison Agency Records, Punjab State Archives, Patiala. 
66. Ibid. and also mentioned in M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp. 136, 137.
67. M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp. 97-101.
68. "Report of Work in Sialkot District, L.A.R. File No.LVII/22 18-B"; in Kirpal Singh, op. cit., also see M.C.Vajpayee and S. Paradkar, op. cit., pp. 103, 104.
69. This whole episode is based upon my interview with Satpal Kaka, Amitsar, Ram Singh, Delhi, Vishwanath, Amritsar and Punjab Kesari, Jalandhar, May 31, 1982.
70. M.C. Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., p. 306, also interview with Satpal Kaka, Vishwanath and Ram Singh.
71. Letter quoted by Kirpal Singh, op. cit., pp. 529-532.
72. M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp. 306, 307.
73. Civil and Military Gazette, May 16, 1947 and also see M.L.Virmani, Volume-4, op. cit., pp. 19-21.
74. G.D.Khosla, op. cit., p. 116.
75. Mehar Chand Mahajan, Accession of Kashmir to India: The Inside Story, Institute of Public Administration, Sholapur, 1950, p. 6.
76. This episode is based upon my interview with Chajju Ram Gupta, an ex-MLA of Pathankot, at Pathankot on June 15, 2007. Also see M.C.Vajpayee and S.Pradkar, op. cit., pp. 335-340.
77. This whole episode is narrated by Avatar Krishan Vaidya.
78. Interview with Devi Lal Sharma resident of Pathankot at Pathankot, on December 25, 2005.
79. Interview with Vishwanath.
80. M.C. Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 88.
81. M.L.Virmani, Volume-4, op. cit., pp. 115-128.
82. M.C.Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 48.
83. Interview with Balvir Sharma.
84. M.C. Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 306.
85. Home Political Department9, File No.18/7/47-P-87-101, Report on the situation in the Punjab for the Second half of July, 1947, NAI, New Delhi.
86. Ibid. p. 306 and also interview with Balvir Sharma, Vishwanath and Dinanath. 
87. M.C.Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, pp. 105, 106.
88. Home Political Department, File No.18/7/47-P.87-101, NAI, New Delhi.
89. Ibid. p. 128.
90. M.C.Vajpayee and S.C. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 48.
91. Ibid. p. 338.
92. Home Political Department, 9, File No.18/7/47-P.87-101, NAI, New Delhi.
93. Interview with Balvir Sharma.
94. G.D.Khosla, op. cit., p. 95.
95. Home Political Department 9, File No.18/7/47-P.87-101, NAI, New Delhi.
96. "Sir Francis Mudie to Jinnah", I.O.R. MSS. Eur F164/14, cited in Kirpal Singh, op. cit., p. 530.
97. Ibid. p. 532.
98. Kirpal Singh, op. cit., p. 532.
99. M.C.Vajpayee and S. Pradkar, op. cit., p. 48.
100. Telephonic interview with Bhai Mahavir, New Delhi, October 3, 2006.  
101. Kirpal Singh, op .cit. pp. 308, 309.  
102. Interview with Vishwanath.
103. Home Political Department 9, File No. 18/7/1947,P.87-101,NAI, New Delhi.
104. K.D. Jhari, op .cit. p. 367.
105. Christophe Jaffrelot, The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to 1990s, Viking, London, 1993, p. 76.
106. M.K. Gandhi in Young India, May 29, 1924

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