Re: Heritage: On the Sindhi Hindu exodus

[Thakur Alimchandani <Talimchand@AOL.COM>]

I refer to Prof. Gul Agha’s message of May 5,  responding to the message of
Saaiin Tunio - {tunio@21STCENTURY.NET (mbhutto)'s reponse to Mr. Gajwani.}

I agrree with Prof. Gul Agha’s observations, and in particular with the
following two aspects:

(1) the assistance that many Sindhi Muslims gave  to many Hindus who felt
compelled  to flee  Sind ; and
(2) the outstanding role played by Mahatma Gandhi to protect Sindhis who fled
to India and even his reference to war.

On (1) above - assistance by Sindhi Muslims to Sindhi Hindus - I had, in an
earlier message, given an extract from Summary of speech by Bhagwan S.
Gidwani at the Sindhi Sammelan which had appeared in some newspapers in
India. That extract gives telling glimpses of the assistance by many Sindhi
Muslims.

On (2) above - the outstanding role played by Mahatma Gandhi to protect
Sindhis who fled to India, and even his reference to War to protect Sindhis -
I quote  the relevant extract  from Summary of Gidwani’s speech as below: **
---------
*EXTRACT From Summary of Bhagwan Gidwani’s Address - Indian Express:

<<< Quote ....... “Gidwani stated that most Sindhis ( who fled from Pakistan
to India),   too had an advantage. They had one friend in India -  perhaps
only one friend - and no more.  That friend was Mahatma Gandhi.

 “Gandhiji understood the  history and heritage of Sind, which  most Indians
and even Sindhis have forgotten. And when Sindhi Hindu was being forced out
of Sind,  Gandhiji  wanted immediate arrangements to resettle Sindhi
refugees. Many in India seemed to argue  -  “ But Bapuji, you wanted no Hindu
or Muslim exodus.  Why then special arrangements for  refugees?”  A clever
argument, worthy of a fox in a fable, but without substance, and without
sensitivity.  What Gandhiji sought was independence  without  Partition.
Others betrayed him, and accepted Partition. But on refugee problem, Gandhiji
was inflexible. He  repeated, “I am a Sindhi”. It was like what John F.
Kennedy would say, many years later at  Berlin wall, “I am a Berliner”;  and
in a pointed dig, Gandhiji added, “If there can be war over Kashmir, why not
war over  rights of Sindhi Hindus!”  He was speaking of the plight of Sindhi
Hindus in Pakistan, but the message was crystal clear to  Indian leadership
to whom Kashmir was  personal and emotional, near to their heart, while Sind
and  Sindhi meant nothing. It was Gandhiji’s help, then, that ushered a
spirit of accommodation in India.  Gandhiji  intervened,  exhorted, and
telephoned Indian leaders  and men of  influence, until facilities for Sindhi
refugees began.

 “Gidwani found it strange that in pre-Partition times, Sindhis used to
respect, admire and adore great leaders from India.  Yet when Pakistan came,
except Gandhiji, everyone was reluctant to help the Sindhi. “Do not ask why I
light a candle on Gandhiji’s birthday”, said Gidwani,  and added that
Gandhiji gave us a start. If he had lived, he would have helped Sindhis to
achieve political representation in India. Without that,   Sindhis cannot
reach their full potential.......” Unquote >>>
>>
-------
I do not know how many Sindhis light a candle on Gandhiji’s birthday but I
think, like Gidwani, I too should. In any case, I am inclined to agree with
the last sentence in the Summary above

With regards,
Thakur