Problem of Hindu refugees from Pakistan in Jodhpur State
There was an influx of refugees from both sides along the 325 km long border with Pakistan. On 28 August 1947 at Marwar Junction, S. Of. A refugee camp was opened under the chairmanship of Mookerjee, providing temporary accommodation, food, shelter and medical facilities to 2 lakh refugees. Many women also gave birth to children in the camp, who were provided health services.
Milk was arranged for the babies. Many organizations and charitable people provided money, medicines, clothes and food to this camp. Many people attended the camp and provided free services. In addition to Maharaja Jodhpur, B. D. &C. I. Railway, Shri Umaid Mills Pali and Sojat Road Praja Mandal also provided important assistance to the camp.
In September 1947, the Prime Minister of Sindh province, M.A. Khusrau sent his advisor and great leader of Sindh, Mohammad Hasim Gajdar, to Jodhpur with the intention that he should convince the Muslims of Jodhpur that they should not leave the well-governed and peaceful state of Jodhpur and come to Pakistan. Marwar Refugee Act 1948 was enacted to provide facilities to the refugees who came to Jodhpur state.
The refugees registered under this act were given jobs in the state of Marwar on the basis of equal rights as Marwaris. In Jodhpur state, about 46 thousand refugees came from Pakistan, who were provided houses, plots and loans from the state. Schools and women's schools were built by the state for the refugees. Most of the refugees coming from Sindh settled in Jodhpur city itself.
The Pushkarna Brahmins living in Umarkot requested Maharaja Jodhpur to make arrangements for the evacuation of the Pushkarna families of the region from Pakistan as the camel is the only ride out of this region and for the poor Pushkarna Brahmin families of large size. It is not possible to cross such a long route on camel's back. Describing themselves as originally the subjects of Shiv and Pokaran region of Jodhpur state, these families also demanded employment, land and housing from the Maharaja.
Shamdas Tarachand, Head Clerk of Deputy Collector Office of Mirpurkhas wrote a letter to the Maharaja demanding that 50 persons from Pushkarna Brahmin families in this area are in government service, they should be given jobs in the service of Jodhpur State. Out of these, 1 deputy superintendent of police, 1 medical officer, 1 naib tehsildar and second class magistrate, 1 sub-inspector of police, 5 teachers of English, 15 teachers of Hindi, 10 women teachers, 4 compounders, 5 police head constables and 5 from revenue department. are clerks.
Some Muslim families who went on Haj pilgrimage from Jodhpur wrote to Maharaja Hanwant Singh from Mecca on 2 October 1947 that we had left our families in Jodhpur on the trust of God, but here we are getting constant information from our children and families that Jodhpur His life is in danger in the state. Although we believe that the Hindus of Jodhpur State will not quarrel with the Muslims, but they can do so under the pressure of the Sikhs coming from outside the Jodhpur State. So I request you to save his life.
A copy of this letter was also sent to Rajmata. Pakistani leader H.S. Suhrawardy wrote a letter to the Jodhpur Maharaja on 18 October 1947, strongly objecting to the communal conditions in the state of Jodhpur. He wrote that I have received a complaint that Muslim passengers traveling between Ahmedabad-Karachi are being robbed at Luni and Barmer railway station between Hyderabad-Sindh which is under your jurisdiction. To consider the problems of refugees in the princely states of Rajasthan, on 6 November 1947, the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India convened a meeting of the kings of Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Jaipur and Jodhpur states.
Maharaj Kishanchandra Sharma wrote a letter to Tando Muhammad Khan on 29 October 1947 demanding from Maharaja of Jodhpur that there are 5-6 Gaushalas in Tando Division of Sindh-Hyderabad district in which 1000-1500 cows are there. Since the wealthy families of this area have migrated to Marwar, there is no one to look after these cowsheds and the condition of the cows is pathetic. Only 20-25 poor Brahmin families are left for them. So you send money for Gaushalas through Imperial Bank.
Many Pushkarna Brahmins who came from Sindh, who used to work in astrology, wrote separate letters to Hanwant Singh requesting that we be appointed as astrologers. In these letters the desire was expressed that the Maharaja should call us to seek his blessings. An anonymous letter is attached in the file of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. This letter was received in the office of the Maharaja's private secretary on 18 November 1947.
In this letter someone has complained to the Maharaja that the Hindu refugees who are coming from Pakistan are being harassed by railway employees and customs and asking for bribe. The rent is being demanded for the amount of goods brought by the refugees, and if there is no money, the goods are taken away. On the other hand, Hindus have been looted by Pakistan and here Hindus are being looted by Hindus.
Find out the Maharaja through his spies and protect the refugees. Refugees are not being treated equally. It was only yesterday that the Muslims who had returned after performing Haj had a lot of luggage, but neither the customs checked nor the railway people weighed the goods. One such typed anonymous letter complains to the Maharaja that refugees from Sindh are getting kicks and punches in place of ration and accommodation, while refugees reaching Pakistan are getting full ration, employment and facilities in Pakistan.
The Pakistani authorities are breaking the locks of the houses of those Hindus who have fled to India after leaving their homes. In contrast, the landlords of Jodhpur state are demanding 10-15-20 times the rent from Hindu refugees. Rent for 6 to 12 months is being taken together. Refugees have to sell their jewellery. Set up a separate colony for refugees.