A Page from History: East Bengal Burning

The story of the West Punjab, Sindh and the N. W. F. P. is being repeated in the East Bengal for sometime past. All reports coming from the Eastern Pakistan testify that a reign of terror has been let loose on the Hindus there. Beginning with Bagerhat and other border areas of the Khulna district the campaign of extermination or expulsion of the Hindus of East Bengal has now spread to the Districts of Rajsahi, Barisal, Jessore. Pabna, Comilla and Dacca. Organised gangs of Ansara and Jamit-i-Mujahadeen (organisation of fighters against infidels) with the active co-operation of police and other local authorities have been busy in killing the Hindus, looting and burning their property, and kidnapping and raping their women-folk after the West Punjab pattern.
All this cannot be dismissed as mere communal frenzy of the local Muslim population roused by the mischievous and malicious propaganda of Pakistani press and Mullahs against Bharat and the Hindus. There is something more in it which needs to be understood and appreciated by the government and people of Bharat alike.
Therefore it would be unpractical to think that mere appeals to our own people to maintain peace and avoid private retaliation and requests to the government of Pakistan to create conditions in which Hindus might be able to live in that do-minion, would solve the problem.
The effect of such appeals on the government of Pakistan, which has been proceeding ruthlessly since its very inception on a set plan to oust Hindus, grab their wealth and then pounce upon Bharat, can be no different from that 'of similar appeals in the past.
The need of doing something effective in this matter appears all the more urgent when it is realised that a very strong and substantial force within the country has been actively and Sometimes openly sup-porting Pakistan in her designs on Bharat.
It has therefore become imperative for the Bharatiya Government to take some concerted and firm steps to solve the problem of East Bengal refugees who have already migrated to Bharat and to safe-guard and protect the life and property of 12 millions that still remain there. This has become the most urgent national problem today. The eyes of the whole country are turned on East Bengal. Its solutions if sought to be achieved by the methods and measures so far adopted, is bound to become more and more difficult. Mere appeals and empty, assurances cannot reassure Hindus of East Bengal where every district magistrate has been openly declaring that Hindus must choose between Islam and sword.
It is therefore time that the government of Bharat should take up the problem of East Bengal earneEtly. If the East Bengal Hindus are not to be allowed to live peacefully in East Bengal the government must be passed to part with the territory in which 15 million Hindus of that part of our land might lead a free and secure life. This is not a new plea. Sardar Patel made it more than a year ago.

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