10-02-2012, 07:26 AM
Sikh reprisals in 1947 east Punjab - what it takes to make a state free of muslims
--
The younger group wanted to kick out the Muslims and
usurp their property, but the elders came out with a solution. They
said they would advise the Muslims to embrace the Sikh religion, or
else they would be helpless when the attack came from outside. Mirasi
Muslims (singers and entertainers) readily agreed to become Sikhs.
They said their ancestor, Mardana, was a companion of Guru Nanak.
Seeing a danger to their lives, others too agreed to adopt the Sikh
faith. The younger and the irresponsible elements among our people
still had reservations. They alleged the Muslims would go back to their
faith once the situation became normal. So they must be made to eat
pork at the baptizing ceremony, as that would make them leave their
religion for good. A Muslim was asked to kill and cut up a pig, and the
meat was cooked and served. When offered the pork, some of the
Muslims vomited. I am not sure if any of them ate the pork. It was a
most loathsome sight to see.
'As the news spread in the neighborhood that at village Chinarthal the
Muslims were safe if they adopted Sikhism, several Muslims came out
of their hiding places. One poor fellow had not eaten for three days; he
was hiding in a sugarcane field. Our gurdwara became a small relief
camp.
"Nobody was killed. Fateh Muhammad became Fateh Singh, and
Fakiria was Fakir Singh now. They wore blue turbans and carried a
small kirpan slung from their shoulders. One day we heard that Fateh
Singh was seen in a barber's shop getting his beard trimmed. Both
Fateh Singh and the Hindu barber were summoned to a meeting at the
gurdwara. They accepted their fault. The Sikh priest announced the
punishment. They were to pay a small fine, clean shoes and dishes,
and attend the gurdwara for seven mornings to listen to Gurbani
(recitation of Sikh scriptures). We were told that it was a mild
punishment as the Sikh priest was a pious man.
Then after a week we heard that some Muslims with loads of their
valuable belongings had slipped out of the village at midnight and
joined the Muslim camp at Rouza Sharif near the Sirhind shrine. [This
was the same camp where Chaudhri Roshan Din sought refuge -
Author] This incensed the young ruffians, who shouted at the elderly
village folk: "Didn't we warn you not to trust Mulims? "They hatched a
plan to teach the Muslims a lesson. They advised the Muslims not to
sneak out of the village but if they did not wish to stay on as Sikhs,
they would escort them to the camp. A few Muslims accepted the offer
which they found to be too tempting. One night they left the village to
join the camp at Rouza Sharif under the protection of some young
Sikhs. On the way, there was a thick jungle near village Pandrali where
their bullock carts were stopped. The Muslims were told to surrender
all their jewelry and cash. Then the daughters and daughters-in-law
were separated. Daughters (being Tiwana blood) were spared, but
daughters-in-law were pulled into the nearby bushes and raped.
--
The younger group wanted to kick out the Muslims and
usurp their property, but the elders came out with a solution. They
said they would advise the Muslims to embrace the Sikh religion, or
else they would be helpless when the attack came from outside. Mirasi
Muslims (singers and entertainers) readily agreed to become Sikhs.
They said their ancestor, Mardana, was a companion of Guru Nanak.
Seeing a danger to their lives, others too agreed to adopt the Sikh
faith. The younger and the irresponsible elements among our people
still had reservations. They alleged the Muslims would go back to their
faith once the situation became normal. So they must be made to eat
pork at the baptizing ceremony, as that would make them leave their
religion for good. A Muslim was asked to kill and cut up a pig, and the
meat was cooked and served. When offered the pork, some of the
Muslims vomited. I am not sure if any of them ate the pork. It was a
most loathsome sight to see.
'As the news spread in the neighborhood that at village Chinarthal the
Muslims were safe if they adopted Sikhism, several Muslims came out
of their hiding places. One poor fellow had not eaten for three days; he
was hiding in a sugarcane field. Our gurdwara became a small relief
camp.
"Nobody was killed. Fateh Muhammad became Fateh Singh, and
Fakiria was Fakir Singh now. They wore blue turbans and carried a
small kirpan slung from their shoulders. One day we heard that Fateh
Singh was seen in a barber's shop getting his beard trimmed. Both
Fateh Singh and the Hindu barber were summoned to a meeting at the
gurdwara. They accepted their fault. The Sikh priest announced the
punishment. They were to pay a small fine, clean shoes and dishes,
and attend the gurdwara for seven mornings to listen to Gurbani
(recitation of Sikh scriptures). We were told that it was a mild
punishment as the Sikh priest was a pious man.
Then after a week we heard that some Muslims with loads of their
valuable belongings had slipped out of the village at midnight and
joined the Muslim camp at Rouza Sharif near the Sirhind shrine. [This
was the same camp where Chaudhri Roshan Din sought refuge -
Author] This incensed the young ruffians, who shouted at the elderly
village folk: "Didn't we warn you not to trust Mulims? "They hatched a
plan to teach the Muslims a lesson. They advised the Muslims not to
sneak out of the village but if they did not wish to stay on as Sikhs,
they would escort them to the camp. A few Muslims accepted the offer
which they found to be too tempting. One night they left the village to
join the camp at Rouza Sharif under the protection of some young
Sikhs. On the way, there was a thick jungle near village Pandrali where
their bullock carts were stopped. The Muslims were told to surrender
all their jewelry and cash. Then the daughters and daughters-in-law
were separated. Daughters (being Tiwana blood) were spared, but
daughters-in-law were pulled into the nearby bushes and raped.