1927/08/18 - Expulsion of Hindus from the North-West Frontier Tribal Territory

Legislative Assembly Debates, Volume IV 1927

First Session of the Third Legislative Assembly 1927

18^th August 1927

Expulsion of Hindus from the North-West Frontier Tribal Territory

Mr. H.G. Cocke: With your permission, Sir, I desire to ask the Foreign Secretary if he is in a position to make a statement about the recent expulsion of Hindus from the North-West Frontier tribal territory?

Sir Denys Bray:  Excitement over the Rangila Rasul case spread to the frontier districts early in June and reached its height in Peshawar towards the latter part of July.  The atmosphere became tense and caused the authorities much anxiety.  Under Sir Norman Bolton’s skillful handling, however, the frontier districts issued from a grave crisis without a serious breach of the peace.  For though the economic boycott of Hindus was freely advocated, especially in Peshawar, the movement met with little success; and though in one or two villages, Hindus were maltreated, order was restored on the arrest of the culprits, coupled with action under the Police Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The spread of indignation across the border into tribal territory was more serious.  Here feelings, always acutely sensitive to the appeal of religion, rapidly became deeply stirred.  The Afridi and Shinwari countries were inflamed by the preaching of a well-known Mullah, who called upon the tribesmen to expel the Hindus form their midst, unless they dissociated themselves in writing from the doings of down-country Hindus.  

The first class to expel their Hindu neighbours were the Kuki Khel and Zakka Khel on the 22^nd July.  Fired by their example the Shinwaris gave their Hindus notice to quite a few days later; but after some of them had gone, agreed to allow the rest to remain. 

Some of the Hindus on leaving the Khyber were roughly handled.  In two cases stones were thrown though happily without damage.   In a third a Hindu was wounded and a large amount of property was carried off;  but the property was recovered by Afridi Khassadars in full, and the culprits fined for the offence.  Thereafter arrangements were made for the picketing of the road for the passage of any Hindus evacuating tribal territory.  

Under pressure from the Political Officer an Afridi jirga decided towards the end of July to suspend the Hindu boycott pending a decision in the Vartman case.  In the following week, however, several families, who had been living in sarais at Landi Kotal, moved to Peshawar, refusing to accept the assurances of the tribal Maliks, yet leaving one person from each family behind to watch over their interests.   In all between four hundred and four hundred and fifty Hindus, men, women and children, came into Peshawar.   The latest news is that a jirga of the leading Maliks has been summoned to Peshawar from the various parts of Tirah to discuss their return.

It will be seen that the trouble has been confied to one small section of tribal territory in the neighbourhood of the Khyber Pass, and this localizing of the movement is a matter for which Sir Norman Bolton and his officers may justly take credit.  Some of the Hindus were definitely expelled; some were induced to leave their homes by threats;  some left from fear; some no doubt from sympathy with their neighbours.  

Now expulsion and voluntary exodus from tribal territory are alike without parallel.  These Hindus have lived there, most of them, for more generations than they can record, as valued and respected, and indeed essential members of the tribal system, for whose protection the tribesmen are jealous and whose blood-feuds they commonly make their own, and throughout this unhappy business it has been the aim of Government to use their influence so that as soon as the passions of wrath and bitterness on either side permit, the Hindus may return to their homes and take up their old position of respect among the tribes of Tirah.

Powerful economic and traditional forces are already at work to heal the breach.  That the breach will be healed before long I am confident, provided always that nothing untoward arises from any malicious or thoughtless intrusion from without.   I do not like to add more, lest something be said that might retard the return of these Hindus to their homes, or worse till, that might open up fresh tribal areas to the contamination of a bitterness which is now fast dying out.

Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qaiyum: May I know whether the Government are aware that these tribal Hindus had voluntarily and for various reasons sympathized with the Mussalmans of the country in their troubles in connection with the Rajpal case but that after the down-country propaganda extended to that place from their own co-religionists, they retracted their sympathy and came up to the authorities and demanded extraordinary protective measures to be taken in their favour, which according the custom of the country, it was not the business of the authorities to interfere in?

Sir Denys Bray:  If the Honourable Member would allow me to say so I would venture to deprecate any questions of detail on the case.

Mr. B. Das: Will the Honourable Member kindly make a statement showing the result of the meeting that takes place between the Maliks and the Chief Commissioner in order to allay the feelings of the Members of this House?

Sir Denys Bray: I shall gladly do so if it seems to be in the public interest that I should.

Diwan Chaman Lall:  May I ask the Honourable Member if the Mullah who went about preaching in the territory came from Peshawar or from down-country?

Sir Denys Bray: The Mullah came up from India; he had just returned from the Haj.

Diwan Chaman Lall:   May I ask whether any steps were taken to prohibit the entry of the Mullah into that tribal territory, or to prosecute him when he came back?

Sir Denys Bray:  I possibly did not make myself clear.  The Mullah belongs to the trans-frontier.

Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qaiyum: Do Government know that there is a Mullah called “Chaknawar Mulla” who comes from Afghan territory, that on his way back from the Haj he passed through the Khyber, where there are a good many followers of his in the Shinwari and other countries, and that his preaching was also a factor in this matter?

Sir Denys Bray:  That is so, Sir.