7.   55 million missing Bangali, result of an unfinished partition.

If Jinnah created Pakistan by partitioning India then Shyama Prasad Mookherjee created  West Bengal by partitioning Pakistan. Dr. Mookherjee deserves respect due to a father of nation from Bangalis. Unfortunately Bangalis are poor in history. They even cannot fathom what is happening around them.  Dr. Mukherjee will be undone in a century.

DR. Mookherjee carved out West Bengal from the then East Pakistan and East Punjab from West Pakistan. He was basically an educationist but the crisis of partition, more pointedly the partition of Bengal, brought him into politics. When the British accepted the concept of partition of India and creation of the new Islamic state of Pakistan, it was decided that the state or a Pradesh would be considered the smallest unit. Or in other words, a state with majority Muslim would go to Pakistan and a Hindu majority state would remain in the Indian Republic.

At that time the Bengal Province was a Muslim majority state and hence the entire Bengal was waiting to be included into the Islamic state of Pakistan. But after the massacre of the Hindus by the Muslims in Calcutta and Noakhali in 1946-47, Dr Mookherjee was convinced that it would be devastating for the Hindus, if they continue to live in a Muslim-dominated state and under a government controlled by the Muslim League. Most of the districts of East Bengal were Muslim majority while districts of western Bengal including city of Calcutta were dominated by Hindus. So, Dr Mookherjee demanded that the smallest unit for partition should be a district, not a province. Similarly, the entire state of Punjab was marked as a Muslim majority state and hence was to be included into Pakistan. But while the districts of West Punjab were dominated by the Muslims, the districts of East Punjab, Hindus and Sikhs were in the majority. Dr Mookherjee argued that the Hindus of the Hindu majority districts of Bengal and Punjab must have their right to self-determination. It was not possible for the British to deny his argument; as a result only the Muslim-dominated districts in eastern Bengal, renamed East Pakistan, went to the new Islamic state of Pakistan, while a new state of West Bengal was formed with the Hindu-dominated districts of Bengal, which remained with India. Likewise, all the Muslim-dominated districts of Punjab, renamed West Punjab, went to Pakistan, and the Hindu/Sikh-dominated districts were included in the Indian Union as a new state, called East Punjab. The only Muslim majority district that was included into West Bengal, due to geographical reasons, was Murshidabad. And for the similar reason entirely Buddhist Chittagong Hills were included into East Pakistan. But Hindu majority district Khulna was inexplicably included in Pakistan.

Mookherjee’s fear was not unfounded. Immediately after partition savage riot started in entire area designated to be Pakistan. No Hindu or Sikh or for that matter no non-Muslim was safe. It should not be termed as riot, it was genocidal killings. In one day 46,000 Hindus, men, women and children; were killed in Peshawar. Similar counts were coming from every part of Pakistan, East or West. Thereafter exodus of helpless humanity started from Pakistan, both from East and West wings. Revenge killings also started in East Punjab and many parts of North India. Soon Killings ceased in West Pakistan for fear of reprisal and changed into a two way migration. Millions of Hindus and Sikhs left West Pakistan to save their lives while millions of Punjabi and Urdu speaking Muslims from Hindi belt left for Pakistan. Some Muslims in South also left for Pakistan even though there was no riots south of Vindhyas. Revenge riots did not start in West Bengal which remained largely peaceful and no significant Muslim migration took place from West Bengal. Most Muslims of West Bengal stayed back. However riots broke out in East Pakistan and millions of Bangali came to India with nothing more than the clothes on them. There was no return migration in Eastern part of the country.

About 10 million Hindus & Sikhs migrated from West Pakistan to India and 10 million Muslims from East Punjab and North India left India for West Pakistan. On the contrary 3.5 million Bangali Hindus left East Pakistan for India but negligible migration took place from West Bengal to East Pakistan. Partition was conclusive in the western part of India. There was practically no Hindu or Sikh left behind in West Pakistan except in Sindh and practically no Muslim left behind in East Punjab and adjoining areas.  But a large 12 million strong Hindu population stayed back in East Pakistan and similarly all Muslims of West Bengal numbering about 8 million stayed put. The general perception was Bangali Muslims are moderate and Bangla language binds Bangali Hindus with Bangali Muslims in a stronger tie than divisive forces of religion. The mistake will soon become obvious. Sufferings of Bangali Hindus continued to this day. It is a history of persecution, killing and banishment. In last 70 years, countless have been killed. About 30 million have come over to India. But still 10% population of Bangladesh is Hindu and Buddhists. These people live with fear. There is no sympathy for them. There is no future for them. We failed Dr. Mookherjee in 1947 in total population transfer. 

In 1941 census, Hindus formed about 28% of the population of Bangladesh. Population declined to 22 % in 1951, as violent riots forced 3.5 million Hindus to migrate to India during partition in 1947. Since then, it has been a continuous process of reduction of Hindu population in Bangladesh due to a combination of steady persecution, abduction, loot and genocide by Bangali Muslims and Bihari Muslims (immigrated to East Pakistan during partition). Waves of Hindu Bangalis migrated to India as a result of succeeding riots. A significant driver of Hindu emigration has been also the Enemy Property Act, later renamed as the Vested Property Act, through which,  first East Pakistani Government and later Bangladesh Government has been able to appropriate the property of  its own citizens; of the Bangali Hindu population. In 1971 Pakistan army carried out the largest peacetime genocide of the world in history. Pakistani army and their cohorts massacred 3 million people (Mostly Hindus and some nationalist Muslim Bangalis) in a period of just six months. 1971 genocide also resulted in migration of large number of Hindu Bangalis. Till date about 30 million people have migrated to India from East Pakistan or Bangladesh (Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 included) and the process is continuing. This represents largest ever human displacement of around 30 million Bangali Hindus based on ethnic or religious identity in history.

Declining Hindu population in Bangladesh region
Year	Percentage (%)
1941	28.0
1951	22.0
1961	18.5
1974	13.5
1981	12.13
1991	11.62
2001	9.6

*Source: Census of India 1941, Census of East Pakistan, Bangladesh Government Census

But Muslims of west Bengal found a very conductive environment in West Bengal and continued to stay. The persecuted refugees never waged a war on Muslims of West Bengal even though they were forced to abandon their home, property and sometime life by the same people on the other side of border. Muslims of West Bengal were safe and grew in population. Subsequent to 1971, large Muslim population of Bangladesh also started migrating to West Bengal for better economic life. This migration was there even in pre-seventy-one period but increased manifold subsequently. It resulted in substantial increase in Muslim population of West Bengal and surrounding area.

Illegal Bangladeshi intruders are not affecting West Bengal alone, but are also fast altering the demography of the neighbouring states of Bihar and Assam. According to an estimate nearly 30 million Bangladeshi Muslims have entered West Bengal, Bihar and Assam. As a result, three bordering districts of Bihar, namely Kishanganj, Araria and Katihar, and seven districts of Assam, namely Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Naogaon, Morigaon, Hailakandi and Karimganj, have turned into Muslim-majority districts, apart from several districts of West Bengal.

Underneath table shows the demography in West Bengal, based on census reports of the Government of India from 1951 to 2001. Before partition only one district, i.e. Murshidabad, had Muslim majority. The Table shows that, according to 1951 census, 44.6 per cent population of Murshidabad were Hindus, and in past 50 years the percentage of Hindus has come down to 35.12 per cent. It also shows that in 1951, the Hindu and Muslim population in the district of Maldah was 62.92 and 36.17 per cent respectively. But after 50 years, Hindu population has declined to 49.28 per cent while the Muslim population has increased to 49.72 per cent. Another district that has become a Muslim majority district is North Dinajpur. In 1981, the Hindu and Muslim population in the district were 54.20 and 45.35 per cent, respectively. In 2001, Hindu population has declined to 51.72 per cent, while the Muslim population has increased to 47.36 per cent. At present, it has become a Muslim-majority district.

 Change of Demography in West Bengal

District	year	Hindu	Decreased	Muslim	increased
Darjeeling	1951	81.71	-4.79%	01.14	+4.17%
	2001	76.92		05.31
Jalpaiguri	1951	84.13	-0.83%	09.74	+1.10%
	2001	83.30		10.85
Coochbihar	1951	70.09	+4.59%	28.94	-4.70%
	2001	75.50		24.24
North Dinajpur	1981	54.20	-2.48%	45.35	+2.01%
	2001	51.72.		47.36
South Dinajpur	1981	75.32	-1.31%	23.51	+0.49%
	2001	74.01		24.02
Maldah	1051	62.92	-13.64%	36.17	+12.75%
	2001	49.28		49.72
Murshidabad	1951	44.60	- 8.68%	55.24	+ 8.43%
	2001	35.12		63.67
Birbhum	1951	72.60	- 7.91%	26.86	+ 8.22%
	2001	64.69		35.08
Bardhaman	1951	83.73	- 4.84%	15.60	+ 4.18%
	2001	78.89		19.78
Nadia	1951	77.03	- 3.28%	22.36	+3.07%
	2001	73.75		25.41
North 24 Paraganas	1971	77.26	- 2.03%	22.43	+ 1.79%
	2001	75.23		24.22
South 24 Paraganas	1971	72.96	- 7.1%	26.05	+ 7.19%
	2001	65.86		33.24
Hoogly	1951	86.52	- 2.89%	13.27 15.14	+ 1.87%
	2001	83.63		13.27 15.14
Bankura	1951	91.16	- 6.81%	04.4	+ 3.11%
	2001	84.35		07.51
Purulia	1961	93.13	- 9.71%	05.99	+ 1.13%
	2001	83.42		07.12
Medinipur	1951	91.78	- 6.20%	07.17	+ 4.16%
	2001	85.58		11.33
Howrah	1951	83.41	- 5.73%	12.00	+ 8.27%
	2001	77.68		20.27
Kolkata	1951	78.45	- 5.98%	19.85	+ 5.4%
	2001	72.47		25.25
West Bengal	1951	78.45	- 5.98%	19.85	+ 5.4%
	2001	72.47		25.25

(Source: Census Report 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981 and 2001)
                                              
From 1901 to 1941 Bangali Hindu and Bangali Muslims were almost equal in number in whole Bengal. Partition was carried out on the basis of 1941 census. At that time population of Bengal was about 80 million, 53% of the population Muslim. Partition created East Pakistan with 50 million population and West Bengal with 30 million population. 28% of East Pakistan or 15 million people were Hindus. 81% of west Bengal was Hindu. This translates in 24 million people follow Hindu or other faith in West Bengal. That matches with total Bangali population of that time, 39 million Hindu and 41 million Muslim.

Come 2015, Bangladesh has a population of 150 million and West Bengal 100 million. Bangladesh has 9% Hindu and West Bengal has 28 % Muslim. We get 85 million Hindu and 165 million Muslim out of 250 million Bangali people. If partition would not have taken place, if British continued to rule us, then 150 million Bangali Hindus would have been living today along with 165 million Muslims. Where have these 65 million Hindu Bangalis gone? Even if Bangali Hindu refugees settled in different part of India including Dandakaranya forest are counted, missing Bangali Hindus will number at the minimum 55 million.

Genocide of Bangali Hindus in East Pakistan and subsequently in Bangladesh is the primary reason of missing Bangalis. Hindus burn their dead and free flowing rivers of Bangladesh carry the ash without trace.Terrible crime committed by Bangali Muslims is covered up for good. Of course, Muslims did not kill all 55 million Bangalis. Recorded evidence can put the figure of dead due to genocide in Bangladesh to an approximate number of 3 million. But this is only physical killing. 3 million Bangalis have been murdered over 70 years in Bangladesh. This is the one of the biggest genocide committed during peacetime anywhere in our globe. This genocide was committed by majority community of Bangladesh with full support of state. These killings together with loot and rape devastated Bangali community. Bangali Hindus fled their home, property and profession to India. A farmer became a beggar. A weaver became a stone breaker. A boatman had to sweep streets. World did not help. India did not help. Bangali Bhadrolok refused to recognize the problem. They even tried to justify the genocide in East Pakistan in the name of social justice. In fact, refugees were maltreated by Bangalis of West Bengal. Refugee became an abusive word in Bangla. Ungrateful West Bengali Bangali forgot that their plight would have been the same without intervention of Dr. S. P. Mookherjee. Neighbouring states took advantage of the situation. Anti- Bengali riots were organized in Assam, Orissa and Bihar. Many refugees died of starvation. Many died of diseases.They had no occupation, no food and no future. They started occupying vacant lands, do odd jobs and indulge in petty crimes. It brought them into collision with Bhadrolok, who owned the land and controlled the administration. Refugees faced repeated evacuation from land, hawking and anything that they took up for survival. They had to fight with police.They fought with thugs. They suffered government apathy. No people of world suffered like this. Their women were raped. Their children went astray. Many lost mental balance. Many suffered deadly diseases. Such condition did not permit family life. Refugees were forced to curtail family. Population growth was controlled by social, economic and physical injustice. They dwindled in number.

Had there been no partition, 15 million Bangali Hindu would have stayed in villages by the side of Bangladeshi Muslims and would have grown 5 times like their counter part and become 75 million strong people. But these persecuted and up-rooted people under restricted economic and social condition could grow to only about 40 million out of which 15 million are still in Bangladesh. This missing 35 million people is the significant part of vanishing Bangalis. Muslims of Bangladesh might have physically killed only 3 million Bangali but their action of looting, raping and killing with the aim of pushing Bangalis out of their ancestor’s home, has caused vanishing of 35 million Bangali of East Bengal including descendants of three million martyrs. Another 20 million missing Hindus is due to resultant family control, practiced by Hindus of West Bengal in the changed scenario of economic and social condition of West Bengal due to such a large scale influx of Hindus of Bangladesh.

On the other hand Bangladeshi Muslims occupied the land owned by Hindus, they occupied the professions previously handled by driven out Hindus. The poor Bangladeshi Muslims suddenly became affluent with other’s property. Abundant food with Islamic belief of large family resulted in a population explosion. All economic advantages were lost in two generations. Bangladeshi Muslim population increased more than five times in 70 years. India including West Bengal grew only by less than 4 times. Naturally Bangladesh had at least 50 million extra mouths to feed. Bangladesh could not feed them. Bangladesh cannot feed them. Bangladeshis again started looking for new land. The wretched Bangladeshis started crossing borders to occupy land, jobs and food available in India. At least 30 million Bangladeshi Muslims have entered India since 1971. They are changing the demography of West Bengal, Assam and may be Eastern part of Bihar. Majority of migrant Muslims are engaged in land reclamation and cultivation. More than that, they are migrating to metropolitan cities. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and of course Kolkata have large Bangladeshi Muslim population. This people are generally engaged in begging, prostitution, unskilled jobs and petty crimes.

Division of Bengal was improper. 48% Bangali Hindu was given only 35% of Bengal. Hindus were almost equally divided in two Bengal. Even then there should have been complete population exchange between West Bengal and East Pakistan. It did not happen. Hindus or for that matter any religious minority cannot survive in a Muslim country. This is a historical truth. Hindu leaders of pre-partition Bengal did not understand this. They failed to support Dr. Mookherjee in demanding full population exchange. Unfortunately Dr. Mookherjee did not survive long to guide Bangali leaders. He died in jail of Kashmir for opposing article 371. There was no visionary Bangali leader to guide West Bengal and Bangali. Bangali minority continued to suffer in East Pakistan and then in Bangladesh. They are still persecuted in Bangladesh and refugees keep on migrating to India to this day. Unfortunately they are bundled with Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh.

Partition resulted not only loss of freedom for half of Bangali people, It cut off Bangali from root. Slowly Bangali of Bangladesh came over to India as destitute. Bengali renaissance, deprived of its root and destitution of its people, slowly choked to its death. Very large number destitute Bangali refugees created social upheaval. Socialistic mindset evolved among Bangalis as a result. Bangali abhorrence for trade and industry as well as for military service coupled with newfound penchant for socialism rendered them economically backward . Due to partition, Bangali lost its numerical strength in India and lost political significance in Delhi. Due to socialist mindset Bangali lost trade and industry. Lawlessness and poor political leadership ruined atmosphere of education, art and literature. Bangali had nothing but past. They have no leader, no hero and no future. Soon they are destined to get overwhelmed by Muslim population. Slowly West Bengal will have Muslim majority. One day Bengal will be united. But this will be Islamic Bengal. Islamic Bengal will be no different than Islamic Arab or Islamic Pakistan, a thoughtless society of millions each outdoing others in following instructions of a 6th century book.

All is not lost. There is goodwill for Bangali all over India. There is goodwill for Bangali even in Western countries, especially in Britain. Some Bangali Muslims also have good wishes for Bhadrolok as failure of Bhadrolok will also be failure of Bangaliana. A dominant Muslim society can only plunge to further Islamization. Should we fail all? Or we must try to resurrect.

Change is life. Bangali must change. We need to understand that education is the only route for us to regain our lost position. Bangali Bhadrolok must concentrate on education by not only promoting education among Bangalis but in the industry of education. Bengal should have best educational institutes of the world. There should not be reservation of any kind. The industry must run on its own resources.  These institutes should be operated from fees collected from students and donations. Donation from Government may be accepted if without strings. Calcutta can once more become knowledge centre of the country.

Labour must be respected. Bangali youth should not spend their best years on the varandahs, discussing football and state politics. Adda is a bad word, worse occupation and worst passtime. In place of Adda, young should try to enhance skill and knowledge.

Bangali always shunned army and military service. But working in army not only brings occupation and sustenance, it gives you dignity, discipline and also skill. It will not be easy. Army doesn’t recruit heavily from Bengal, the way they do in Punjab or Tamilnadu. We have to fight for it. Then we have to establish ourselves in army that we are also survivor.

We are poor in trade and industry. We are poorer in owning riches. If you do business you are likely to get into money. Many Bangalis have tried to do business and many had succeeded but they failed in possessing riches. They failed to hold the business. They failed to hold the money due to vanity. Successful Business spins money. This money should not bring vanity and status. It does not belong to owner. It belongs to business and business belongs to time. Indulge in business but do not consider it as yourself. A business is successful if it continues beyond you. Make such provisions that your unborn great grandchildren can run the same business in your father’s name. 

Learn Bangla and teach your children Bangla. If you do not have root you do not belong. Bangla as a Bangali speaks. Do not ask for pani, ask for jol. If our sweet Bangla language has to survive and progress, it will need adherents. Give your mother tongue its due. All educated and socially conscious women must have at least two children. It is needed for continuance of Bangaliana. But it is also beneficial for the children. Single child is no insurance for parents and is alone. In the bigger world he does not have a friend, a well-wisher after his parents leave this world.

Last but not the least important is to call a spade, a spade. 30 million Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh must be disenfranchised from West Bengal electoral roll, if not from India’s. Every Bangali Muslim must prove that he is not from Bangladesh. After all,Bangali people also have right to live. He is already driven out from his forefather’s land. He has to save the rest.

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