Source 2d

1948 report by J.S.H. Shattock. Catalogue ref: DO 142/439

 

Context – J.S.H Shattock was based at the British High Commision at Delhi. The British High Commission reported between its offices in India and also informed bodies like the Commonwealth Relations Office in London about what was happening in India.

Transcript

Under these conditions alone (loss of police officer, magistrates, and over full jails OR could say break down in law and order) the new administration was bound to be confronted with many difficulties in the first few months of its existence, but added to these arose a series of events unprecedented in the history of this sub-Continent . Violent and widespread massacres of Muslims by Sikhs and Jats in August and September 1947 reduced the Province and the interspersed territories of the Punjab Sikh States to a virtual state of anarchy for nearly two months. This was followed during the succeeding months by a complete evacuation of the four million odd Muslim inhabitants of the Province and by the arrival of a similar number of Hindus and Sikhs from Western Pakistan. For several months the whole economy of the Province was crippled. Every public servant and every public service was devoted exclusively to restoring internal peace, to looking after the mass of refugees moving in two directions and making arrangements for their temporary housing and re-settlement.

« Return to Partition of British India
  • How does Shattock describe the situation in the Punjab during August and September 1947?
  • What does this document suggest was the impact of this violence?