HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

A BRIEF SINDHI HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

7000 BC – Neolithic settlements in the Indus Valley

3000 BC – The Indus Valley Civilization.

2300 BC – The civilization of Mohen-jo-daro.

1500 BC – The Aryan rule with the Vedic Civilization, known as Hinduism.

519 BC – The Persians conquered Sindh

326 B.C. The Greeks under Alexander controlled Sindh.

320-293 Chandragupta Maurya conquered Sindh

273-232 B.C. Ashoka’s reign whose conversion to Buddhism popularization it in Sindh.

711 A.D. The Muslim invasion of Sindh under Muhammad bin Qasim. This was followed by various Muslim dynasties that ruled Sindh.

1783 to 1843: The Muslim reign of Talpur Mirs in Sindh.

February 1843: Charles Napier, a British general, conquered Sindh from the Talpur Mirs with the help of the rich Sindhi, Seth Naomal Bhojwani. Mr. Bhojwani’s father had been kidnapped and ill-treated by Muslims and he wanted to end their rule. It was only after the British rule in Sindh, that Hindus were allowed to buy property, where they had none earlier.

The Hindu Sindhis also gained in power and position since they took to education quickly and were adept at learning languages. They quickly learnt English and made themselves useful to the British for administrative jobs.

1847 Sindh was annexed to Bombay Presidency. British colonialism brought two immediate and far-reaching changes in Sindh’s history: firstly, it broke the uninterrupted Islamic rule right from 712, transferring power from Muslim to non-Muslim authorities. Secondly, it effected the merger of Sindh with Bombay Presidency, terminating Sindh’s geographical, cultural and political isolation from India. This resulted in Sindh seeing, in the 19th century, the emergence of modern social and political institutions.

April 1, 1936: Sindh was made into a separate, autonomous province—separated from Bombay Presidency. Gobindram Mukhi of Hyderabad, was the only one to vote against this move (with similar protests from Swami Harinamdasji of the Sadhubella of Sukkur); they could both see that this move would reduce Hindus in Sindh to a voiceless and powerless minority. However, others estimated that with the separation from Bombay, many opportunities would come their way and they would gain in power; accordingly, they all voted, along with the Muslims, for the separation from Bombay Presidency. Sindh became autonomous and Hindu Sindhis went on later to lose their homeland because the foundation of the separation was population strength.

October 1939: Gandhi received a telegram from Dr. Choitram Gidwani, Vice President of the Sind Provincial Congress Committee, from Shikarpur: It read:" Riots, loot, incendiarism, Sukkur district villages Hindus mercilessly butchered. Women and girls raped and kidnapped. Hindu life, property unsafe. Situation most critical. Government policy not firm. Pray send enquiry committee immediately to see situation personally.” Gandhi's intervention, in his words, was “Now the only effective way in which I can help the Sindhis (is) to show them the way of non-violence. But that cannot be learnt in a day. The other way is the way the world has followed hitherto, i.e. armed defense of the life and property. God helps only those who help themselves. The Sindhis are no exception. They must learn the art of defending themselves against robbers, raiders and the like. If they do not feel safe and are too weak to defend themselves, they should leave the place which has proved too inhospitable to live in.”March, 23, 1940: Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution at Lahore, visualizing a Confederal arrangement where units or states will be autonomous and sovereign.

August 16, 1946: Jinnah declares the day as “Direct Action Day” to get Pakistan, letting loose loot and murder. Gandhiji agrees to the Partition of India the very next day.