THE%20SINDH%20STORY

Also, for the first time, Sindhi women came out of the four walls of their homes
to join processions and picketing in a big way. Before long, Karachi and
Hyderabad became two of the biggest storm-centres in the Bombay Presidency.
Sindh then had a population of less than forty lakhs, 30 per cent of them Hindu,
who alone were participating in the movement. Even so, 724 persons went to jail
in 1930.
In its misconceived zeal, the Congress in Sindh even decided to boycott the
census operations of 1931. One could only hope that not many people followed
their census boycott programme.
In the Karachi firing that killed Dattatreya Mane and Meghraj Rewachand, even
a leader like Jairamdas was shot in the thigh. The whole country was shocked.
Gandhiji wired on 20 April, 1930: “Consider Jairamdas most fortunate. Bullet
wound thigh better than prison. Wound heart better still.” He later wrote: “It
would exhilarate me to hear that a co-worker like Jairamdas was shot dead. I
have not known anyone more pure-hearted than Jairamdas. It is with the blood
of such Indians that the temple of Swaraj will be built.”
At the time of the weekly inspection by the jail superintendent even a man like
Jairamdas was expected to appear in only a loose langoti and say “Sarkar,
Salaam!” When he refused, he was shackled and put in a solitary cell.
The shooting of Jairamdas echoed in the British Parliament, where a member
asked how a leading light of the Amils, the community which was prominent in
loyal government service, had also entered the Freedom Movement. The
Secretary of State for India cut a sorry figure, saying that he himself was
surprised. His surprise could have only increased when H.B. Shivdasani, ICS,
resigned from the “Heaven-born service” in sympathy with the national
movement.
Lesser leaders outside the jail were harassed to no end. The government would
see to it that they got no tonga, not even a bullock-cart, to visit the villages.
Sarkari goondas would be sent to disturb their meetings or even beat them up.
Gandhiji took note of “the realities of repression in Sindh”. He said: “I render my
congratulations to them for their courage and patience under very trying
circumstances. If they continue to suffer patiently and bravely, the end will be
brought nearer to this unbridled and unscrupulous repression.”
The AICC report on satyagraha in Sindh noted in 1932: “The province seems to
be doing fairly well. Classification of prisoners in Sindh is a scandal. Even
Jairamdas, AICC General Secretary, has been placed in C class --- as also 37 out
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