Genocide: - DIIS

Anders Bjørn Hansen
Kartar Singh clearly betrays the growing fears and insecurity within the
Sikh community. The prospects of their ancestral land being partitioned
coupled with the uncertain status facing them in a new India, made
violence the last resort.
The suspicions of Sikh involvement in organising the violence became
clearer at the beginning of August and the prime suspect was Master Tara
Singh. The crucial question for the Governor was whether to arrest him
right away or wait. 121 Mountbatten recommended that Master Tara Singh
should be arrested when the Boundary Commission award was made
public. 122 However, on August 8 Viceroy Lord Mountbatten changed his
mind and informed Jenkins that he was the most competent to judge in
the situation.
The very same day Jenkins sent a telegram to the Viceroy to inform him
of the seriousness of the situation. The daily casualties were estimated
as being between 50-100. 123 As for the decision to arrest Tara Singh and
others, Jenkins along with the new Governors of east and west Punjab,
Sir C. M. Trivedi and Sir Francis Mudie respectively, was of the opinion
that it would rather worsen than improve the situation. 124 Another concern
was avoiding British involvement in a violent battle a few weeks before
their departure. 125 The same willingness to avoid responsibility was also
apparent in connection with the publication of the Punjab Boundary
Award (the partition line). Notwithstanding that the Award was ready
for publication on the evening of August 9, the announcement was
deliberately withheld to avoid British responsibility for the riots which
“undoubtedly“ would follow. 126 On August 12, Mountbatten informed
121 Jenkins to Abell, August 4, 1947, TOP vol. 12, p. 527.
122 Record of interview between Mountbatten, Jinnah, Ali Khan, Sardar Patel and Capt. Savage,
August 5, 1947, TOP vol. 12, p. 537-39.
123 Jenkins to Mountbatten, telegram August 8, 1947, TOP vol. 12, p. 583-84.
124 Jenkins to Mountbatten, telegram August 9, 1947, TOP vol. 12, p. 636-37.
125 In remark to this telegram, Mountbatten wrote that he approved Jenkins decision, and emphasised
that until August 15, it was his business, and there was no reason to tell Jinnah:
“If asked I shall say – ‘I left it to Jenkins to decide when’. If he decides ‘after 15th ’ that is his
concern” . Ibid.
126 th Extract From the Viceroy‘s 69 Staff Meeting on August 9, 1947, in Singh (1991), p. 458-59.
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