Panjab Digital Library - Digitization of Report on the Rawalpindi Riots

Report on the Rawalpindi Riots

Description	Despite the apparent harmony between the Sikhs and the Muslims during the 1920s, there have been occasional sporadic communal riots between the two communities in the western part of Punjab. This report prepared by Sardar Mehtab Singh describes the loss of life and property of the Sikhs in the city of Rawalpindi in June, 1926 following a communal rest. The large scale arson and loot was incited by some hot headed Muslim youth and Muslim clerics who objected to the existence of a cinema hall and few shops in the vicinity of Muslim Mosque. Although the Mosque and cinema area were separator by high rising wall and the Muslim had failed to get the cinema hall demolished through a legal battle, they wished to demolish the cinema structure. When the courts and Municipal authorities refused the Muslim demand, the Muslims took the law in their own hands and burnt Sikh/Hindu shops and houses on a large scale. This report contains all the details of these cases of loot and arson. The report indicts the government authorities for their failure to curb the communal riot. It is a reflection of deep-rooted hatred between the two communities which led to country's partition in 1947[edit]
Keywords	SGPC, Rawalpindi, S.B. Mehtab Singh, Nankana Sahib, Lahore, Raja Narendra Nath, Dr. Gokal Chand Narang, Bhagat Jaswant Singh, Cinema Hall, the Mullahs, Dr. Kitchlew, Singh Sabha, Jamma Masjid, Mr. Ferguson, Sardar Bahadur Malik Mohan Singh, [edit]
Accession Number BK-000712