Naeem, 1

Anusha Naeem
18020418
Pakistan Studies: Sec 2
Jogendra Nath Mandals resignation letter deals with the development of the pogroms which took
place in the 1950s. He was the leader of the scheduled classes, who was somewhat tricked into
joining the Muslim League before partition, being promised certain terms. However, postpartition, the Muslim league took a big turn, which is evident in the several incidents narrated by
Mandal in his letter, where Hindus were persecuted and treated mercilessly especially in East
Bengal.
Mandal addressed this letter to Liaquat Ali khan, the Pakistani prime minister back then. Besides
stating the obvious about him resigning, he clearly narrates the atrocities that took place in
Bengal. He talks about the many incidents narrated by others as well as his own encounters, such
as in Digharkul village regarding the fish net incident where the Muslim incorrectly blamed a
Namahsudra for assaulting him. In these areas the persecuted were mishandled, there houses
distributed to the Muslims, their women raped and their institutions occupied. Mandal had made
some important requests to the government at several occasions hoping to bring the situation to
the higher authorities notice, however these negotiations failed, and he felt that he was being
ignored. Time and again he tries to reiterate that even when he gave his full support and
compliance to the Muslim league by following their orders, at the end he got nothing in return,
which shows the leagues insularity.
He also states that the Bengalis had no say in either the political aspects or the economic aspects
of their province, regardless of being Hindu or Muslim. They were being ruled by those in

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Karachi, he says East Bengal has been transformed into a colony of the western belt of
Pakistan. Similarly, Ayesha Jalal in The state of marital rule writes that despite the many new
possibilities available in the matrix, factional infighting led to political problems in east Bengal.
She continues by saying, that here the administration was filled with Punjabi and non-Bengali
officials (84).
Despite negotiations concerning the Delhi agreement, the situation seemed hopeless and the
agreement was considered no more than a piece of paper. The east Bengal government was in no
way willing to help the Hindus, they had robbed them of their professions and they had no place
to live. They were being squeezed out, but had no place to go, where they could settle.
Mandal seems to believe that the Quaid-e-Azams Pakistan has been lost; meaning, the land
which promised equality and protection of the rights of the minorities has vanished. The sole
spokesman shares a parallel reference, stating that Jinnah wanted to regonised as a leader for the
Muslims at an all-India level, and to gain this he wanted to achieve acceptance from the
provincial level as well (Jalal 4). This shows that Jinnah as a leader thought it important to be
acknowledged by all, however his ideas disintegrated after his death and his followers went
astray which led to the many violence related incidents mentioned in Mandals letter.
All these conditions can be compared to the situation of the subcontinent before India was
partitioned, where the Muslims were greatly mistreated and had to face very similar hardships at
the hands of the Hindus.
To sum up his feelings and emotions using one quote, I only asked myself "What was coming to
Pakistan in the name of Islam.
Words: 557

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Works cited:
Jalal, Ayesha. Constructing the State, State of Martial Rule: The origins of Pakistans Political
Economy of Defence. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990)
Jalal, Ayesha. The sole spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League and the demand for Pakistan.
Vol. 31. Cambridge University Press, 1985.