Oral history interview with Bhim Virmani Interview by Harriet Morgan-Shami

Interview description by: Harriet Morgan-Shami

Describes his birthplace as Dera Gazi Khan, it’s geographical context and religious make-up of its population. His family were very wealthy, owning a large house and significant land in the area. Explains his family’s successful merchant trading business and how they were given the title of Diwan by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. [03:16] Explains the religious and cultural make up of Dera Gazi Khan e.g. the city was divided into Hindu and Muslim blocks based on cultural differences nut there was no conflict or social tensions. There were very few Sikh families. Recounts his family’s philanthropic contribution to the city e.g. building a school. Refers to the British as living separately in their own colonies. Explains that the different communities would mix during religious festivals e.g. Diwali, Eid, Christmas. [06:04] Returns to the subject of schools and explains that the Hindu primary school was Hindi medium but that the state run secondary school was Urdu medium. There was no school for girls, their education was at home. [06:48] Describes his large family. Recounts how his parents celebrated his birth according to different religious customs because “he belongs to God”. Concludes that his community was very culturally mixed due to the movement of traders and its location in the borderlands and tribal area. Describes how Dera Gazi Khan had limited transport routes through Balochistan and describes only being able to travel to Quetta once a week on a bus through an army protected route in the tribal areas. Also describes the other limited means of transport to other cities and areas, e.g. Multan, Punjab. [11:30] Discusses family disagreement about his future career after he had completed his matriculation. His parents wanted him to continue his education but his grandfather wanted him to carry on the family business. His parents insisted he attend higher education so he travelled to Lahore in 1946 to study science at college. He was 16 or 17. That same year, the student union invited Master Tara Singh (Sikh political activist) to speak at the college. He made a speech against the Prime Minister of Bengal, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and called for Hindus and Sikhs to be united against Muslims. This was in response to a speech given by Suhrawardy believed to sanction intercommunal violence. Riots and panic ensued leading to colleges being closed. [14:57] Tells of his relatives taking him into their home in the Old City area of Lahore where they owned a shop. He remained with his relatives for 4-5 months whilst the riots took place and he couldn’t get back to Dera Gazi Khan where things remained peaceful until Partition was announced the following year. Recalls how Hindus remained in Lahore due to the location of the new border not being announced for 10 months after the Partition was announced. Explains how the rule of law began to break down during this time due to the police favouring their own religious groups leading to violence and destruction of property. [17:46] Recounts a story about a Muslim worker in his relatives’ shop who his cousin tried to protect by disguising him in Hindu traditional dress to take him out of the Hindu majority area. Unfortunately he was killed. Remembers the Shahi Bazaar being burned down. Talks of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) protecting the area he was living in by beating drums to warn people of danger. Describes the tense atmosphere which very quickly led to panic – recounts a memory of 2 oxen fighting in a local bazaar which was mistaken for a mob coming to attack. [20:22] Tells of his return to Dera Gazi Khan after a few months due to his parents worrying about him in Lahore. Describes the atmosphere of fear in his community in the city due to presence of a Muslim majority population. A Hindu military regiment were being transferred from Balochistan in trucks and were picking up Hindus along the way. His family were picked up and told that they were only allowed to bring a small n