Direct Action Day, 1946 Calcutta Riots

Direct Action Day (16 August 1946), also known as the 1946 Calcutta Killings, was a day of widespread communal rioting between Muslims and Hindus in the city of Calcutta.In Bengal, under British Rule.The day also marked the start of what is known as The Week of the Long Knives.

The 'Direct Action' was announced by the Muslim League Council  & Jinnah to show the strength of Muslim feelings towards its demand for an "autonomous and sovereign" Pakistan and resulted in the worst communal riots that British India had seen.  Muslim league & Jinnah held a press conference and decided to create east & west pakistan and on 16 August he announced Direct Action Day  and warned Congress, "We do not want war. If you want war we accept your offer unhesitatingly. We will either have a divided India divided or a destroyed India."Muslims started massacre, forced conversion, arson, abduction and mass rape to hindus women. They targeted hindu of Bengal and sikh of Punjab both. The Chief Secretary of Bengal, the Muslim League Chief Minister of Bengal, Hussein Shaheed, requested Governor of Bengal Sir Frederick Burrows to declare a public holiday on that day. Governor Burrows & agreed.The Muslim League branches were advised to depute three workers in every mosque in every ward to explain the League's action plan before Juma prayers. Moreover, special prayers were arranged in every mosque on Friday after Juma Prayers for the freedom of Muslim India.

The notice drew devine inspiration from Quran, claiming that the upcoming protests were an allegory of Prophet Muhammed’s conflict with heathenism and subsequent conquest of Mecca  and establishment of the kingdom of Heaven in Arabia..Troubles started on the morning of 16 August. Even before 10 o'clock Police Headquarters at Lalbazar had reported that there was excitement throughout the city, that shops were being forced to close, and that there were many reports of brawls, stabbing and throwing of stones and brickbats.

These were mainly concentrated in the North-central parts of the city like Rajabazar, Kelabagan, College Street, Harrison Road, Colootolla and Burrabazar. In these areas the Hindus were in a majority and were also in a superior and powerful economic position. The trouble had assumed the communal character which it was to retain throughout. The gathering was considered as the 'largest ever Muslim assembly in Bengal' at that time.

The meeting began around 2 pm though processions of Muslims from all parts of Calcutta had started assembling since the mid day namaz. A large number of the participants were reported to have been armed with iron bars and Lathis.The main speakers were Khawaja Nizamuddin and Chief Minister Hussain Suhrawardy.Soon after the meeting, many of the listeners are reported to have started attacking Hindus and looting Hindu shops as soon as they left the meeting. Subsequently, there were reports of lorries (trucks) that came down Harrison Road in Calcutta, carrying Muslim men armed with brickbats andbottles as weapons and attacking Hindu-owned shops.

On 17 August, Syed Abdullah Farooqui, the President of Garden Reach Textile Workers' Union, along with Elian Mistry, a Muslim hooligan, led a Muslim mob into the mill compound of Kesoram Cotton Mills in the Lichubagan area of Metiabruz.

More than 7000 Orya labourers of Kesoram Cotton Mills were massacred in the slums of Lichubagan.On 25 August, four survivors lodged a complaint at the Metiabruz police station against Farooqui. Bishwanath Das a Minister in the Government of Orissa, visited Lichubagan to investigate into the killings of the Oriya labourers of Kesoram Cotton Mills. Some sources put the death toll at 7,000–10,000 to him. The worst still need to happen of the killing took place during the day on 17 August. By late afternoon soldiers brought the worst areas under control, and the army expanded its hold overnight. In the slums and other areas outside military control, however, lawlessness escalated. 

On 18 August huge number of hindus women been raped by Muslims and thrown on streets without cloths and in very painful conditions. Till 21 August Bengal resulting in 50,000 death  may differ in actual reality 15,000 wounded. After the riots were stopped in Noakhali, the Muslim League claimed that only 5000 Hindus were killed in the mayhem, but the survivors opined that more than 50,000 Hindus were killed. Some sources also made some extreme claim that the Hindu population in Noakhali was nearly annihilated, but Jinnah claimed about only 30,000 Hindus died.

Muslim League leaders spent a great deal of time in police control rooms directing operations and the role of Hussain Shaheed in obstructing police duties is documented.
Finally, on 21 August evening, Bengal was put under Viceroy's rule. 5 battalions of British troops, supported by 4 battalions of Indians and Gurkhas were deployed in the city. The rioting reduced on 22 August.

This is the true history of 1946 Calcutta killing, which is also known as Direct action day named and done by Mohmad Ali Jinnah & Muslim league for creating Islamic Pakistan. 

Both Jinnah & Muslim league calling the Direct Action Day and was fully responsible for stirring up the Islamic nationalist sentiment. 

References:-

1. . Taylor & Francis. p. 441. ISBN 978-1-351-58172-1Jalal, Ayesha (1994). The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League and the Demand for Pakistan. Cambridge University Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-521-45850-4.Azad, Abul Kalam (2005) [First published 1959]. India Wins Freedom: An Autobiographical Narrative. New Delhi: Orient Longman. pp. 164–165. ISBN 978-81-250-0514-8.