SINDH PROVINCIAL CONGRESS COMMITTEE
(Meetings and activities)
A
meeting of the Council of the Sindh Provincial
Congress Committee will be held on Saturday
(17.1.1920) in Hyderabad, to consider the following
subjects:
1.
To consider the following resolution passed
by the Amritsar Congress: "This congress urges its
Provincial committees and other affiliated
associations to promote labour unions throughout the
country with the view of improving social, economic
and political condition of the labouring classes and
securing for them a fair standard of living and a
proper place in the body politics of India".
2.
To organise an "All-Sindh Fund" for the
Jallian Walla
Bagh Memorial; and
3.
The non-release of a large number of
political prisioners in various provinces of India.
At a
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee last
week the Hon. Mr. Harchandrai Vishindas C.I.E. was
elected president and Hon. Mr. G.B. Bhurgri and Mr.
Jamshed N.R. Mehta Vice Presidents. The following
five members were elected for All-India Congress
Committee: The Hon. Mr. Harchandrai and Messrs.
Jamshed N.R. Mehta; Durgdas B. Advani, Choithram P.
Gidwain, and Jeramdas Doullatram. The meeting also
passed a resolution recommending the selection by
the Government of India of Mr. B.G. Tilak as indians
representative on the peace conference.
There was a meeting of the Sindh provincial Congress
Committee here (Hyderabad) on Sunday (16.5.1920)
last at which after much discussion it was resolved
that a special session of the Sindh Provincial
Conference should be called within two months to
consider and give its opinion on the Reforms, on the
"Punjab affairs" including the reports of the
"Congress Committee" and "Hunter Committee”, and on
the "Khilafat" question.
A
meeting of the Sindh Provincial Congress Committee
was held at Hyderabad on Tuesday (15.6.1920),
Mukhi Jethanand Pritamdas presiding. A committee was
appointed to consider the Reform Rules and forward
their views telegraphically to Mr. Patel in England.
As regards the holding of a special session of the
Provincial Conference to consider the Reforms, the
Khilafat, the Hunter Report and other questions,
it was decided that the conference should be held
about a week before the holding of the special
congress, the exact dates to be appointed by the
reception committee of the conference. The question
of the continuance of restrictions on the export of
food grains was
also
considered and a committee was appointed together
facts and figures and submits their considered
opinion within a week.
Sindh Provincial Congress Committee after a
prolonged discussion (on 30.7.1920 at Hyderabad) has
adopted by a majority of votes resolutions saying:-
1.
"That in consideration of the vital demands in
connection with the revision of the Turkish treaty
and the punjab affairs non-co-operation should be
resorted to as against mere agitation".
2.
"That the special congress should declare that the
revision of the Turkish Peace Treaty should ensure
absolute independence for the Arabs and the
nationalities of Syria and Mesopotamia if these
nationalities desire it and
3. That the programme of non-co-operation
should not be put into operation until the ground
has been prepared by adequate preliminary
propaganda.
A
programme of non-co-operation was drafted which in
some points differs from that of the Central
Khilafat Committee. A discussion is now taking place
on the details of this programme, which will
probably take another two days for final adoption.
The
Sind Provincial Congress Committee met on Sunday
(15.8.1920) last at Hyderabad when thirty members
were present. Mr. Sautdas moved a resolution against
non-co-operation similar to the one he had moved in
the District Congress Committee. Mr. Hirdaram of
Karachi seconded him. Mr. Abdul Majid moved an
amendment in a strong speech in favour of Mr.
Ghandi's non-co-operation. Dr. Choithram seconded
him. Mr. Gopaldas moved another amendment which was
against non-co-operation but different from Mr.
Sautdas’s propotion. Mr. Sautdas withdrew his motion
in favour of Mr. Gopaldas’s that did not condemn
non-co-operation as unconstitutional but simple as
impracticable and dangerous. The decision was
adjourned to 26th just before the special
conference. The meeting on Sunday took three hours
in the morning and nearly four hours in the evening.
On
Thursday night (last week of August, 1920) at a
meeting of the Sindh Provincial Congress Committee
the principal of modified non-co-operation was
adopted. Three votes were taken, one for Mr.
Ghandhi's plan in entirety, one for modification,
while the third strongly opposed the
non-co-operation. The resolution adopted laid down
the police and army should not be tampered with, for
that would upset order, and leave indian open to
hostile foreign invasion, it also provided that
people should be properly educated before starting
the programme.
This
morning (21.11.1920) there was (at Hyderabad) an
annual general meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress
Committee for the election of office-bearers and
representatives on the All-India Congress Committee,
also to consider Mr. Ghurgri's resignation of the
Presidentship and to consider the revised draft
constitution of the Indian National Congress. The
election of fifteen office-bearers and of five
representations occupied more than three bourses,
there being end-less talks, speeches and
suggestions. Very much of the time was taken up with
the consideration whether on the executive council
which was to meet always at Karachi the Head
Quarters here should or should not be. So many or so
many representatives from each district. Mr.
Bhurgri's resignation was recorded as the year of
his office is already over. Mr. Durgdas B. Advani
was appointed President for New Year (Nov.1920 to
Oct.1921). Mr. Bhurgri was rejected as a
representative on the All-India even proposed by any
one. Mr. Jethmal, Mr. Bulchand Kodoomal and Mr.
Kishinchand Amersing resigned the membership of the
Provincial Congress Committee. There were hardly any
elderly men of experience taking active part in the
meeting.
On
Sunday (17.7.1921) at a meeting of the Provincial
Congress Committee at Hyderabad It was decided to
organize a Provincial National Service for
propaganda work. Women night take part in this works
in their sphere time and would be financed by the
Provincial Congress Committee but no separate
service was instituted for them with any separate
representation power of vote. Ways and means were
besides devided to organize boy-cott of foreign
cloth in the Province. As president for the next
National Congress at Ahmedabad in December, Mr. C.R.
Das was voted for as candidate and was full
supported.
The
Sindh Provincial Congress Committee decided on
Wednesday, 8.3.1922 that not Individual should
launch on Civil Disobedience without obtaining
permission from the Provincial Congress Committee
and fulfilling all conditions lay down by the All -
India Congress Committee.
The
Sind Provincial Congress Committee have awarded nine
scholarships to students undertaking studies at the
Gujrat vidyapith, six of them are of the value of
Rs.20 each monthly, and three of Rs.l5.
The
Sind Provincial Congress Committee has forwarded to
Calcutta through their representative all the
evidence collected in connection with the Civil
Disobedience question to be placed before the
Enquire Committee.
A
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee will
be held on Friday 8.9.1922 at Hyderabad to consider
inter-alia the recommendations of the Khaddar
Committee regarding the making of advances for
organizing Khaddar Production.
At a
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee held
on Friday 8.9.1922, at Hyderabad. It was decided
to spend Rs.20000 out of its own funds in addition
to 50,000 got from All-India Congress Committee
The
Secretary Sindh Provincial Congress Committee has
instructed all congress committees in Sind to join
the Khilafat Committees in the celebration to be
held on 17.9.1922 all over the province in
connection with the Turkish recovery of Smyorana.
The
recent elections of the Provincial Congress
Committee appear to have produced bitterness in
certain quarters, and tomorrow (27.1.1923) meeting
at Shikarpur is expected stormy on that account. Mr.
Virumal's election to the Presidentship, the removal
of the Provincial office from Hyderabad to Sukkur,
and the appointment of a Slikhrite as Secretary have
led the Hyderabad Congress people to discover a
flow on the elections with the result that some of
them have sent a proposal for setting aside the
election on the grounds that there were several
technical irregularties in the elections at the
Mirpurkhas meeting.
A
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee was
held at Shikarpur on Saturday (27.1.1923) and
continued on Sunday.
The
main question before the committee was the
consideration of a proposal to set aside the
Mirpurkhas elections which has resulted in the
appointment of Mr. Virumal Beghraj as the President
of the Provincial Congress Committee.
The
Sind Provincial Congress Committee met at Karachi
yesterday (24.6.1923) and the day before (23.6.1923)
when resolutions were passed unanimously electing
Moulana Mohammed Ali the President of the next
session of Congress and instructing all Congress
Committees in Sindh to suspend all propaganda
against council entry. The committee further
resolved to request the All-India Congress Committee
to convene a special session of congress to finally
settle up the differences that has arisen between
congressmen. In regard to Nagpur Satyagaraha it was
resolves:
(1) to
congratulate Karachi Congress Committee on its
decision to send 25 volunteers and devote a sum of
Rs.2,000 to the
Sind Provincial Congress Committee met at Karachi
yesterday (24.6.1923) and the day before (23.6.1923)
when resolutions were passed unanimously electing
Moulana Mohammed Ali as the President of the next
session of congress and instructing all congress
committees in Sindh to suspend all propaganda
against council entry. The committee further
resolved to request the All-India Congress Committee
to convene a special session of congress to finally
settle up the differences that has arisen between
congress men. In regard to Nagpur Satyagraha it was
resolved:
(1)
To congratulate Karachi Congress Committee on its
decision to send 25 volunteers and devote a sum of
Rs.2000 to defray their expenses and to support
where necessary, the familes of those that may be
imprisoned, and
(2)
To constitute a Provincial volunteer Board to
examine those persons offering to enlist as
volunteers whether they satisfied the requirements
laid down by the All India Congress Committee and to
co-ordinate the work of enrolment through the
province so as to keep up the supply of volunteers
for the Nagpur Satyagraha.
At a
meeting of the Sindh Provincial Congress Committee
held recently at Hyderabad, it was resolved to
remove office from Hyderabad to Karachi, and to hold
a Sind Provincial Political Conference at Karachi in
the end of may1926.
A
meeting of Sind Provincial Congress Committee was
held on 5.2.1930 at Max Denso Hall, Karachi, it was
presided over by Dr. Choithram.
Amongst the present were:- Naraindas A, Bechar
(president local Congress Committee); K. Punniah;
Acharya A.T. Gidwani, Swami Krishanand; R.K. Sidhwa
and Govindanad, meeting was called in connection to
the 45th session of congress to be held in Karachi.
A
meeting of Sind Provincial Congress Committee was
held on 2.3.1930 in Bharat Sarswat Mandir. It was
presided over by Dr. Choithram.
It
was decided to hold an exhibition at the time of the
45th session of congress to be held in Karachi. It
was resolved to take pledges from the people to
boycott foreign cloth.
A
reception Committee consisting the following members
was appointed for Indian National Congress to be
held in Karachi:
Dr.
Choithrami Swami Govindanand; Prof. N.R. Malkani;
Jairamdas Doulatram; Swami Krishnanand; Viromal
Begraj; H.S. Pamnani and R.B. Motwani.
Seth
Isardas Varandmal was appointed as treasurer
A
meeting of Sind Provincial Congress Committee was
held on 26.11.1933 at Holmstead Hall, Hyderabad Dr.
Tarachand P. Gidwani presided. It was attended by 40
members among them were:
Narayandas Anandji; Swami Govindanand; R.K. Sidhwa;
Prof. Shawdas Vaswani; Dr. Vishindas Shidvasani;
Vishna Sharma; Kishinchand Melwani; Mrs. Kamladevi
Hiranand; Mr. Baldev Gagra; Hundraj Parwani:-
Resolutions passed:
1.
"In
view of the fact that dissension are so rife in the
congress ranks this meeting of the congress workers
of Sindh is of the opinion that it is high time that
a meeting of the All India Congress Committee be
called to discuss the present political situation in
order to revive political life in the country and to
bring about unity in the congress ranks".
2.
"This meeting is of the opinion that under the
conditions existing at the present movement, it will
be very difficult to continue individual civil
disobedience movement or revive mass civil
disobedience movement in Sindh".
This
meeting of the congress workers of Sindh declares
its firm faith that under the leadership of M.
Gandhi during 14 years there has been a wonderful
political awakening made a considerable progress
towards the attainment of freedom.
This
meeting is therefore, indebted to him for his
valuable services to the nation and expects that he
will continue to lead the country".
A
meeting of Sind Provincial Congress Committee was
held on 21.6.1934, under the presidentship of Dr.
Choithram.
Executive discussed the Government communique
removing the ban on congress. It was decided to
direct all the District Congress Committees to hold
election by 1.8.1934. A Sub-Committee consisting the
following members was appointed to arrange for a
conference of political workers during the
forthcoming visit of Mr. Gandhi: -
Dr.Choithram; Swami Govindanandj Moulvi Muhammad
Sidik and Swami Krishnanand.
Resolution on the following subjects were passed:
(i) Appreciation of the services of congress
workers,
(ii) Condemnation of discrimination of
Government against "Red Shirts".
A
meeting of Sind Provincial Congress Committee was
held on 9.7.1934 in Karachi, Jairamdas Doulatram
General Secretary of Indian National Congress
presided.
Following work was carried out:
(i) Expressed grief at the deaths of Patel;
Sen Gupta and Dr. Besant.
(ii) Considered the draft of new rules and
passed.
(iii) Adjourned the question of appointing Sind
representatives on the Congress parliamentary
Board.
(iv) Resolved to revive congress committee's
political life.
A
meeting of Executive Committee of the Sindh
Provincial Congress Committee was held under the
presidency of Dr. choithram.
It
considered the alleged irregularities of elections
to Karachi District Congress Committee where in
non-habitual Khadi-weared are reported to have
exercised votes against rules pretesting which a
section of the members walked out and held another
meeting and elected separate committee.
The
council invalidated both the elections and ordered
fresh election after getting instruction from the
All India Congress Committee and working committee
regarding their means to how enforce Khadar clause
in fiture.
A
meeting of Sindh provincial congress Committee was
held on 1.12.1934 in Karachi, Dr. Choithram
presided. Committee resolved that the congress
working committee be recommended to organize an
All-India demonstration against the joined
parliamentary committee's Report by fixing a day on
which public meetings be held in co-operation with
other political parties who agree with the congress
attitude for endorsing the statement of working
committee on the Joint parliamentary committee's
Report to be issued by working committee and
burning effigies of the report with a view to
attracting mass attention.
Sub-Committee consisting of following members was
appointed for drafting rules for Sindh Provincial
Congress Committee:
Dr.
Choithram, Swami Govindanand; Prof. Ghansham das and
Parasram Thai Iraniani.
Committee resolved that the Sindh province political
conference be convened during Easter and the Karachi
District Congress Committee be requested to make
arrangements for the
same.
Resolved that on the occasion of the above
conference, an exhibition of Sindh arts and crafts
and other Swadeshi articles be organized and
committee of 7 persons be appointed to arrange for
the same in consultation with the Sindh branch of
All-India's Spinner's Association and All-India
village industries Association,
Question of constituting Karachi a separate congress
province was discussed and postponed sine die.
A
meeting of Sindh provincial Congress Committee was
held on 5.12.1934 in Karachi, and following
resolutions were passed:—
(1)
The council of the Sindh Provincial Congress
Committee recommends to the working committee and
the congress parliamentary
Board to issue instructions to the congress members
of legislative
Assembly that they should leave the chamber as soon
as lord Willingdon entered it to address the house
in order to express the nations resentment against
the ruthless repression inaugurated and carried on
during his regime".
(2)
The council of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee
most emphatically condemns the shocking restrictions
imposed on Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose immediately on
his arrival at Calcutta. Confirming him in the house
under the most intolerable and provoking conditions;
considering the state of Mr. Subhas Bose's state of
health in its further impairment in the opinion of
this council such restrictions are unheard of and
betray a spirit of utter barbaric vindictiveness.
The
council of the Sindh Provincial Congress is of
opinion that cricket tournaments arranged on a
communal basis have a tendency to emphasize the
communal aspect of these matches and add to the
communal strain between various communities which
are already politically divided.
The
council appeals to the various cricket Associations
to discontinue these tournaments on a communal basis
and arrange them on a territorial or other basis.
In a
meeting of Sind Provincial Congress Committee held
on 27.1.1935, in Karachi, a committee of 30 members
was appointed to make arrangements for coming "Sind
Political Conference" to be held in Karachi.
In a
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee, held
on 14.2.1935 in Karachi All-India Congress Committee
through resolution was requested to give Karachi a
district (Provincial) position in congress.
In a
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee held
on 3.6.1935 at Khalikdina Hall under the presidency
of Dr. Choithram Government was urged to allow
relief parties to proceed to Quetta to extricate the
dead and injured, meeting was attended by B.T.
Thakur, Shaikh Abdul Majeed, R.K. Sidwa and Swami
Krishnand.
Following resolution was adopted in the meeting of
Sindh Provincial Congress Committee's meeting held
on 6.9.1935, in Karachi:
"In
view of numerous inquiries made from the President
of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee whether the
congress will contest elections to the Sindh
Legislative Assembly under the new constitution, the
council wishes to make it clear that the congress
will put up candidates in as many constituencies as
possible but as the actual selection of candidates
and the announcement of programme may not be
possible for some time, the council appeals to all
voters and also election workers not to commit
themselves at this stage to any particular candidate
or party but reserve the liberty of action till
the congress enters the field".
A
meeting of Sindh Provincial Congress Committee was
held on 12.10.1935, Dr. Choithraw presided.
Following suggestions for recommendation to the
working committee of All-India Congress Committee,
with a view to making changes in the constitution
were approved:
(i)
The clause regarding manual labour should be
deleted.
(ii) The percentage of delegates for rural and
urban areas should not be fixed in the constitution,
provincial committees be allowed to decide this
matter.
(iii) Annual fee for membership should be one
Anna only.
(iv) The minimum number of delegates for any
province shall be 20.
(v) The total membership of the All-India
Congress Committee should be 700 and each provincial
quota should be double the number.
(vi) All-India Congress Committee members
shall be elected by provincial congress committees
by the single transferable vote.
(vii) Delegates from each province shall be
ex-officio members of the provincial congress
committee.
Speaking at the meeting of the Sindh Provincial
congress committee held on 18.5.1946, Dr. Choithrant
P. Gidwani reviewed the communal situation in the
province.
He
urged the Government to take deterrent action
against disturbers of peace.
The
meeting also passed a condolence resolution on the
death of Mr. Bhulabhai Desai.
Sindh Provincial Congress Committee meeting was held
on 16.5.1946 at Hyderabad, when thirty-nine out of
forty-two Sindh Congress delegates who attended the
meeting nominated eight members on the Sindh
Provincial Congress Committee, themselves forming
the rest automatically. The surprising developments
were that Miss Jethi Sipahimalani M.L.A. and Mr.
Persram Tahilamani, Present secretary of the Sindh
Provincial Congress Committee were not elected.
The
following were declared elected: Pandit Doulatram
(Dadu), Jairamdas Doulatram and Chimandas Issardas
(Hyderabad), Mrs. Kamladevi Hiranand (Hyderabad),
Shafi Mohammed (Jacobabad), Lalji Mahrotra,
Goverdhan Vazirani and Hotchand Asnan (from the
general seats).
