FULL TEXT OF ALLAH BAKHSH SOOMRO’S LETTER TO THE VICEROY OF SINDH,THATPAVED WAY FOR HIS DISMISSAL AS THE PREMIER OF SINDH.
[An unprecedented thing happened which brought out in astriking manner the real character of British policy. The Premier of Sindh,Mr.Allah Bakhsh Soomro, who had publicly protested against the Government’srepressive policy, is dismissed from his office by the SindhGovernor. The extraordinary reason given is that Mr.Allah Bakhsh no longerpossessed the Governor’s confidence and that he could not in consequencecontinue to hold office.
For the first time since the 1935 Act came into force, thisnew principle was applied that a Premier, though no motion of ‘no-confidence’had been passed against him in a Legislature, could be dismissed from office bythe Governor on the ground that he did not possess Governor’s confidence! Theonly offence of Allah Bakhsh, the Premier of Sindh was that, as a protestagainst Mr. Churchill’s statement, he renounced the honours which he hadreceived from the Government. The textof his leeter is shared here-with.-Dr.Dur Muhammad Pathan, Founder, Gul HayatInstitute]
“ I beg to inform your Excellency that I have decided torenounce both the honours I hold from the British Government as I feel I cannotconsistently with my views and convictions retain them any longer.
India has been struggling for her national freedom for along time past. Upon the outbreak of the present war it was hoped that under the very principles and ideology, indefence of which the Allies were waging a titanic conflict, India would be madefree and participate in the world struggle as a free country.Convinced as I amthat India has every to be free and that the people of India should haveconditions in which they could live in peace and harmony, the declaration andaction of the British Government have made. I clear that, instead of giving their co-operation tovarious Indian parties and communities in settling their differences and partingwith power to the people of land and allowing them to live happy in freedomand mould the destinies of their country according to their birthright, the policy of the British Government hasbeen to continue their imperialistic hold on India and persist in keeping herunder subjection, use the political and communal differences for propagandapurposes, and crush the national forces to serve their own imperialistic aimsand intentions.
The last speech delivered by Mr. Wiston Churchill in theHouse of Commons has caused the greatest disappointment to all men of goodwillwho wish to see rendered to India justice which is long due to her. As thathelpless pronouncement withholds such justice from India and adds to the volumeof evidence that Britain has no desire to give up her imperialistic hold onIndia, I feel I cannot retain the honours I hold from the British Governmentwhich in the circumstances that have arisen. I cannot but regard as tokens ofBrituish Imperialism.” (Source: ‘Source-Material on Allah Bakhsh Soomro’,compiled by Gul Hayat Institute).
