FROM MOTILAL NEHRU
[My father
had taken a deep personal interest in the aftermath of martial law in the
Punjab. It was at his instance that some appeals from martial law decisions
were preferred in the Privy Council of
the United
Kingdom. One of these appeals which had attracted much attention was that of BUGGA
and RATAN CHAND of Amritsar. This letter and a number of subsequent
letters were written by my
father from
Arrah in Bihar where he was then engaged in a big zamindari case.]
Arrah,
February 25,
1920
My dear Jawahar,
I was not altogether unprepared
for the decision of the Privy Council in the Bugga appeal as you might have
learnt from my last letter. But the news of its dismissal gave me a shock. Whatever part the other appellants might have
taken in the disturbances, there can be no shadow of a doubt that Bugga and
Ratan Chand are as innocent as Indu. Every one in the Panjab-official and non-official-knows
it and yet they are to be hanged! However this is only one instance out of a
million in which injustice is daily perpetrated in this country. We can only do
our duty and exhaust all possible remedies open to us. I have already wired to
you what steps I have taken, but they are not enough. The further steps I
suggest are:
1 Jagmohan Nath to prepare a complete list of the appellants in all the cases sent up. The list to be sent to Tekchand to
find out which of them have been released and which are still in jail. Tekchand
to cable at once to Nevile the names of all still in jail requesting him to
apply for mercy for all.
2 Public meetings
to be held in the principal places all over India, in every town of the Panjab and in every mohalla of Amritsar
for the application of the Royal proclamation to these cases. Meetings in
Amritsar further to resolve that Bugga and Ratan Chand are innocent.
This is more easily said than
done. But an effort must be made. Gandhiji should be consulted but there is not
much time to lose. Executions come swiftly after the last resort to law is
exhausted as the Katarpur executions have shown.
3 What is to be
done if 1 and 2 fail ? I have some very definite ideas on the
point but do not like to express them before I know the result of 1 and 2.
I think I ought to attend your
District Conference even if I have to chuck Hariji. He does not really want me
and I do not really want his money-so the position is fairly clear. I have two
days to consider and make up my mind.
Your loving
FATHER
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