Question

From which areas did the refugees come to India?

Answer 1

Refugees came to India from several regions during and after the Partition of 1947, primarily due to communal violence, insecurity, and displacement. The major areas from where refugees migrated to India are:

1. West Punjab (Pakistan):

• A large number of Hindus and Sikhs fled from this region due to intense communal riots.
• Many of them settled in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and other northern parts of India.
• Refugee camps were set up along routes such as the Delhi-Mathura main road to accommodate them.

2. Sindh and North-West Frontier Province (NWFP):

• Hindu minorities from these Muslim-majority areas also migrated to India.
• A significant number settled in Bombay (now Mumbai) and Rajasthan, with some moving further to Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

3. East Bengal (now Bangladesh):

• There was a continuous and prolonged influx of Hindu refugees from this region due to repeated communal disturbances and economic instability.
• These refugees mostly settled in West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura.
• Unlike refugees from West Pakistan, many of them arrived empty-handed and without access to compensatory evacuee property, making them the worst sufferers.

4. North-Western and Central areas of Pakistan: From regions like Bahawalpur, Multan, and parts of Baluchistan, smaller groups of refugees also migrated to India.