MORE THAN 63 years have passed since Indian’s independence. We have our own Constitution with fixed fundamental rights for all citizens. Also, under the Constitution, all Indian languages including local languages are respected, while people of different castes, creeds, religion, sex and colour are treated equally.

Before independence when India had not been divided, the people of Sindh province made generous donations towards humanitarian missions. Hospitals such as Hinduja hospitals, Sindhi Hospitals, Jas-Lok hospitals and numerous ashrams and dharamshala have been built through their donations. All these qualities reflect large heartedness of Sindhu community. I remember vividly, how people like Zulfikar Bhutto used to visit my father, a landlord in Sindh, for land and money. But things changed after independence as Sindhu people lost their wealth and power.

One cannot forget the sacrifices made by this community during the freedom struggle. Hemu Kalani, a friend of Bhagat Singh, was hanged at the age of 18. The culture of Indus has many unique qualities, but they are now vanishing from the minds of Indus people. For example, Lavni, the art of dance and storytelling is not practised anymore.

After India’s independence on August 15, 1947, the Sindhu community lost its identity. Sindhu civilization, culture, music, Bhagat literature, dance, Sufism, customs and traditions came to the brink of demolition. During the same year, Sindhis were forced to leave "Sindh" - the land of saints & sufies, and Dama dam Mast  - Jhulelal. Along with other Hindus, Sindhis also migrated to India. It’s sad that these people are now living like migrants in their own country.

Neither our leaders nor the government of India bothered to accommodate these migrants, hence the community was compelled to become stateless. People do not understand why leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, J.B Kriplani, and Daulatram, etc. did not raised their voices for a separate Sindhu Province or state in Bikaner or in Katch area of India.

Today, Sindhi is the mother tongue of more than 90 lace people in India, but the central government has done nothing except for formatting the NCPSL (National Council of Promotion of Sindhi Language).

The intention of HRD can be clearly understood by its decision not to appoint highly qualified candidates at NCPSL and instead selecting vegetable-fruit sellers, hoteliers, builders, etc as members of this council. How such people will evaluate the books, literature and research journals of great writers, who have attended and contributed research papers in many international conferences? More over many members do not even know how to write and read Sindhi language. This horrible practice should be stopped immediately. Otherwise many more Anna Hazares will start fasting in various parts of the country.