This is copy of a secret report written by Sir Frederick John Burrows, the governor of Bengal from February 1946 to August 1947, to Lord Archibald Wavell, the Viceroy of India from June 1943 to March 1947. Burrows’s report informed the Viceroy of the events surrounding the Calcutta (or Kolkata as it now is) riots of 16 August 1946, also known as Direct Action Day. 

What was Direct Action Day?

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, declared 16 August 1946 as Direct Action Day, calling on Muslims across India to suspend all business in protest at continued British rule. Jinnah wanted to pressure the British government into accepting the League’s demands to divide the nation by religion. However, rising communal tensions meant Jinnah’s Direct Action Day led to widespread violence across Calcutta and the surrounding areas, with thousands killed and injured on 16 August and in the following days. 

In the report, Burrows writes about the clashes between Hindus and Muslims in Calcutta. He also describes how the situation deteriorated so seriously that the Army was placed on standby for the Commissioner of Police to call upon when required. These riots were important in making Partition a likely outcome of Indian independence. 

About the India Office Records

This formerly secret report is held within the India Office Records. The India Office Records is a vast collection of archives relating to the administration of the East India Company (1600–1858) and its successor the India Office (1858–1947). The collection includes hundreds of official publications and records, manuscripts, photographs, maps and private papers. These archives document the complex story of British trade with the East, politics, the development of the British Empire and the road to Indian independence.