Train to Pakistan (Hukum Chand)

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

Hukum Chand:

Hukum Chand is a main character from the novel ‘A Train to Pakistan’. The novel is written by Khushwant Singh. He is a district magistrate and deputy commissioner. He is a middle-aged man. He is an outsider (परका/उपरा) to Mano Majra. By the summer of 1947, the whole of northern India was grappled with violence and turmoil due to the partition of India. Ten million people—Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus were in flight (देशोधडीला लागणे). The riots had become a routine. But Mano Majra remained an exception to this. It was unaware of the turbulence going on in other parts of India due to partition. Here, the Muslims and Sikhs were still living harmoniously. Hukum Chand comes to Mano Majra against this background. It is his prime duty to look after the law and order of Mano Majra. He knows it well that Sikhs and Muslims are living here harmoniously. But he does not want to take any chance.

So, once he comes to Mano Majra, he starts to working on his plan. He understands that till the Muslims are living in Mano Majra, it is likely to explode (उद्रेक होणे) at any moment. So, he is working on vacating the Muslims from Mano Majra. He makes a complex and delicate plan. The main points of his planning are as follows:

1.   Jugga and Iqbal are arrested on the charge of Lala Ram Lal’s murder. Police arrest Malli, who is the real murderer of Lala Ram Lal. But Hukum Chand asks the sub-inspector to release Malli and asks to make an inquiry of Sultana, the other dacoit. Hukum Chand’s plan becomes successful when the villagers assume that Lala Ram Lal has been murdered by Sultana, a Muslim fellow.

2.   Hukum Chand asks the sub-inspector to make an inquiry about a Muslim stranger Iqbal who is a worker of Muslim League. Here too Hukum Chand becomes successful because the villagers assume Iqbal as a suspicious person. In reality, Iqbal is neither a Muslim nor a Muslim League worker.

3.   Some other incidents intensify the disbelief (अविश्वास) for Muslims in Mano Majra. A train comes from Pakistan which is full of dead bodies. Sikh refugees come to Mano Majra who explain their horrific experiences in Pakistan. The villagers watch the dead bodies of Sikhs in the river Sutlej.

All these events, transform the calm and quiet Mano Majra. The Sikhs urge the Muslims to vacate Mano Majra. Muslims leave the village, and Hukum Chand becomes successful in his planning.

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