Direct Action Day riots

E931458

The Direct Action Day riots were a massive outbreak of communal violence in Calcutta in August 1946, primarily between Hindus and Muslims, that marked a critical escalation in the tensions leading up to the partition of India.

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf communal riot
historical event
mass violence
alsoKnownAs Calcutta riots of 1946 NERFINISHED
Great Calcutta Killings NERFINISHED
calledBy Muhammad Ali Jinnah NERFINISHED
casualties thousands injured
cause Muslim League call for Direct Action Day
communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims
failure of the Cabinet Mission Plan
political deadlock over independence and partition
chiefMinisterOfBengalAtTime Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy NERFINISHED
commemoratedAs Direct Action Day NERFINISHED
country India (pre-independence) NERFINISHED
deathTollEstimate over 4,000 people killed
displacement tens of thousands displaced
endDate 1946-08-19
followedBy Bihar riots of 1946 NERFINISHED
Noakhali riots NERFINISHED
widespread communal violence in 1946–1947
governorAtTime Frederick Burrows NERFINISHED
historicalSignificance major turning point before Partition of India
one of the deadliest riots in pre-independence India
impact sharpened Hindu-Muslim polarization
strengthened demand for partition
undermined prospects of a united India
involvedAuthority British colonial administration
Calcutta police NERFINISHED
involvedOrganization All-India Muslim League NERFINISHED
Indian National Congress NERFINISHED
location Bengal Presidency NERFINISHED
British India NERFINISHED
Calcutta NERFINISHED
mainParticipants Hindus NERFINISHED
Muslims NERFINISHED
month August 1946
organizedBy All-India Muslim League (for Direct Action Day) NERFINISHED
partOf Indian independence movement NERFINISHED
events leading to Partition of India
perpetrators Hindu mobs
Muslim mobs
politicalContext demand for Pakistan
end of British colonial rule in India
precededBy Cabinet Mission negotiations NERFINISHED
relatedEvent Independence of India in 1947
Partition of India NERFINISHED
religiousNature communal
startDate 1946-08-16
target Hindu civilians
Muslim civilians

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Great Calcutta Killings alsoKnownAs Direct Action Day riots