THE veil was lifted on Thursday [April 18] over the Royal Indian naval ratings’ mutiny that overtook Bombay and all the other parts of India early in February. The five-man Committee … commenced inquiry in New Delhi on Thursday morning on “the origin and causes of the RIN [Royal Indian Navy] mutiny”.

… “With tears in their eyes, the ratings spoke of the bad conditions under which they were serving,” revealed Lt.-Col. Huq Nawaz, who was the first to give evidence before the Committee… .“[T]heir main complaint was that only 66 Indians out of 1,500 applicants were given regular Commission. The other [grievance] was the decision made officially that 40 regular Commissions would go to British officers. The officers felt that this was uncalled for when qualified and efficient Indians were available….

“…[T]he rice provided was not of good quality and cooked badly. I tasted the food actually in all the establishments and except in one or two, it was not bad. It was mixed with small stones and gave bad odour. But the doctors certified that the smell was not bad for health…. In one galley…more than 1,500 men were housed in a space intended for 500 men….”

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2021