W. F. Gatacre

In the case of the City of Bombay the greatest opposition was experienced from the Sunni Muhammadans, and especially the Konkani Sunnis. General Gatacre makes the following remarks with regard to the attitude of these Muhammadans : — “In the case of the Muhammadan community, and particularly of the Konkani Sunnis, much difficulty was at first experienced in bringing them to reason. The non-possumus attitude which they at first adopted is well illustrated by the proceedings at a meeting called by Hadji Oomer Jamal on December 28th for the purpose of persuading the community to assent to segregation. Most of the speakers were in favour of prayer as the best way of averting the disease, and when the promoters of the meeting tentatively suggested segregation, an old Muhammadan gentleman, as spokesman for certain sections of the community, said, ‘ he might mention that they were totally opposed to segregation and that nothing would persuade them to send their plague-stricken to the municipal hospital.’ A young Muhammadan then arose and, in supporting the last speaker, remarked : ‘ We will not go to hospital. Our musjid is our hospital.’ And this seemed to find favour with the meeting. — ( Times of India, December 29th.)

In the case of the City of Bombay the greatest opposition was experienced from the Sunni Muhammadans, and especially the Konkani Sunnis. General Gatacre makes the following remarks with regard to the attitude of these Muhammadans: “In the case of the Muhammadan community, and particularly of the Konkani Sunnis, much difficulty was at first experienced in bringing them to reason. The non possumus attitude which they at first adopted is well illustrated by the proceedings at a meeting called by Hadji Oomer Jamal on December 28th for the purpose of persuading the community to assent to segregation. Most of the speakers were in favor of prayer as the best way of averting the disease, and when the promoters of the meeting tentatively suggested segregation, an old Muhammadan gentleman, as spokesman for certain sections of the community, said, ‘he might mention that they were totally opposed to segregation and that nothing would persuade them to send their plague-stricken to the municipal hospital.’ A young Muhammadan then arose and, in supporting the last speaker, remarked: ‘We will not go to hospital. Our musjid is our hospital.’ And this seemed to find favor with the meeting.—(Times of India, December 29th.)

It was some time before the Konkani Sunnis became at all reconciled to the orders of the Government or consented to assist in carrying them out. They first presented a petition to the Governor of Bombay, His Excellency replied on the 29th of March that it was evident that the petition had been drawn up under a very serious misconception of the objects the Government had in view in appointing the Committee, and of the manner in which it was proposed to attain them. These objects and methods were then carefully explained. On the same day a deputation of the Konkani Sunnis waited on General Gatacre and protested against house-to-house visitation and segregation of the sick in hospital. General Gatacre replied that the circumstances made it impossible to permit any attempt to segregate the sick in their own houses. After a protracted discussion the deputation accepted this view, and consented to provide hospitals and segregation accommodation for their community. But on the 2nd of April a mass meeting of the opposition party was held in the hall of the Jama Masjid at which several resolutions were passed, of which the following was the first and most important : —

It was some time before the Konkani Sunnis became at all reconciled to the orders of the Government or consented to assist in carrying them out. They first presented a petition to the Governor of Bombay, His Excellency replied on the 29th of March that it was evident that the petition had been drawn up under a very serious misconception of the objects the Government had in view in appointing the Committee, and of the manner in which it was proposed to attain them. These objects and methods were then carefully explained. On the same day a deputation of the Konkani Sunnis waited on General Gatacre and protested against house-to-house visitation and segregation of the sick in hospital. General Gatacre replied that the circumstances made it impossible to permit any attempt to segregate the sick in their own houses. After a protracted discussion the deputation accepted this view, and consented to provide hospitals and segregation accommodation for their community. But on the 2nd of April a mass meeting of the opposition party was held in the hall of the Jama Masjid at which several resolutions were passed, of which the following was the first and most important: