The Partition of 1947The Partition of 1947

Photo courtesy: Photo courtesy: abroabro

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Main questionsMain questions

What was the PartitionWhat was the Partition Why did the Partition of India occur?Why did the Partition of India occur? What were its major consequences? What were its major consequences? How did it affect relations between How did it affect relations between

ordinary citizens? How did it change ordinary citizens? How did it change their everyday existence?their everyday existence?

Did it fulfill the promises it made to Did it fulfill the promises it made to the people who now became the people who now became “Indians” and “Pakistanis” “Indians” and “Pakistanis”

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More questions… More questions…

Is Kashmir a consequence of the Is Kashmir a consequence of the Partition? Partition?

Given the history of Partition, is Given the history of Partition, is peace possible in South Asia? peace possible in South Asia?

Is it ‘simply’ history? Or does it affect Is it ‘simply’ history? Or does it affect us today?us today?

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August 15, 1947August 15, 1947 India achieves independence India achieves independence

and incorporates West and incorporates West Bengal and AssamBengal and Assam

Pakistan is created; Pakistan is created; incorporates East Bengal incorporates East Bengal (the East Wing, or East (the East Wing, or East Pakistan) and territory in Pakistan) and territory in the northwest (the West the northwest (the West Wing, or West Pakistan); Wing, or West Pakistan);

Jinnah becomes governor Jinnah becomes governor general of Pakistan; Nehru, general of Pakistan; Nehru, the PM of Indiathe PM of India

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The Map: Territory & The Map: Territory & CommunityCommunity

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What was the Partition?What was the Partition?

Violence and dislocationViolence and dislocation

Erasure of history, creation of new Erasure of history, creation of new historyhistory

A negotiated political arrangement A negotiated political arrangement

‘‘The Partition of India’ or the The Partition of India’ or the “Independence of Pakistan?”“Independence of Pakistan?”

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Why did the Partition occur?Why did the Partition occur?

British design? What did the British have British design? What did the British have to gain from it? What would have to gain from it? What would have happened if they left it intact? (Note: a happened if they left it intact? (Note: a very similar question is raised now re: Iraq very similar question is raised now re: Iraq and Afghanistan) and Afghanistan)

Orientalist understandingsOrientalist understandings Divide and ruleDivide and rule Negotiations between the ruling classesNegotiations between the ruling classes Communal conflictCommunal conflict Incompatibility of cultures?Incompatibility of cultures?

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Iqbal: Two Nation theoryIqbal: Two Nation theory First articulated in the Presidential First articulated in the Presidential

address to the All India Muslim address to the All India Muslim league in 1930 by Allama Iqbal, the league in 1930 by Allama Iqbal, the famous poet, philosopher and famous poet, philosopher and politician. politician.

Argued that the aspirations of two Argued that the aspirations of two different communities, especially different communities, especially when one was a minority, and the when one was a minority, and the other a majority, could be other a majority, could be addressed within one stateaddressed within one state

Was in disagreement with both Was in disagreement with both Nehru and GandhiNehru and Gandhi

In India’s nationalist discourse this In India’s nationalist discourse this came to be known as Muslim came to be known as Muslim separatism.separatism.

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Savarkar and HindutvaSavarkar and Hindutva

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was the President of the was the President of the Hindu Mahasabha Hindu Mahasabha

Advocated the idea of Hindu Advocated the idea of Hindu Rashtra and supported the Rashtra and supported the two-nation theorytwo-nation theory

His famous article “Who is a His famous article “Who is a Hindu?” argued that more Hindu?” argued that more than a religion, Hindus were than a religion, Hindus were ethnically and territorially ethnically and territorially connected to Indiaconnected to India

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Impact and AftermathImpact and Aftermath

Large-scale communal slaughterLarge-scale communal slaughter Women were used as instruments of Women were used as instruments of

power both by the Hindus and the power both by the Hindus and the MuslimsMuslims

15 million refugees 15 million refugees Division of of Punjab and Bengal, Division of of Punjab and Bengal,

divisions claimed the lives of Hindus, divisions claimed the lives of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike. Muslims and Sikhs alike.

Creation of a Muslim majority stateCreation of a Muslim majority state

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Kashmir: What is at issue?Kashmir: What is at issue?

Self-determination and independenceSelf-determination and independence Secularism versus religion as a basis Secularism versus religion as a basis

for statesfor states TerritoryTerritory Dislocation and loss of livesDislocation and loss of lives IdentityIdentity

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Kashmir timelineKashmir timeline

1925: Hari Singh ascends the throne of 1925: Hari Singh ascends the throne of Kashmir Kashmir

August 1947: he is asked to “choose” August 1947: he is asked to “choose” between India and Pakistan – he remains between India and Pakistan – he remains undecided. Mountbatten suggests undecided. Mountbatten suggests plebscite, which has never been held.plebscite, which has never been held.

October 1947: Jammu and Kashmir was October 1947: Jammu and Kashmir was attacked by militants from the Northwest. attacked by militants from the Northwest. Hari Singh signed an Hari Singh signed an Instrument of Instrument of Accession (Accession (in return for military support in return for military support from India). from India).

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Kashmir timeline(2)Kashmir timeline(2)

1947-48 First Indo-Pak War 1947-48 First Indo-Pak War

1949: Hari Singh was asked to hand 1949: Hari Singh was asked to hand over Kashmir to Sheikh Abdullahover Kashmir to Sheikh Abdullah

1971-2 Bangladesh and Indo-Pak war1971-2 Bangladesh and Indo-Pak war

1972: Simla agreement and Line of 1972: Simla agreement and Line of Control Control

1989: Armed resistance to Indian rule1989: Armed resistance to Indian rule

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Kashmir TodayKashmir Today

Call for Independence from IndiaCall for Independence from India Presence of Indian armyPresence of Indian army Institutional failureInstitutional failure communal politicscommunal politics Instability in PakistanInstability in Pakistan MilitancyMilitancy Possible scenariosPossible scenarios But questions remain…But questions remain…

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Kashmir … Kashmir …

Can another negotiated settlement Can another negotiated settlement create a community?create a community?

What does the Partition experience What does the Partition experience tell us? tell us?

Is religion a good basis for creating Is religion a good basis for creating communities? communities?

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Dawn of FreedomDawn of Freedom (August (August 1947)1947)

Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, translated by Agha Shahid Alitranslated by Agha Shahid Ali

““These tarnished rays, this night-smudged light– These tarnished rays, this night-smudged light– This is not that Dawn for which, ravished with This is not that Dawn for which, ravished with freedom, we had set out in sheer longing, so sure freedom, we had set out in sheer longing, so sure that somewhere in its desert the sky harbored a that somewhere in its desert the sky harbored a final haven for the stars, and we would find it.final haven for the stars, and we would find it.We had no doubt that night’s vagrant wave would We had no doubt that night’s vagrant wave would stray towards the shore that the heart rocked with stray towards the shore that the heart rocked with sorrow would at last reach its port.sorrow would at last reach its port.……Friends, come away from this false light. Come, we Friends, come away from this false light. Come, we must search for that promised Dawn”.must search for that promised Dawn”.