Why was British India partitioned?
Several factors can be attributed for the partition of British India. Some of them are discussed below:
Role of Communal Parties and Organisations: Several historians and scholars think that the main purpose of the foundation of the Muslim League was to serve the interests of the Muslims. In retaliation, the Hindu Mahasabha was founded. The Muslim League was demanding more and more political rights for the Muslims. In retaliation of this, some of the Hindus took steps and established the Hindu Mahasabha in the year 1915. The Hindu Mahasabha also demanded more political rights and representation of the Hindus in the different government organizations. Following in the footsteps, the Sikh League was founded. Akali Dal also put forward demand for their people. Directly or indirectly, these political parties helped separation. They created feeling of separation and isolation among different communities.
British Policy: In India , the British followed the policy of Divide and Rule. In India, before the arrival of the British, the Hindus and the Muslims lived happily. There was unity, mutual cooperation and brotherhood among them. But the British did not like this. They sowed the seeds of dissension and followed the policy of Divide and Rule. Most of the historians believe that this policy of Divide and Rule was the main reason of the partition. The British historians, journalists and writers propagated through their writings that Muslim invaders made the Hindus enslaved and they had been exploited for centuries. Role of British
Government: The British Government also encouraged partition. The British Government encouraged the Muslim League to demand for a separate state. They tried to disrupt the movement of independence by playing the game of imperialism.
Role of Leaders: Role of leaders was also responsible for the partition. Under the leadership of Jinnah , the Muslim League moved a resolution at Lahore demanding a measure of autonomy for the Muslim majority area and after that a new nation called Pakistan.The great poet Mohammad Iqbal also spoke about the need for a Muslim state in north west India as early as in 1930.
How did women experience Partition?
How did the Congress come to change its views on Partition?
Why is Partition viewed as an extremely significant marker in South Asian history?
Examine the strengths and limitations of oral history. How have oral-history techniques furthered our understanding of Partition?
What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940?
Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development?
What were Mahatma Gandhi’s arguments against Partition?
How did ordinary people view Partition?
Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
To what extent are census data useful in reconstructing patterns of urbanisation in the colonial context?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on the part of the rebels.
What do the terms “White” and “Black” Town signify?
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
What do private letters and autobiographies tell us about an individual? How are these sources different from official accounts?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
Why did the salt laws become an important issue of struggle?
Why did Mahatma Gandhi think Hindustani should be the national language?
What explains the anger of the Deccan ryots against Fig. 10.20 the moneylenders?
What do visual representations tell us about the revolt of 1857? How do historians analyse these representations?
What were the new kinds of public places that emerged in the colonial city? What functions did they serve?
How did the Constituent Assembly seek to resolve the language controversy?
Why was the revolt particularly widespread in Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and zamindars to join the revolt?
Examine any two sources presented in the chapter, choosing one visual and one text, and discuss how these represent the point of view of the victor and the vanquished.