CLASS-2
Two-nation theory:
- According to this theory, Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations, with their own customs, religion, and traditions; therefore, from social and moral points of view, Muslims should be able to have their own separate homeland outside of Hindu-majority India, in which Islam should be the dominant religion, and be segregated from Hindus and other non-Muslims.
- Advanced by the Muslim League. (Iqbal, Rehmat Ali, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Jinnah)
- Opposed by Congress.
- Several political developments in 1940s;
- Political competition:
- British role:
- On 14-15 August, 1947 two nation-states came into existence.
- Difficulties:
- No single belt of Muslim majority:
- Not all Muslim majority areas wanted to be in Pakistan. (Role of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan)
- Punjab and Bengal, had very large areas where the non-Muslims were in majority.
- Problem of ‘minorities’ on both sides: found themselves as trapped & were undesirable aliens in their own home, in the land where they and their ancestors had lived for centuries.
CONSEQUENCES OF PARTITION
- Violent separation of communities who had hitherto lived together as neighbors. About 80 lakh migrated. 5-10 lakh killed.
- Transfer of population: Largest, most abrupt, unplanned and tragic.
- Killings and atrocities on both sides.
- Cities like Lahore, Amritsar and Kolkata became divided into ‘communal zones’.
- Both communities stayed away from areas of other’s predominance.
- People Forced to abandon their homes and move across borders, people went through immense sufferings by all sorts of means, often by foot.
- After attacked, killed or raped in this journey, They secured temporary shelter in ‘refugee camps’.
- Women were abducted, forced into marriage, killed by abductor or for preserve the ‘family honour’.
- Children were separated.
- Found unhelpful local administration and police in what was till recently their own country.
- Writers, poets and film-makers defined it as survivors described Partition ‘division of hearts’.
- Division of: properties, liabilities, and assets, political division and the administrative apparatus, financial assets, things: tables, chairs, typewriters, paper-clips, books, musical instruments of the police band, Government Employees.Question: After Disagree “the two-nation theory”, partition was on religious basis. Did that make India a Hindu nation automatically?
- No, After Migration 12% Muslim population in 1951 census and other minorities.
- Although like the Muslim League, there were organisations, which were trying to organise the Hindus in order to turn India into a Hindu nation. But most leaders of the national movement believed that India must treat persons of all religions equally and that India should not be a country that gave superior status to adherents of one faith and inferior to those who practiced another religion.
- All citizens would be equal irrespective of their religious affiliation. Being religious or a believer would not be a test of citizenship. They cherished therefore the ideal of a secular nation. This ideal was enshrined in the Indian Constitution.