PART 3 CH14 Understanding Partition (Important Question Answer)

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III

CH14 UNDERSTANDING  PARTITION (POLITICS,  MEMORIES, EXPERINCE)

IMPORTANT QUESTION ANSWER

2 Marks 

Q1 "The relationship between India and Pakistan has been profoundly shaped by the legacy of partition shaped by the legacy of partition." Explain any two consequences of it.

Ans  It is true that the relationship between India and Pakistan has been profoundly shaped by the legacy of partition.

The two consequences of this are:

1.Indian haters in Pakistan and Pakistan haters in India are both products of partition. Some people spread false ideas in India that Muslims are cruel, bigoted, unclean and descendants of invaders, while Hindus are kind, liberal and pure. They even wrongly believed that Indian Muslims are supporters of Pakistan.

2. Similarly in Pakistan, feeling was spread that Muslims are fair, brave, monotheists and meat-eaters, while Hindus are dark, cowardly, polytheist and vegetarians.

Q2 Why did the Congress not accept the proposal to form a joint government with the Muslim League in the United Provinces? Give any two reasons. 

Ans The two reasons were as follows:

1.The Congress had won an absolute majority in the province.

2.The Muslim League supported landlordism whereas the Congress wanted to abolish it.

Q 3 Was the demand of the league reasonble? Comment. 

Ans No, the demand of league was not reasonable.

It clearly demanded the partition of India on the basis of religion.

4 Marks

Q1 Examine the events that took place during 1920s and 1930s which consolidated the communal identities in the country.

Ans  Between 1920 and 1930, many incidents took place which created tensions. Frequent rlots took place. Many Hindu organisation were formed. They carried out purification movement and started playing communal cards. Hindu identity was defined against Muslim identity by the Hindu Mahasabha. Music playing before the mosque became frequent.

Hindi became the language of the Hindus and Urdu became the language of Muslims. There were increased communal feelings within Hindus and the Muslims. Hindus were angered by the rapid spread of 'tabligh' (propaganda) and 'tanzim' (organisation) after 1923. Gaps between Hindus and Muslims widened due to these deliberate actions.

In the 1937 elections, the communal parties, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League fared poorly. Apprehensive of their survival, both the parties began to make use of religion to secure the support of the masses. The British encouraged the Muslim League and when the Congress resigned in 1939, they were invited to form the government in the provinces.

Q2 Analyse the provisions of Cabinet Mission of 1946.
Ans Recommendations of the Cabinet Mission were as follows:

• A loose three-tier confederation of United India.
• A weak Central Government controlling foreign affairs, defence and communications.
• Provincial assemblies were grouped into three sections, i.e. section A Hindu majority provinces, section B and section C Muslim-Majority provinces of the North-West and the North-East India.
• The provinces would have their own executives and legislatures. Reasons of rejecting the plans were as follows:
• The league wanted the right to secede from the Union to sections B and C.
• The Congress wanted that the provinces should have the right to join any group.

Therefore, neither the league nor the Congress agreed to the proposal

Q3 Analyse the impact of partition of India on Punjab and Bengal. An Impact of partition was horrendous in the Punjab.
Ans

• There was carnage on both sides across the border. Near total displacement of Hindus and Sikhs took place from West Punjab to Eastward into India and similarly Punjabi Muslims were displaced from Indian Punjab to Westward into Pakistan.

• There was massacre in Amritsar, thousands of people were killed in Punjab, hundreds of women were raped and abducted. Properties were looted and immovable property was captured.

• Many women killed themselves in order to protect themselves from being dishonoured by violent mob. This total displacement of Hindu,Sikh and Punjabi speaking- muslims happened in a relatively short period between 1946 and 1948

In Bengal situation was more or less similar but process of migration was more protected.

• There was no total displacement of population in Bengal as many Hindus remained in East Bengal and many Muslims in West Bengal. But in Bengal people were also murdered in large numbers, women were raped and abducted.

•  Finally Bengali Muslims of East Pakistan broke away from Pakistan and created independent country Bangladesh in 1971-72.

Q4 Why did the Congress reject the offer of the Muslim League to form a joint government? Explain. 

Ans  

There were various reasons due to which the Congress rejected the offer of the Muslim League to form a joint government which were:

Absolute Majority of Congress:

In the United Provinces, the Muslim League ‘ wanted to form a joint government with the Congress. The Congress had won an absolute majority in the province so it rejected the offer.

Ill effects of the Rejection:

It is argued that this rejection convinced the league that if India remained united, then Muslim would find it diffcult to gain political power because they would remain a minority.

 Muslim League to be the Sole Spokesman of Muslims

The league assumed that only a Muslim party could represent Muslim interests and the Congress was

essentially a Hindu party. Jinnah’s insistence that the League be recongised as the sole spokesman of

Muslims could convince few at the time

Muslim League’s Support to Landlordism:

Congress Party rejected the Muslim League proposal for a coalition government because the League tended to support landlordism, which the Congress wished to abolish

Q5 Examine the views of Gandhiji against the partition of India.

Ans Gandhiji was against the partition of India. He worked for Hindu – Muslim unity. He rejected religion as the basis of forming a nation. He belived in Hindu – Muslim unity based on sharing of a common culture and a single nation. Gandhiji believed that the Pakistan demand had put forward by Muslim League was unislamic.

He called it as sinfull. According to him Islam stood for the unity and brotherhood mankind, not for disrupting the oneness of the human family.

Gandhiji was saddened by the partition and the migrations taking place. He said, “What could be more shameful for us”, during a speech, “than the fact that not a single Muslim could be found in Chandni  Chowk?” Gandhiji continued to be in Delhi, fighting the mentality of those who wished to drive out every. Muslim from the city, seeing them as Pakistani.

Q6 Examine various events that led to the partition of British India.
Ans There are a number of events which led to the partition of British India whether directly or indirectly:

Politicisation of religion:
Politicisation of religion started with separate electorate in 1909, and was further strengthened by the
colonial government of India in 1919. Thus, communal riots were taking place and deepened the difference between communities. Yet it would be incorrect to see partition as outcome of communal tensions.

The Provincial elections of 1937 and the Congress ministries:
In 1937, for the first time provincial elections were held. In this Congress won with majority. In United

Provinces, Muslim League wanted to form government with Congress but Congress rejected the idea as it had absolute majority. League believed that as they are minority they would not get political power.The league also believed that only Muslim party can represent Muslim and Congress is Hindu Party. Growth of RSS and Hindu Mahasabha also played an important role in widening the difference between Hindus and Muslims.

The ‘Pakistan’ Resolution:

On 23rd March, 1940, League passed a resolution demanding a measure of autonomy for Muslim majority areas of the sub-continent. This resolution never mentioned partition or a separate state. First demand of Pakistan was made by the urdu poet Mohammad Iqbal.

Post-War Development:

In 1946, again provincial elections were held. In this election Congress swept general constituencies and league succeed in gaining large majority of Muslim vote. Therefore, in 1946 league established itself as a dominant party among Muslims.

A possible alternative to partition:

In march 1946, Cabinet Mission came in India to make a suitable political framework for India. But both the parties i.e the Muslim League and the congress did not  agree to the Cabinet Mission proposal and talks failed. Congress sensed after this failure that partition become inevitable and took it as tragic but unavoidable.

Towards Partition:

After withdrawal from Cabinet Mission, Muslim League decided on direct action for winning its Pakistan demand. It announced 16th August, 1946 as ‘direct action day’. Initially riots broke out in Calcutta and gradually spread to other parts of Northern India. In March 1947, Congress accepted the partition.Thus, these events led to the partition of British India.