THEME FOURTEEN: Understanding Partition

Independence and Partition (1947): While India gained independence from British rule in 1947, it was overshadowed by the violence and horror of Partition. The division of British India into two countries, India and Pakistan, led to widespread violence, mass migration, and the deaths of thousands.
"The Partition of British India into the sovereign states of India and Pakistan (with its western and eastern wings) led to many sudden developments."
Mass Migration and Violence: Millions of people were uprooted from their homes and forced to migrate, transforming them into refugees. Many cities, towns, and villages were destroyed, and communal violence spread across the land.

Personal Stories of Violence: The chapter shares personal accounts of people who witnessed the violence during Partition. These stories show how neighbors who had lived together peacefully for years turned against each other in 1947.
"How those who had lived more or less harmoniously for generations inflicted so much violence on each other in 1947."

Violence and Death: Partition was not just a political agreement; it was marked by horrific violence, including killings, rapes, and abductions. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and millions were displaced.
"Several hundred thousand people were killed and innumerable women raped and abducted."
Comparing Partition to the Holocaust: Some scholars compare the violence of Partition to the Holocaust in Germany, as both involved mass killings and destruction. However, unlike the state-sponsored Holocaust, the violence during Partition was carried out by individuals and groups acting on their own.
"The ‘ethnic cleansing’ that characterised the partition of India was carried out by self-styled representatives of religious communities rather than by state agencies."

Religious Hatred: The hatred between Hindus and Muslims that grew during Partition still affects India and Pakistan today. Negative stereotypes about each community were strengthened during this time and continue to shape perceptions.
"Partition generated memories, hatreds, stereotypes and identities that still continue to shape the history of people on both sides of the border."

Roots in History: Some historians trace Partition back to the medieval history of Hindu-Muslim conflict. Others see it as the result of communal politics that developed during British rule in the early 20th century.
"Partition as a culmination of a communal politics that started developing in the opening decades of the twentieth century."
Separate Electorates: The British decision to create separate electorates for Muslims in 1909 helped fuel communal politics. Politicians began using religious identities to gather support, which deepened the divide between Hindus and Muslims.
"Muslims could now elect their own representatives in designated constituencies... and the logic of electoral politics deepened and hardened these identities."

What is Communalism?: Communalism refers to politics that unites people based on their religious identity while opposing other communities. It creates divisions and hostility between different religious groups, making them seem like enemies.
"Communalism refers to a politics that seeks to unify one community around a religious identity in hostile opposition to another community."