India partition was the division of the British of India into two independent states, the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The partition was seen as the ‘Last –Minute’ mechanism the British would use to secure agreement over the independence of the state. The partition happened on the of 14-15 August 1947 and was based on the Muslim – Hindu dominations. The question is, did this partition do more harm or good? An argumentative can be drawn to critically analyze the aftermath of this partition and find whether the partition served its purpose to end the conflict that naturally occurs between the two religions.
The partition was an unpredictable move, not many people did understand what the partition entails. The Indian National Congress led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi protected the interest of minority groups and opposed the Britsh involving Indians in World War II. In March 1940, the Muslim League’s Pakistan called for the separate states to accommodate Indian Muslims. “My colleagues are going to India with the intention of using their utmost endeavours to help her attain her freedom as speedily and fully as possible.” The British Cabinet intervened. This saw the end of the British regime and the division of the two states. Violence erupted between members of the different religions. Millions of people were displaced to their safer territories; Hindus moved to India, and Muslims to Pakistan.
This left many refugees, and the death toll rose to over two million people killed by opposite rivals. Contagious diseases swept over the refugees, women were raped, and others abducted. All through this time, the British did nothing. “Britain was reluctant to use its troops to maintain law and order”, the author claimed. The British should stop playing benevolent. The Amritsar Massacre and the massive killing that followed after the partition can be solely tied to British slavery.
Though the conflict homogenized the religion between the two states and suppressed killings, the division brought more harm than good. The world can learn from this history the need to stay in harmony between the different religions rather than divisions, which would later cause more harm. Regardless of whether the partition brought about the existence of the two independent states, its effects can still be felt to this day. The relations between the two states still remain unhealthy.
Reference
Ansari, Sarah. “Partition, migration, and refugees: Responses to the arrival of Muhajirs in Sind during 1947–48.” South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies 18.s1 (1995): 95-108.
Pandey, G. (2001). Remembering Partition: Violence, nationalism, and history in India (Vol. 7). Cambridge University Press.
