Historical background leading

to the creation of Pakistan

Lecture 2
Instructor: Ammar Yasir
Partition of Bengal (1905):
• The Partition of Bengal in 1905 was a significant administrative
reorganization undertaken by the British colonial government in
India. The province of Bengal, which at the time was one of the
largest and most populous provinces in British India, was divided into
two separate entities: Eastern Bengal and Assam, with Dhaka as its
capital, and the rest of Bengal which retained the name "Bengal".
• The stated rationale behind this partition was to improve
administrative efficiency by creating smaller, more manageable
administrative units.
Cont…
• However, the real motivations behind the partition were more
complex and rooted in British colonial policies of divide and rule and
their apprehensions about growing nationalist sentiments in the
region.
• Divide and Rule: The British employed a divide and rule strategy to
maintain control over their vast colonial territories. By creating
divisions along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines, they sought to
prevent the emergence of a united Indian nationalist movement that
could challenge their authority. The Partition of Bengal was seen as a
way to weaken the cohesion of the Bengali-speaking population,
which was considered a hotbed of nationalist sentiment.
• Economic Considerations: There were also economic factors at play.
Bengal was a prosperous province with a thriving economy based on
agriculture and industry. The partition was perceived as a move to
safeguard the economic interests of the British by creating separate
administrative units that could be more easily controlled and
exploited.
• Fear of Nationalist Movement: Bengal, particularly Calcutta (now
Kolkata), had emerged as a centre of the Indian nationalist
movement, with leaders like Rabindranath Tagore, Surendranath
Banerjee, and Aurobindo Ghosh playing prominent roles. The British
viewed the growing nationalist sentiment with concern and saw the
partition as a way to disrupt and weaken the movement by creating
divisions along religious lines.
• Communal Tensions: One of the unintended consequences of the
partition was the exacerbation of communal tensions between
Hindus and Muslims. The division of Bengal resulted in a
Hindu-majority western region and a Muslim-majority eastern region.
This sparked fears and insecurities among both communities about
their political and cultural identity, leading to heightened communal
tensions.
• Impact on Muslim Identity: The creation of East Bengal and Assam,
with Dhaka as its capital, provided a political space for Muslim
identity to assert itself more prominently. This event laid the
groundwork for future demands for separate Muslim-majority
regions and sowed the seeds for the eventual partition of British India
and the creation of Pakistan.
• Formation of the Muslim League (1906):

• The All-India Muslim League emerged in 1906 as a political organization

representing the interests and concerns of Muslims in British India. It was
established in Dhaka during the annual session of the All India
Muhammadan Educational Conference, with prominent Muslim leaders
and intellectuals like Nawab Salimullah Khan and Aga Khan III playing key
roles.
• The formation of the Muslim League was a response to the perceived
marginalization of Muslims within the broader Indian nationalist
movement dominated by the Indian National Congress, which primarily
comprised Hindu leaders.
• Muslims felt the need for a separate political platform to safeguard their
rights, promote their interests, and articulate their distinct identity within
the diverse Indian society under British colonial rule.
Cont…
• The Muslim League's agenda evolved, reflecting the changing political landscape
of British India. Initially, it aimed to secure adequate political representation and
safeguards for Muslims within a united India.
• The League advocated for separate electorates, where Muslims could vote for
their representatives, as well as safeguards for their cultural and religious rights.
• However, as communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims intensified and the
Indian nationalist movement became increasingly dominated by Hindu leadership,
the Muslim League's demands for greater autonomy and safeguards for Muslims
grew stronger.
• Ultimately, the League became the leading voice for the demand for a separate
Muslim-majority nation-state, leading to the eventual creation of Pakistan in
1947. The Muslim League's formation and its evolving agenda played a crucial role
in shaping the trajectory of Indian politics and the struggle for independence from
British colonial rule.
Lucknow Pact 1916
•
The Lucknow Pact of 1916 marked a significant milestone in Indian politics as
it represented a rare moment of collaboration and cooperation between the
Indian National Congress (INC) and the All-India Muslim League (AIML).
Negotiated during the Lucknow Session of the INC, the pact aimed to address
the concerns of both Hindu and Muslim communities within the context of
British colonial rule.
• One of the key agreements reached in the Lucknow Pact was the
endorsement of separate electorates for Muslims, a longstanding demand of
the Muslim League. This meant that Muslim voters would have the right to
elect their own representatives in designated constituencies, distinct from
those elected by Hindu voters.
• Additionally, the pact proposed a system of "weightage" whereby seats in
legislative bodies would be allocated to Muslims in proportion to their
population, ensuring adequate representation for the Muslim community.
• In constituencies where Muslims were in a minority, joint electorates
were proposed, allowing voters from all communities to participate in
electing representatives.
• The Lucknow Pact also aimed to foster Hindu-Muslim unity by
recognizing and accommodating the interests of both communities. It
was a significant step towards bridging the gap between Hindus and
Muslims within the Indian nationalist movement.
• Despite their differences, the INC and the AIML demonstrated a
willingness to cooperate and collaborate for the greater cause of
Indian independence. The pact symbolized a broader effort to
promote communal harmony and inclusivity, recognizing the diversity
of Indian society.
Khilafat Movement
• The Khilafat Movement was a significant pan-Islamic political
campaign launched in India in the aftermath of World War I. It
emerged as a response to the imminent threat to the Ottoman
Caliphate, the spiritual leader of the global Muslim community, by
the Allied Powers.
• Indian Muslims, led by prominent leaders such as the Ali brothers
(Maulana Muhammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali) and Abul Kalam
Azad, rallied to support the Caliphate, viewing its preservation as
crucial to the interests and dignity of Muslims worldwide.
• The movement gained widespread traction, with Muslims across
India organizing protests, boycotts, and demonstrations to express
solidarity with the Ottoman Empire and to pressure the British
colonial authorities to intervene on behalf of the Caliphate.
Failure
• The Chauri Chaura incident of 1922, where protesters clashed with
police resulting in the deaths of numerous policemen, prompted
Mahatma Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement, a
campaign deeply intertwined with the Khilafat Movement. This
decision was a significant setback for both movements as it halted the
momentum of mass mobilization and civil disobedience against
British colonial rule.
• While the Khilafat Movement initially fostered Hindu-Muslim unity
and collaboration, its ultimate inability to achieve its goals
contributed to a sense of frustration and division within Indian
nationalist circles, underscoring the complexities of communal
politics in the struggle for independence.
Cabinet Mission Plan
• The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 was a crucial attempt by the British
government to address the growing demand for Indian independence and
to find a viable constitutional framework for post-colonial governance. The
plan proposed a federal system for India, intending to grant significant
autonomy to provinces while retaining a central government responsible
for defense, foreign affairs, and communications.
• Provinces were to be grouped into three categories based on their
demographics and administrative needs, with Group A provinces having
more autonomy than Groups B and C. Additionally, the plan proposed the
establishment of an interim government comprising members of the Indian
National Congress and the Muslim League, intending to draft a constitution
for independent India.
Partition and Independence 1947
• The Partition of British India in 1947 was accompanied by widespread
violence, displacement, and loss of life, resulting in one of the largest and
most traumatic population transfers in history. While exact statistics vary,
it is estimated that between 10 to 15 million people were displaced, and
anywhere from 1 to 2 million people lost their lives due to the violence and
its aftermath.
• The communal violence that erupted during the Partition led to horrifying
atrocities, including mass killings, rapes, abductions, and forced
conversions. Entire communities were targeted based on religious identity,
leading to the destruction of homes, villages, and livelihoods.
• Women and children were particularly vulnerable to violence and
exploitation, with countless cases of sexual violence and abduction
reported. The scale and intensity of the violence left deep scars on the
collective memory of those who witnessed or experienced it, traumatizing
entire generations
Cont…
• The partition also resulted in immense human suffering and
displacement. Millions of people were uprooted from their homes
and forced to embark on arduous journeys across newly drawn
borders in search of safety.
• Many lost their lives during these journeys due to violence, disease,
and starvation. The mass migration led to overcrowded refugee
camps and strained resources, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The trauma of displacement and loss continues to impact
communities on both sides of the border, shaping their identities,
narratives, and relationships with their neighbours.
Questions?