The Partition Of Indian Subcontinent

Disputes over land seem to be a catalyst for almost every hostility and war since the dawn of time. The addition of politics and religion into the matter only serves to aggravate an already tense situation. Kashmir knows this all too well. The conflict between Hindus and Muslims seems to be an ever reoccurring battle. This is also evidenced in population battles. Hindus make up the social majority of the population of India by almost eighty percent. Feelings of tension and uneasiness are a natural reaction to being dominated by a majority and are a problem unto itself.

The ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan has been the subject of speculation and study by political scientists and historians for a number of years. The ethnic conflict seems to have been sparked at the very beginning in 1947, when the British used Muslim and Hindu mercenaries against each other before the area finally split into today’s countries of India and Pakistan (Spiegel et al. 2015, 185). The timeline since then has been full of conflicts, both major and minor. Brutal tactics used by security forces and a high rate of unemployment have added to the issue (BBC News 2016).

In our discussions about mass shootings and guns, terrorism and warfare, let us remember the problem begins with hatred, which is often founded on a determined lack of understanding.

One thing that the world does not always acknowledge, is that many countries have actually been demanding for independence ever since the 1800’s. The partition that created Pakistan was a long and tedious process before it got approved. Before World War II, Great Britain had full control over the country of India and its resources, even though the people were demanding for self-rule for several years. At the time, India consisted of both Muslim and Hindu cultures, and the tensions between the two

Recognizing India’s partition between Hindus and Muslims as a step towards war, the British government quickly withdrew and allowed India to gain independence and settle its own affairs, an insightful choice as it ultimately avoided a civil war. Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohandas Gandhi both sought an independent,

The years subsequent the war, Britain kept their promise to India. In return for military labor and free access to commodities throughout the war, Britain would relinquished their hold on the territory thus, allowing it its freedom. In 1947, British India was partitioned into ‘India and Pakistan’ and soon after, was given its independence as a solitary state apart from Pakistan. Although this was what the Indian Independence Movement aspired for, violence between Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus quickly arose (Pierce). The conflict sparked what became the determining factor in the separation of the two states, independently India, and Pakistan. India and its neighboring regions were flooded with mass exodus, people who believed that a Hindu India, and a Muslim/Sikh Pakistan was the best possible way to begin independence packed their things and left, seeking the land of their religious majority. Over 14.5 million people crossed borders. Nearby in Burma (what is modern day Myanmar), Japan had invaded with the assumption that they could easily take hold of the Burmese colony, which was incredibly blessed with

The 1935 Government Act of India proposes more governmental reforms and allows for an assembly made up of Indian but it is rejected by Indian nationalists who want dominion status granted to them immediately. Beginning in 1946, the Muslim League begins to advocate for an independent Muslim state, which causes widespread panic. India receives its independence from Great Britain in 1947 but as their last major act the British governors separate India into two new countries: India and Pakistan. Many people are forced to leave their homes in order to get to the new country and refugees become an issue in both countries. Widespread fighting breaks out along the borders as people try to get to the country that corresponds with their religion. The new governments struggle to agree on who will get what parts of the natural resources, military and financial resources along with the regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Great Britain sold Kashmir to a maharajah during the colonial era and as they were withdrawing, gave him the option to going to either country. Most other states sided with religions but Kashmir was ruled by a Hindu yet had a predominantly Muslim population. The maharajah hesitates and is forced to leave the region. He signs over the territory to India and Pakistan sends troops to protect the Muslims in that area. War breaks out and continues for three years until a ceasefire is declared and

In this essay I hope to look at the issues of conflict in South Asia focusing on India and in particular the continuing Hindu-Muslim tensions, and look at possible reasons for the continuing conflict which appears to have escalated since the withdrawal of British Rule from India. Multiple events had shaped the Indian subcontinent with

Kashmir is conflict territory after the partition of India and Pakistan. Conflict is not only between India and Pakistan but also India and the religious militants. Religious Militants are conducting a jihad to govern by the religious law. Historically, Kashmir included Sufis Muslim not orthodox Muslim. Numerous international events had influenced in the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in Kashmir. Jihad is not originally from Kashmir but they are foreign militancy bought during the end of the Soviet –Afghanistan War. Additionally, they are trained in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan Inter service Intelligence helped them to incorporate into organized militant groups. Pakistan helped Jihad group with full moral,

The Partition of India in August, 1947 was a significant event in history that accounted for the separation of one of the world’s oldest civilization into two, independent nations – Pakistan and India. Like many other wars in history, The Partition of India was instigated by religious, political and social conflict. This resulted in violence, discrimination and the largest human displacement in contemporary history. While the Partition was well-studied, much of our understanding was focused on the political side of history, not the human side of it. This was why oral history played an important role in manifesting the complexity of a historical event. Our focus here is Maya Rani’s testimony from Butalia’s book, The Other Side of Silence:

Before the Partition of India, in 1947, India was considered a country with a reasonably peaceful history. However, during and after the Partition, sexual violence, both towards men and women, escalated, resulting in the rape and abduction of over 80,000 women. Cracking India, by Bapsi Sidhwa, tells a story that highlights these violent acts by both Muslims and Hindus, through the eyes of a disabled young Parsi girl named Lenny, who witnesses first hand the violence of Partition when she mistakenly participates in the abduction of her ayah, Shanta. Throughout Cracking India, Lenny observes as the religions involved in Partition become increasingly violent towards both men and women, within their own religions and against others.

India is the center for many serious ethnic and religious conflicts. India is an extremely diverse place with people from different religions, cultures, languages, etc. The two main religions, Muslims and Hindus have had serious conflict for hundreds of years. There have been constant battles, and wars fought between these two religions. Each religion has grown hatred for the other over the many years of fighting. “This struggle has raged since Islam spread into the Indian Peninsula in the early 700’s… this tension was a major factor in the partition of the British colony of India into the new states of India and Pakistan” (“Hindu Muslim Conflict in India”). This feeling of complete hatred is a hard emotion to break. Both religions seem content in their ‘feelings’ toward one another, and don’t seem to want to come to a resolution; which is very disheartening.

In 1947, India and Pakistan became newly independent states, leaving behind British colonial rule. Due to the shared geographical location, background and culture between these nations, these two countries have often been compared against each other. However, since earning independence, India and Pakistan have undergone significantly different political trajectories. This paper will explore various factors that have impacted the nation-building of these countries and understand why India has been successful in practicing democracy, while Pakistan has been afflicted with military and autocratic governments. India and Pakistan share cultures and histories yet have stark differences in political regime type, making an ideal comparative pair for inquiry.

India thinks that Kashmir is not the issue for an international concern and India does not consider UN’s take on any political action over Kashmir. India’s apprehension of Kashmir is reasonable somehow because India has fought three times with Pakistan regarding Kashmir’s issue. On the contrary, resolution does not come through military action. According to India, if India is ready to establish Kashmir as a democratic province with all the privileges of an autonomous, there is no guarantee to Kashmir will be under the Indian union. Because there are lots of terrorist groups are fighting against India. Pakistan is supporting them by providing materials as well as financial backing (Schofield, V. 2000).

The two South Asian neighboring countries Pakistan and India have a unmitigated record of tensions for number of assorted issues including Kashmir dispute, cross border terrorist activities,