The Partition of India By:Nia Neville

The Origin of the Partition of India  The Partition was created as a solution to the conflicts between Muslims and Hindus in India such as the revolt of the Muslim separatist movement which was lead by Muhammed Ali Jinnah.  The British thought that the best way to de-escalate the situation before more blood was spilled was to separate India into India and Pakistan into two independent nations based on religion. Pakistan would be a dominantly Muslim country and India would be mostly composed of the Hindus and Sikhs. This separation forced many Muslim and Hindus to leave where they were currently situated to get to their respective regions.  India and Pakistan’s independence from the British Empire in 1947 prompted a wave of decolonization that spread across Asia and Africa. Yet alongside the victories of independence came the tragedies of partition.

The Muslim Separatist Movement The Muslim Separatist Movement which was lead by Muhammed Ali Jinnah.consisted of Assam, Bengal, and Punjab. These three provinces set off to create a new society in an attempt to express religious freedom, and many other reasons

Movement of Muslims and Hindus  The creation of Pakistan and East Pakistan which later turned into Bangladesh forced the Mass Migration of both Muslims and Hindus to each go into their own respective states. More than 15 million people were displaced and over 1 million were killed.

Repercussions of the Partition  On the 15th of August 1947, the partition of British India caused the movement of 18 million people. This caused both religious and civil tensions between Hindus and Muslims. This resulted in the highest casualty rate for one migration according to the Guinness Book of World Records One million people were killed and 12 million became homeless.  The journey to either region during the Partition was long and hard, because after the partition was announced the subcontinent further descended into chaos, riots and bloodshed were happening all over the country. Homes were burned, the rape and abuse of women became a huge issue, children were killed in front of their siblings, and blood trains became an issue. Blood trains were trains carrying refugees to either side were all of the people on the train had been killed by mobs en route. While there was bloodshed and fighting, and just terrible treatment in general of refugees who were fleeing while they were traveling, refugees were generally accepted once they got to the countries they were traveling to.

The Kashmir Conflict  The Kashmir conflict began right after the Partition of India which occured in 1947.India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir. There has also been conflict over Kashmir between Pakistan and India. India claims the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir and oversees/controls around 43% of the region. While Pakistan contests India’s claims and controls about 37% of the region. The Indo-Pakistan wars of 1947 and Today the conflict is still taking place.  There has also been a rise in the number of protest movements created to voice Kashmir’s disputes and grievances with the Indian government, specifically the Indian Military, have been active in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989.

Survivors and Family Member Recall Experiences During the Partition  the-horrors-of-india-pakistan-partition/2017/08/14/3b8c58e4-7de9-11e a0a64977c92_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term= ce2c5 the-horrors-of-india-pakistan-partition/2017/08/14/3b8c58e4-7de9-11e a0a64977c92_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term= ce2c5 

Current Day Situation  The current day conflict is between the Kashmiri rebels and the government of India fighting over Kashmir Valley. Although thousands have died as a result of the conflict, it has become less deadly in recent years.  And as for the Partition of India many people are still suffering from losses of family members, homes, wealth, and discrimination and conflict between Muslims and Hindus.

Sources  “A Brief History of the Kashmir Conflict.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 24 Sept. 2001,  “Life after Partition: Migration, Community and Strife in Sindh, ” Life after Partition: Migration, Community and Strife in Sindh, | Reviews in History,  indian_pakistani_conflict, www2.needham.k12.ma.us/nhs/cur/Baker_00/baker_modern/baker_mj_ep_p4/indian_pakistani_conflict. htm.  Doshi, Vidhi, and Nisar Mehdi. “70 Years Later, Survivors Recall the Horrors of India-Pakistan Partition.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 14 Aug. 2017, survivors-recall-the-horrors-of-india-pakistan-partition/2017/08/14/3b8c58e4-7de9-11e a0a64977c92_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term= ce2c5www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/70-years-later- survivors-recall-the-horrors-of-india-pakistan-partition/2017/08/14/3b8c58e4-7de9-11e a0a64977c92_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term= ce2c5 