1~ the first and the immediate challenge were to shape a nation that was United yet accommodative of the diversity existing in the society and eradication of poverty and unemployment.
2~ The second challenge was to establish democracy.
3~ The third challenge was to ensure the development and well-being of the entire society and not only of some sections.
Major goals of our national movement-
* After independence, a democratic government should be formed in the country.
* The government should function for the welfare of all sections of the society.
Partition: displacement and rehabilitation
Although India was free from the colonial rule of Britishers but the major problem standing before them was how to divide India into two parts;
This basically means that areas, where the Muslims were in majority, would make up the territory of Pakistan. The rest was to stay with India.
 |
*No single belt of Muslim majority areas in British India. there were no ways this two parts could be joined, so it was decided that the new country Pakistan will comprise two territories. West and East Pakistan were separated by a long expense of Indian territory.
**Secondly, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Frontier Gandhi, was the undisputed leader of the northwest frontier province(NWFP) was strongly opposing the two-nation theory. Despite his opposition NWFP was merged with Pakistan.
** The third problem was that two of the Muslim majority provinces of British India that is Punjab and Bengal had very large areas where the non-Muslim were in majority. It was decided that these two provinces would be bifurcated according to the religious majority at the district or even lower level.
Eventually, it was decided that these provinces would be bifurcate according to the religious majority at the district or even lower level. The partition of these two provinces causes the deepest trauma of partition.
** The fourth important problem was the problem of minorities on both sides of the border.
Lakhs of Hindus and Sikhs areas were now in Pakistan and an equally large number of Muslims on in the Indian side of Punjab and Bengal found themselves easily trapped. The minorities on both sides of the border were left with no option except to leave their homes and properties, often at a few our notice.
The year 1947 was the year of one of the largest most abrupt, unplanned, and tragic transfers of the population of human history ever known.
Cities like Lahore Amritsar and Kolkata became communal zones. Muslims would avoid going into an area where mainly Hindus and Sikhs lived similarly the Hindus and Sikhs stay away from the areas of Muslim predominance.
Minorities on both sides of the border fled their homes and secured temporary shelter in refugee camps. People went through immense sufferings
In short, we can say that it was not the partition of British India but it was the "division of hearts."...
It was estimated that the partition force about 80 lacs of people to migrate across the new border between 5 to 10 lakh people was killed in partition-related violence.
It was a big challenge in front of the national leaders to treat persons of all religions equally and that to India should not be a country that gave superiors status to the adherent of one faith and inferior to those who practiced another religion.
All citizens would be equal irrespective of their religious affiliations. Being religious or a believer would not be a test of citizenship. The cherished therefore ideal of a secular nation. this idol was enshrined in the Indian constitution.
Integration of princely states**
There were two types of provinces in British India-
The British Indian Provinces( directly under the control of the British government),
Princely states( governed by Indian princess).
This means that 565 princely states were legally independent, and left with the option of-
-Either to join India or Pakistan,
-or to remain independent. if they wished so.
the decision was completely leftover on the shoulders of rulers of these princely states.
this was a very serious problem and could threaten the very existence of a United India...
Government's Approach-
the then interim government took a firm stance against the possible division of India into small principalities of different sizes.
Sardar Patel was India's deputy prime minister and the home minister during the crucial period immediately following independence. He played a historic role in negotiating with the rulers of princely states Frimley but diplomatically and bringing most of them into the Indian union.
**The government approach was guided by three considerations.:-
Firstly, the people of most of the princely states clearly wanted to become part of the Indian union.
Secondly, the government was prepared to be flexible in giving autonomy to some regions.
Thirdly the integration and consolidations of the territorial boundaries of the nation had resumed supreme importance.
After peaceful negotiations, the rulers of most of these States signed a document called the "instrument of accession" which meant that their state agreed to became a part of the Indian union.
The issue of Junagadh was resolved after the plebiscite confirmed people's desire to join India.
🄷🅈🄳🅁🄰🄱🄰🄳***
The ruler of Hyderabad was titled as Nizam, one of the world's richest men.
The Nizam wanted an independent status for Hyderabad. he entered into what was called the standstill agreement with India in November 1947 for a year while negotiations with the Indian government were going on.
In the middle of November 1947, a movement of people of Hyderabad state against the Nizam's rule gathered force.
The peasantry in the Telangana region, in particular, was the victim of Nizam's oppressive rule and rose against him.
Hyderabad town was the nerve center of this movement. The communist and the Hyderabad Congress wherein the forefront of the movement. the Nizam responded by unleashing a paramilitary force known as the Razakars on the people. The atrocities and communal nature of the Razakars knew no bounds.
The central government had to order the army to tackle the situation. In September 1948, the Indian army moved in to control the Nizam's forces. After a few days of intermittent fighting, the Nizam surrendered, and finally, this lead to Hyderabad's accession to India.
🄼🄰🄽🄸🄿🅄🅁***
A few days before independence, the maharaja of Manipur Bodha Chandra Singh signed the instrument of accession with the Indian government on the assurance that the internal autonomy of Manipur would be maintained.
Under the pressure of public opinion, the maharaja held an election in Manipur in June 1948 and the state became a constitutional monarchy. Thus, Manipur was the first part of India to hold an election based on a universal adult franchise.
On the question of merging Manipur with India, there were sharp differences of opinion in both states' Congress and other political parties.
The Government of India succeeded in pressurizing the maharaja into signing a merger agreement in September 1949 without consulting the popularly elected legislative assembly of Manipur.
ACCESSION OF KASHMIR-
Accession of Kashmir states of Kashmir had strategic importance on account of its international boundaries.
Less populated and economically unviable: three fourth of its population was Muslim. the state was strategically located at a vital cross road where India Pakistan and China was destined to meet.
Kashmir was ruled by maharaja Hari Singh who was toying with the ideas of maintaining the independence of Kashmir.
He rejected the instrument of accession three days before partition, the maharaja proposed a stand still agreement with India and Pakistan.
popular political parties took steps towards to join with India.
but patel declared in August 1947 that Kashmir was free to join either India or Pakistan in accordance with the will of the people.
Hence we can conclude that the process of nation-building did not come to an end with partition and integration of princely states.
The next important challenge was to draw the internal boundaries of the Indian states this was not just a matter of administrative division.
The boundaries had to be done in such a way so that the linguistic and cultural plurality of the country would be reflected without affecting the unity of the nation.
Reorganization of states**
Things changed after independence and partition. Our leaders felt that carving out States based on language might lead to disruption and disintegration.
it was also felt that this would draw attention away from other social and economic challenges that the country faced.
Leaders decided to postpone this idea because the memory of partition was still fresh and the fate of the princely states had not yet decided.
The decision was challenged by the local leaders and people and hence in December 1952, Andhra Pradesh was created on a linguistic basis.
the movement forces the central government in appointing a state reorganization commission in 1953 to look into the question of redrawing the boundaries of the state.
The first deputy prime minister and home minister of India Sardaar Vallabhbhai Patel emerged as a major leader of the freedom movement after the kheda Satyagraha 1918 and the Bardoli Satyagraha 1928.
At the time of independence the problem of integration of princely states was a big challenge for the national unity and integrity of India.
Under such difficult times sardar Patel took the dounting task of United all 565 princely states of India.
Known as an iron man of India, Patel's approach to the question of the merger of princely states into independent India was very clear.
He was not in favour of any compromise with the territorial integrity of India.
By his political experience, diplomatic prowess and forsightedness, out of India's 565 princely states many had already given their consent to merge with India even before achieving the independence.
Sardar Patel faced key challenges of integration from three states that is Hyderabad Junagadh and Kashmir.
It was under his leadership that Indian forces compelled Hyderabad and Junagadh to merge with India.
Keeping versed with Pakistan's intentions from Jinnah's divisive "two nation theory", sardar Patel's opinion on Kashmir was different from other leaders.
like Hyderabad, he also wanted Kashmir's integration with India through military operations. but due to various reason, sardar could not succeed in integrating Kashmir fully with India.
however sardar will remain as an extraordinary leader who combined in himself the features of a true nationalist.
catalyst and realist popularly correct as NCR in Indian political history.
Conclusion***
When we say that India adopted democracy does not simply mean that India embraced a democratic constitution, nor does it merely mean that India adopted the format of an election. The choice was larger than that. It was a choice in favor of recognizing and accepting the existence of difference which could at times be oppositional.
Democracy in other words was associated with a plurality of ideas and ways of life much of the politics in the latter period was to take place within this framework.
********************************************************
Important words to remember***
🅆🄷🄰🅃 🄸🅂 🅃🅆🄾 🄽🄰🅃🄸🄾🄽 🅃🄷🄴🄾🅁🅈
It was propounded by Muhammad Ali Jinnah to create a separate state for Muslims.
🄱🅁🄸🅃🄸🅂🄷 🄸🄽🄳🄸🄰 🄿🅁🄾🅅🄸🄽🄲🄴🅂??
The Indian provinces which were directly under the British government before independence.
🄿🅁🄸🄽🄲🄴🄻🅈 🅂🅃🄰🅃🄴🅂 ??
Generally ruled by princes who enjoyed some form of control over their state's internal affairs under British supremacy.
Rajakars?? paramilitary force of Nizam was sent to respond to people's movement which had no bounds.
Nizam?? The ruler of Hyderabad was titled as Nizam who was the world's richest person.
State reorganization commission?? It was appointed in 1953 to look into the matters to redraw the boundaries of the state.
Instrument of accession?? It was a legal document that was introduced for the first time by the government of India act 1935 and used in 1947 to enable each of the rulers of the princely states under British paramountcy to join one of the new dominions that are Pakistan and India, as created by the partition of British India.
Plebiscite?? Vote by the people of a country or a region on the important question. for example change of government or bringing any kind of amendment in the constitution.
){kind=link}
1 Comments
Good job.... keep going
ReplyDeleteGive your valuable feedback