Partition and it’s geopolitical implications

Britshers promised the Indians ‘dominion status’ as soon World War-2 is over. The labour government of England in 1945 disapproved the exploitation of the Indians and pressed ahead for India’s independence . E. Bevin (British Foreign Secretary) and C.Atlee (Prime Minister) went ahead. In 1946, three British cabinet ministers were sent to India to negotiate the terms of the independence between the 2 political organizations – The Indian National Congress and The Muslim League. This came to be known as the Cabinet Mission.

             However, no agreement was reached due to the following reasons partition became inevitable:-

a)In 1937 elections Congress won 8 out of the 11 states and unwisely asked the Muslim League to merge with Congress creating strong suspicion of Hindu suppression among the muslims.

b)Obstructionist tactics adapted by the league creating difficulty in administration of the undivided India after joining the Interim government led by Nehru in 1946.

c) On 16 August,1946- ‘Direct Action Day’ was observed by the Muslim League, denouncing the Cabinet Mission proposal in general and Lord Wavell in particular brining the country to the verge of a civil war. 5000 people were killed in Hindu-Muslim riots in Calcutta (kolkata) alone.

d) Congress leaders felt that a smaller, united and strong India is better than a big and weak India.

e) Instigation by the Britishers to the rulers of the native states to remain independent which made Congress leaders to conclude that prolonging the British rule would mean greater damage for the Indian interests.

f) Pressing for the Indian independence by the Britishers themselves through Lord Mountbatten to save their international image. This was so because after the second World War, they lacked the military strength to control communal riots. They believed partition would mean less violence and bloodshed.

                       The India independence Act, 1947 was rushed through the british parliament and in 15th August, 1947 was fixed as the date of transfer of power to India and Pakistan.

Geo-political problems in and after partition:-

a) Out of the 140 princely states 136 joined India in 13 August, 1947. Junagarh’s muslim Nawab fled to Pakistan after his decision o join Pakistan backfired when his hindu (majority) subjects revolted against him and Junagarh was incorporated into India. In Hydrabad military intervention led to it’s incorporation into the India, in 1948. Kashmir remained the spot of Indo-Pak trouble.

b)Dispute over the equitable distribution of water of Indus an it’s tributaries – Ravi, Beas, Sutlej etc. the dispute was settled by the Canal waters Treaty by India and Pakistan in September 19, 1969.

c)formation of East Pakistan and West Bengal resulted in the increase in price of raw jute material i.e., jute in West Bengal because the principle jute growing areas fell into East Pakistan and all the Jute mills in West Bengal (100 at that according to an estimate).

d)As millions of people (refugees) tried to cross the frontiers , communal riots led to the deaths all over India especially at the Indo-Pak fronts.In Punjab about 250000 people were murderd .Violence was not so widespread in Bengal where Gandhiji was present himself .

e)Apart from  jute East Pakistan had no other important sources of foreign exchange earnings. Chances were that it might turn into a ‘rural slum’.

f)No major rehabilitation drive for the refugees from East Pakistan was carried out due to the predominant belief among the Congress top brass that in near future it would again be a part of India. While west Pakistani refugees were given land in terrain of U. P and ‘Dandakaranya’ in eastern India etc.

g) West Bengal lost a large share on the tax as it was reduced to 12% from 20% by the Central government (evident from a letter written to Nehru by Dr. B. C. Roy the then chief minister of West Bengal).

h) India lost a large stretch of agriculture land in the west to Pakistan which was part of West Punjab.

i) India and Pakistan became sworn enemies of each other principally over the Kashmir issue and fought wars. Terrorism became the bye-product of Kashmir dispute. Pakistan joined the Western Bloc and India joined the Non-Aligned movement with Egypt and Yugoslavia.

j) After partition parties became aware that those constituencies which had high proportion of refugees might show major political changes.

k) It became important that the partition be carried out on logical lines considering the geopolitical importance of the different regions and not merely on the basis religious grounds. For this purpose a ‘Boundary commission’ was set up by Mountbatten. Example :- Chittagong was given to East Pakistan although the majority population was Hindu.

l) Division of Bengal into 2 parts resulted in the management of the rivers flowing over this region impossible.

m) joint mangrove forest management also became impossible.

n) There is also absence of joint  co-ordination in pre and post-cyclone management in the Bengal delta.

o) A homogeneous cultural land was divided into 2 parts.

p) Formation of Bangladesh destroyed the river transport system extending to Assam through Calcutta (kolkata) established by the British.