A Nation haunted by its past

On 15th August, 2009 it was 62 years since India achieved independence from the British Raj but the partition of this country is still a stain on the freedom and a scar on our memory as a nation. After the recent furore over Jaswant Singh’s portrayal of Jinnah as a nationalist, I decided to myself go through the works of some scholars and historians. Though I am no scholar or historian myself but as a concerned and rationally thinking citizen I decided to come up with some of my own interpretations and share it with the readers.

Many people might argue this after so many years the dust is finally settling over the dark and mysterious events of partition and it hardly makes any sense to revisit this catastrophe. In a way they are correct. With the older generations passing away, the partition of India might only remain a scholarly pursuit in the future decades but still it is important to understand the events which have forever changed the destiny of this nation.

It would be a folly and escaping the truth to blame one man or one event squarely for such a momentous event. It would be a myth to assume that India was a single entity under the imperialist rule. It was a confederation of various princely states and provinces each having different cultural and religious sentiments. In the global context 1930s and 40s were a turbulent era with the world war consuming the entire world. It was during this period or I should say after the end of it that voices such as democracy, advocating human rights and respect for minority groups gained voice. India was no different. It was evident by that time, that sooner or later India shall get complete freedom. But now the responsibility laid on the national leaders to devise a plan to constitute the republic where people of different castes, creed and races can live with freedom and honour. Since Congress had a majority of Hindu leaders, the Muslims in India felt unsecured and under the leadership of the then (friends please focus on my word ‘then’) secular and liberal minded Jinnah voiced the demand for a new Islamic state of Pakistan.

With the egoistic clashes of the two stalwarts Nehru and Jinnah, this demand grew more vociferous. With the global trend of conceding the right of regional self determination even other senior Congress leaders such as Dr. Ambedkar and Rajaji supported the idea if this could promote peace and harmony in the region. The point to be noted is also that the leaders knew that after independence there would be absolute powers which none of the towering personalities in the Indian politics wished to abjure.

The British unable to hold the powers after suffering badly in the World War 2 played the perfect communal card to divide the country and used certain leaders as the scapegoat. Though beyond doubt Jinnah was the man responsible for being the staunch supporter of the idea of Pakistan and shares a major part of the blame of partitioning, we must also be aware of his first speech in the constituent assembly in Pakistan which I quote “You may belong to any religion or caste or creed - that is nothing to do with the business of the state”. Now the complete failure of the execution of this idea by the Pakistan regime is another story which is often plagued by religious extremism.

Similarly Nehru cannot be absolved of the responsibility of the partition since he was the leader of Congress and one of the key policy makers. He is also to be blamed for the concept for majoritarianism in the Congress which continues unabated even today where there is least respect for differences in opinions and a tendency to see things in black and white. Though he can also be exonerated for all the services he later offered to the secular idea of the nation.

Under all possibilities these leaders dreamt of the two nations peacefully cooperating with each other and playing a significant role in the international affairs. But due to the inept, perhaps irresponsible and certainly idealistic visions the truth is far more bitter.

India is a nation trapped in its past and certainly and unfortunately even haunted by the past. A confident nation is one which accepts the events with time and move ahead to a prosperous future. As a matured nation we need to open ourselves to the cross examination of personalities who changed the destiny of millions of citizens and not try to project them as demigods. This analysis cannot be regarded as disrespect towards them but the cultivation of freely expressing ideas and visions for which these people stood all their lives.