Understanding the sequence of Partition in 1947
Preamble: The Muslim League had launched a formal demand for partition and even asked for specific provinces and territories. In 1944, When Gandhi came out of Poona’s Luxury Jail, he met Jinnah several times and conceded the demand in policy. In December 1945, state assembly elections were held, and Jinnah had pledged to treat this as a plebiscite for Partition. The electorate was religion-based, and the Muslim electorate overwhelmingly voted for League, ignoring other candidates. When the British decided in April 46 to leave India in the aftermath of Naval Airforce rebellion and disturbances all over the country a multiparty Government under Nehru took oath on Sept 2nd, 1946. In August 46, Jinnah had vowed,’ We shall have India divided, or we shall have India destroyed.'[i] Now further…
1. Sarila describes,' Before Mountbatten arrived to replace Wavell on March 22nd, 1947, the Congress party working committee had adopted a resolution (on March 8th) with far-reaching implications. The resolution accepted:
‘A division of Punjab into two provinces so that the predominantly Muslim part may be separated from the predominantly non -Muslim part’.[ii]
2. Sarila further describes that ‘Indeed, Nehru wrote to Wavell on March 9th, 1947 while forwarding the Congress party resolution in a covering letter that:
This principle of (Communal division in the Punjab) would, of course, apply to Bengal also.’[iii]
3. Between 7th and 9th April 1946, The Muslim League Legislatures’ Convention in Delhi defined Pakistan as ‘ a sovereign independent state’ consisting of the Muslim Majority provinces of Bengal and Assam in the North East and the Punjab, NWFP, Sind, and Baluchistan in the North West.’[iv]
4.Lord Mountbatten prepared the final plan called ‘plan partition,’ and Mountbatten asked Nehru to come to Shimla, where his consent was taken, and then Mountbatten flew to London on May 22nd to seek confirmation from London.
5.Gandhiji was still misleading the public. While the plan had gone to London with the approval of Congress, he still told his prayer gathering, 'Even if the whole of India burns,' he said at his prayer meeting on May 31st, 'we shall not concede Pakistan, even if the Muslims demanded it at the point of the sword.'[v]
6.Ziegler describes that ‘once the approval was done in England now Mountbatten was determined to drive them forward at a pace which would make it impossible for anyone to have second thoughts or overmuch about the details. At 10 A.M. On June 2nd, Nehru, Patel, and Kriplani for the Hindus, Jinnah, Liaqat Ali Khan, and Abdur Rab Nisar for the Muslims and Sikh Baldev Singh met with the Viceroy to receive copies of the British Government’s statement ‘Immediate transfer of power.’[vi]
7. The Congress Party approved the Partition Plan on June 15th. Muslim league had approved the same on June 10th. Contrary to popular narrative -Savarkar and Hindu Mahasabha never consented and were never asked.By the way Savarkar had two heart attacks and was very sick.
8. The British House of Commons passed the India Independence Bill on July 15th, the House of Lords on July 16th, and Royal assent was given on July 18th. Now, the path was set. ‘By August 1st, the Pakistan provisional government began to move from Delhi to Karachi, which had been selected as the capital of Pakistan.'[vii].
Two countries with three parts were created. Most muslims who had voted for Pakistan stayed back in India but that is a story for another day.
[i] Lapierre and Collins, Freedom at Midnight P 43
[ii] Sarila Narinder Singh, Shadow of the Great game, P 264
[iii] Ibid P 264
[iv] As Cited In Bandyopadhyay Sekhar, From Plassey to Partition and after , P 449
[v] Edwards Michael, Last Years of British India P 165
[vi] Ziegler Philip, Mountbatten A Biography P 386
[vii] Moon Penderel, The British Conquest and Dominion of India, P 1183