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NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 14 Understanding Partition
Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 12 History Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 12 History Part – I: Themes in Indian History, History Part – II: Themes in Indian History, History Part – III: Themes in Indian History. NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 14 Understanding Partition Notes, NCERT Class 12 History Textbook Solutions for All Chapters, You can practice these here.
Understanding Partition
Chapter: 14
| THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY (PART – III) |
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS ANSWER
1. What did the Muslim League demand through its Resolution of 1940?
Ans: The Muslim League passed an important resolution on 23 March, 1940. Through this resolution, the Muslim League demanded an autonomy for the Muslim-majority areas of F the sub-continent. However it did not mention either partition of country or the creation of Pakistan. In fact, Sikandar Hayat Khan, the Punjab Premier and Leader of the Unionist Party, had drafted this resolution. Speaking in the Punjab Assembly on 1 March, 1941, he had opposed the creation of Pakistan. He was in favour of a loose confederation with a lot of autonomy for the units.
2. Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development?
Ans: Many people considered the partition of India in 1947 as a very sudden development. Even the Muslims were not clear what the creation of Pakistan meant to them. They were also unaware how the creation of their own country might shape their lives in the future. Many people had migrated to the new country with the hope that they would soon come back as and when the peace prevailed in the region. Many Muslim leaders were even not serious in their demand for Pakistan. Many-a_times Jinnah used the idea of Pakistan to seek favours from the British and to block concessions to the Congress. In other words, the partition of the country took place so suddenly that nobody realised what had happened within a few days.
3. How did ordinary people view Partition?
Ans: (a) The ordinary people viewed Partition in terms of the sufferings and challenges of the times. For them it was not a mere territorial division nor was it about the party politics of the Muslim League, Congress or other parties.
(b) For them, it meant the death of loved ones, the rape and abduction of their women and loss of property and wealth. It also meant being uprooted from their homes, transported to refugee camps and forced to start life afresh.
4. What were Mahatma Gandhi’s arguments against Partition?
Or
Examine the views of Gandhiji against the Partition of India.
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi believed in religious harmony. He was a supporter of unity among various communities of the country. So he was deadly against the partition of India. He did not want the separation of the Muslims from the Hindus who had been living together for centuries. He used to say that the country could be divided over his dead body.
He gave the following arguments against partition of India:
(i) He stated that the demand for Pakistan mooted by the Muslim League was un-Islamic and sinful. Islam stands for the unity and brotherhood of mankind. So it cannot disrupt the unity of human family.
(ii) According to Gandhiji, the protagonists of partition of the country were the enemies of both Islam and India.
(iii) He considered partition as wrong. He was ready to be cut into pieces. But he was not ready to accept the partition of the country.
(iv) He appealed to the Muslim League not to regard any Indian as its enemy. The Hindus and the Muslims belong to the same land. They have the same blood. They eat the same food and drink the same water. They speak the same language. They do everything with mutual consultation. So they cannot be separated from each other.
5. Why is partition viewed as an extremely significant marker in South Asian history?
Ans: Indian partition is viewed as an extremely significant marker in South Asian history because of the following reasons:
(i) This partition took place on the name of communities or religions. History has not witnessed such type of partition.
(ii) First time in history, people of two countries moved across. Most of the Muslims of India crossed over to Pakistan and almost all Hindus and Sikhs came to India from Pakistan.
(iii) Several hundred thousand people were killed. People began killing each other who used to live with each other with peace and harmony. Government machinery had no role in it. ( Innumerable women were raped and abducted. They had faced a number of problems.
(v) People were rendered homeless, having suddenly lost all of their immovable and movable assets. They were separated from many of their relatives and friends as well.
6. Why was British India partitioned?
Ans: British India was partitioned due to several factors and causes:
1. Divide and Rule Policy of the British Government: According to most historians the root came of partition of British India was the British policy of divide and rule. The English did not like unity and mutual cooperation, brotherhood among the two major communities i.e. the Hindus and Muslims.
The British historians, journalists and writers propagated through their writings, literary works and speeches that the Hindus were enslaved by the Muslim invaders and had been exploited for years together.
2. Role of communal parties and Organisations According to several historians and scholars that Muslim League was founded Dec. 1906 in Dhaka only to work in the interest and favour of the Muslims. When the Muslim League was putting demanded for more and more political rights of Muslims some of the Hindus also awakened in 1915. They founded Hindu Mahasabha. They demanded more political rights and representation in different government Organisations for the Hindus. Later on the Sikh League was founded and Akali Dal also raised voice for the people of their own community. Definitely these political parties or Organisations created directly or indirectly the feeling of separatism and isolation among different communities, sex and interest groups.
3. Encouragement by the British Government: The Muslim League was encouraged by the British Government to press its demand for a separate state. They played the game of imperialism for disrupting and weakening the movement for independence.
4. Responsibility of Iqbal and Jinnah: Historians cannot excused Urdu poet Mohammad Iqbal who spoke about the need for a Muslim state in north west India as early as in 1930.
Similarly history cannot excuse Mohammad Ali Jinnah that he was mainly responsible for formation of Pakistan. Though he was a Gujarati lawyer like Mahatma Gandhi. Under his leadership Muslim league moved a resolution at Lahore demanding a measure of autonomy for the Muslim majority area and after that a new nation called Pakistan.
7. How did women experience Partition?
Or
Explain some of the harrowing experiences of women in those violent days of partition.
Ans: At the time of partition of the country, the women had horrible experiences. They were not only raped and abducted but also sold. They were compelled to settle down to a new life with strangers in unknown circumstances. They found the governments of both India and Pakistan insensitive to their problems.
It was very difficult for the women to protect their respect and honour. Some women were even killed by their family members so that their hounour is maintained and their respect and piousness is not violated by the enemy. Some women committed suicides to save themselves from falling into enemy hands. For example, in Thoa Khalsa, a village in Rawalpindi District, ninety women voluntarily jumped into a well so that they may not be caught by enemies. They died as martyrs and cannot be termed as having committed suicides. The sacrifice and bravery of such women is still remembered.
8. How did the Congress come to change its views on Partition?
Ans: Initially the Congress was against the partition of the country. But in March 1947, the Congress high command agreed to divide Punjab into two halves. One part would constitute of the Muslim-majority areas. The other part would include areas having Hindu-Sikh majority.
Many Sikh leaders and Congress men were convinced that partition of Punjab was a necessary evil. The Sikhs felt that if they did not accept the partition, they would be over- powered by the Muslim majorities. Then they would be dictated and controlled by Muslim leaders.
The similar principle was applied to Bengal. There was a section of Bhadralok Bengali Hindus. They wanted to retain political power with them. They were also apprehensive of the Muslims. As the Hindus were in minority in Bengal, they thought it prudent to divide the province. It would help them retain their political
dominance. Thus Congress changed its perception about the partition of the country after adopting a pragmatic approach.
9. Examine the strengths and limitations of oral history. How have oral-history techniques furthered our understanding of Partition?
Ans: Oral history has a wider scope to acquaint us about any historic or general event. Besides there are narratives, memoirs, diaries and family histories. They also help us to understand and comprehend any event that occurred in the past.
The partition of India occurred due to compelling circumstances of those times. It was not just a political event and had a deeper meaning attached to it.
Strengths of Oral History: (i) It helps us in grasping new experiences. It also adds new events to our memories.
(ii) It is quite helpful for the historians as it enables them to describe an incident vividly and comprehensively.
(iii) It provides information other than he government policy and official records.
(iv) It broadens the scope of history.
(v) It enables the historians to explore the experiences of the ignored people.
Limitations of Oral History: (i) It lacks concretenes and authenticity.
(ii) It is not chronological.
(iii) It makes generalisation difficult as a large picture cannot be built from micro-evidence.
(iv) One witness is no witness.
(v) It is difficult to counter-check the oral sources.
(vi) Oral sources are not easily available. Sometimes people do not like to talk about their personal experiences.
(vii) Sometimes meaningful data is not available due to weak memory of the person.
10. On an outline map of South Asia, mark out Sections A, B and C of the Cabinet Mission proposals. How is this map different from the political map of present- day South Asia?
Ans: Do yourself.
11. Find out about the ethnic violence that led to the partition of Yugoslavia. Compare your findings with what you have read about partition in this chapter.
Ans: (i) A major development in the last phase of 20th century had been the break of Yugoslavia and the terrific violence that had accompanied it. It might be recalled that Yugoslavia emerged as an independent country or state at the end of First World War (1918).
(ii) During the Second World War (1939-45), the people of Yugoslavia waged a heroic war of resistance against the Nazi occupation.
(iii) Yugoslavia become a federation of six republics after the Second World War. Though ruled by the Communist Party, she had rejected Soviet control on it. Josip Broz Tito, who had led the Yugoslavian resistance against Nazi occupation and subsequently headed the government of Yugoslavia was, played the role of one of the main pioneers of the NAM (Non- Align Movement).
(iv) At the end of 1980s, as an other communist ruled states in Europe, there was demand for the ending of the communist party’s exclusive control over the Government. By early 1990, non-communist governments had come to power in most of the republics of Yugoslavia. 2 3.
(v) In the meantime, many republics had started demanding independence. By early 1992, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia and Bosnia- Herzegovina had declared their independence, and Serbia and Montenegro together formed the new state of Yugoslavia. .
(vi) The declaration of independence by Bosnia-Herzegovina has been followed by most tragic violence in which thousands of people have been killed. This republic is inhabited by Serbians, Croats and Muslims. The Bosnian Serbs, supported by Serbia, control a large part of Bosnian territory. They are hostile to the idea of a multicultural independent.
(vii) A bloody war has been going on since 1992 between Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Muslims in spite of the presence of the UN Peace Force. The war against Bosnian Muslims has been described by some Serbian leaders as a war for ethnic cleaning. It is obnoxious terms which has been used to justify the extermination of one ethnic group by another.
12. Find out whether there are any communities that have migrated to your city, town, village or any nearby place (Your area may even have people who migrated to it during partition.) Interview members of such communities and summarise your findings in a report. Ask people about the place they came from, the reasons for their migration and their experiences. Also find out what changes the area witnessed as a result of this migration.
Ans: Do yourself.
