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The Partition of India - Lessons for the 21st Century India
Lessons for modern day India based on the inspirational stories from the Partition - Raghav Iyer, 5th grade, Springer Elementary, Los Altos
A united India was divided along religious lines on August 15, 1947, to create India and Pakistan. India’s long road of trying to break free of British rule marked one of the most historical events in the 20th century. However, the days following the partition were filled with violence and unrest. Fifteen million Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs were displaced, as they crossed borders to live among people of the same religious orientation. The violence that took place along territorial boundaries resulted in one million casualties.
Although many of the wounds caused by the horror and violence during the partition have healed, tensions between Hindus and Muslims still remain. Anti-Muslim feelings have increased tremendously under the leadership of current Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which strongly favors the Hindus. The recent Citizenship Amendment Act, which expedites citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from nearby countries, excludes Muslims and uses religion as a criteria for the first time in the constitution. Muslims face constant discrimination in India, starting at the workplace for wearing a hijab, to housing rights with 36% of Hindus not wanting a Muslim neighbor. Not only has representation of Muslims in parliament stagnated, but Muslims have also had to face increasingly violent protests and hate speech since the BJP came into power.
According to a recent Pew Research survey on religions in India, more than one in three Hindus do not want a Muslim neighbor. Before the partition of India, Hindus and Muslims used to live in inclusive communities where they respected and loved one another. After the partition, although most communities were divided based on religion, there were still first hand accounts of kindness and compassion. These inspiring stories can act as a catalyst to heal the gap between people of different faiths. One such inspiring story was narrated by Tarunjit Singh Butalia. In September 1947, Tarunjit Singh Butalia’s Sikh grandparents’ ancestral home in West Punjab, in present-day Pakistan, was set on fire by anti-Hindu mobs. Butalia’s Muslim neighbors Ahmed Bashir Virk, and his wife Amina Bibi, welcomed Butalia’s family into their home, giving them refuge from the marauding mobs. “There are angels that walk on the earth,” said Butalia, “And for my family, they were indeed angels on earth.”
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Over the last two decades, Muslims have had to face increasingly violent protests and hate speech. One such instance of hate speech was demonstrated by Pooja Shakun Pandey, a senior member of a Hindu Party, who said “If 100 of us become soldiers and are prepared to kill 2 million (Muslims), then we will win … protect India, and make it a Hindu nation.” This thinking goes against the values set by one of the great founding fathers of India, Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi firmly believed in non-violence, and a secular India with Hindus and Muslims living in harmony. He strongly opposed the partition saying, “My whole soul rebels against the idea that Hinduism and Islam represent two antagonistic cultures and doctrines. To assent to such a doctrine is for me a denial of God." Gandhi’s principles can once again help guide India towards a more tolerant nation.
Gandhi’s principles of non-violence and compassion were highlighted in this inspiring story from Ranbir Singh Sandhu. The neighborhood where Sandhu lived, in East Punjab, was declared a Muslim refugee camp after the Partition. This made his Sikh family a minority religious group within the community. However, Sandhu’s family welcomed Muslim refugees with open arms, providing them food and temporary shelter. “These were old neighbors and helpers,” said Sandhu. “We knew they were friends.” Sandhu’s compassion was returned when Sandhu and his family were finally forced to relocate to India. A group of Muslim refugee friends helped them find safe passage across the new border.
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Muslims in modern India face challenging times with constant discrimination everywhere, from the workplace to their communities. Although the partition of India was a great tragedy with millions of lives lost, inspiring stories of compassion and tolerance from the partition can act as a beacon of light in these dark times, showing the path to peace and harmony. We can do our part to ensure that anti-Muslim violence is noticed and called out to take appropriate actions such as holding peaceful rallies, speeches, and working with the local governments to make sure that the tragedy of 1947 does not recur.
References:
Divided by Partition: United by RESILIENCE: 21 Inspirational Stories from 1947, Mallika Ahluwalia, Rupa Publications, August 2018, ISBN-10 : 9789353041427
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/india-muslims-marginalized-population-bjp-modi
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/3/muslim-women-in-india-allege-bias-in-hiring-for-jobs
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/14/asia/india-hindu-extremist-groups-intl-hnk-dst/index.html