3S) HSSE- 1st A (12-09-2017) Bharghava Shyam

 Date: 12-Sep-2017

Name: A.N. Bharghava Shyam
Admission Number: MAE15007

Question selected:

Comment in detail on the perspective of ‘Understanding Partition: Politics, Memories, Experiences’, Chapter 14 of Themes in Indian History, Part III, History Textbook for Class XII (New Delhi, NCERT, 2007).

Answer

In teaching History we need to know these 6 elements of History pedagogy.
1)    Problem of analysis:
2)    Explanation:
3)    Facts:
4)    Evidences & sources
5)    Perspective:
6)    Categories of concepts

Problem of analysis questions about what, why, when do things happen. When we are teaching we need to question this content. The problems of analysis have to be explained with claims, narratives, reasoning, arguments etc. Those things have to be fact with some sources and evidence. In History Pedagogy we need to co-relate & use this 4 basic elements.

These 4 elements will helps in making perspective & that will define categories of concepts.

“Understanding the partition: Politics, Memories, Experiences” is also a category of History. In this also we need to analysis the problems, we need explain with some facts with evidence & sources.

By these all 4 elements Perspective have been formed. But here author didn’t gave single perspective, he/she gave wide ranges of perspectives to enrich our knowledge on Partition.

India got political Independence & Partition at the same time on 15^th August 1947. It’s a good and happy thing for most of the people in India. At the same time one day before independence that means 14^th August 1947 politically India partition happened with wide consequence of problems (West & East Pakistan was created). It’s bad & sad thing for most of the Indian people in Indian perspective. Muslim league (Leader Jinnah) with the help of British Indian Government they attained India Partition.

Perspective on “Understanding Partition: Politics Memories Experiences”. Perspective means a particular attitude towards a point of view (or) way of regarding something in a point of view {To View something from a particular angle}. Partition means in larger context separation and dividing of the countries. India is viewing Pakistan in partition angle and Pakistan is viewing “Creation angle. In Indian perspective most of the schools teach in way to understand “Partition of India” And in Pakistan perspective most of the schools teach in way to understand “Creation of Pakistan”. It generally happens in schools

No synonyms can substitute this word ‘partition’ in this context. It has deeply rooted with politics, memories and experiences.

In this Chapter the author’s showed so many perspectives through different experiences, politics and memories. S/he showed General public perspective, National leader’s perspective, Identity perspective (Indian & Pakistan perspective), market perspective, Holocaust (Violence) perspective, Religious perspective, communal perspective, political perspective, gender perspective, helping perspective etc. These all perspectives are interlinked with each other.

This chapter focused ordinary people’s memories and experiences with partition. This chapter explained analysis of the problem of partition. Memories, Experiences, Politics are formed from Multi Angular Perspectives.

General/Ordinary Public Perspective: In this authors gave perspective on Pakistanis towards Indians.

He explained three different examples with 3 general public perspectives on partition experiences. In this general Pakistan people perspective on India and Indians are like they don’t like Indians. But because of some personal experiences they are liking some Indians and some are hating Indians.

1)  One Pakistani person Latif Sahib’s father Abdul Latif got help form Indian Hindu. For that sake he helped an Indian Hindu/ Sikh

2)  Pakistani person don’t give the room to Indian, but he shared story with tea to that Indian, because he found nice experience in Delhi as Punjabi speaking Musalman.

3)    1^st he likes another person because we might be Pakistani, when he realized he is Indian we completely alienated him

Political Perspective (Why & how did Partition happened)

Muslim league asked for separate electorates for Muslims, this also shaped in making identity politics in United India. Pre- Independence period 1937 British provided a provisional for elections and in the elections the congress gets completely majority in provinces, the congress didn’t gave chance to Muslim league to form the joint-government in united India, the Muslim league people felt alienated.

Muslim league Perspective- Mainly they felt alienated after elections & came with a resolution called Pakistan & started demanding for separate nation. Initially (1940) they are also not serious on creation of Pakistan, but when M.A. Jinnah explained the concessions and favours for Muslims from British Indian Government they also started for demanding. Gradually Muslim league started getting support from Muslims because of their social effort. British India made a committee for partition after the report Congress party supported this partition Idea, but only Khan Abdul Gaffer khan & Mahatma Gandhi opposed Idea of partition.

Majority of the political people opinion on partition might be to separate the nation. Only two people opposed that Idea.

-   In politics majority people Ideas comes into praxis that might help in making a perspective as a stereotype.

 

Communal (Identity) Perspective:

In India most of the people are hating Pakistan & in Pakistan also most of the people are India hater. They both have different perspectives. Both feel their Identity is fair & superior. These become power full stereotypes in both these countries. In politics majority people Ideas comes into praxis that might help in making a perspective as a stereotype. Majority of Muslims felt that their community only can concern & care us. It might be happened on both sides also.

 

Historians Perspective “A Momentous Marker”

Some narratives showed this Partition as a Holocaust, because so many people was injured, killed, women was raped, abducted, sold. Nearly 15 Millions of people are migrated (shifted) from their mother land by leaving their properties like home, land etc. The Historians felt it is more than partition, constitutional arrangement, 16 months civil war etc. Some of them called this partition as Holocaust also.

Gender perspective:

Women in both sides got violent experiences from others, they got abducted, sold, raped, and forcedly made them to start new life with strange people, but both Pakistani & Indian governments tactlessly saw these women. After they recovered 33,000 women in both India and Pakistan.

Gandhian Perspective: Mahatma Gandhi perspective is to see the partition with Non-Violence (His life time principle)

Mahatma Gandhi “The One Man Army” by/with his lifetime principles Truth & Non-Violence, he visited the areas where riots are happening and persuaded the Muslims & Hindus in stopping riots.

Help, Harmony & Humanity Perspective:

Abdul Latif was saved by some neighboring Hindus (1^st Example). And Khusdeva Singh helped so many Hindu, Muslim & Sikh people day & night by providing food, security, shelter and love to them.

 

Conclusion:

My Perception on Partition of India & Creation of Pakistan was completely changed by reading this text book & also by hearing the classes and discussions from facilitators (In clearing manner).

We can’t change History, but we can change the perception on history if you know reality.

 

References

‘Understanding Partition: Politics, Memories, Experiences’, Chapter 14 of Themes in Indian History, Part III, History Textbook for Class XII (New Delhi, NCERT, 2007)