Inevitability of Partition: Causes, Key Events & Perspectives

Partition of India: A Nation Divided

The Congress accepted partition as inevitable due to the long-term failure to integrate Muslims into the national movement.
Partition reflects the success-failure dichotomy of the anti-imperialist movement.
The Congress succeeded in building national consciousness but failed to integrate Muslims.
Only immediate power transfer could stop communal violence.
The collapse of the Interim Government made Pakistan seem unavoidable.

Wali Khan: The British created Pakistan due to international policies, not friendship towards Muslims.
R.J. Moore: The devolution of power in a divided country was inherently divisive.
Jawaharlal Nehru: Tiredness, age, fear of prison, and the violence in Punjab influenced the decision.
Sardar Patel: Partition prevented further fragmentation of India.
Maulana Azad: Acceptance was not wholehearted; some accepted it out of anger, others out of despair.

The plan ruled out independence for princely states, preventing Balkanization.
Acceptance was the culmination of concessions to the Muslim League.
Key events:
- Cripps Mission (1942): Autonomy of Muslim-majority provinces accepted.
- Gandhi-Jinnah Talks (1944): Self-determination of Muslim-majority provinces accepted.
- Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): Separate constituent assembly conceded.
- Official reference to Pakistan (March 1947): Partition of Punjab and Bengal.
- 3rd June Plan: Congress accepted partition.
The Congress accepted partition due to communal riots.
Nehru believed post-British departure, Hindu-Muslim differences would resolve, partition was temporary, and it would be peaceful.
The communalism of the 1940s was more assertive, and the Congress underestimated it.

Gandhi felt helpless due to communalization.
He accepted partition as the people wanted it but asked Congressmen not to accept it in their hearts.

"I alone with the help of my Secretary and my typewriter won Pakistan for the Muslims." - M.A. Jinnah

Partition of India: A Nation Divided