Partition of Punjab

Factors and Analysis

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Partition of Punjab

Factors and Analysis

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Partition of Punjab

Factors and Analysis

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Partition of Punjab

Factors and Analysis

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Partition of Punjab

Factors and Analysis

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1919-1947

• Punjab was the nerve centre of militant and revolutionary movements, which formed an important chapter in the history of freedom struggle.

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• Hindus , Muslims and Sikhs together fought heroically against British Imperialism .

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• Religious composition of its population.
• The geographical position of the province in NW region
• Its economic potentialities

All made it a key factor in partition of Punjab.

Causes of the Partition

• The genesis of the partition lay in the policy of Divide and Rule. The chief manifestation of this policy were the encouragement of sectarian politics and the principle of communal representation.
• The British found separate electorates a potent weapon to beat the nationalist movement and Hindu-Muslim divide deepened since the Act of 1909A.D( Minto-Morley reforms)
• Separate electorates were designed to increase Muslim representation in the Local Government, which were introduced in the Councils Act of 1861.
• This was the first step in the process of p

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Policy of Divide and Rule

• The Government of India Act 1919 A.D, accorded separate electorates for Muslims, the Sikhs, Indian Christians and Anglo Indians.
• It was extended from provincial legislatures to the Municipalities and District Boards. The policy came to be applied to Government services .

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• Thus Communal Electorate reinforced all these disintegrating tendencies and made communal strife so acute that the partition of the Punjab became inevitable,

Punjab Politics 1919-1923 A.D

• During the years1919-23, Punjab politics was confused and political affiliations were not clearly demarcated. Punjabis took active part in the movement of Khilafat ,Non Cooperation and Gurdwara Reform.

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• But the establishment of the Akali party in 1920 and the Unionist Party in 1923 introduced a new factor in the Punjab Politics.

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• During period 1923-1947A.D, the Unionist, the Muslim League , the Indian National Congress and the Akalis played a prominent part in the Punjab Politics.

Punjab Politics 1919-1923 A.D

• UNIONIST PARTY
• A part established by the Landholders. Though predominantly a Muslim organisation, it had also among its members Hindu and Sikh landholders and agriculturists.

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• The leaders of the party did not think in terms of Communal lines rather united to form the Unionists party to safeguard their interests and privileges.

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• The policy instead of removing communal differences , created a permanent divide between the two communities in the Western and Central parts of the Punjab, for while the agriculturists were mostly Muslims and major sections of non Muslims followed non agricultural professions.

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Punjab Politics 1919-1923 A.D

• Moreover the Unionist Party lost the sympathies of nationalists in India , in general and in Punjab in particular owing to its pro-British, anti Congress, communal and agricultural basis.

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INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

• The Punjab Congress membership mainly came from the urban Hindus and Sikh peasantry who were influenced by the Ghadar and Kirti Kisan movements . The urban and Arya Samajist bias of the Congress in the Punjab kept the Muslims aloof from it.

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AKALI PARTY

• It stood for the interests of the Sikhs. But this party by and large followed a policy of co-operation with the Indian National Congress almost until the eve of the Partition

Punjab Politics 1919-1923 A.D

MUSLIM LEAGUE :

• The party did not have any popular base in the Punjab till 1937 but by 1946 A.D it had become the most powerful party of the Muslims mainly due to the efforts of Mr. Jinnah.

Communal strife and proposals for the partition of the Punjab

• In the Punjab, it was a triangular struggle between the Muslims, the Hindus and the Sikhs.

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• Sir Malcolm wrote,” Nowhere is communal feeling potentially so dangerous and complicated in Punjab”

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• The Nehru Committee also observed…… a very potent factor to be taken into account is the presence of strong Hindu minority side by side with Muslim majority and the Sikh minority.

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• Though the Hindus and Sikhs were in minority, they enjoyed a position of great advantage over the Muslims in educational and economic field.

Communal strife and proposals for the partition of the Punjab

• Consequently Muslims advocated separate electorates .
• while Sikhs and Hindus opposed separate representation granted to the Muslims.
• In fact Punjab was only province where majority community had been granted separate electorates

COMMUNAL AWARD 1932 A.D

• The Communal award was made by the British P.M Ramsay Mac Donald on 16^th August ,1932

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• The Communal Award also known as Mac Donald was announced after Round Table Conference

• It extended separate electorate to depressed classes and other minorities.

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COMMUNAL AWARD 1932 A.D

• The award created a peculiar situation in Punjab .

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• In Punjab Legislature a statutory majority of 51% was given to the Muslims.

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• The Hindus who were about 30% opposed the reservation of seats for the majority community.

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• The Sikhs , who were about 13% demanded that they should get substantial weightage, as enjoyed by Muslims in the provinces where they were in minority.

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• The Hindus and the Sikhs demanded that the Muslims be given less than 50% seats , so that no community should be able to rule over the other

Divisions of Punjab

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• AMBALA DIVISION: Gurgaon, Rohtak,Hisar,Ambala and Karnal.

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• THE JULLUNDUR DIVISION: Kangra, Jullundur, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and Firozpur.

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• THE LAHORE DIVISION: Amritsar, Sialkot, Lahore, Gurdaspur, Shekhupura and Gujranwala.

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• THE MULTAN DIVISION: Lyallpur, Multan, Montgomery, Jhang, Dera Gazi Khan and Muzaffarabad.

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• THE RAWALPINDI DIVISION: Gujrat,Jhelum,Rawalpindi Attock, Shahpur and Mianwala

Divisions of Punjab on Maps

Divisions of Punjab

Multan division

Lahore division

Rawalpindi Division

Jalandhar Division

Ambala Division

CORBETT’S PROPOSAL

• In order to solve the communal tangle in the Punjab , various proposals were put before the Round Table Congress.

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• Sir Geoffrey Corbett, who had served as the Financial Commissioner Punjab and was the secretary of the Indian Delegation , suggested that Ambala Division should be separated from the Punjab so as to make it more Muslim in character by taking away the Hindu Majority districts.

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• The scheme could hardly solve the problem as it would relegate the non-Muslims to an ineffective minority.

Corbett’s Plan

Multan division

Lahore division

Rawalpindi Division

Jalandhar Division

Ambala Division

TERM PAKISTAN

• Chaudhri Rehmat Ali , an educated Indian Mohammaden student at Cambridge , coined the term Pakistan.
• P stands for Punjab
• A Afghanistan (North West Frontier Province)
• K Kashmir
• S Sindh
• TAN Baluchistan

The whole word meant land of pure.

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Reaction to Rehmat Ali

• The pamphlet in which it appeared ”Now or Never” was largely ignored at that time.

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• In August 1933, the Muslim delegation to the Parliament Committee of India dismissed Pakistan as impractical.

PAKISTAN

• Dr Mohammad Iqbal , a celebrated poet of the Punjab, suggested in 1930 that North Western Frontier Province , Baluchistan, Sindh, Punjab and Kashmir form a single Muslim majority state.

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• Dr Mohammad Iqbal at annual session of Muslim League was among the first to suggest a separate Muslim state

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• His idea was taken up by Mr. Jinnah.

Sir Geoffrey’s scheme,

• In order to solve communal tangle in Punjab, Sir Geoffrey’s scheme, suggested the separation of the Ambala division from the Punjab .

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• He argued that historically Ambala division is a part of Hindustan and its inclusion in Punjab was an accident of British rule. Its language is Hindustani and its people are skin to adjoining Meerut and Agra divisions.

Sir Geoffrey’s scheme

S UJJAL SINGH’S PROPOSAL

• In order to counteract Sir Geoffrey’s scheme, the Sikh delegates demanded that the division which was overwhelmingly Muslim namely Rawalpindi and Multan divisions (excluding Montgomery and Lyallpur districts) should be taken away from the Punjab.

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• If this arrangement were accepted, no single community would have an absolute majority in the remaining Punjab and each community would be obliged to live in harmony with others

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S UJJAL SINGH’S PROPOSAL

MUSLIM LEAGUE’S PROPOSAL AND DEMAND FOR PAKISTAN

• The climax came in the Pakistan demand made by the Muslim League at its Lahore session in March 1940.
• It passed the resolution that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in majority as in NW and E zones of India should be grouped to constitute as independent state in which the constituent units shall be autonomous,

MASTER TARA CHAND AND GIANI KARTAR SINGH’S PROPOSAL

• The demand for a territorial rearrangement to enhance Sikh political influence was revived in 1943 by the Akali Dal in the form of the Azad Punjab Scheme, which was the brain child of Giani Kartar Singh.

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• The scheme called for the detachment of Muslim majority districts from Punjab to create a new province, Azad Punjab, in which the Sikh population was maximised and no single community constituted a majority.

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• The Akali Dal President , Master Tara Singh said that Azad Punjab shall comprise of:
• Ambala, Jullundur, Lahore divisions and
• out of Multan Division, Lyallpur District, some portion of Montgomery and Multan districts.

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MASTER TARA CHAND AND GIANI KARTAR SINGH’S PROPOSAL

• The demand for separate was revived in 1943 and again in1946 when Pakistan was being discussed at national level.
• A Sikh delegation led by master Tara Singh said that Sikhs were for united India but if Pakistan was conceded, there was to be a separate Sikh State with right to federate either with India or Pakistan.
• Another Akali leader , Giani Kartar Singh elaborated the latter alternative. The Province would comprise the whole of Jalandhar and Lahore Divisions together with Hissar, Karnal and Shimla districts of Ambala division and the districts of Montgomery and Lyallpur.
• Similar proposal was put forward by S. Baldev Singh.
• These demands were meant to act an effective check on the demand for Pakistan. But Cabinet Mission took notice of Azad Punjab

Giani Kartar Singh Scheme s

POLITICAL STRUGGLE 1937-1947

ELECTIONS OF 1937

• The Muslim League did not have a mass appeal among the Indian Muslims as evident from the 1937 Elections.

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• In the Elections of 1937 , the Muslim League got only 2 seats. One of the members resigned as soon as the Assembly met and joined the Unionist Party.

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• Thus the Unionist Party formed the Government with Sir Sikander Hayat Khan.

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JINNAH’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH SIKANDAR HAYAT KHAN

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• The Elections of 1937 resulted in the majority of the unionist Party. But Jinnah was anxious to secure the support of Punjabi Muslims who were a majority in the province.
• In pursuance of his policy, he invited Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, the Punjab Premier, to Lucknow to attend the session of the League in Oct 1937 and the Sikandar- Jinnah Pact came into existence:

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1. The Pact converted the Muslim members of the Unionist Party into the members of Muslim League.
2. All Muslim members of the Unionist Party who were not members of the Muslim League were to sign it’s creed and join it.
3. They were subject to the rules and regulations of the Central Provincial Board of the All India Muslim League

JINNAH’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH SIKANDAR HAYAT KHAN

• This, however, did not affect the continuance of the Unionist Party. The Punjab ministry, thus, became a coalition of the Muslin League, Hindu agriculturists ,Sikhs, depressed classes, Indian Christians and Europeans.

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• Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, thus , divided his loyalty between the Unionist party and the Muslim League . By joining the League, he greatly enhanced his power and prestige.

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• Another important thing was that though Sikandar Hayat Khan had signed a pact but even then he was opposed to Jinnah’s view on a formal division of the Country

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JINNAH’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH SIKANDAR HAYAT KHAN

• Jinnah on the other hand considered the Punjab , the cornerstone of any scheme of Pakistan, but the Unionist Party was not prepared to yield.

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• Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan framed a scheme for an Indian Federation. In the meeting of the All India Muslim League Working Committee in Feb 1940 suggested:
• That Muslim League should not press for a formal division of India into two states, but ask only for the creation of Hindu and Muslim Zones within an Indian federation with weak centre.

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• But Jinnah rejected Sikandar’s scheme on the ground that Muslim League should confine its demand to the Muslims only and not let it cover whole of India

JINNAH’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH SIKANDAR HAYAT KHAN

• The Elections of 1937 also contained the seeds for Jinnah’s Demand for Pakistan .

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• HOW…… Jinnah felt spurned by the Congress when it refused to form coalition ministry in United Province.

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• Secondly the Mass Contact Programme launched by Congress further upset the Muslim League.

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• When the Congress ministries resigned in Oct 1939, Jinnah celebrated as ‘Deliverance Day’ Jinnah wanted to gain advantage with the vacuum created by Congress

Demand for Pakistan and negotiations with Sikandar Hayat Khan

• The Climax in the communal tangle came with Pakistan demand made by Muslim League on 23^rd March 1940 in its Lahore session.

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• Hayat Khan never reconciled to Jinnah’s objective of Pakistan. He clearly stated in the Punjab Assembly on March 11, 1941: we do not ask for that freedom where there may be a Muslim raj or a Hindu Raj . If that is what Pakistan means, I have nothing to do with it.

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• However he did not risk his career by quitting Muslim League. He however resigned from the Muslim League Working Committee in 1942.

Demand for Pakistan and negotiations with Sikandar Hayat Khan

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• In 1944 Jinnah came to Punjab, and asked Sikandar Khan to persuade all Muslim members of the Assembly to owe allegiance to the Muslim League and not to any Unionist or any other party.

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• However Sikandar regarded Jinnah’s plan to disintegrate the Unionist Party and refused to make any compromise.

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• At the Shimla Conference (June-July 1945)Sikandar khan strongly opposed Jinnah’s claim for the League to nominate all Muslim members for inclusion in the Viceroy's Executive Council

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Cabinet Mission Plan

• The World War II ended in 1945 and the British decided to quit India by June 1948.
• In the spring of 1946 Cabinet Mission visit to India was announced by P.M Mr. Atlee, it consisted of
• Sir Pethick Lawrence
• Stafford Cripps
• A.V Alexander

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Cabinet Mission Plan

• It had prolonged discussions with Indian leaders of all parties and groups.

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• As the Congress and the League could not come to any agreement on the fundamental issue of the unity or partition of India.

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• The mission put forward its own plan which was issued on May 16, 1946.

Main provisions

A Rejection of the League’s demand for a full-fledged Pakistan.

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B Grouping of existing provincial Assemblies into three sections.

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Section A—Madras, Bombay, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bihar and Orissa,

Section B-Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sind (Muslim majority provinces)

Section C—Bengal and Assam.

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The full autonomy of the provinces and the provisions for grouping were meant to give the Muslim League the ‘substance’ of Pakistan.

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Cabinet Mission Plan

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• The Cabinet Mission Plan was accepted by the Congress and the Muslim League though with mental reservations

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• The Objection of the Congress to the Plan was mainly its provision of grouping.

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• That of the League to the rejection of its demand for Pakistan.

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• A Constituent Assembly elected by the members of the provincial legislatures in 1946 was to be set up to frame the Constitution of India under a Three Tier Plan.

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• The existing Punjabi legislative Assembly was dissolved and new elections were held

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Elections of 1946 and the Victory of the League

• In the general elections of 1946, the Muslim League fared much better in the Punjab than in 1937 because a major majority of the Muslims voted for the League.

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• It managed to capture 79/175 . This showed a change over in the Party affiliations.

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• Though the League secured more seats than any other single Party, it was still a minority in the House of 175 and could not form a government.

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• So the only alternative for the League was to come to terms with the Sikhs and the Congress.

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• Sir Khizr Hayat Khan formed his government by a slender majority with the support of Unionist Party, the Congress and the Sikhs

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Elections of 1946 and the Victory of the League

• After the failure to form the ministry, the Muslim League leaders were on a look out for an opportunity to wage their war on the coalition Government of Khizr Hayat Khan.

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• The Muslim League declared war against the Khizr Khan’s government and took its fight for Pakistan literally to the streets involving large destruction of human life and property.

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• A programme of direct action containing details instruction for stabbing Non Muslims, setting their houses on fire and terrorizing them was received from Calcutta.

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• After the Calcutta riots the scene shifted to Punjab where in the districts of Rawalpindi and Jhelum, the Muslims killed a large number of Hindus and Sikhs and burnt them alive

Elections of 1946 and the Victory of the League

• During Dec 1946-Jan 1947 , squads of Muslim League volunteers known as Muslim National guards kept parading the streets of Lahore shouting provocative slogans .
• By the end of 1946 Khizr’s ministry was fighting a loosing battle against the rising tide of communal passion.
• Communal Bitterness increased and the Hindus and the Sikhs became restive .
• Master Tara Singh called upon the Sikhs to prepare themselves against the grave danger that threatened them and to organise an Akali Fauj.

Resignation of Khizr Ministry

• Jinnah raised the slogan Azad Hind Aur Azad Pakistan ya Civil War.

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• In Feb 1947, the British P.M Mr. Atlee announced the decision of the British Government to transfer power to Indian hands by June 1948.

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• The Khizr Ministry could no longer hope to curb the violence of the Muslims when it was evident that the power would definitely pass on to the Muslim majority which almost certainly meant Pakistan.

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• As the League again failed to form the ministry, the Governor took over the3 administration of the Province under section 93 of Government of India Act ,1935.

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• Next day serious riots broke out in Lahore and spread to other places including Amritsar, Rawalpindi and Jalandhar.

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• Unrest and lawlessness spread further and conditions bordering on utter anarchy prevailed in the Punjab

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Mountbatten plan for Partition

• Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy was given the charge to transfer power to Indian hands. He met leaders to ascertain their views on the alternatives: United India or Pakistan.

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• The Governor of Punjab, Sir Evan Jenkins warned him that partition of the Punjab on communal lines would be disastrous because in every district , Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were inextricably mixed.

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• The Congress Working Committee , in a review of the situation observed ,”These tragic events have demonstrated that there can e no settlement of the problem in the Punjab by violence and coercion…… therefore it is necessary to find out a way which involves the least amount of compulsion. This would necessitate a division of the Punjab into two provinces.

June 1947 Statement

• The demand for the partition of the Punjab and Bengal upset Jinnah’s plan.

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• He denounced it as sinister move actuated by spite and bitterness, as he felt that Muslims would get a mutilated and moth eaten Pakistan.

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• On June 3^rd 1947 Lord Mountbatten , the Governor General, announced a plan for the partition of the provinces of Bengal and Punjab.

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• The Plan was accepted by the congress , Muslim League and the Akalis.

Procedure of partition.

• Procedure recommended that the Punjab Legislative Assembly would be convened and divided into two groups; one representing muslim majority districts and the other the rest of the province

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• Each group would vote for or against partition.

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• If any group voted for partition: then the commission would e appointed to draw a line of demarcation.

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• The Punjab Legislative Assembly which met in the atmosphere of communal tension and was under a strong police guard decided in the favor of the partition of the Punjab.

Boundary Commission

• A boundary Commission was appointed with Sir Cyril Radcliff as its chairman.

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• The other members were Mr. Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan, Mr. Justice Teja Singh, Mr. Justice Mohammad Munir and Mr. Justice Din Mohammad.

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• Radcliff gave his award :

EAST PUNJAB: 13 districts i.e. districts of Ambala and Jalandhar division, district of Amritsar and some tehsils of Lahore and Gurdaspur. He gave upper reaches of Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej to East Punjab.

India got 38% of the area of Punjab and 45% of the population.

The rest 62% of the area and 55% of Population went to Pakistan

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