Towards Independence and Partition
This section presents a comprehensive overview of the developments leading to the independence of India and the partition of the country in 1947. It begins by discussing the growing consciousness of nationalism among Indians in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With the formation of political associations after the 1850s, including the Indian National Congress established in 1885, a unified voice began to advocate for rights and representation for Indians against British rule, emphasizing that resources and governance should belong to all Indians, irrespective of class or community.
In the 1870s and 1880s, various laws such as the Arms Act and the Vernacular Press Act intensified dissatisfaction among the populace, leading to significant protests and political mobilizations. The introduction of the partition of Bengal by the British in 1905 further inflamed nationalist sentiments, giving rise to the Swadeshi movement aiming at boycotting British goods.
As the early 20th century progressed, the impact of the First World War caused economic difficulties for many Indians, while simultaneously catalyzing a demand for self-governance. The emergence of Mahatma Gandhi as a leader marked a new phase in the freedom struggle with his principles of non-violent resistance.
The section culminates in the political landscape by the late 1930s, portraying how tensions between the Congress and the Muslim League escalated. The demand for a separate Muslim state culminated in the resolution of 1940 where the League asserted the idea of “Pakistan”. This persisting division eventually led to the tragic partition of India in 1947 amidst communal violence and mass migration, marking not just a political change but deep social and cultural upheaval.