The Partition of India is considered one of the most painful events in the history of the country. Every year on 15th August, when the country celebrates its Independence Day with freedom and pride, it also reminds us of the Partition of 1947, which shook the lives of crores of people, lakhs were rendered homeless, many lost their lives and the structure of society changed forever.
To bring the depth and complexity of this historic tragedy to students, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a new educational module. It was released on 14th August, the occasion of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. It aims to help students understand the reasons behind the Partition and the key people who played a role in it.
A Move Towards A Broader View
While earlier the responsibility for Partition was put solely on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, this new module of NCERT holds three major parties responsible for it:
Mohammad Ali Jinnah: Who fuelled communal tensions by demanding a separate nation for Muslims.
The Indian National Congress: Particularly under the leadership of Nehru and Patel, accepted partition to avoid a civil war.
Lord Mountbatten: The last British Viceroy of India, who brought chaos to the entire process by rushing it through.
The module criticises Mountbatten’s decision to choose the date of Britain’s exit from June 1948 to 15 August 1947. This haste resulted in the Radcliffe Line not being properly drawn and millions of people not being able to understand whether they were in India or Pakistan. According to NCERT, this chaos worsened the violence and displacement.
Could Partition Have Been Prevented?
The module also shows that the partition of India was not inevitable. It sees it as a result of circumstances and misconceptions. Had political compulsions and communal tensions not escalated, the partition might have been prevented.
Though Mahatma Gandhi was against partition, the Congress accepted it as a difficult but necessary decision. Nehru called it a “very bad situation” but a better option than civil war. Patel considered it “bitter medicine” for the country.
Impact On The Present
According to NCERT, the impact of Partition is still felt today. Tensions in India-Pakistan relations, the Kashmir dispute, rising defence spending, and communal divide, all are echoes of Partition that continue to influence our society and politics.
Importance In Education
This new module of NCERT not only tells students about historical events but also explains how decisions taken in difficult times influence the thinking and direction of future generations.
Reacting on the new NCERT module on Partition Horrors, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit stated, “I challenge NCERT for a discussion on Partition. Today, they (BJP) have NCERT under their control; they don’t know anything about Partition.”
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