Challenges Faced by the Newly Independent Nation:

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, delivered a

renowned speech known as the "tryst with destiny."
Immediately after independence, there were two widely accepted goals:

1. We would govern our country democratically post-independence.

2. The government would prioritize the welfare of all citizens, especially the
economically disadvantaged and socially marginalized groups.

Three challenges
1. To shape a nation that was united, yet accommodative of the diversity in our
society
{To build a country that was together, but also welcoming to the differences in
our society}

2. To establish democracy {To create a system where everyone can vote}

3. To ensure the development and wellbeing of the entire society and not only of
some sections {To make sure everyone in society grows and stays well, not just
some groups}

Partition : Displacement and rehabilitation

Two-Nation Theory: Proposed by the Muslim League, stating India consisted of
two distinct 'people' - Hindus and Muslims, necessitating a separate Muslim
country, Pakistan. The Congress did not agree with the idea that India should be
divided into two countries or that Muslims needed a separate country called
Pakistan. However, events in the 1940s, rivalry between Congress and the
Muslim League, and actions by the British eventually led to the creation of
Pakistan.

Process of partition

The division into 'India' and 'Pakistan' was very painful and hard to do. It was
decided to follow the principle of religious majorities. This meant that areas with
mostly Muslims would become Pakistan, and the rest would stay as India.

There were four major problems faced during that time:-

1. There wasn't a single area with a Muslim majority in British India. Instead,
there were two main regions with many Muslims, one in the west and one in the
east. Since these two areas couldn't be joined, it was decided that Pakistan
would have two separate parts: West Pakistan and East Pakistan, with Indian
territory in between.

2. Not all Muslim-majority areas wanted to be part of Pakistan. For example,

Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, the leader of the North Western Frontier Province (also
known as Frontier Gandhi), opposed the idea of dividing India based on religion.

3. Another issue was that the Muslim-majority provinces of Punjab and Bengal
had large areas where non-Muslims were the majority. So, it was decided to split
these provinces based on the religious majority in each district and even smaller
areas.

4. The fourth problem was the minorities on both sides of the border. Many
Hindus and Sikhs in areas that became Pakistan, and many Muslims in Indian
parts of Punjab and Bengal, were suddenly in the minority. They felt like
strangers in their own homes and became easy targets for violence.

Consequences of Partition
1. There were killings and atrocities on both sides of the border.

2. In the name of religion people of one community ruthlessly killed and maimed
people of the other community.

3. Cities like Lahore, Amritsar and Kolkata became communal zones.

4. Minorities on both sides of the border fled their home and often secured
temporary shelter in refugee camps.

5. They travelled to the other side of the new border by all sorts of means often
by foot and were often attacked, killed or raped.

6. In many cases women were killed by their own family members to preserve
the family honour. Many children were separated from their parents.

7. For lakhs of these refugees the country's freedom meant life in refugee camps
for months and sometimes for years.

8. Writers, poets and film makers in India and Pakistan have expressed partition
as “division of hearts”.
9. The partition was not merely a division of properties, liabilities and assets or
political division of the country and administrative apparatus but also financial
assets and things like tables, chairs typewriters, paperclips, books and also
musical instruments of the police band.

10. It is estimated that about 80 lakh people were forced to migrate across new
border and about 5 to 10 lakh people were killed.

11. The Muslim population in India accounted for 10-12 per cent of the total
population in 1951.

Mahatma Gandhi Sacrifice:-

15th August 1947:

Mahatma Gandhi did not join independence celebrations.

He was in Kolkata addressing severe Hindu-Muslim riots.
Saddened by the failure of his principles of ahimsa and satyagraha.
Worked to stop violence and improve communal harmony.
Independence celebrated peacefully for a short time, but riots resumed.

Gandhi in Delhi:

Moved to Delhi following large-scale violence.

Advocated for the dignity and equal citizenship of Muslims in India.
Concerned about relations between India and Pakistan.
Unhappy with the Indian government's decision on financial commitments
to Pakistan.
Undertook his last fast in January 1948 to promote peace.
Fast significantly reduced communal tensions and violence.
Indian government agreed to pay Pakistan its dues.

Gandhi’s Assassination:

Gandhi faced criticism from extremists in both communities.

Continued his prayer meetings and efforts for peace.
On 30 January 1948, Nathuram Godse assassinated Gandhi during an
evening prayer in Delhi.
Marked the end of his lifelong struggle for truth, non-violence, justice, and
tolerance.
Indian government agreed to pay Pakistan its dues.

Gandhi’s Assassination:
 Gandhi faced criticism from extremists in both communities.
Continued his prayer meetings and efforts for peace.
On 30 January 1948, Nathuram Godse assassinated Gandhi during an
evening prayer in Delhi.
Marked the end of his lifelong struggle for truth, non-violence, justice, and
tolerance.

Integration of Princely states

Before independence, British India was divided into British Indian Provinces,
directly controlled by the British, and Princely States, ruled by local princes
with some internal autonomy under British supremacy. The Princely States
covered one-third of the land and housed one-fourth of the population.

As independence neared, the British announced that their rule and control over
the Princely States would end. This allowed 565 Princely States to choose to
join India or Pakistan or remain independent, leaving the decision to the rulers,
not the people. This posed a significant threat to India's unity.

1. The ruler of Travancore was the first to announce that his state would become
independent.

2. The next day, the Nizam of Hyderabad also declared independence, and other
rulers, like the Nawab of Bhopal, were against joining India.

Government’s Approach Towards Princely States

The government firmly opposed the potential division of India. The Muslim
League disagreed with the Indian National Congress (INC) and believed that
states should have the freedom to choose their own path. Sardar Patel played a
crucial role by negotiating with the rulers of the princely states, using a firm yet
diplomatic approach, to bring most of them into the Indian Union. There were
26 small states in today’s Orissa. Saurashtra region of Gujarat had 14 big states,
119 small states and numerous other different administrations.

The government’s approach was based on three key considerations:

1. Most people in the princely states wanted to join the Indian Union.

2. The government was willing to be flexible and grant autonomy to certain

regions, aiming to accommodate diversity and adopt a flexible approach.
3. With the backdrop of partition highlighting the importance of territorial
boundaries, integrating these boundaries into the nation became of utmost
importance.

Instrument of Accession
Most rulers of the princely states signed an agreement known as the
‘Instrument of Accession’, indicating their state's decision to join the Union of
India. However, Junagadh, Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Manipur posed more
challenges. The issue of Junagadh was resolved after a plebiscite confirmed the
people's desire to join India.

Hyderabad
Hyderabad, the largest princely state surrounded entirely by Indian territory,
includes parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh today. Its ruler,
titled the Nizam, signed a standstill agreement with India in November 1947,
allowing negotiations with the Indian government to proceed for a year.
Meanwhile, a movement against the Nizam's rule began among the people of
Hyderabad.

In particular, the peasantry in the Telangana region suffered under oppressive

rule and rose up against the Nizam, with women joining the movement. The
Communist Party and Hyderabad Congress were prominent leaders in this
resistance.

The Nizam responded by deploying a paramilitary force called the Razakars, who
committed severe atrocities, especially targeting non-Muslims. They engaged in
murders, mutilations, rapes, and looting, escalating communal tensions.

Manipur
A few days before independence, Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh of Manipur
signed the Instrument of Accession with the Indian government, under the
condition that Manipur's internal autonomy would be preserved.

Responding to public pressure, the Maharaja held elections in June 1948,

leading to Manipur becoming a constitutional monarchy and the first Indian
state to conduct elections based on universal adult franchise.

However, differences arose in the Manipur Legislative Assembly regarding the

merger of Manipur with India. Despite this, the Government of India pressured
the Maharaja to sign a merger agreement in September 1949 without consulting
the elected Assembly. This decision caused significant anger and resentment in
Manipur, the effects of which continue to resonate today.

Reorganisation of states
• The process of nation-building did not come to an end with partition and
integration of Princely States. Now the challenge was to draw the internal
boundaries of the Indian states.

• During colonial rule, the state boundaries were drawn either on administrative
convenience or simply coincided with the territories annexed by the British
government or the territories ruled by the princely powers.

• Our national movement had promised the linguistic principle as the basis of
formation of states. After Independence and Partition, our leaders felt that
carving out states on the basis of language might lead to disruption and
disintegration thus, this idea was postponed. This decision of the national
leadership was challenged by the local leaders and the people.

• After large protests, the Prime Minister announced the formation of a separate
Andhra state in December 1952.

• The formation of Andhra encouraged the struggle for making of other states on
linguistic lines in other parts of the country.

• The States Reorganisation Commission was formed in 1953 by the Central

Government to redraw the boundaries of states. The Commission accepted that
boundaries of the state should reflect the boundaries of different languages.

• On the basis of its reports, the States Reorganisation Act was passed in 1956.
This led to creation of 14 states and 6 union territories by giving uniform basis
to state boundaries.