The partition of India in 1947 resulted in the largest forced migration in human history — of almost 10 million people.
After 70 years, politicians in India are still using partition to whip up votes. An important feature of colonial India was the emergence of communalism as a force that led to a bloodbath and partition of the subcontinent on communal lines.
“It was the purposeful colonial policy of divide and rule that laid the seeds of communalism which grew into a huge tree that disturbed the solidarity, of the age-old mosaic of India and it is still haunting [the two countries],” says political commentator Vinay Kundu.
The partition displaced millions along religious lines, creating overwhelming refugee crises in the newly constituted dominions. There was large-scale violence, with estimates of loss of life varying between several hundred thousand and two million.
But the biggest effect of partition is definitely the Kashmir issue. India was able to solve its tussles with the states of Junagadh and Hyderabad, but Kashmir was tricky as it lay on the border.
The issue is still unsolved today and has become a major propaganda instrument for extremists in Pakistan and India and for politicians to stir up sentiments.
“India and Pakistan continue to be embroiled in conflict, and Kashmir remains a point of contention between them. The politicians on both sides, who have no real intention of solving the issue, are adding fuel to the fire,” adds Kundu.
