The end of British colonial rule birthed two sovereign nations—but hastily drawn borders caused simmering tensions to boil over. 75 years later, memories of Partition still haunt survivors
Mahatma Gandhi, center, visits the Muslim refugee camp of Purana Qila in New Delhi, India on September 22, 1947. Having found themselves on the wrong side of the border after Partition, the camp's inhabitants were preparing to depart to Pakistan.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.As India teetered on the brink of civil war, Britain’s interest in maintaining its waning control evaporated.
Princely states could decide which nation they wanted to join, and Radcliffe and his team were otherwise told to draw boundaries that respected religious majorities and prioritized contiguous borders. The “Radcliffe Line” was easy to draw in areas with a distinct majority, but Radcliffe soon found that the religious groups were dispersed throughout India. In areas like Bengal and Punjab, which had near-equal Hindu and Muslim populations, drawing a line proved particularly difficult.
The decision was fateful: It stranded hundreds of thousands of Hindus and Muslims in the “wrong” new nation and separated Bengal from the rest of Pakistan by a thousand miles. of the British crown—with the understanding they would ultimately become fully independent. But Mountbatten refused to issue the maps until two days later in an attempt to keep the international focus on Britain’s benevolence.
The ensuing confusion and fear was like tinder for longstanding Hindu-Muslim tensions. After years of increasingly polarized rhetoric, old grudges became deadly, and new animosity broke out among those whose minority and majority statuses had suddenly switched. Assailants abducted and raped tens of thousands of women; peoplemembers of their own families. Mobs attacked refugees and villagers, set buildings on fire, looted homes and businesses, and committed mass murder.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Sadie Sink Reveals Why She Almost Didn't Get Cast in 'Stranger Things'Mad Max as we know her almost didn't exist. 😳
Lire la suite »
DWTS’ Peta Murgatroyd Details ‘Hardest’ Part About IVF Journey, InjectionsDWTS' Peta Murgatroyd opened up about her IVF journey, revealing the most challenging part about getting injections — details
Lire la suite »
Evaluating what the future holds for the Oakland A’s after key trade deadlineWe take a closer look at the prospects the A’s added in Monday’s blockbuster trade.
Lire la suite »
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's No. 2 man, killed by U.S.Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed by U.S. forces in a strike in Afghanistan over the weekend, delivering a long-sought blow to the terrorist network.
Lire la suite »
Long Beach now offering Novavax COVID-19 vaccineLong Beach is now offering the Novavax vaccine for COVID-19. Here's why some might find it preferable to Moderna or Pfizer.
Lire la suite »
Why did the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima leave shadows of people etched on sidewalks?The nuclear bombs dropped in Japan on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945 left shadows of people on the ground and buildings. Here’s why.
Lire la suite »