Democracy Dialogues Lecture Series (Online )
Organised by New Socialist Initiative
21th Lecture
Topic: The Two-Nation Theory, Partition and the Consequences
Speaker: Professor Ishtiaq Ahmed
Date and Time: 27 November 2022 at 6 PM (IST).
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Prof Ishtiaq Ahmed, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Stockholm University and a leading authority on the Politics of South Asia and an eminent author has kindly consented to deliver lecture in the Democracy Dialogues Series, organised by New Socialist Initiative'.
Topic : The Two-Nation Theory,
Partition and the Consequences
1. The Two-Nation Theory as an Idea and an
Argument: The talk will contextualize the origins of the Two-Nation Theory in
the background of pre-colonial and British colonial rule and analyse it in
relation to competing ideas of a One-Nation Theory as well as the vaguer ideas
of multiple nationalities deriving from language, ethnicity and religion. This
section will also deal with British policy regarding such competing ideas of
group identity and nation and nationalism. This will cover the period 1857 –
1932. However, most attention will be given to the 1928 Motilal Nehru Report
(which a section of Muslims including one faction of the Muslim League was
willing to accept) and Jinnah’s 14 points.
2.
The Two-Nation Theory and the demand for Partition: The Government of
India Act 1935, the election speeches and manifestos, election results and the
Muslim League’s deployment of communalism as political strategy to demand
partition on behalf of Muslims. The stands of the Indian National Congress, the
Muslim League, the Communist Party of India, the Hindu Mahasabha, the Jamiat
Ulema e Hind and other Islamist, regional and working-class parties of Muslims
and the Sikhs of Punjab.
3.
British policy on the future of India: from unwillingness to grant India
freedom to retaining influence and control through defence treaty to finally
deciding in favour of partition. The Cabinet Mission Plan, Wavell’s schemes to
transfer power as an award, The British military’s transformation from
opposition to support for partition; 3 June Partition Plan, the partitions of
Bengal and Punjab, the 18 July 1947 Indian Independence Act.
4.
The Partition as a flawed exercise in the transfer of power which
claimed at least one million Hindu, Muslim and Sikh lives, caused the biggest
migration in history (14 – 15 million) and bequeathed bitter disputes over the
sharing of colonial assets, territory and claims to princely states. In this
regard, the
5.
The Partition as a referent for nation-building: while agreeing finally
to the partition of India on a religious basis India held steadfastly to
nation-building on a secular, liberal-democratic, inclusive and pluralist
basis. The Indian constitution came to represent such a view of nation and
nation-building. On the other hand, since Pakistan had been won in the name of
Islam its nation-building was based on distinguishing Muslims from non-Muslims
and generating different formulae of differential rights. More importantly, it
brought to light the deep divisions among Muslims based on sect, sub-sect and
ethno-linguistic criteria.
6.
The Partition and settling of disputes between India and Pakistan: The
two-nation theory continued to define and determine relations between India and
Pakistan resulting in wars, terrorism and zero-sum games in international
forums.
7.
The Partition as a historical, political, ideological and intellectual
phenomenon: An Evaluation
About the Speaker :
Prof
Ishtiaq Ahmed Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Stockholm University;
Honorary Senior Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University
of Singapore. Published several books with special focus on the politics of
South Asia discussed in context of regional and international relations
Latest
publications, Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role in History, New Delhi: Penguin Viking, 2020 won the
English Non-Fiction Book Award for 2021 at the Valley of Words Literary
Festival, Dehradu, India; Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role in History,
Vanguard Books, Lahore 2021;
Pakistan:
The Garrison State, Origins, Evolution, Consequences (1947-2011), Karachi:
Oxford University Press, 2013;
The
Punjab Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed, Karachi: Oxford University Press,
2012- It won the Best Non-Fiction Book Prize at the 2013 Karachi Literature
Festival and the 2013 UBL-Jang Groups Best Non-Fiction Book Prize at Lahore and
the Best Book on Punjab Award from Punjabi Parchar at the Vaisakhi Mela in
Lahore, 2016
He
is working on a new book, The Partitions of India, Punjab and Bengal: Who What
and Why
He
is the Editor-in-Chief of the “Liberal Arts & Social Sciences International
Journal (LASSIJ)” and also regularly writes columns in several Pakistani
newspapers.
