Questions For Practice – Challenges of Nation Building

Q1. “The partition of India proved everyone’s worst fears.” How far do you agree with this statement?

Ans. The following points can justify the statement. 

1. The partition of India appeared to prove everyone’s worst fears: 

2. It is the most abrupt, unplanned, and tragic population transfer that human history has known.

3. There were killings and atrocities on both sides of the border.

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

5. Amritsar and Kolkata became divided into ‘communal zones’ Minorities on both sides of the border fled their home and often secured temporary shelter in ‘refugee camps’.

6. They often found unhelpful local administration and police.

7. Thousands of women were abducted on both sides of the border. They were made to convert to the religion of the abductor and were forced into marriage. In many cases, women were killed by their own family members to preserve the ‘family honour’.

8. The employees of the government and the railways were also ‘divided’.

Q2. Analyse the political development of the 1940s that led to the decision for the creation of Pakistan. (2 marks)

Ans. Two political developments in the 1940s: 

1. The political competition between the Congress and the Muslim League.
2. The two nation theory advanced by the Muslim League.
3. The British role and policy of divide and rule.

Q3.  In spite of communal partition, India was not declared a ‘Hindu State’. How the leaders of Indian National Congress defended the adoption of “secularism” in India?

In spite of communal partition, India was not declared a ‘Hindu State’ on the following basis:

1. Most of the national movement leaders believed that India must treat persons of all religions equally and that India should not be a country that gives status to adherents of one faith and is inferior to those who practice another religion.
2. Even after large scale migration of Muslims to the newly created Pakistan, the Muslim population in India accounted for 12 percent of the total population in 1951.
3. To provide a sense of security to other religious minorities in India, it became utmost important to declare India a ‘Secular State’.

Q4. What was the socio-economic impact of the partition of India? (4 marks)