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Uncovered Backwardness of Muslims: Part 4
Politics of Muslim Appeasement in India
On March 26, 1940, the leaders of the Muslim League, the political front of Indian Muslims, raised the issue of creation of Pakistan as a separate Muslim homeland; and on August 14-15, 1947, the partition of India into two independent states, India and Pakistan , became a reality. At that time, the Muslim population in undivided India was 23 percent, but Pakistan received 32 percent of the land area. The most appropriate step after the partition was to carry out population exchange, or send the entire Muslim population of the divided India to Pakistan and bring all Hindus and other non-Muslims from Pakistan to India . This exchange of population, a logical part of the partition, was included in the original Pakistan proposal by the Muslim League. Most importantly, after communal riot in Bihar , M A Jinnah requested the Government of India to carry out population exchange as early as possible. But it could not be undertaken due to staunch opposition of M K Gandhi. He termed it an absurd and impractical proposal, for the sake of his politics of Muslim appeasement.
Viceroy Louis Mountbatten, the then Governor General of India, Dr B R Ambedkar and many other nationalist leaders of the Congress Party were staunch supporter of the said population exchange and advised Jawaharlal Nehru to carry out the same without delay. But Nehru submitted to Gandhi's will. As a result, except for those who willingly migrated, a large number of Muslims happily stayed back in India , while a much smaller of Hindus stayed behind in Islamic Pakistan. Nonetheless, most of the Hindus who stayed back were gradually kicked out of Pakistan over the years. It is needless to say that had the said population exchange been carried out, many of India 's major problems of today would have been averted. Firstly, the politics of Muslim appeasement would not have arisen in today's India and secondly, there would not have any need to appoint the Sachar Committee to asses the social, educational and other conditions of Muslims.
Last update : 04-05-2009 21:07
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