By Irfan Engineer
15th August 2007 was celebrated with much festivity as our 60th Independence Day. The Independence Day also brings sad memories of partition and the human tragedy associated with drawing artificial boundaries and dividing the people accompanied by exchange of population. Lakhs of South Asians suffered on both the sides of the borders. Though Pakistan is an accepted fact and it is neither possible nor desirable to turn the clock of history back, the artificial division has left a deep scar on psyche of both nations. Hundreds of stories, novels and films have been made on the subject. Many accounts of real human sufferings due to partition have been published and can still bring tears in the eyes of the narrators as well as listener. Memories of sufferings that accompanied with partition still survive and shape our lives.
Muslims who were forced to cross the border and migrate to Pakistan, and a few who migrated voluntarily for greener pastures, still live turbulent lives in Pakistan and are called “mohajirs” or immigrants. The mohajirs have not been embraced by the Pakistani Society and are still treated as outside immigrants. Their economic status has also declined along with their decreasing political clout. There have been often riots between sindhis and mohajirs, as also with other ethnic communities. The mohajirs have suffered tremendous loss in these riots. Altaf Hussain, leader of Mohajir Qaumi Movement, a political party which represents the interest of the mohajirs has been living in London.
Urdu is considered as a language of immigrants and ethnic Sindhis, Punjabis and Pakhtoonis are more proud of their language. The mohajirs have still rich memories of their childhood and the composite culture. “Door Rahile Majhe Ghar” is a Marathi play about one such Muslim family which migrated from Konkan Region of Maharashtra to Pakistan and feels alienated from his culture. General Musharaf when he first came to India as a President of Pakistan had his desire of visiting the locality where he spent his childhood. Even L.K. Advani when he visited Pakistan visited the areas where he had spent his childhood. The Hindus who were forced to migrate from Pakistan due to partition also have fond memories of their childhood and the composite culture and traditions of the village from where they were forced to migrate. When they get opportunity to visit Pakistan, they inquire about their neighbours whom they left behind, and the neighbours too remember them and are happy to see them. Unlike the mohajirs, the immigrant sharnanrthis (refugees) have been embraced by the Indians and they are not referred anymore as sharnarthis. There are of course, bitter memories about the goons and religious fundamentalists who assaulted them and looted their properties.
These varied memories have shaped thinking and social outlook of hundreds of South Asians. On one hand we have right wing nationalist forces that use religion and religious symbols to signify nationalism which is based on hatred of the “other” on both sides of the border. We have Shiv Sena, RSS and other organizations based on ideology of Hindutva who day in and day out create misconceptions and question the loyalty of the Muslims to the India. The right wing extremist Muslim organizations carry out similar propaganda against the minorities in Pakistan and their political goal on one hand is to relegate the minorities to the status of second class citizens having no rights and on the other hand build an authoritarian state that would control, regulate and even impose a certain religious interpretation or cultural practices. On the other hand, these memories have also created passion amongst peoples of both the countries for friendship and solidarity, even when a section of politicians and their ideologies may be demonizing the other day in and day out and even taking both the countries to the brinkmanship of confrontation and war. The Indians who have visited Pakistan and the Pakistanis who visit India experience unprecedented warmth and hospitality which comes so natural to people of both the countries.
The right wing nationalist forces in India have always held Muslims alone for creation of Pakistan. Even Muslims of this generation are in many subtle ways held responsible for creation of Pakistan. Holding Jinnah and Muslim League responsible for creation of Pakistan is one thing, but holding Muslims, including those of the present generation responsible for Pakistan is misleading. Muslim League till the election held in 1946, was never a popular party. In 1937, when elections were held under the government of India Act, 1935, Muslim League, even under a pact with Congress lost elections miserably. It won only about 102 of 480 odd Muslim constituencies which constituted separate Muslim electorates. In the Muslim Majority provinces of Punjab, Bengal and North West Frontier Province, Unionionist Party of Sikander Hayat Khan, Praja Krishak Party led by Fazlul Haq and Congress led by Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan won elections and formed government respectively. Muslim League lost miserably in all the Muslim Majority provinces and it did not enjoy any support. Muslim League won seats in provinces of UP and Bihar where Muslims were in minority and Muslim League always stood for the rights of minorities. When Muslims in the provinces where they formed majority voted for parties which were not based on religious ideologies, how can Muslims alone be blamed for creation of Pakistan?
Congress and Muslim League had once again agreed to Cabinet Mission Plan in 1946 and were to contest elections together and the demand of Pakistan was shelved. However, some Congress Leaders were unhappy that the provinces were to enjoy most of the power while the Centre would have very limited powers. Lack of strong Centre and centralized economic policies and taxation, in their view would have hindered economic development and industrialization. The feudal forces would be more powerful in the provinces and enjoy all the powers. Jawaharlal Nehru in a press conference held after he was elected as President of Congress made a statement that Cabinet Mission Plan was not sacrosanct and could be reviewed. Jinnah got the opportunity he wanted and could mobilize the Muslims saying that the “Hindu” Congress was untrustworthy. Muslim elites also then rallied behind Muslim League as they lost confidence in secular Congress. In the elections held in 1946, Muslim League won about 85% of Muslim votes from the insecure Muslim elites. It should be remembered here that only elites who had certain educational qualifications or paid taxes were enfranchised. The poorer and backward sections of the community who were not enfranchised and constituted 90% of the Muslim population was mobilized not under the banner of Muslim League but by religious leaders under the banner of Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind which supported the Congress Party and opposed Pakistan. The irony is that a section of modern Muslims supported Pakistan more for their political and economic interests rather than religious concerns, whereas the conservative religious leadership opposed Pakistan and stood for composite nationalism. It is not Islam which created Pakistan, but the social, political and economic interests of the Muslim elite that can be held responsible for creation of Pakistan.