Two nation theory, historical blunder by Jinnah
P. P SINGH SUDAN
The two nation theory is the ideology that the primary identity of the Muslims in the Indian subcontinent is their religion, rather than their language or ethnicity and therefore, Indian Hindus and Muslims are two distinct nationalities, regardless of ethnic or other commonalities the two nation theory was a founding principal of the Pakistan movement (i.e the ideology of Pakistan) and the partition of India in 1947. The ideology that the religion is the determining factor in defining the nationality of Indian Muslims is also a source of inspiration to several Hindu nationalist organisations, with causes as varied as the redefinition of Indian Muslims as non Indian foreigners in India, the expulsions of all Muslims from India, establishment of a legally Hindu state in India, Prohibition of conversion to Islam and the promotion of conversions of Indian Muslims to Hindusims.
Jinnah speaking in Lahore in 1940, stated that Hindus and Muslims belonged to two different religious philosophies with different social customs and literature with no inter marriage and based on conflecting ideas and concepts. Their outlook on life and of life was different and despite 1,000 years of history the relations between Hindus and Muslims could not attain cordiality. A contradiction to the theory is that India in the past has been invaded by Islamic rulers and that some of these invaders engaged in acts of terror and vandalism is also undeniable. If this is to be believed, shouldn’t the victims of this invasion, the Hindus, be the advocates of the partition? But in 1947, the demand for partition was brought forward by Muslims league not by Hindu Mahasabha. How do we unravel this apparents of terror and contradiction. How could Pakistan be the only logical outcome of that ancient animosity.
The second party responsible for the rise of theory was the Indian National Congress which left Jinnah with no alternative. In the 1937 election the League emerged as a competitive party but lost in Muslims majority Punjab, Sind, NWFP. Jinnah offered an alliance with Congress both bodies would face the British together but the Congress had to share power accept separate electorates and the league as the representative of India’s Muslims the later two terms were unacceptable to the Congress which had its own national Muslim leaders and memberships and adhered to secularism and lastly it was British that added fuel to the fire. When the Quit India Movement was launched majority of the Congress men were arrested. This gave Muslim League an opportunity to bring out religious passions of the Muslims in the sub continent. The British authorities supported the League put forward the views in the Muslims majority states that they would be denied all rights in a Hindu dominated India and that only they the Muslims League, could guarantee their rights as Muslims. This worked in their favour and league ended the 1945 provincial elections with a near majority. It was forgotten that the Muslim League had only been able to garner some support when the Congress was at a serious disadvantage with most of its leaders in jail.
On 17th August, 1947 Pakistan was created out of the Muslim majority provinces of British India, Sind, the west of Punjab, Baluchistan and formerly in the east with Bengal. Communal violence broke out and million of people were forced to flee their homes and many lost their lives. Hindus and Sikhs fled from Pakistan to India and Muslims fled from India to Pakistan. However, Indian Muslims migrated to Pakistan during partition are called Mohajirs and are allegedly discriminated and treated badly in Pakistan, besides being treated as second class citizens.
Simultaneously a deep conspiracy was hatched by Pakistani political dispensation to remove non Muslims from a major portion of Kashmir which is presently is socalled PoK with the help of NWFP tribals who in thousands along with Pakistan Army regulars attacked Kashmir which include the area, Tehsil , Rawalakote ( Poonch Plundari ) Bagh, Muzzafarabad, Kotli (Mirpur) and Teh Deva Batala. After vacating and capturing these areas tribals entered Kashmir through, Uri, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, North Kashmir like Zojilla ridges expanding upto Bakhtoor in Gurez area.
Maharaja Hari Singh’s State Forces were inadequate to stop tribals advances and finally Indian forces which comprises of 1st Patiala, 1st Naba landed at Srinagar and in the month of Oct and Nov, 1947 started repelling the invaders attacks but in the mean time Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in connievance with Sheikh Mohd Abdullah declared cease fire on 1st Jan, 1949. Under certain terms and condition which Pakistan did not implement.
The declaration of ceasefire was a Kashmir Blunder by these two leaders nevertheless Sardar Vallab Bhai Patel strongly opposed ceasfire. Maharaja Hari Singh’s State Forces were inadequate to tackle the tribals which out numbered State Forces, soon after assessing the situation in Kashmir as most challenging Maharaja Hari Singh on 26th of Oct, 1947 signed Instrument of Accession with Union of India on 27th, 1947 Indian Govt accepted the Maharaja`s request to accession. Indian govt. dispacthed central forces to Kashmir in order to repel the raiders attacks and get the area vacated under raider seize.
The Indian forces started making advances and in the mean time Pt. J. L Nehru is connivance with Sheikh Mohd Abdullah declared cease fire on 1st Jan, 1949.
After declaration of cease fire. India complained against Pakistan to Security Council on 6th of Jan 1948 for aggression. The basic resolution of 13th August, 1948 of United Nations Commission on Indian and Pakistan (CUNCIP) clearly mentioned that.
(i) There shall be no recognition of the socalled-Azad (Free) Kashmir Govt.
(ii) After ceasfire, non-angagementation of military potential on either side and the maintenance of a peaceful atmosphere.
(iii) Requires Pakistan to withdraw all her forces, regular and irregular while Indian was required to keep sufficient troups for the security of the State including the observance of law and order.
(iv) Sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir.Govt. over the entire territory of the State shall not be brought into question.
Then no body pressurised Maharaja Hari Singh to join either Pakistan or India but the Maharaja of the State opted to join Indian Union with his sweet will. The Major part of Kashmir was accupied by Pakistan which includes Tibit, Gilgit, Balistan and Askardo etc. But Muslims who remained in Indian Kashmir did not opt to merge with Pakistan and decided to live with India. Therfore, the concept of two nation theory failed and defeated in its context. At present more than 22 crore Muslims are living in India and only 18 crore Muslim are living in Pakistan out of 18 crores Muslims Baluchistan and tribals of Pakistan NWFP and Sind want separate state hood. Hence Mohd. Ali Jinnah’s Pakistan has no locus standi on Kashmir because Pakistan its self is not a complete nation. People of PoK also want Azadi.
Therefore, if we look into the entire gamut of uprising in Balochistan, NWFP and POJK Pakistan Jinnah’s ideology for a separate nation did not bear any justification and it was a ‘historical blunder ‘by Jinnah. People of POJK also want Azadi and do not like the unnecessary interference of China in Tibit Gilgit, Balistan and Askardu. Pakistan has no locus standi on Kashmir because Pakistan itself is not a compete nation. Therefore, Jinnah’s ideology for a separate nation did not have justification and it was nothing but a historical blunder of two nation theory by Mohd. Jinnah.
In 1971 war, Bangladesh already got separated and became as an Independent nation. The Pakistan was left only with Punjab, Sind, Baluchistan, NWFP and POJK. Pakistan is fighting Taliban in NWFP, there is uprising in Balochistan, about 20 thousand Balochis have been killed by Pak Army, 12,000 Balochis are missing. Balochis are fighiting for an independent state hood. The people of Sind are also not happy to live with Pakistan and agitating against it for separate state hood.
There is huge protest and agitations against Pakistan in PoK. Pakistan has already given huge areas of PoK to China which has constructed big projects there. Pakistan is also running terrorist training camps in PoK. Terrorists coming out of these camps are sent to Indian Kashmir for subversions. The Hawala money coming across the borders is paid by septarists to Kashmiri youths for carrying out subversive activities in Kashmir.
The newely created Pakistan in 1947 has been exposed internationally as epicenter of terriosim and is also responsible for abetting and aiding terriosts. Pakistan has largerly been found involved in human rights violations in Balochistan Sind and PoK. Youths of Kashmir must understand the malafied intentions of Pak agents and must rise above violent situation and help State Government in restoring peace in the State so that the development activites are carried forward and get employment opportunities in and outside the State.