One always assumes that politicians and decision-makers will consider the cost of human suffering when resolving conflicts. The monumental decision to carve India and Pakistan into two separate nations caused a colossal wave of migration on both sides. The decision was made without calculating risks of the mammoth shift of human population which triggered riots and caused mass casualties.
I was interested in looking at the file in the Cadbury Collection which contains letters, newspaper cuttings and drafts related to India’s partition. The file also includes correspondence, letters and drafts signed by Elizabeth Cadbury, who made an appeal for a lasting political solution for India’s future in 1936 at the World Congress of the International Council of Women. As a campaigner for international relations she took an interest in the rapidly evolving political situation in India.
The documents give a snapshot of the timeline leading to independence. At the start of the war it was felt that India’s political future would go through certain transformations. Local Indian politicians encouraged by the rising nationalist sentiments were making demands for India’s right to self-determination and freedom.
A newspaper cutting from the Manchester Guardian dated 23rd December 1941 highlights the need for a lasting political agreement, only possible if Indian politicians settled for talks with the British about self-governance. In the wake of sending thousands of troops to fight against the Axis powers, India was now an equal partner in the war. As time proceeded and unrest spread across the country, it led to political chaos and authorities were blamed for heavy-handedness in dealing with the situation. Because local politicians represented the sentiments of their communities, arresting them was not helpful in resolving long-standing grievances.
It was unclear what arrangement would work if the British decided to leave India. The suggestion of a unitary state with a strong centre was not a workable solution for everyone. Parties representing minorities viewed this arrangement with suspicion, as it would establish Hindu dominance. Muslims who made up 25% of the country’s population by and large felt that their protected status as a major minority group would come to an end with this kind of arrangement. Under the British system of political control, their minority status was protected by a system of reserved legislative seats and separate electorate. The facts about the differences in the approach of the two main political parties, Indian National Congress and The Muslim League, are given in the newspaper cutting dated 4th June 1943. Mahatma Gandhi’s adherence to the ‘Quit India’ movement had to do with an end of the British rule over India, whereas Jinnah, put across demands for a separate homeland for Muslims.
The appeal for initiative August 1943. [Finding Number MS 466/170/28 – 29]
An appeal made during the period leading to the war is part of the Cadbury Collection. Lady Elizabeth Cadbury was one of the signatories of this appeal. Her name appears alongside other notable personalities who considered the impasse between the two countries as frustrating for all those who wanted a lasting solution.
In 1947 parliament made the Indian Independence Bill into an Act of Parliament which was to pave the way for the setting up of two independent dominion states. An original letter addressed to Lady Cadbury highlights the event as a milestone which would create two separate nations. On 14 August 1947, Pakistan emerged as an independent country carved from predominantly Muslim populated states of India.
The call for independence at the stroke of midnight compelled many to abandon their homes and migrate. An influx of refugees poured in to the province of Punjab after international boundaries between the two countries were set up. A newspaper cutting from The Times highlights the urgent need for aid to help donor agencies working on the ground to support the destitute and needy people.
[Finding Number MS 466/170/28 – 29]
Independence left as many as 12 million people displaced and homeless. Families flocked to hastily erected refugee camps where the relief workers were stretched to their limits in trying to accommodate those who arrived there looking for food and shelter. No one assessed issues rising from displacement and as refugees poured in, the situation became dire on both sides of the divide. Torrential monsoon rains unleashed an outbreak of pandemics like cholera, smallpox and dysentery. Communal riots left many wounded and in need of urgent medical help. In England, the Red Cross began a drive to recruit medical staff and collect donations of drugs, medicines and equipment.
The scale of the matter is no less clear in the appeal letter dated November 28th 1947. During the winter months it was felt that women and children will be worse affected by the unresolved issues. Lady Mountbatten highlights the plight of refugees in Pakistan and India and makes a personal request for donations. The enormity of the crisis was beyond the scope of the Red Cross’s capability and an urgent call was issued to encourage donations.
Salima Yakoob, Library Services Assistant
The Iron Room 
Reblogged this on Andrew James.