| Vol. IV, No. 7 9 Aswin 2007, September 25, 1950 Annas Four – Air Mail-/4/6 |
From the vantage point of time, we can look back upon the development of our history in the last three years. Partition, we can now see, did not produce the miracle of non-violence but created at least fifteen million refugees; brought about the murder of hundreds of thousands of Indians, the destruction of billions of dollars worth of property and a war in Kashmir; created a Pan-Islamic state with nearly 80,000,000 people whose resources are being used and will be increasingly used to weaken India.
Worse than Clive
I am opposed to the partition of India, as I was opposed to the partition of Bengal. I am opposed to the partition of India and class Jinnah as the Mir Jaffar of modern times and the Hindu leaders who aided directly or indirectly Jinnah’s cause as the modern Oomichads. I regard Earl Mountbatten as a more sinister enemy of Indian unity and freedom than Clive was. A Clive or a Churchill was openly inimical to India while Mountbatten, who succeeded General Wavell (the latter was opposed to partition) very cleverly aided partition, thus bringing about an Indian Civil War and hunting the cause of United India and Greater India. I am opposed to partition because it is the result of the religious fanaticism of the Pan-Islamists. It is an ourtage against the fundamental principle of religious toleration which is the central tenet of any truly religious man and the creed of my ancestors—the Hindus. Partition of India is the grossest form of violation of the idea of a “secular state” about which Nehru so often speaks, while actually catering to Pan-Islamism and the religious particularism of the Muslims of India.
Pakistan : A Menace
Partition of India has not solved the Moslem minority question but has opened the way for further division of India through the activities of Moslem fifth columnists in India aided by the military and economic resources of other Pan-Islamic states in alliance with Pakistan. Partition has endangered the future existence of India. I have never been opposed to a Moslem as a Moslem. In fact in my early struggles against the partition of Bengal (1904-5), I was beaten up by police while I was demonstrating against the partition of Bengal under leadership of the late aged Moulavi Liakat Hassan. I befriended many Moslem Indian nationalists such as the late Moulavi Barkatullah of the Hindustan Gadder Party of San Francisco who later became the head of the first Indian Provisional Government established in Afghanistan during the first World War (1915-16) even before the “Gandhian Era” which began in 1920. I oppose Pan-Islamism and the extraterritorial patriotism of the Moslems of India. It is a pity that Moslems, in general, do not seem to realize that there is a human factor, too, which is higher than Islamic Brotherhood. For instance, Iqbal who wrote “Sare/Jahan/se/Achcha Hindustan Hamara” later became a supporter of the partition of Mother India. Jinnah, who once said, “I am an Indian first and Moslem afterwards,” acted as a British tool to effectuate the division of India.
Muslims & Communists
I advocate equal rights for any one who claims to be Indian and serves India first and thinks of his personal interest or communal interest afterwards. But when an Indian gives his first loyalty to an outside state or cause which will endanger Indian security and welfare he should be disfranchised and treated as a potential, if not actual enemy of the State. For this reason, I am opposed to Communists who regard Moscow's interest first and Indian interests afterwards. For the very same reason I am opted to Pan-Islamism in India I believe that those who are opposed to the partition of India should form a political party to end partition and bring about a unified India. This is not a simple matter nor less difficult than ousting the British from India. Because the late Mahatma Gandhi silently agreed to partition, because the present Congress leaders have brought about partition and do not want any change, does not mean that partition is any way sacred or going to be upheld by those who do not believe in it. Opponents of partition should, organize for the struggle as the early revolutionist of India, particularly in Bengal, did at the beginning of the twentieth century. A party against partition and for Unite India, should at the next national election put up candidates sworn to the cause of Indian Freedom and United India. At the same time steps should be taken now to stop infiltration of protagonists of partition of fifth columnists from West Punjab and East Bengal into the Indian Union. The cause of a United India demands honesty and sacrifice from every true Indian. There cannot be victory with sacrifice.
By : Taraknath Das, Ph.D. (Editor: America-India News Service, New York, USA)
