The Great Partition (2 page)
ed. Nicholas Mansergh and E.W.R. Lumby (London: H.M. Stationery Office, 1970–83)
UP
United Provinces. The state was renamed Uttar Pradesh (literally ‘Northern Province’) in 1950
UPSA
Uttar Pradesh State Archives, Lucknow
USSA
United States State Department Archives, Washington DC
Glossary
ahimsa
non-violence; policy of non-violence used by Gandhi
akhara
gymnasium; club
anna
small unit of Indian money
azadi
freedom
Bakr-Id
Muslim festival during which animals are sacrificed
bania
shopkeeper; grocer
bhadralok
Indian elite, especially in Bengal
bustees, bastis
shanty towns
charpoi
bed or seat made from wood and rope
crore
ten million
dalit
literally, oppressed; untouchable, outcaste
fatwa
notification of a decision of Muslim law; decree; verdict
ghat
river bank; cremation site
goonda
criminal, thug
harijan
literally, children of God; untouchable, outcaste
hartal
strike or protest, specifically, shutting the shops in a market
Holi
Hindu spring festival during which coloured water or coloured powder is splashed on friends, family or passers-by
Jai Hind
Victory to India
jatha
organised group, gang or band
kafan
funeral shroud
kafila
caravan or foot column
Kalma
Islamic recitation
khadi
homespun cloth
kisan
cultivator, farmer
lakh
one hundred thousand
lathi
a staff or club
maulana
title of respect for a Muslim learned man
maulvi
a man learned in Muslim law; a teacher, especially of Arabic or Persian
mela
fair or festival
mohalla
quarter of a town; ward
Muhajir
term used to describe a Partition migrant from North India to Pakistan; literally, the companions of the Prophet Muhammad who fled from Mecca to Medina
Pakistan Zindabad
Long Live Pakistan
panchayat
s
village councils
pir
descendant and trustee of Sufi shrine
qasbah
town
raj
literally, rule; Raj is also used to describe the British empire in India
sabha
organisation
sadhu
Hindu holy man, an ascetic
satyagraha
literally, truth-force; Gandhian philosophy and practice of non-violent resistance
shariat
law of Islam
swadeshi
self-sufficiency; anti-colonial movement
swaraj
sovereignty, self-rule
zamindar; zamindari
landholder; system of landholding in India
Timeline of Major Events, 1945–1950
1945
7 May
End of the Second World War in Europe
14–15 June
Congress Working Committee released from jail
5 July
General Election held in Britain
25 June–14 July
First Simla conference fails to form an executive assembly
26 July
Labour landslide victory in British elections
21 August
Viceroy Wavell announces Indian elections to be held in the winter
5 November
Indian National Army trials start
Mid-December
Polling for the Central and Legislative Assembly elections begins
Late December
Results of elections to Central Legislative Assembly announced
1946
11 January
Muslim League celebrate ‘Victory Day’
18–23 February
Royal Indian Navy mutiny
19 February
Secretary of State for India announces Cabinet Mission will visit India
22 February
Communist Party of India calls for a general strike
25 March
Cabinet Mission arrives in New Delhi
28 March
Governors report results of the provincial elections
April
Formation of provincial ministries
3–17 April
Meetings between Indian leaders and the Cabinet Mission
7–9 April
Meeting of League legislators in New Delhi
5–12 May
Cabinet Mission convenes unsuccessful tripartite meeting in Simla
16 May
Cabinet Mission puts forward its own federal solution in a statement; broadcast on radio to Indian people
26 June
Negotiations over an interim government fail
29 June
Cabinet Mission leaves India
8 August
Viceroy invites Congress to proceed in an interim government without the League's participation
16–18 August
The League's ‘Direct Action Day’ ends in violence in Calcutta
24 August
Viceroy broadcasts on the radio regarding formation of an interim government
2 September
Interim government takes office without the League's membership; members are sworn into office
Early September
Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bombay: violent clashes
Mid-October
Massacres in Noakhali and East Bengal
26 October
League members join the interim government
October–November
Massacres in Bihar
6 November–2 March
Gandhi remains in Noakhali
Early November
Garhmukhteshwar killing in United Provinces
9 December
Constituent Assembly formed without League members, adjourned until 20 January
1947
24 January
Muslim League starts agitation for ‘civil liberties’ in Punjab
20 February
Attlee's statement that the British intend to grant independence not later than June 1948
2 March
Resignation of the Unionist Coalition Prime Minister, Khizr Tiwana, in Punjab
March
Widespread destruction in Lahore and Amritsar Gandhi goes to Bihar
15 April
Joint appeal for peace made by Gandhi and Jinnah
May
Mass violence in Lahore
End May
Widespread fighting and destruction of villages in Gurgaon
3 June
The plan to partition the subcontinent is agreed and made public
20 June
Bengal and Punjab Legislative Assemblies vote on partitioning the two provinces
June
Violence in Lahore, Amritsar and Punjabi villages
1 July
Partition Council formed (takes over from a special committee of the Cabinet)
1–10 July
Serious rioting in Lahore and Calcutta
8 July
Radcliffe arrives in India
16–24 July
Bengal Boundary Commission holds public sittings in Bengal
20–30 July
Punjab Boundary Commission holds public sittings in Lahore
28 July
Indian Constituent Assembly sub-committee votes against separate electorates for Muslims in India
14 August
Independence Day in Pakistan
15 August
Independence Day in India
17 August
New ferocity in Punjab
First British troops sail from Bombay
Boundary Commission Award is announced
18 August
Prime ministers Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan issue a joint statement from Amritsar after visiting affected areas
28 August
Nehru announces the Indian government will have to rethink policy regarding transfer of populations
31 August
Punjab Boundary Force dissolved; replaced by two military evacuation operations
United Council for Relief and Welfare formed under the co-ordination of Lady Mountbatten
2 September
Jinnah appeals for help for Pakistani refugees
3 September
Joint dominion conference held in Lahore
7 September
K.C. Neogy appointed first Indian Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation of Refugees; Emergency Cabinet Committee established in India
19 September
Iftikhar-ud-din sworn in as West Punjab Refugees Minister
21 September
Joint statement of Nehru–Liaquat Ali from New Delhi
21 November
Numbers of evacuations in Punjab exceed eight million people
6 December
Inter-dominion Conference, Lahore: operation to recover and restore abducted women agreed
December
A.K. Azad recommends Indian Muslims join the Congress at a convention in Delhi
14–15 December
All-India Muslim League Council meeting, Karachi. The League splits into two branches: the Pakistan Muslim League and the Indian Union Muslim League
1948
12 January
Atrocity against trainload of refugees at Gujrat, Pakistan
30 January
Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi
Ban on the RSS and Muslim National Guard in India
14 February
Two weeks of mourning in India end; Gandhi's ashes immersed at Allahabad
28 February
Last British troops in India depart
March
Refugee–local conflicts in Godhra, Gujarat
Inter-dominion arbitral tribunal meets
Early July
Hindu–Muslim riots in Bombay
July
Over 15,000 abducted women recovered by both governments since December 1947
Permit system introduced in West Pakistan
12 September
Jinnah dies
Mid-September
‘Police Action’ in Hyderabad and accession of the Nizam to India
30 September
Indian banknotes no longer legal tender in Pakistan
November
RSS initiates civil disobedience against the ban on the organisation
11 November
Inter-dominion agreement sets out terms for recovery of abducted women
15 December
Godse and Narain Apte hanged for Gandhi's murder
21–23 December
Idols found installed in the temple at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
December
RSS begin a campaign against Golwalkar's detention
1949
1 January
United Nations-sponsored ceasefire announced in Kashmir
19 February
Tara Singh jailed for leading agitation for a Sikh homeland
12 March
Objectives Resolution adopted by Pakistani Constituent Assembly
May
Indian Constituent Assembly votes against reserved seats for religious minorities
29–30 July
All-India Refugee Conference, New Delhi
12 July
Ban on RSS lifted in India
19 December
Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Bill passed in India
1950
26 January
Inauguration of the Republic of India
January–March
Attacks on non-Muslims in East Bengal, especially in Khulna, Chittagong, Barishal and Sylhet
Early March
Attacks on Muslims in west Uttar Pradesh
8 April
Nehru and Liaquat Ali sign pact on protection of minorities in New Delhi, followed by further talks in Karachi
19 April
Nehru accepts resignation of K.C. Neogy and S.P. Mukherjee owing to disagreements over Pakistan
28 June
Agreement signed on settlement of moveable assets lost during Partition
30 July
All-India Refugee Conference, Delhi
15 December
Death of Vallabhbhai Patel, Indian Deputy Prime Minister
1 India before Partition
2 India and Pakistan after Partition
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