Page 115 - SST Class 08

united struggle. Many Congress agreed to the partition. The state of
Muslim leaders and
intellectuals expressed
their concern about the
status of Muslims as a
minority within India.
They feared that the
culture and identity of
minorities would be
submerged under the
Mohammad Ali Jinnah
domination of a Hindu
majority.
Under these circumstances in 1940 the Muslim
Leaguge moved a resolution demanding inde-
pendent state for Muslims. In March 1946, the
British Cabinet sent Cabinet Mission in India But,
the Cabinet Mission failed in its objective.
After the failure of the cabinet Mission, the
Muslim League decided on mass agitation for
winning its Pakistan demand. It announced 16
August 1946 as "Direct Action Day". On this day,
riots broke out in Calcutta, lasting several days
and resulting in the death of thousands of peo-
ple. By March 1947, violence spread to different
parts of northen India.
THE MOUNTBATTEN PLAN (JUNE 1947)
Lord Mountbatten came to India as the Viceroy
and presented a plan by which India was to be
divided into two separate countries— India and
Pakistan. The princely states had a choice of
joining either.
Hindu-Muslim riots had started in different parts
of the country and with partition, communal
hatred reached an alarming intensity which
resulted in arson, stabbing, lakhs of innocent
people being killed, their houses looted and
burnt. It was a very difficult situation and Gandhi
was appalled and took a fast unto death to put
an end to the mindless frenzied killings.
As a last resort to curtail the number of deaths,
which was increasing with each passing day, the
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Pakistan was created comprising of North-West
Frontier Province, Sindh, Baluchistan, West
Punjab and East Bengal.
The British passed the India Independence Act of
July 1947 by which India got her freedom on the
August 15, 1947 and was partitioned. Jawaharlal
Nehru was the First Prime Minister of India and
in his historic speech at midnight on August 14,
he said :
At the stroke midnight hour, when the world
sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A
moment comes, which comes but rarely in
history, when we step out from the old to the
new, when an age ends, when the soul of a
nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is
fitting that at this moment we take the pledge of
dedication to the service of India and her
people and to the still larger cause of humanity.
On January 30, 1948, Gandhi, the Father Of
The Nation, was shot dead by Nathuram Godse.
In a broadcast to the nation Nehru said that the
light has gone out of our lives and there is
darkness everywhere. Gandhi thus became a
martyr. Hence, January 30, is observed as
Martyr’s Day in India.
PROBLEMS FACED BY INDIA
IMMEDIATELY AFTER INDEPENDENCE
After long years of foreign rule, when India
became free in 1947, she faced the following
specific problems :
1. Problem of Political Unification
About 562 Princely states of India had been
made independent along with India and
Pakistan. Sardar Vallbabhai Patel Achieved
the unity of India through Integration of
States.
2. Pakistan’s Invasion of Kashmir
Pakistani raiders invaded Jammu and
Kashmir in October, 1947. The State
acceded to the Indian Union. Pakistani