Question

Please discuss how/if your ideas about India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. (the countries on the Indian subcontinent) have changed after learning more about the Indian Partition of 1947. Was dividing the countries by religion a good idea? Why or why not. Minimum two paragraphs.

Answer 1

British rulers were very good in terms of divide and rule concept and they utilized it to rule the Indian sub-continent for centuries. They also used religion as a weapon to divide people and create opportunities for them to mediate. The same happened with India’s independence which made the Muslims looking for a separate country for the fear of the majority oppression. Although India was always a multifaceted country with many religions, cultures and practices, Muslims didn’t believe in the same once independence was in sight. Thus, India was divided into Muslim country Pakistan with Bangladesh as East Pakistan and a secular country India in which many Muslims opted to stay.

When the tensions prevailed between India and Pakistan, Bangladesh wanted to take a different turn and it sought the help of India. India used its dominance in the region and engaged in a war against Pakistan and created Bangladesh as a separate country. This reduced the border tension for India and the concept of religion lost its significance because Bangladesh is also a Muslim country. However, it would be very difficult for a country to move in the name of religion even in this 21^st century because the world is becoming multicultural and pluralistic at a fast phase. It’s this fact that keeps India away from becoming a Hindu religious country and remain secular.

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