Chapter - 1
Challenges of nation building
In this chapter we will study the challenges of nation building of independent India, how after independence India had to face partition, displacement and rehabilitation, we will also learn about the problem of princely states and their merger in India and we will look at how the states were reorganized.
India after independence
- India became free from 200 years of British rule on the midnight of 14-15 August and independence came with partition.
- Nehru ji while addressing the Constituent Assembly gave a famous speech which is known as Tryst with Destiny or the long awaited meeting with the bride .
- With independence, India inherited many problems which had to be dealt with while building the nation.
1. How was the year 1947 ?
- A year full of tragedy of violence and displacement.
- Lakhs of people were killed and became homeless.
2. After independence, everyone agreed
- The administration will be run by a democratic government.
- The government will work for the welfare of all.
Three major challenges of nation building
1. To bind in the thread of unity
- India was a country full of diversity, every region had its own specialty, be it based on religion , culture , language or caste. After the British left, the first big challenge was to bring this whole region together and take it forward with integrity.
2. Establishing democracy
- Before independence it was decided that India would establish a representative democracy based on a parliamentary form of government and establishing it in such a large country was the second biggest challenge.
3. Development based on equality
- After independence, India had to treat all with equality by bringing together the socially diverse , deprived , minorities and also achieve economic development by eliminating problems like poverty , unemployment , etc. This was the third biggest challenge.
Division
1. Two - Nation Theory
- It was a principle given by the Muslim League before independence.
- Under this, India was a country of two communities – Hindus and Muslims.
- The basis of partition was majority on the basis of religion.
- In which demand was made for a separate country for Muslims, Pakistan.
- Congress opposed it but it was not accepted.
2. Main problems faced during partition
- It was not easy to divide the entire country on the basis of Muslim population.
- There were two areas where Muslims were in majority. It was not possible to merge the two areas and not all Muslims were ready to go to Pakistan.
- There were majority Muslims in some areas of Punjab and Bengal, then division was done on the basis of districts, in which a large area of India was left between East Pakistan and West Pakistan.
- The biggest problem was that of the minorities, who had to vacate the country and cross the border within a few hours.
- Many people did not even know which country they would be citizens of from tomorrow – India or Pakistan.
3. The results of the split
- The migration at the time of partition was sudden , unplanned and tragic and led to large scale communal violence.
- In Lahore , Amritsar and Calcutta, people of one community brutally killed people of the other community.
- Minorities on both sides of the border had to take shelter temporarily in refugee camps.
- People travelled several miles on foot.
- Thousands of women were abducted on both sides , women were raped , murdered , forcibly married , children were separated from their parents.
- The property was divided; tables , chairs , typewriters and police instruments were also divided.
- 80 lakh people left their homes and five to ten lakh people lost their lives.
4. Gandhiji did not participate in the independence celebrations ?
- Mahatma Gandhi was saddened by the violence happening in the country , he went to Calcutta in those days.
- Appealed to stop the violence , then Gandhiji came to Delhi.
- He fasted in 1948. His fast reduced violence and tension.
- On January 30, 1948 , Nathuram Vinayak Godse assassinated Gandhiji.
Merger of Princely States
1. Tell us the problems of the princely states
- During the British India period, the administration in India was divided into two parts: British dominion area and native princely states.
- At the time of India's independence, the princely states which were under the control of kings also got freedom.
- There were 565 princely states in the country whose separation posed a threat of the country breaking up because the British had declared that after British rule the princely states would also become independent.
- Most of the princely states wanted to join the Indian Union and the Government of India was also ready to give them some autonomy.
- First, the King of Travancore declared that his kingdom would remain independent, and the next day the Nizam of Hyderabad did the same.
- Kashmir and Manipur also insisted on remaining independent and there was some difficulty in their merger.
1. Merger of Hyderabad State
- The king of Hyderabad was called Nizam and he was counted among the richest people in the world.
- Nizam and his military Razakars exploited farmers and women.
- People protested against the Nizam and the Nizam sent his goons, the Razakars, to crush the movement.
- Razakars were very communal and started targeting non-Muslims. They resorted to looting , murder and rape.
- The Indian government sent its army to protect the people there. The army fought for some time but later the Nizam surrendered and thus Hyderabad was merged into the Indian Union.
2. Annexation of the State of Kashmir
- King Hari Singh of Kashmir wanted to keep it independent .
- Pakistan considered Kashmir as its own and wanted to include it in its territory .
- Pakistan also created pressure and sent its army to Kashmir thinking that the Muslim population there would support them .
- Then the king there asked for help from India and India helped and with this the state of Kashmir was merged with India .
- Special rights were also given to Kashmir; India's stance was flexible .
3. Merger of the princely state of Manipur
- King Bodhchandra Singh of Manipur signed the Instrument of Accession with India .
- In return, it was assured that its autonomy would be maintained .
- Manipur was the first state in India where universal adult suffrage was implemented in June 1948 .
- The Congress of Manipur wanted Manipur to merge with India .
- But the people there did not want Manipur to merge with India .
- Manipur merged with India but even today the people there were not happy with it .
2. Patel's role in the merger of princely states
- Looking at the problem of princely states in the country, it seemed as if the country would disintegrate.
- In such a situation, Vallabhbhai Patel showed his wisdom.
- Persuaded the princely states to join the Indian Union.
- We got him to sign the Instrument of Accession.
Reorganisation of States
1. Formation of States
- In British administration, states were formed on the basis of administrative system but in independent India, demand for formation of states on the basis of linguistic and cultural diversity started rising.
- In the Nagpur session of 1920 , Congress had agreed that the states would be reorganized on the basis of language but after independence the situation and environment changed and the country was divided.
- The leaders felt that if the states were reorganized on the basis of language, there would be chaos in the country and there would be a danger of the country breaking up. So the government was afraid of taking any decision.
2. Andhra Pradesh is the first state formed on the basis of language
- Protests arose in the Telugu speaking region of old Madras Madras included the present day states of Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh , Kerala , Karnataka
- This massive movement was for the demand of creating a separate state named Andhra Pradesh. Telugu speaking region should be separated and go to Andhra Pradesh.
- Potti Sri Ramulu went on an indefinite hunger strike and died after 56 days
- After the death of Potti Sri Ramulu , violent agitation started , people came out on the streets , Congress MLAs resigned
- Finally, Nehru Government accepted the demand of Andhra Pradesh and in 1952 Andhra Pradesh became the first state formed on the basis of language.
3. State Restructuring Commission ( SRC)
- The States Reorganisation Commission was formed in 1953 .
- In its recommendation it accepted that the states should be reorganized on the basis of language.
- The States Reorganisation Act was passed in 1956 which divided 14 states into 6 union territories.
- Those union territories of India which were later given the status of states.
1. Mizoram
2. Manipur
3. Tripura
4. Goa
native state | Newly formed states | Year |
Bombay | Maharashtra , Gujarat | 1960 |
Assam | Nagaland | 1963 |
Greater Punjab | Haryana , Punjab | 1966 |
Greater Punjab | Himachal Pradesh | 1966 |
Assam | Meghalaya , Manipur , Tripura | 1972 |
Assam | Mizoram , Arunachal Pradesh | 1987 |
Uttar Pradesh | Uttar Pradesh , Uttarakhand | 2000 |
Bihar | Jharkhand | 2000 |
Madhya Pradesh | Chhattisgarh | 2000 |
Andhra Pradesh | Telangana | 2014 |
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