JAVED CHAUDRY

Dear All:

I have been absent from FOTH activities for some time, apparently due

to a simple reason; Pervaiz Sahib’s computer and my computer, apparently failed to communicate with each other. In fact, they (our computers) have a history of doing that.  

At any rate, I am back and what I see is a flood of e-mails on two subjects, India/Pakistan/ partition and opposite gender friendship. I have read most e-mails with interest. I note that I have a name-sake in the group. It is going to be one big confusion for most of you to know which Javed Chaudry are you addressing. Help is here – I spell my name with fewer letters. That saves you a few key strokes and perhaps a little ink if you decide to print. 

Regarding India, Pakistan and Partition:

A lot has been said and written on the subject of partition of India ever since it was partitioned in 1947. This subject for discussion is not going to go away any time soon. Depending on one’s own perspective which depends upon one’s past experiences, family background, education and one’s own unique way to solve a problem – there are going to be as many views as there are people. Some will hold Jinah responsible for the decision while others will hold the Hindu Leaders responsible for all that went wrong. Many think there was no option but to divide the subcontinent the others say there was no need for the fiasco.  

I am not about to attempt to solve the partition issue in this e-mail. Based upon what is known and using our best estimates where possible, let us hypothesize the political, economical and social conditions that may have existed, if India had not been partitioned. 

The economy of the (whole) country would have been much better than it has been for two (now three) separate states. Both Pakistan and India have been spending at least one third of their budgets on defense. This is a major expense for countries which need to build industry, educate its people and explore science and technology.   

The social life depends on many factors, the most important ones are: the family income, security of life and property, education and opportunities of individual development. These are the basic needs of a normal society. These needs can only be fulfilled if overall health economy and stable political conditions exist. With lower defense budget, one can expect a better economy. These are the possible advantages that we think of, if India had not been partitioned.  

Now let us take a brief look on the disadvantages. The most often cited disadvantage would have been that the Muslims would have been a minority in a country that they ruled for several centuries. If today’s population figures (of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) are used, the Muslims population in India would have been about 34%. That is not exactly a small minority. Considering that various religions had lived together for centuries, one could expect they could still manage after 1947. 

Although 34% is not an insignificant number for population, but there was another important factor that forced the Muslim leaders to try and get a separate homeland. Towards the end of the British Raj, the percentage of educated Muslims was considerably smaller than their Hindu contemporaries. It was generally perceived that in a united India, the Hindus will, for ever, dominate the country and perhaps the Muslims would never get an opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with their Hindu countrymen. Today we see that indicators are there and the fears were not totally baseless. 

The Muslim population of India was pushed behind, not by Hindus or the British, but the Mullahs. The Mullahs discouraged Muslims from learning sciences or even English language; they issued ‘fatwas’ against these ‘Satanic’ activities of learning western sciences. As a result, the Muslims stayed behind others in the country. By the time the British were ready to leave, the Muslims were not ready to take control and stand as equals to others in the country. This is one small example of misinterpretation of Islam that has hurt Muslims of India. Under those circumstances, Jinah did what he thought was right thing to do.