Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

FREEDOM MOVEMENT

the Punjab by violence and coercion and that no arrangement based on coercion can last. This would necessitate division of the Punjab into two provinces so that the pre-dominantly Muslim part may be separated from the pre- dominantly non-Muslim part.' Lord Mountbatten assumed office on March 24,1947 and in five months prepared and implemented his plan for the partition of India. The stupendious task of partition was entrusted to a partition committee, later replaced by a partition council, with equal number of representatives from the Congress and the Muslim League, and with Lord Mountbatten as Chairman. This council continued even after the dominions of India

and Pakistan came into existence on 15th August 1947. The partition council worked through a steering committee of two mem- bers and was assisted by ten expert commit- tees of officials, covering the entire field of administration. An Arbital Tribunal was set up for the settlement of all differences be- tween the two governments. Speaking about the partition of India at the A1CC meeting in Delhi (14-15June, 1947) Achraya Kripalani highlighted the causes for partition. He said, “Some members have ac- cused us that we have taken this decision (of partition), out of fear I must admit the truth: The fear is not for the lives lost, or the widow's wail, or the orphans cry... The fear

is that if we go on like this, retaliating and heaping indignities on each other, we shall progressively reduce ourselves to a stage of cannibalism and worse. In every fresh com- munal fight the most brutal and degraded acts of the previous fight become the norm... ” The Constituent Assembly of India con- tinued to function. Its first three sessions were boycotted by the members belonging to the Muslim League. When the Constituent Assembly began its fourth session on 14th July, the Muslim League members from the non-Pakistan provinces took their seats and declared themselves to be loyal and law- abiding citizens of India.

1947 FREEDOM AND PARTITION

In the fierce battle for freedom. looking at it.

we grow from strength to strength.

And our enemies tremble.

All our fears and misery vanish when we look at it.

May it fly high................

Fearlessly standing under this flag.

We proclaim our firm resolve to win freedom.

Victory to Mother India, Our goal is freedom.

May it fly high................

Come, dear brave brothers come,

Sacrifice yourselves for the country and the creed.

Let us all sing together. This India is our dear land.

May it fly high................

May its glory never fade, even if we lose our life.

We will come victorious, then will our

pledge be fulfilled.

May Our Flag Fly High

The ever victorious Tricolour of ours

The ever victorious Tricolour of ours, may it fly. high.

May it fly high................

This tricolour of ours which is strength-giving and

from which the nectar of love flows and heroes derive

happiness, the body and soul of our motherland.

Shyamlcil Parshud

May it fly high..............

The main provisions of the Indian Inde- pendence Act, 1947, may be summarised as follows: * Two independent dominions, known re- spectively as India and Pakistan, shall be set up as from the 15th day of August 1947. * The territories of the two dominions were defined on such terms that Pakistan was to comprise Sindh, British Baluchistan,

NWFP, the West Punjab and East Bengal. * For each of the new dominions, there shall be a Governor-General who shall be appointed by His Majesty for the pur- poses of the government of the dominion. * Provided that, unless and until provision to the contrary is made by a law of the legislature of either of the new dominions, the same person may be Governor-General of both the new dominions.

Nehru Hoisting the National Flag on Redfort. Delhi

(First Independence Day Celebration 16th Aug. 1947.)

On 4th July, 1947, the Indian Independ- ence Bill was introduced in the House of Commons. The Bill was passed without any amendment on 15th July and by the House of Lords on the following day. It received the Royal Assent on 18th July.