The future of Indo-Pak relationship looks extremely bleak and Pakistan is solely responsble for this state of affairs. Whenever there have been genuine efforts to make peace with that nation vested interests did everything to wreck it. I knew from the authoritative work of a contemporary leading historian that a deal was almost clinched by Nehru,Ayub Khan and Abdulla towards the formation of a confederation but Nehru's death put paid to that. The reference to German reunification is not apt.The people of Germany never have had a choice in the division of their motherland. 

chinmoymukherjee wrote:

The future of Indo-Pak relationship looks extremely bleak and Pakistan is solely responsble for this state of affairs. Whenever there have been genuine efforts to make peace with that nation vested interests did everything to wreck it. I knew from the authoritative work of a contemporary leading historian that a deal was almost clinched by Nehru,Ayub Khan and Abdulla towards the formation of a confederation but Nehru's death put paid to that. The reference to German reunification is not apt.The people of Germany never have had a choice in the division of their motherland. 

True...when Germany was broken apart, the people from both East and West Germany  were heartbroken and they never gave up hopes of seeing their country united again. They Kept trying until it actually happened. However, when India was divided, the colonialists had already managed to divide people by their hearts and so the physical division remained merely a formality. People had already been divided and all the ensuing political circus since then has managed to drive the divide further into the ground turning it into a deep chasm that cannot be crossed. However the least we can do is hope for a certain level of mutual respect and understanding and exist peacefully similar to nations in the European Union.

It has been seen in many cultural exchanges that the people of both countries have learnt something out of the partition. Both of them could not forget their past links. It is on the part of those only who have managed some posts in the Government, bureaucracy, army, politics and terror-oriented organizations which may never feel easy with the unification with the fear of loosing their present status. Secondly, Hindustan was also forced for the division - Mr.Jinnah and some of Indian politicians had become the puppets of the British who never wished this continent to be peaceful after their departure and finally divided the country into two parts. The British had started their evil as early as the year 1857. If it had been the choice of the people of both religions fully, the muslim families who did not migrate would have also gone to Pakistan at that time. The people of both countries can consider about the unification for a peaceful life ahead.

Vinod Kumar Gulati wrote:

It has been seen in many cultural exchanges that the people of both countries have learnt something out of the partition. Both of them could not forget their past links. It is on the part of those only who have managed some posts in the Government, bureaucracy, army, politics and terror-oriented organizations which may never feel easy with the unification with the fear of loosing their present status. Secondly, Hindustan was also forced for the division - Mr.Jinnah and some of Indian politicians had become the puppets of the British who never wished this continent to be peaceful after their departure and finally divided the country into two parts. The British had started their evil as early as the year 1857. If it had been the choice of the people of both religions fully, the muslim families who did not migrate would have also gone to Pakistan at that time. The people of both countries can consider about the unification for a peaceful life ahead.

 

There is no denying that partition was painful and people who had to leave home were the worst affected. But the cause and the basis of partition and the tension thereafter is a different story altogether.If my knowledge serves me right, the idea of Muslim country was initially conceived by Md Iqbal( the creator of 'Sare Jahan se achcha' ). Jinnah although took the final step and therefore termed as the one responsible, was initially not keen on it and in fact was against it. The persuasion by Iqbal took quite a while to convince him. The logic behind the idea was -after independence, Muslims would never be able to gain majority and will forever remain minority since that had been the case even when Mughal empire was in power. So Pakistan should come into existance which would comprise of Punjab, Sind,Baluchstan (the name was derived from the first letters of these states).

Britishers had earlier played on the divide and rule policy for their convenience.When they knew they had to leave, they were not really interested whether we divided or stayed united. In fact, from what I've read, Mountbaten negotiated a great deal with Jinnah. The Britishers were in a hurry to leave not only due to the hostility they faced from India but also because their own country was in trouble. Radcliff was called from Britain to draw the border after the partition was decided.The problems that were there then,still remain. So, where is the possibility of unification.

So far as Govt gaining from having India divided is a little unbelievable because by unifying the nations the govt(any) will get the credit of doing the unimaginable. So, far as Army is concerned, their status has nothing to do with unification.If it had been, then even US army should be minus status because they don't have the Pakis as their neighbours. They will always be respected by most people whether Pakistan exists or not ..in fact religious tolerance is something one can learn from them. Being a retired Army officer's daughter I can vouch for that.

It is true that many of Bengalis  still remember fondly the memoirs of United India.  The third generation of those Bengalis used to discuss in detail of how their Grand fathers used lead a happy life sans fear.

It were the  Britishers who divided the country. In this process they made the leaders like Jinnah and some Indian leaders as their leaders. While Mahatma Gandhi tried his best to stop the partition, Nehru did not want to see Jinnah as the First Prime minister of Independent India.

Thinking about unification is impossible given the present day situation and what has happened in the past between the two countries. Such a move if at all attempted can only give rise to innumerable complications, so we are better off as we are now...

Even if India had not been partitioned Jinnah could never have become its first PM. Congress fought for India's freedom so it had to be a Congressman. Jinnah and his supporters rightly concluded that on one man one vote basis Muslims as a group could never be in a majority in any legislature or at the Centre. They thus concluded that they would become second class citizens at the mercy of Hindus. Thus Jinnah did not have faith in democracy and secularism. It is also not fair to keep blaming the British for India's partition. Remember till 1857 major parts of India was under the rule of the East India Company, It was only after the uprising against them in 1857 that the British took official control of India and it became its colony. In a way it was good that partition took place before the British left. What choice had the departing British, insistent Muslim League and fatigued Congress but to mutually agree to dividing India in 1947. I shudder to think of the innumerable internal wars we would have been fighting otherwise within ourselves. It is a wishful thought to think that India and Pakistan will unite once again. A few languages are same but there official language is Urdu different from ours. Why should an independent Pakistan merge with India and lose its identity is beyond me.

rambabu wrote:

Sir, will you please ask Mr. Gulati to come to the forum after he has posted his post and express his opinions too. It further enriches the discussion. Sorry for taking liberty.

As Gulati has given thankyou on your post, I hope he will take note of your advice. He is a very intelligent and informed person. I am sure he will enrich the site.  I hope to meet him at a meeting on first November inYouth hostel Agra ina conference on 'Vikalp' (alternative).  

Gulshan Kumar Ajmani wrote:

rambabu wrote:

Sir, will you please ask Mr. Gulati to come to the forum after he has posted his post and express his opinions too. It further enriches the discussion. Sorry for taking liberty.

As Gulati has given thankyou on your post, I hope he will take note of your advice. He is a very intelligent and informed person. I am sure he will enrich the site.  I hope to meet him at a meeting on first November inYouth hostel Agra ina conference on 'Vikalp' (alternative).

 

Yes sir. Mr. Gulati has thanked me after your telling to participate in the discussions.

 He has given a vivid account of unification of India and Pakistan. And each aspect has been supported by examples like Cultural exchanges that took place in the past.

His intelligence is clearly visible in his simple but effective lingo.

And coming back to the subject, I would like to state that Unification of India is not possible in the present political scenario in India. And you know the policies and aims of the ruling party are revolving around Hindu Rashtra.

 

It is no use blaming the Britishers alone for partition. It is a myth that Hindu and Muslim lived in harmony before the British Rule.Yes,the rulers did exploit to the hilt the extant discord and conflicts not only between Hindu and Muslim but also among feuding kings and kingdoms .This context needs adequate understanding and appreciation. The demand for Pakistan is grounded in the fact that after ruling the major part of Hindustan oppressively for centuries the Muslim leaders grew paranoid in the rise of power of Hindus under British Rule.