Jawaharlal Nehru, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Mahatma Gandhi (from left to right)
For India, independence and partition did not come easily. The key figures involved in Indian independence each had their own ideas on what was best for the country. Coming forward for the talks with the British were 3 key Indian figureheads. They were Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The 3 leaders did not get along very well politically and because of their strong ideals India ended in partition.
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi was an upper caste Hindu who was well educated and liked by many people. He received a law degree in England and went on to become one of the most revered political figures of the 20th century. Gandhi was an avid proponent against partition. He wanted the British to leave India but, believed in a united India in which all religions were accepted. Gandhi was against modernism because he thought that it promoted British rule. That is why he wore traditional Indian garments and used a spinning wheel as a national symbol. The spinning wheel represented a way in which Indians could stop relying on British technology and could once again promote their own industries. Gandhi is also known for practicing nonviolence and noncooperation in India. His peaceful protests were instrumental in fighting the British for Independence. Involving himself in the Amritsar massacre and the salt march, allowed Gandhi to gain popular support and spread his ideals throughout India. The Amritsar massacre began when British were fearing a non-violent crowd protesting against British rule. British soldiers fired upon the crowd killing hundreds and wounding many more. After this event, Gandhi quenched the ideas of a violent resistance, and was able to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control into open rebellion. This event gained significant opposition to British rule in India and many countries around the world demanded India’s freedom. Another significant event was Gandhi’s salt march, which was brought about because of a tax on salt imposed by the British government. Gandhi believed that the British were denying them a basic human right and protested by marching to the Arabian Sea. There, he procured his own salt as a way of not cooperating with British rule. This movement gained thousands of followers and the event was covered by news agencies worldwide in support of India’s independence movement. Gandhi was well liked by many people but, by the end of partition many of his followers were leaving him in favor of personal gain. This was disheartening for Gandhi because many of his ideals were never realized and he slowly faded from the political scene.
Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi
Jawaharlal Nehru
Nehru, like Gandhi, was an upper caste Hindu. Nehru was also well educated and went on to become the first Prime Minister of independent India. Nehru was well liked by the people, and was primarily responsible for uniting India after the partition. Nehru, along with Gandhi, practiced noncooperation and nonviolence but, saw India’s government in a different light. Nehru differed from Gandhi in that he promoted a modern India. Gandhi wanted India to go back to traditional ways and shunned modern doctors, lawyers, and policeman, while Nehru felt just the opposite. Nehru wanted India to become a stronger nation capable of becoming a world power.For this reason Nehru did not share the fundamentals of Gandhi’s vision, a united India. Nehru was very interested in socialism and believed that India would be best under a similar style of government . He was determined to have a strong and capable government whether India remained united or became divided, and because of this strong belief negotiations failed for a united India.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Jinnah, unlike Gandhi and Nehru, was a Muslim. Jinnah represented the Muslim League in India and was a strong supporter for a divided India. Jinnah would go on to become the leader of the newly formed Pakistan after partition. Jinnah was a strong opposer of many of Nehru’s and Gandhi’s political ideas. Jinnah believed that as a Muslim minority in a country where there was a Hindu majority they would never be able to reach equality. This was because the Muslim League continued to receive poor support and had little say in the actions of the Indian Congress. At one time, Jinnah was for a united India. Jinnah proposed a united India with a weak central government but, because Nehru was socialist in thought, the idea was rejected and since that point, negotiations of a united India ceased. During WWII the Muslim League was able to gain significant power because of India’s noncooperation. During that time period the Muslim League worked with the British government in India and cemented their position in the deal for independence.