The Partition Omnibus

by David Page

"The partition of India was perhaps the one significant event in the modern history of South Asia that not only rewrote the fixture of the subcontinent by redefining religious, cultural and territorial boundaries, but also unleashed a series of forces that continue to vex South Asian politics even today. The Partition Omnibus brings together, for the first time, four authoritative readings on the genesis and development of the idea of Partition, its inevitability, the upheaval that followed the creation of Pakistan, and the attendant problems of nationalism and decolonization." "In the first book, Prelude to Partition, David Page explores, with an eye on Indian Muslim politics in the 1920s, the various forces that set the scene for the emergence of the Pakistan movement. In a significant line of enquiry, he discusses how Muslim rule in Punjab and Bengal became a real possibility with the Communal Award, which in turn was an outcome of the constitutional reforms of 1920." "The second book, The Origins of the Partition of India 1936-1947, investigates the act of decolonization by the British and its far-reaching consequences for their international status. In this work, Anita Inder Singh demonstrates how the long-term strategic interests of the British counseled them against the Partition, but their short-term tactics contributed to its fruition." "A vivid account of the growth of the idea of partition of India and its inevitability is given in the third book, Divide and Quit. Penderel Moon gives a first-hand account of the manifestations of communal frenzy and the efforts made to prevent the breakdown of civil government. This book includes contributions from Mark Tully and Tapan Raychaudhuri." Finally, and as a first-hand account based on personal observation and the reports of a government fact-finding organization, Stern Reckoning documents in great detail the riots, massacres, casualties, and political occurrences that led to the Partition. The narrative car

Genres: History

1376 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2002

About the author

David Page was a British journalist, historian, media expert, academic, educator, author and policy researcher. He developed a firm interest in South Asia and he extensively engaged in researching South Asian related demographic aspects and political landscape. He was also responsible for handling majority of the radio broadcasts in South Asian languages. He was a keen observer of the major sequence of events which took place in South Asia. He was also a former editor and manager of the BBC South Asian Services. He spent over 20 years working closely with the BBC World Service as its correspondent.