TWO NATION THEORY

Two nation theory is the idealogy of the muslims of subcontinent and is the basis of creation
of Pakistan. As the name suggests muslims of subcontinent believe that there are two nations,
Muslims and Hindus, opposed to one nation agenda of Hindus. Who lived together in the
subcontinet for years. Before the British took over, Muslims were the rulers of India despite being
the minority in a Hindu majority.

Now muslims feared that after the departure of British from India, The Hindu majority will
take over the rule according to rules of western democracy and muslims will not be safe in a Hindu
dominated India because they beacame well aware of the malicious plans add designs of Hindus
after certian incidents like Urdu-Hindu controversy and all-India elections of 1938.

Thus muslims came up with the two nation theory which ststes that Muslims and Hindus are
two separate nations by every definition. They have their own religion, language, culture, code of
life, customs and traditions. Therefore, they should have a separate independant state in the Muslim
majority area of India which comprises the areas of today’s Pakistan and Bangladesh, so that they
can live their lives freely according to the priciples of Islam.

Muslims were right in their claim. Hindus had some plans. They were ruled upon by Muslims
for centuries despite being in a heavy majority. Now they did not want India to be divided and they
wanted to rule the Muslim minority and inflict all the atrocities upon them as they would wish. As
Gandhi said, “I find no parallel in history for a body of converts and their descendants claiming to be
a nation apart from the parent stock”. And to this Jinnah replied, “ We are a nation with our own
distinctive culture and civilization, language and literature, art and architecture, names and
nomenclature, sense of value and proportion, legal laws and moral codes, customs and calenders,
history and traditions, outlook, aptitudes and ambitions; in short we have our own distinctive
outlook on life and of life”.

Since the partition, the theory had been subjected to debates and different interpretations
on several grounds. The critics said that two nation theory had created blood shed during partition
and it also created an idealogical wedge between Muslims of Pakistan and Hindus of India. They are
right about the blood shed and it was both on the hands of Muslims and Hindus. But the idealogical
wedge had been created far before the partition. Hindus and Muslims could not live together in
united India. If Pakistan had not been created, the unique identity of Muslims of subcontinent would
have been vanished and they would have been absorbed in the much larger Hindu population.

It is obvious by the recent events like gujrat massacare and revoking of special status of
Kashmir that the Hindus are bitter emenies of muslims. They believe in the “purification of Hind”
and this would be brought about by the expelling of Muslims from India.

By the creation of Pakistan, muslims can retain their identiy and follow their beliefs freely.
And also Hindus can not subjugate muslims easily as Pakistan becomes the voice of every suffering
muslim in India.