NCERT Module Blaming Congress for Partition Sparks Political Firestorm
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a special module on the Partition, attributing responsibility to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Congress party, and Lord Mountbatten. The text, released for Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, claims the Congress accepted Partition to avoid communal violence. The module has ignited a political controversy, with the Congress demanding its withdrawal and accusing the NCERT of historical distortion, while the BJP defended the content as factual.
Unpacked:
The module explicitly blames Jinnah, the Congress, and Mountbatten for Partition, which has sparked political backlash. Congress leaders accuse the module of historical distortion and omitting the roles of groups like the Hindu Mahasabha, while the BJP defends it as factual, intensifying a longstanding debate over how Partition is taught in India.
Congress leaders argue the module omits the alleged collaboration between the Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League and overstates Congress’s role in accepting Partition. They claim the content distorts history by ignoring other causes and actors, and accuse the government of using education for political purposes.
The module states Jinnah demanded Partition, the Congress accepted it to avoid communal strife, and Mountbatten implemented it—criticizing Mountbatten for hastening the process, which led to chaos and violence. This framing is seen as assigning shared responsibility but particularly highlighting Congress’s role in the decision.
Recent NCERT revisions have included removing or altering references to the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate, recharacterizing historical figures, and, in this module, shifting interpretations of Partition. Critics argue these changes represent a broader trend toward ‘saffronisation’ or politicization of history textbooks.