News for 'Partition of British India'

NCERT revises Class 8 textbook again; tweaks Partition, drops Hitler content

NCERT revises Class 8 textbook again; tweaks Partition, drops Hitler content

Rediff.com8 Jul 2026

The NCERT Class 8 social science textbook has undergone significant revisions, including a tweaked narrative on the 1947 Partition, the inclusion of VD Savarkar's demand for Swaraj, and the removal of references to Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology. These changes follow a Supreme Court intervention regarding controversial content on the judiciary.

Why India Got Freedom At The Stroke of Midnight

Why India Got Freedom At The Stroke of Midnight

Rediff.com14 Aug 2026

August 15 was the date of India's Independence, so why did transfer of power happen at the stroke of midnight August 14-15?

RSS had no role in Hyderabad liberation, says Priyank Kharge; slams BJP

RSS had no role in Hyderabad liberation, says Priyank Kharge; slams BJP

Rediff.com15 Aug 2026

Karnataka home minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday rejected Bharatiya Janata Party leader B L Santhosh's claim that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers had protected his (Kharge's) family from Razakars during Hyderabad state's integration with India, saying that his family and people of the region were protected by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian Army.

1905: The Partition Before Partition

1905: The Partition Before Partition

Rediff.com16 Oct 2025

The partition of Bengal in 1905 split more than a province, it touched people's hearts and awakened India's fight for freedom.

How Ordinary Indians Brought A Mighty Empire To Its Knees

How Ordinary Indians Brought A Mighty Empire To Its Knees

Rediff.com7 Aug 2026

What Every Indian Must Know About the Quit India Movement.

Why Congress decided to sing only 2 stanzas of Vande Mataram

Why Congress decided to sing only 2 stanzas of Vande Mataram

Rediff.com30 Jul 2026

Vande Mataram, the national song that has stirred passions and political controversies for more than a century, received legal protection on Thursday with Parliament passing a bill making any insult to it a punishable offence, rekindling the long-running debate over its place in India's history and identity.

From Widow's Bay to Raakh: Must Watch Shows of 2026 to Fill the Post-World Cup Void

From Widow's Bay to Raakh: Must Watch Shows of 2026 to Fill the Post-World Cup Void

Rediff.com22 Jul 2026

As the FIFA World Cup concludes, we give you a curated list of the most impressive Hindi and English shows from 2026 to fill the OTT void.

Indian History Congress slams NCERT modules on Partition

Indian History Congress slams NCERT modules on Partition

Rediff.com26 Aug 2025

The Indian History Congress (IHC) has criticized NCERT's new Partition Horrors Remembrance Day modules, alleging they spread falsehoods with communal intent by depicting the Congress as complicit in Partition while absolving the British.

What Jawaharlal Nehru Did for India

What Jawaharlal Nehru Did for India

Rediff.com16 Jun 2026

Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.

'Nehru And Patel Were Like Jai And Veeru'

'Nehru And Patel Were Like Jai And Veeru'

Rediff.com10 Apr 2026

'Gandhi was Thakur and Gabbar was Jinnah.'

When I Stood At The India-Pakistan Border In Jaisalmer

When I Stood At The India-Pakistan Border In Jaisalmer

Rediff.com31 Mar 2026

At Border Pillar 609 at Babliyan near Jaisalmer, the one thing that dominates the landscape is something entirely different, something central to our identity -- the Tiranga -- flying boldly above the blazing desert.

Five Shots By A Girl That Shook An Empire

Five Shots By A Girl That Shook An Empire

Rediff.com6 Feb 2026

Bina Das, 21, got up at her graduating ceremony to assassinate the governor of Bengal. He escaped and she was imprisoned for 9 years.

Freedom At Midnight 2 Review: Terrifying History Reminder

Freedom At Midnight 2 Review: Terrifying History Reminder

Rediff.com9 Jan 2026

Whether Freedom At Midnight 2 has a political agenda, a bias or two will be read into it, depending on the affiliation of who is watching, notes Deepa Gahlot.

Kharge vs Shah over Priyanka's jibes at Modi over Bengal poll

Kharge vs Shah over Priyanka's jibes at Modi over Bengal poll

Rediff.com9 Dec 2025

Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the opposition in Rajya Sabha, linking the division of the 'Vande Mataram' song to the partition of India. He accused Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru of dividing the song for appeasement politics.

RSS@100: The Challenges Ahead

RSS@100: The Challenges Ahead

Rediff.com6 Jan 2026

'The RSS, that advocated military strength, remained in the ideological doghouse for over half a century. Many of the RSS' responses even today carry the burden of this past,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).

Confusion over border worsened Partition violence

Confusion over border worsened Partition violence

Rediff.com17 Aug 2022

While West Punjab became part of West Pakistan, East Punjab was given to India, and Bengal's division saw a large swathe of its eastern territory forming part of East Pakistan.

India would not have been partitioned if...: NSA Doval

India would not have been partitioned if...: NSA Doval

Rediff.com17 Jun 2023

Jinnah said I can accept only one leader and that is Subhas Bose, Doval said.

Important stanzas of Vande Mataram were dropped: Modi

Important stanzas of Vande Mataram were dropped: Modi

Rediff.com7 Nov 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party, alleging that the dropping of important stanzas from the national song 'Vande Mataram' in 1937 sowed the seeds of partition. He made these remarks during the inauguration of the year-long commemoration of 'Vande Mataram'.

Where Cricket Bats Are Made In The World

Where Cricket Bats Are Made In The World

Rediff.com20 Nov 2025

Traditionally carved from top-quality willow, famous bat-makers, source the bulk of their willow wood from Kashmir.

Heeding Azad, Partition Could Have Been Prevented

Heeding Azad, Partition Could Have Been Prevented

Rediff.com1 Feb 2025

Abul Kalam Azad chose not to contest Congress Presidency and to throw his weight behind Nehru, instead of Patel, a decision he would come to regret. Patel would have seen his plan through, while Nehru, in Azad's opinion 'gave Jinnah the opportunity to sabotage' it, notes Aakar Patel.

'After Quit India, There Could Be No Retreat'

'After Quit India, There Could Be No Retreat'

Rediff.com9 Aug 2025

On the 83rd anniversary of the Quit India movement, Utkarsh Mishra recalls the conditions under which the Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi, launched the final struggle for independence.

Nehru prevented Sardar Patel from integrating Kashmir: Modi

Nehru prevented Sardar Patel from integrating Kashmir: Modi

Rediff.com31 Oct 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a sharp attack on country's first premier Jawaharlal Nehru, claiming he prevented Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from fully integrating Kashmir into the Indian Union.

'Partition is a massive part of our history'

'Partition is a massive part of our history'

Rediff.com24 Mar 2023

'Partition was a two-sided story in a very big way.' 'We've oversimplified it, blamed the British, thought of ourselves only as victims.' 'We've been both victims and perpetrators.'

The Kamini Kaushal You Didn't Know

The Kamini Kaushal You Didn't Know

Rediff.com17 Nov 2025

When Kamini Kaushal passed away at 98, she missed being a centenarian by just two years. But there is very little else that she missed out on in her long, rich, creatively fulfilling life.

BJP, Congress spar over Partition Remembrance Day

BJP, Congress spar over Partition Remembrance Day

Rediff.com14 Aug 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Sunday paid homage to those who lost their lives during the Partition as the Congress accused the ruling party of using the traumatic events as a 'fodder' for its political battles.

The real culprits behind India's Partition

The real culprits behind India's Partition

Rediff.com24 May 2018

AMU has once again been pulled into a crossfire of crass political opportunism. In these post-truth times, that the university also had political stirrings not subscribing to the Muslim League is chosen to be forgotten, says Mohammad Sajjad.

Row after Bangladesh national anthem sung at Cong event

Row after Bangladesh national anthem sung at Cong event

Rediff.com30 Oct 2025

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed police to register a treason case against Congress leaders for allegedly singing the Bangladesh national anthem at a party meeting. The move has sparked controversy and accusations of disrespect towards India's national anthem.

Dr Ambedkar's 1956 Buddhist Revolution

Dr Ambedkar's 1956 Buddhist Revolution

Rediff.com14 Oct 2025

On October 14, 1956, Dr B R Ambedkar, fulfilling his long-held vow to renounce Hinduism, embraced Buddhism along with over 500,000 followers at Nagpur's Deekshabhoomi, marking a new era of social and spiritual liberation for India's Dalits.

Bagha Jatin: Forgotten Hero Of The Fight For Freedom

Bagha Jatin: Forgotten Hero Of The Fight For Freedom

Rediff.com9 Sep 2025

Jyotindranath Mukherjee, popularly known as Bagha Jatin, attained martyrdom while fighting the British in Balasore district on September 9, 1915. It is unfortunate that the supreme sacrifice made by Bagha Jatin and his associates is little known outside Bengal and Odisha.

Govt notifies Aug 14 as Partition remembrance day

Govt notifies Aug 14 as Partition remembrance day

Rediff.com14 Aug 2021

Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that August 14 will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, the Union home ministry has issued a notification to that effect.

Observe Aug 14 as Partition horror remembrance day: PM Modi

Observe Aug 14 as Partition horror remembrance day: PM Modi

Rediff.com14 Aug 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that August 14 will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in the memory of the struggles and sacrifices of people, saying the pain of partition can never be forgotten.

Did Jinnah not want Partition?

Did Jinnah not want Partition?

Rediff.com25 Dec 2020

'Jinnah developed a belief that Gandhi had stolen the tag of the leader of the Indian people from him and that he later used religion to reduce Gandhi's idea of a united India to naught was his revenge.'

The 25 Books Banned In Kashmir

The 25 Books Banned In Kashmir

Rediff.com8 Aug 2025

Bookstore owners were cautioned against keeping or distributing the books. Police personnel briefed the bookstore owners about the legal consequences of violating the ban.

When Gujarati Muslims Dominated Bombay Politics

When Gujarati Muslims Dominated Bombay Politics

Rediff.com26 Aug 2025

'They wanted the city to be a great business hub. They didn't like the fact that taxes collected in Bombay would go outside the city.'

UK's richest 10% took half of wealth from India during colonialism

UK's richest 10% took half of wealth from India during colonialism

Rediff.com20 Jan 2025

The United Kingdom extracted USD 64.82 trillion from India over a century of colonialism between 1765 and 1900 and USD 33.8 trillion of this went to the richest 10 per cent -- enough money to carpet London in notes of 50 British pound almost four times over.

Indian Military's Awesome 3

Indian Military's Awesome 3

Rediff.com28 May 2025

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal K M Cariappa Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh The three highest-ranking military heroes of the Indian Armed Forces. They were the rarest of the rare. The bravest of the brave.

Partition: What we must remember

Partition: What we must remember

Rediff.com15 Aug 2018

The world had almost completely forgotten about Partition, and many never learned about it, says Guneeta Singh Bhalla, the woman who founded the 1947 Partition Archive.

Learning Partition's history from Amit Shah... What next?

Learning Partition's history from Amit Shah... What next?

Rediff.com5 Jul 2018

'Amit Shah and his fellow travellers need to realise that India was divided because of competitive communalism of forces like Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League, prodded, aided and abetted by the colonial power,' says Mohammad Sajjad.

'My Father Bimal Roy's Time Has Come'

'My Father Bimal Roy's Time Has Come'

Rediff.com3 Sep 2025

'When you are a pioneer and someone who's put on a pedestal, but then the pedestal gets dusty, people don't look at the statue anymore.' 'They would say, 'Yes, yes, of course I know Bimal Roy. He made Do Bigha Zamin.'.'

What led the British to Leave India?

What led the British to Leave India?

Rediff.com14 Aug 2021

Attlee said Great Britain had concluded that the Indian element of the army was no longer reliable and that Netaji's Indian National Army had demonstrated that. That had shaken the foundation on which Britain's Indian empire rested, argues Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi (retd).