The Study of Boundary Line Issue in the Punjab During the last two Decades of the British Raj until the Declaration of 3 June 1947

Abstract

Punjab partition did not take place abruptly, rather it evolved through the decades. The debate extended over decades helped in clearing the knowledge lines of Punjab at the time of its partition. The negotiations for the formation of the partition plan further crystallized the boundary lines for Punjab partition. Therefore, there was absolutely no need of constituting any boundary commission. Nevertheless, it was formed as an act of diplomacy just to avoid the immanent Sikh riots against the real Punjab partition on the last leg of the Raj. The British diplomacy succeeded but the masses had to bear its consequences. The British Punjab as a consolidated province was a purely British creation. However, they could not conserve its consolidation at the end of their Raj. This study reveals that the Hindus had been propounding for the partition of the Punjab since the first decade of the twentieth century. The Sikhs originated this idea in 1923. The Muslims had also been contemplating the separation of Ambala Division from the Punjab since 1926. The Congress also began to refer to it in live with the Nehru Report. The British had been considering it since the holding of Round Table Conferences. Thus, there were numerous studies for the Punjab partition carried out by the Hindus, the Sikhs, the British, the Congress and the Muslim League. This work sheds light on the fact that the partition of the Punjab did not occur abruptly rather it evolved through decades. However, the Sikhs as well as the Hindus were the main supporters of this idea with the tacit support of the Congress. Thus, this study tries to ascertain that with the declaration of Partition Plan June 3, 1947, the boundary lines for the partition of Punjab had become so clear that the British could enforce it on district or the sub-district levels even without getting the consensus of concerned parties. Therefore, there was neither any justification nor the need of constituting any Boundary Commission as debate extended over decades had cleared the envisaged Punjab boundary line. However, a commission was formed as a British strategy just to avoid immanent Sikh riots that would invariably follow in the wake of Punjab parties. The British were successful in their strategy however; its outcome further enhanced Sikh desperation that intensified Punjab blood bath on its partition.