Who's to blame for India's partition? NCERT module sparks row
NCERT's new history module for Classes 6-12 is making waves by saying India's Partition wasn't inevitable—and puts key blame on "Jinnah, who demanded it; the Congress, which accepted it; and Mountbatten, who implemented it."
The module argues that Congress leaders rushed into accepting Partition without fully grasping its long-term fallout.
Module links Congress, Mountbatten, Jinnah to Kashmir conflict, communal violence
The module claims both Partition and Pakistan's creation didn't have to happen.
It criticizes Congress for underestimating Jinnah and calls Mountbatten's decision to speed up power transfer in 1947 "a great act of carelessness," which led to chaos over citizenship.
The text links these choices to later issues like Kashmir conflict and communal violence.
Congress hits back, says BJP trying to rewrite history
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera called for the module to be "burnt," arguing that Partition actually resulted from a "nexus between Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League."
Congress leaders, including Sandeep Dikshit, have criticized the BJP for controlling NCERT and challenging the historical narrative, fueling fresh debate over how history is taught in schools.
Why this controversy matters
As India's main curriculum body, NCERT shapes what millions learn about history.
This controversy shows how textbooks can influence public opinion—and why debates over historical narratives are likely to keep surfacing as new modules roll out.