Gandhi's Proposal for a Corridor Between East and West Pakistan

Background

During the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority areas of the country were separated to form Pakistan. This resulted in Pakistan being divided into two parts: East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan).

Jinnah's Proposal

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, proposed that India provide a corridor through its territory to connect the two parts of Pakistan. This would have allowed for the free movement of people and goods between East and West Pakistan.

Jinnah argued that the corridor was necessary for the economic and political stability of Pakistan. He also claimed that it had been promised to him by the Indian National Congress during the negotiations leading up to partition.

Gandhi's Response

Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress, initially opposed the idea of a corridor. He argued that it would divide India and create a security risk. However, he later agreed to consider the proposal if it was supported by the people of the affected areas.

In 1948, a referendum was held in the Muslim-majority districts of West Bengal to determine whether they wanted to be part of India or Pakistan. The results of the referendum showed that a majority of the people in these districts wanted to remain part of India.

Based on the results of the referendum, Gandhi withdrew his support for the corridor proposal. He argued that it would not be right to force the people of these districts to join Pakistan against their will.

Conclusion

The proposal for a corridor between East and West Pakistan was ultimately rejected by India. This decision was based on a number of factors, including the results of the referendum in West Bengal and Gandhi's opposition to the plan.

The decision to reject the corridor proposal had a significant impact on the history of South Asia. It contributed to the tensions between India and Pakistan and led to the outbreak of several wars between the two countries.