Understanding India–Pakistan Relations: Memory Keeps Getting in the Way of History

Abstract

This article aims to highlight the reasons behind the historical animosity between India and Pakistan, and its continuation for last seven decades by examining the role of ideologues who shaped the national identity discourse of two communities—Hindus and Muslims—before and after the Partition. To understand the present protracted conflict, probing the pre-Partition clash of narratives is indispensable. The Islamic imagery and Hindu symbolism used by the two communities were exclusionary and based on ‘othering’ which not only thwarted the vision of inclusive nationalism but also generated more animosity and distrust, and severely antagonized the relationship in the post-Partition period. However, this article argues that despite the deep-rooted animosity and distrust there is still scope for re-imagination and reconciliation. For that, both the countries need to transcend the sediments of the past memories and adopt a more pragmatic approach to resolve the long-standing issues that have been weighing them down for decades.