‘Claiming Citizenship and Nation’ takes a deep dive into muslim politics

The book on Muslim politics in North India between 1947 and 1986 will be useful for those who are interested in Indian politics and minority studies.

New Delhi: A book titled “Claiming Citizenship and Nation: Muslim Politics and State Building in North India,1947-1986” authored by academician Aishwarya Pandit and published by Routledge was launched on Wednesday at the India International Centre,(IIC) in New Delhi.
The event was attended by many eminent personalities including former Chief Minister of Haryana and the present leader of opposition in the Haryana legislative assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha, Indian National Congress (INC) Rajya Sabha MP and senior Supreme Court lawyer Vivek Tankha and former Rajya Sabha MP K.C. Tyagi.

The book is divided into six chapters, the first one deals with the making and unmaking of the ‘Congress heartland’, how the grand-old-party survived and performed in the politically most crucial state of the country during the period, the second one deals with the question of Muslim politics and the threat of revival of ‘Muslim communalism’ in the Hindi heartland. Another chapter deals with issues related to representation, language politics, citizenship, rehabilitation and Waqf politics. The last chapter in the book discusses the question of Mandir-Masjid politics, the politics of Muslim appeasement and the Hindu counter-mobilization. The author utilizes previously unused government and institutional files, private archives, interviews and oral resources to address questions central to Indian politics and society.

The book will be useful for research scholars, academicians and all those who are interested in Indian politics, minority studies, electoral behaviour, nationalism, electoral politics, partition studies, political sociology, sociology and South Asian Studies.
A panel discussion was also organized after the launch of the book which was moderated by M.D. Nalapat, Editorial Director, The Sunday Guardian. The panel included Shahid Siddiqui, noted journalist and National Vice President, Rashtriya Lok Dal,(RLD), Seshadri Chari, Chairman, China Study Centre, Manipal Academy of Higher Education and the author of the book, Dr Aishwarya Pandit. The panel discussion dealt in detail about the majority and minority question and how partition affected the Indian sub-continent.

Speaking on the occasion, MD Nalapat, Editorial Director, The Sunday Guardian said, “Partition was a very consequential event in the 5,000-year-long history of India. And the consequences are still being felt, not only in India but across the world. This book claims citizenship and nation, is extremely helpful in understanding some of the psychology that caused the partition and also why that trauma is still lingering in our country. This is a must read for those who want to see a strong and a united India.”
Speaking during the discussion, Seshadri Chari, who heads the China Study Centre at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) said, “This academic work is an important intervention on a very sensitive and important subject. So I would suggest that every research scholar who is interested in Indian politics should read this book, it will help in understanding the larger majority-minority question,”. He added, “The best part about the book is that it not only brings historical facts but also conclusions about how the society at large has been affected by the majority and minority politics,”.

Speaking at the book launch, the author, Dr Aishwarya Pandit, who teaches legal history at Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, “Through the book I tried to address many key questions which are the centre of contemporary Indian politics, mainly the Hindi belt. The book is relevant to all kinds of readers, from students to journalists and politicians.” She added, “The book deals in detail about the electoral mobilization of minority groups across North India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh between this period.”
During the panel discussion Shahid Siddiqui said, “This book is important because UP has always been the most crucial state in Indian politics even before partition, the Pakistan movement did’nt originate in Punjab or Sindh which are the part of present day Pakistan, but in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, the book will help the readers to understand Uttar Pradesh politics better.”
The author of the book Aishwarya Pandit is a Ph.D. from University of Cambridge. She wrote her doctoral thesis on the topic “From United Province to Uttar Pradesh-Heartland Politics 1947-1970.” She has worked in different reputed institutes like the Centre for Developing Societies, (CSDS) New Delhi. The author has also taught at the Indian Institute of Management,(IIM) Indore. Dr Pandit has been awarded the BRICS-CCI Trailblazer Felicitation for Philanthropy in April 2022. She is presently also the tour de force of academic initiatives at the edutech platform First In Class.