A book titled “Claiming Citizenship and Nation: Muslim Politics and State Building in North India, 1947-1986”, authored by academician Dr Aishwarya Pandit and published by Routledge was launched on Wednesday at the India International Centre, (IIC) New Delhi. The event was attended by many leading personalities including the former chief minister of Haryana and presently leader of opposition in Haryana state 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.
A panel discussion was also organized during the event which was moderated by Professor 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, as well as 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, Prof M.D. Nalapat 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 is immensely helpful in understanding 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 united India.”
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 at 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”.
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 didn’t 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, Dr Aishwarya Pandit has worked in different reputed institutes like the Centre for Developing Societies, (CSDS) New Delhi and has also taught at the Indian Institute of Management, (IIM) Indore. She is presently also the tour de force of academic initiatives at the edu-tech platform First In Class.