IV

Independence and the Emergence of Nehru

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.

—Jawaharlal Nehru, addressing the Constituent Assembly and the nation on 15 August 1947

The context in which the colonial rule ended, the alignment of social groups and classes vis-à-vis the Indian National Congress, the colonial regime and the Muslim League influenced the political discourse not only in the immediate context but also the long-term dynamics of the political trajectory of independent India. This chapter will deal with these aspects as ...

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