19. Did religion play a factor in India being divided in two after it won independence from Britain. If yes, what were the religions and where are they mainly located after independence?(4 points)
Yes, religion did play a factor in India being divided into two separate countries following its independence from Britain. The two main religions involved were Hinduism and Islam.
1. Hinduism: Hinduism is the majority religion in India, with Hindus making up the largest religious group in the country. After independence, India became a secular state but with a Hindu majority. The majority of Hindus are located throughout India, except for the region of Jammu and Kashmir, where they are a minority.
2. Islam: Islam is the second-largest religion in India, primarily practiced by Muslim communities. The demand for a separate Muslim nation led to the creation of Pakistan, which initially consisted of two separate regions: West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Muslims in India are mainly concentrated in the northern regions such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and certain parts of South India.
The partition of India in 1947 was largely based on religious demographics, with Pakistan being created as a separate Muslim-majority nation while India remained a secular nation with a Hindu majority. However, it is important to note that the partition was not solely driven by religion but also by political, social, and economic factors.