Hyderabad, Jan. 28 -- As India marked another Republic Day recently, it is worth revisiting the events that led to its birth in 1947 - and the accompanying trauma of Partition. The division of the subcontinent displaced millions, unleashed horrific communal violence, and left behind wounds that continue to shape India and Pakistan's relations even today.

Popular narratives often lay the blame at the feet of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his demand for Pakistan. Yet, a closer look supported by several historians and political observers suggests that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress leadership may have been equally, if not more, responsible for the tragic division. Many believe that a more accommodating approach by Congress could have ke...