“The Left and Right Eyes of India” -TL

[manitobot]

“Congress believes that prosperity alone can be achieved only through the collective effort of all Indians” - Manifesto of the INC, 1902


The Left and Right Eyes of India.....

POD: The POD is the British Raj is never separated from Afghanistan in 1876, creating a precedent for South Asian territories to simply be administered collectively. The consequences simmer for a while until the growing movement of Indian independence has one noticeable difference: a secular, inclusive INC prevented the formation of the Muslim League or calls for a Partition. The Raj by the 1940's is made up by South Asia.

ATL India will grow to massive proportions post-independence in every sense of the matter.

Note: This is my first TL; I welcome comments and constructive criticism! Hope you enjoy!

 

[manitobot]

The formalization of independence post-WW2 was guaranteed to happen. The British were simply broke and Gandhian non-violence was continuing to storm throughout the country. However, questions on India’s fate remained. These questions were inevitably answered in the planned Conference of India. Pioneered by M.N. Roy, the already active Constituent Assembly with Mountbatten’s approval formalized Indian independence. Members from as far as Kabul, Rangoon, and Colombo heeded the call for the creation of the new republic. Observer envoys from Iran, French Indochina, Siam, Tibet, the UK, CPC China, ROC China, France, Portugal, USSR, and the USA attended the conference hosted in New Delhi. As Indians arrived, deliberation at once began. George VI and Gandhi noticeably sat side by side, with the grand emperor and his crown sitting amongst a humble man with bare cotton and wooden slippers.

Portugal and France, though mad, gave up their holdings to the British Raj, as they knew India would want a fully free country.

The controversial Partition plan called for the creation of a Hindu State, Sinhala State, Pashto State, Bengali State, Sikh State, Buddhist State, and Muslim State. This was wholeheartedly rejected 86-36 against by the committee in a vote as Muslim delegates especially felt that people are too integrated into society. This action led to the most powering ramifications of the entire conference. Now, India would have to be a massive, multi-ethnic, and secular country. Reverberations echoed across the country as it was determined India would remain whole. ATL Jinnah summed it up best by saying,
“Muslims need not a separate country; our home is indeed India.”

The British proposed the transitional Union of India as a Dominion until the delegation created a constitution, but the INC was eager on having independence. The time for an immediate full-fledged republic had occurred. The UK relented and a Republic would immediately be created for the independence of the nation. Unlike the eventual independent Commonwealth Realms still with the head of state of the UK, India would immediately be a republic akin to the US except with membership in the popular post-colonial General Commonwealth.

With the core issues now resolved, independence was granted to India. On August 15, 1947, the subcontinent burst into joy as 335 years of foreign rule ends. In New Delhi, the Union Jack was drawn down for the last time, and the Tricolor rose, billowing so beautifully in the breeze.

 

[manitobot]

Newly independent and foreign envoys returning home, the assembly continued with the creation of the Constitution of India. Ambedkar presided over an exhausting amount amendments nearing over 7,000.

The Constitution would be supreme over Parliament and would create the basic framework of the country. A single transferable vote and proportional representation were decided upon. Provinces akin to Canadian autonomy would be carved out based on ethnicity and population and for the first time be subject to change as India grows. Noticeable debates continued on a variety of topics, but the process ran along smoothly.

Influences are readily seen ranging from British Rule of Law to American separation of powers. Caste was triumphantly abolished along with titles of nobility and royalty. Ambedkar could be breaking down crying with joy exclaiming, "The future of my people can finally have prosperity." The INC didn't rise to prominence by being elitist and this would be the beginning of the deconstruction of royalty and India's princely states. Secularism and women's suffrage was enforced.

The national language of India was deliberated over. Sanskrit was proposed but rejected several times by the committee. Hindi and English were the two main propositions of the assembly. Fiercely rejected by South Indian delegates, Hindi narrowly failed 58-64. English was passed with somewhat of a shallow margin 70-52.

The honor of the head of state was conferred upon to Gandhi 100-22. Humbly, he refused even a ceremonial position. However, the love the country had for him nearly forced him to accept the title. Gandhi would be India's ATL first President.

The Constitution would be ratified November 26, 1947. It would come into effect December 28, 1947, celebrated as ATL Republic Day.

Now a country with a constitution, India could begin to develop and interact with the outside world. The future is now open for the nation.

 

[manitobot]

Under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the new Government of India employed the use of military action to ensure the primacy of the central government and of the Constitution then being drafted. Many small princely states were merged to form viable administrative states. The populist ascension of the dominant political party issued land distribution as well as seizing of some amounts of wealth for rulers. Rulers kept little of their privy purses; most saw their way of life of grandeur come to an end. Many of the lands seized would create a new class of small landowners grateful for the reform.

Several princely states were outraged about the adjustments they had to deal with. Among them was the Nawab of Hyderabad. Accordingly, the Nizam issued a firman announcing that on the transfer of power, his state would be resuming independence. The Government of India rejected the firman, terming it a "legalistic claim of doubtful validity". It argued that the strategic location of Hyderabad, which lay astride the main lines of communication between northern and southern India, meant it could easily be used by "foreign interests" to threaten India, and that in consequence, the issue involved national-security concerns. It also pointed out that the state's people, history and location made it unquestionably Indian, and that its own "common interests" therefore mandated its integration into India. On 13 September 1948, the Indian Army was sent into Hyderabad under Operation Polo on the grounds that the law and order situation there threatened the peace of South India. The troops met little resistance by the Razakars and between 13 and 18 September took complete control of the state. The operation was widely supported by the people and led to minimizing casualties. Similar in intention, decades of royalty was demolished by a wave of Indian republicanism.

Parliamentary elections occurred in 1948. Though the INC got a plurality of votes, Congress formed a coalition with the new Progressive Party a fiscally based breakaway from the Hindu nationalists who clamored for "One nation, one religion". This coalition called the "New Coalition" would have a two-pronged development platform for India, led by the first Prime Minister Nehru. Jawaharlal Nehru was a passionate advocate of education for India's children and youth, believing it essential for India's future progress. His government oversaw the establishment of many institutions of higher learning, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Management and the National Institutes of Technology. Nehru also outlined a commitment in his five-year plans to guarantee free and compulsory primary education to all of India's children. For this purpose, Nehru oversaw the creation of mass village enrollment programs and the construction of thousands of schools. Nehru also launched initiatives such as the provision of free milk and meals to children to fight malnutrition. Adult education centers, vocational and technical schools were also organised for adults, especially in the rural areas. An extensive public works program was issued along with an industrialization campaign resulted in the construction of major dams, irrigation canals, roads, thermal and hydroelectric power stations and many more. They also championed Indian small businesses and rural development through a series of grants. Though popular at the time, they didn't nationalize industries but rather invested in them and sponsored national manufacturing with protective tariffs. The creation of the Central Bank of India had an abundant access to credit, and the creation of the rupee currency. Under Nehru, the Indian Parliament enacted many changes to law, affecting Hindu and Muslim law to criminalize caste discrimination and increase the legal rights and social freedoms of women. A system of reservations in government services and educational institutions was created to eradicate the social inequalities and disadvantages faced by peoples of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Nehru also championed secularism and religious harmony, increasing the representation of minorities in government.

Gandhi and Ambedkar held a meeting again in Poona. Gandhi then doubled down his efforts for the destruction of the caste system. He also fought for equal rights for widowers, destruction of the dowry, ending of female infanticide, and more. A reform of Hinduism was underway.

The Civil Codes Laws were formally passed that reformed India's law by way of also reforming India's religions and customs. Nehru specifically wrote Article 44 of the Indian constitution under the Directive Principles of State Policy which states: 'The State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.' The article has formed the basis of secularism in India. India would have one law regardless of faith. For example, One of the Civil Codes, The Civil Marriage Act was passed in 1949. The idea behind this act was to give everyone in India the ability to marry under a civil marriage. Women received equal protections regardless of faith. Under the act polygamy, dowry, and triple talaq was illegal, and inheritance and succession would be governed by the Indian Succession Act Divorce also would be governed by the secular law, and maintenance of a divorced wife would be along the lines set down in the civil law. Similar laws applied to inheritance, untouchability, etc.

Famous Civil Services were developed around this period. The first was the Indian Revenue Service which was in charge of collecting taxes and eliminating fraud. The Anti-Corruption Agency was created to prevent corruption in all forms and was given sweeping powers. The Social Justice Commission was developed to help advocate and protect the rights of ex-untouchables, women, and other minorities of Indian society. Finally the Central Bureau of Investigation worked with the IRS and ACA while also performing investigations. The greater amount of funding and instilling of civic duty these agencies had would lead India to have some of the best civil service administrations in the world.

Development came both from the USSR and USA. India chose to be Non-Aligned with any country, but readily accepted aid from both sides. Indians later on would develop their own form of capitalist economy, but currently remained neutral.

The Constitution of India designates the official language of the Government of India as English. English is used for official purposes such as parliamentary proceedings, judiciary, communications between the Central Government and a State Government. States within India somewhat have powers to specify their own subsidiary language through legislation. Promotion of the English language allowed everyone to communicate with each other. Commonly, Indians are bilingual in English and their native language while some are trilingual or more. The promulgation of the English language has not had a drastic effect as to the loss of languages, even when being the medium for all central government purposes. Indeed, Indian English would become a world-recognized dialect and allow massively greater opportunities for economic advancement and globalization in the coming era.

 

[manitobot]

The general situation in Asia would be tense. It was a guessing game whether democracy or communism would triumph on this continent. Boiling tensions could spill over in an instant as communist agitators clamored for a bloody revolution. Authoritarian rulers also tried to hold on to their country with somewhat increasing brutality. The Soviets doubled down on their authoritarian communist rhetoric, much to the increasing disgruntlement of various nations. There were increasing agitations of freedom in E European nations as well as in Russia itself. Stalin's increasing suspicion also made people wary of the dictator. But the Chinese Civil War would boil over into something greater. Communist agitation and unrest was also being stopped in Eastern India, not to mention Indochina, SE Asia, and divided Korea. However, the defining moment would come with the invasion of Tibet by the PRC in 1950.

Tibet thought there may be tensions with China, but not enough to warrant a war. However the invasion of the PRC would be the candle to the dynamite that is the Great Asian War. CCP troops crushed defenses of Tibetans in the Battle of Lhasa on April 2, 1950. A military alliance proposed earlier would finally come into play. India would come to the aid of their friend Tibet, and declare war against the CCP on April 14, 1950. This would be the first step to the beginning of a regional war.

As India formally declares war on the CCP, the Chinese countered with the Worker's Resolution. This resolution calls on all communists to rise up in revolution. Like clockwork, guerrillas immediately form throughout Asia triumphing a communist cause. Similar to China, democratic forces versus communist forces soon emerge throughout Asia.

Immediately after the Worker's Resolution, the two fronts of the war began coalescing. Whether this meant trade agreements, supplies, reconnaissance, or information; talks were already underway. This culminated in the Qiqihar Conference and the Kunming Conference.
The Qiqihar Conference established their goal of a communist Asia. Led by Mao Zedong, the committee consisted of the CPC, DPRK, and communist movements throughout Asia. The Kunming Conference led a democratic Asia with India, Tibet, KMT, and the governments of ROK, Occupied Japan, Indochina, Siam, the Malay Federation, Singapore, and British HK. The unstable USSR and booming US eventually chose sides for each of the conflict.

The Great Asian War has begun.

 

[manitobot]

*Being Reworked Not technically Canon*

Indochina finally succeeded in kicking out the French from their country with the help of the Americans. Ho Chi Minh is described to passionately make a speech to the United States masterfully and eloquently speaking over the independence of his homeland and freedom for all. Convinced, the Americans persuaded France to give independence to the Republic of Indochina. Ho Chi Minh is made leader of a new multi-ethnic country.

The Malay Federation is established from Southern Siam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and some of the Philippines.

The Philippines was also faced with a crossroad. ATL, the US give independence actually and maintain good trade and diplomatic relations. The First Republic is plagued with corruption and authoritarianism, however. America immediately came to its aid with Japanese invasion and occupation, fighting side by side with Filipinos. A referendum is created and to the world's surprise, the Philippines vote to join the US by 55%. Philippines enters the US as a territory and eventually as states. This act alone will additionally cause nearly all of Oceania to join the United States post-war. Commonwealth realms will also have their fair share of American unionism.

The Organization of American States increasingly becomes more powerful as democracy flourishes in Latin America. Pan-Americanism will lead to cooperation between the US and its southern neighbors in an unprecedented new way. Pro-American parties sweep Canada after WW2.

European powers form the European Community post-war to re-integrate and rebuild their economies that are now war-torn. One important legislation Colonial Democracy Initiative which aims to ensure secular democracy in all colonies post-independence. This document would go on to develop the Middle East in a Western model post-independence. The Middle Eastern future would be one of migration and change.

Stalin's death would come as a blow to the Soviet Union. Internal squabbles would tremendously increase in the Soviet Union. Breakaway states would follow.

The UN sees an immediate increase in power as more nations are dedicated to internationalism. They are able to direct European aid efforts that applied to Africa additionally applying to Newly independent Asian colonies. Europe accepts.

Afrikaners in Africa stir discontent over the loss of power in their countries. Many leave and many protest.

Israel deals with internal conflict with Palestine but strangely no outside attacks.

Africa became the UN's first agenda. Quick decolonization would surely have left to instability, corruption, and poverty so the UN needed to help Africa to make sure it could emerge as a stable continent. It formalized the African Initiative which would make European nations, who had long exploited the continent of Africa for their benefit, responsible for their actions by making them
-reorganize states to reduce ethnic, religious, and racial tensions
-build the infrastructure necessary for survival such as roads, railroads, canals, etc.
-provide immediate aid such as food,
-invest in Africa to create a vibrant business and manufacturing base that does NOT involve the exploitation of Africa's resources as years past
-create a civil service administration to train the next generation of good African governance
-build electrical, sewage, water, education, health, court, and law services for Africa
-bring African agriculture to self-sufficient, abundant levels
-eradicate dangerous, infectious diseases
-establish secularism and democracy for Africa
-limited while increasing representation and autonomy for Africa
-massively create an education system such as schools and universities to secure Africa's future and train the next generation of leaders
-enforce equality for all people with guaranteed human rights ending apartheid and instilling equality for all human beings
-enforce the natural rights of all people, end human trafficking
-standardization and cooperation to enforce the directive
-established the Organization for African Unity
The nations of Europe would tend to the lands they had colonized but they had to maintain certain standardization with the Initiative rules (inter-nation roads etc.) as well as certain standards for development. The standard African language, even with contentious proposals of Swahili, was decided to be English, seeing how it was needed globally. UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Portugal might have grumbled but eventually agreed to this resolution. West Germany would also agree to this resolution jointly administering its past colonies with colonizers who held it post WW1. The USA would administer Liberia. Italy would administer Ethiopia.

The resolution would be adopted on January 15, 1950. And Africa's future would be much brighter.

 

[manitobot]

Sorry for the long break, it was on and off for a while but I am determined to see this through.

-Burma 1950

Kunda surveyed the surroundings. Thick jungle cover contrasted with soaring peaks mingling amongst the smoke from far-off Chinese encampments. Here he stood, recruited out of the Royal Army to assist the patriotic effort to drive out the godless communists from Bharat. He would be one of many soldiers to provide intelligence for one of the biggest army movements through Sichuan, looping around the Himalayas entirely. The Rangoon Plan was designed to be, if successful, a devastating effort that would pave the way for greater involvement in the West and a reprieve for the ROC, many of who were already escaping from Shanghai to Taiwan.

Approaching his superior to give a report, his attention turned to the strange item his superior held in his hand, extremely dark brown squares -as dark as his superior's skin- connected together and placed in a shiny metallic fabric. His superior, noticing his gaze, turned to him and explained.

"Kunda, its chocolate. A Western delicacy." He breaks off a piece and offers it to a now startled Kunda. "Would you like one?"

Kunda's eyes swell up in tears. Oh how he could remember growing up, tin encampments and pit fires, every waking breath kept separate from society. And with one single out-sprung hand, his superior was breaking centuries of discrimination that existed on the subcontinent. Kunda gingerly took the substance from his hand, and placed it in his mouth. He chewed.

"It tastes so different than anything I have had." This was the first time Kunda had anything sweet.

 

[manitobot]

Hey guys, this is a courtesy update because there was a small following of this TL. So as you can tell, I have been swamped with life and haven’t really had time to add on to this TL. Additionally I feel that I want to move on to other projects, and that this TL was not going a certain way I intended it to. It seemed too good and too unrealistic in many cases, and I feel like rewrites are needed to really push it through. The goal was a modern, developed, and expansive India that could shake up the world’s stage but the TL was missing out on a lot of elements that would have made it work. Additionally, I think a second version is what is needed, at an indeterminate time maybe, and perhaps with the help of likeminded AH’ers. Thanks for reading, and hopefully one day in the future I can get back to this project and really make it shine.

Sincerely,

manitobot