The acceptance of the partition of India by the Indian National Congress in 1947 was one of the most difficult and controversial decisions in the history of the Indian National Movement. For several decades, the Congress had consistently opposed the idea of partition and stood for a united, secular, and democratic India where people of all religions could live together. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel believed that communal harmony was essential for national unity. However, by 1947, changing political circumstances, increasing communal violence, the failure of constitutional negotiations, and the determination of the Muslim League forced the Congress leadership to reconsider its position. The decision to accept partition was taken not because the Congress desired it, but because it believed that it had become the only practical solution to avoid greater bloodshed and political chaos. One of the most important reasons for the acceptance of partition was the growing demand of the Muslim League for the creation of Pakistan. Under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim League adopted the Lahore Resolution of 1940, demanding separate states for Muslims in the north-western and eastern regions of India. Over the years, the League strengthened its support among Muslims and insisted that Hindus and Muslims constituted two separate nations. The League rejected proposals for a united India unless its demands for adequate safeguards or Pakistan were accepted. This uncompromising attitude made political settlement increasingly difficult. The failure of constitutional negotiations also compelled the Congress to accept partition. Several attempts were made by the British Government to find a constitutional solution that would preserve the unity of India. The Cripps Mission of 1942 failed because its proposals did not satisfy either the Congress or the Muslim League. Later, the Wavell Plan and the Shimla Conference of 1945 also ended without agreement due to differences over Muslim representation. The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 was the last major effort to maintain a united India through a federal structure with provincial groupings. Initially, both the Congress and the Muslim League accepted parts of the plan, but disagreements soon emerged regarding the powers of the central government and the compulsory grouping of provinces. The Muslim League eventually withdrew its acceptance and renewed its demand for Pakistan. With the collapse of the Cabinet Mission Plan, hopes for a united constitutional framework disappeared. The communal riots that spread across the country after 1946 played a decisive role in the Congress decision. The Muslim League's call for Direct Action Day on 16 August 1946 led to severe communal violence in Calcutta, followed by riots in Noakhali, Bihar, Punjab, and several other regions. Thousands of innocent people were killed, injured, or displaced. The violence created deep fear and mistrust between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Mahatma Gandhi personally visited riot-affected areas in an attempt to restore peace, but communal hatred had reached alarming levels. Congress leaders gradually came to believe that forcing unwilling communities to remain together might lead to continuous civil war. Another important reason was the fear of administrative breakdown. The Interim Government formed in September 1946 included both Congress and Muslim League members. However, cooperation between the two parties