Limitations of Drawing Borders: An Analysis of the Indian Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in the Light of The Shadow Lines and Cracking India

Abstract

This paper engages with the enduring legacy of the 1947 Partition of India through a literary lens, examining its lasting impact on contemporary socio-political contexts. Drawing on themes of displacement and boundary-making in Amitav Ghosh’s (1995) The Shadow Lines (1995) and Bapsi Sidhwa’s (1991) Cracking India, the paper explores the possibility that literature can shed light on the complexities of national identity, belonging, and citizenship. Ukil Babu’s poignant question in The Shadow Lines (Ghosh, 1995), “Suppose when you get there, they decide to draw another line somewhere? What will you do then?” (p. 215), highlights the ongoing uncertainty created by borders defined along religious lines. This uncertainty, the paper suggests, parallels current debates surrounding the Indian Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which seeks to redefine national belonging based on religious identity. Rather than offering definitive conclusions, this paper serves as an invitation to critically examine the socio-political dimensions of partition, citizenship, and contemporary legislative acts through the interpretive lens provided by literary narratives. By juxtaposing historical and contemporary line-drawing practices, it seeks to foster a broader conversation about the intersection of policy, memory, and identity in the Indian subcontinent.