Partition: The real enemy

Mr Akbar tells this story with his usual diligence about facts and facets and his customary lucidity

Professionally, M J Akbar dominated Indian print journalism for four decades, from his late 20s till a few years ago. As if editing publications with great distinction and writing in a most attractive way were not enough he also wrote 10 books. 

One of them was a biography of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. That was in 1988. Soon thereafter, though not because of the book, he became a Congress MP from Bihar. But that phase of his political career didn’t last long and he soon returned to writing and editing. 

Times change. Views change. Some years ago, he joined the