Deepti Misri shows how Partition began a history of politicised animosity associated with the differing ideas of “India” held by communities and in regions on the one hand, and by the political-military Indian State on the other. She moves beyond that formative national event, however, in order to examine other forms of gendered violence in the postcolonial life of the nation, including custodial rape, public stripping, de-turbanning and enforced disappearances.