Nehru Report and Jinnah’s Fourteen Points

In 1927 Simon Commission came to

British India to investigate the working of

the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, and to

recommend further changes.

Conservative govt. did not include any

Indian in the Commission.

Various parties decided to boycott the

commission including Congress and

Muslim League(Jinnah Faction).

Muhammad Ali Johar, Khilafat

Conference and the Jami’at-i-Ulema-i-

Hind also boycotted the Simon

Commission

Muslim League Shafi wanted to co-

operate with Commission but Jinnah

League decided to boycott.

John Simon and his Commission was

greeted everywhere with Congress-

organized demonstration and black flags.

• Congress challenged the Lord Birkenhead,

Secretary of state of India to produce a

constitution acceptable to the various

elements in India.

• All Parties Conference was called on and

negotiations began on Constitutional

matters

The Conference appointed a committee

of jurists with Moti Lal Nehru as chairman

to study the problem and draft the

Constitution.

Sir Ali Imam and Mr.Shoaib Qureshi were

taken from Muslims as members of the

Committee.

Committee announced its report

known as “Nehru Report" in 1928.

Muslim members of the committee

boycotted the proceeding as Muslims

were not accommodated in the

report.

The Nehru report called for a general electorate , with no separate electorates to ensure that minority groups could elect their own representatives.

Representation of Muslims in the central assembly be reduced from one third to one fourth.

Rejected the federal form of Government in favor of a Unitary one.

Division of power between center and Provinces but the Residuary powers will be vested in Center.

Nehru report was totally un-acceptable to almost every Muslim group in the Sub-Continent.

Jinnah proposed amendments in the report but were rejected by the Hindus.

Amendments could bridge the gulf between Hindus and Muslims but were rejected by Hindus so report was also rejected by Muslims.

Report was called a document of Slavery by Muslims.

An All Parties Muslim Conference was held in Delhi on 31 December, 1928 to 1st Jan.,1929 to discuss the matter.

All India Muslim Conference was set up under the leadership of Agha Khan and demanded for separate electorates for Muslims.

Muslim League reunited and in March 1929 it reiterated Muslim demands in Jinnah’s famous Fourteen Points, which were following:-

1. A federal, rather than a unitary form of Government.

2. Electoral safeguards for minorities in every Province.

3. Equal status for every Province.4. Separate electorates for religious and

other groups.

5. One third of the seats in the central assembly to be reserved for Muslims.

6. No bill should be passed affecting a particular religion agree to it.

7. The Muslim majorities in Punjab, Bengal and NWFP should not be negated by boundary changes.

8. Sind should be a separate Province.9. NWFP and Baluchistan should be

included in all reforms.

10. All religion should have freedom of worship, faith, Education, assembly and association.

11. There should be a proper number of Muslims in government services.

12. There should be constitutional safeguards for Muslim culture, language, religion, Education and welfare institutions.

13. At least one third of the ministers in the provinces and at the Center should be Muslims.

14. The agreement of all the federating states would be necessary for amending the Constitution.

CONGRESS MINISTRIES

Simon Commission, the Nehru report, the Fourteen Points, Round Table Conferences and the Communal Award were all part of the preparations of the reformed Constitutions, which was set out in the Act of 1935.

Elections held in first week of 1937. Two major parties Indian National

Congress and All India Muslim League participated.

Muslim League did not perform well as was expected.

Muslim League scored 102 out of total of 482 Muslim seats.

Congress could score 706 out of total of 1771, and 26 out of 482 Muslim seats.

Non-Congress Hindus occupied 211 Hindu seats.

Muslim League did not perform well as was expected.

Muslim League scored 102 out of total of 482 Muslim seats.

Congress could score 706 out of total of 1771, and 26 out of 482 Muslim seats.

Non-Congress Hindus occupied 211 Hindu seats.

Unionist Party got majority in Punjab and Sir Sikandar Hayat formed his ministry comprising of 3 Muslims, 2 Hindus and one Sikh minister.

Sindh United Party formed government in Sindh under leadership of Sir Ghulam Hussain.

In Bengal Maulvi Fazal-ul-Haq formed a coalition government .

Congress formed her government in all other eight Provinces.

Working of Congress Ministries

Three colored Flag “Tringa”. Undue interference in

Administration. Bande Matram by Bankim

Chatterjee. Introduction of Hindi in place of Urdu. Nehru campaign in order to crush

the Muslim League. Wardha Scheme(domination of hindu

culture)

Widdia Mander Scheme introduced by Dr.Zakir Hussain.

Prohibition of cow slaughter. Prohibition to perform religious rites. Intrigues against Muslim

Governments. Hindu-Muslim riots. Azan was prohibited and frequently

interrupted.

END OF CONGRESS RULE

Second World War broke out in 1939 and Viceroy suspended the Federal part of India Act 1935 and announced about a new act to give liberty to India.

Congress strongly reacted and decided to quit the Government and resigned between October 27,1939 and November 15,1939.

Muslim League observed “Day of Deliverance” on December 22,1939 as a mark of relief.

Lahore Resolution

League demanded independence as Congress also demanded independence of India, Transfer of Power and establishment of Constituent Assembly.

Sind Assembly had already passed a resolution for establishment of a separate state.

Annual session of Muslim League held in Lahore in1940 and thousands of muslims participated in the session.

Maulvi Fazal-ul-Haq presented a resolution about a Separate State for Muslim of India.

Ch.Khaliq-uz-Zaman seconded the resolution.

Resolution was passed unanimously by participants and was named “Lahore Resolution”.

Resolution was about establishment of separate states for Muslims of India comprising of Punjab, Sind, NWFP and Baluchistan in North West and of Bengal and Assam in Eastern India, where they can live with peace and harmony practicing their religious rites.

Reaction

A Hindu newspaper wrote it “Pakistan

Resolution” and the name was widely

accepted by Muslims.

Muslims of Muslim minority Provinces

were more enthusiastic and happy than

that of other Provinces as they had an

experience of Congress Ministries.

Gandhi declared it a sin and moral

illness of Muslim League.

Raj Gopal Acharya said Mr. Jinnah

committed a sin by dividing two

brothers.

Abdul Kalam Azad declared it a falsified

idea of Jinnah to divide India.

Impacts on Politics

Enhancement of prestige of Muslim

League .

Unity among Muslims.

Change of Government attitude .

No change of Constitution without

consent of Muslims.

Equal representation of Muslims in

Executive Council.

Muslim Nationalism.

Strengthen the concept of two

different nations.

Gave impetus to freedom movement.