THE MUSLIM LEAGUE

LESSON -6

We will learn….

Factors leading to the formation of Muslim League.

Objectives of the Muslim League .

THE GROWTH OF COMMUNALISM

REVOLT OF 1857

DEMAND FOR

MUSLIM LEAGUE 1906

FACTORS- FORMATION OF MUSLIM LEAGUE

• LOSS OF SOVEREIGNTY OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

• PARTICIPATION IN REVOLT 1857• BRITISH DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS

MUSLIMS• AFTER 1870 APPEASEMENT OF MUSLIMS

THE BRITISH POLICY OF DIVIDE AND RULE

• Unity of the Muslims and Hindus was a threat.• Encouraged communal and separatist politics.• Under Lord Mayo’s rule, Urdu was made the medium of

instruction and huge grants were given to schools run by Muslims.

• To Hindus- they portrayed Muslims as foreigners who plundered Indian wealth and the rule of the Rajputana Dynasty.

• Justified the partition of Bengal to create Muslim majority and Muslim state, as Hindus would not work for the welfare of Muslim population

• Use the caste system- Brahmins and lower castes.• Treated Hindus , Muslims and Sikhs as different

communities and recognized their respective leaders as authentic.

• Spread communal hatred- through posters, literature and public platform.

BACKWARDNESS OF THE MUSLIMS• Backward in Education, Trade and

Industry.• Upper class Muslim, against modern

education, so majority of Muslims remained uneducated.

• Very few Muslims received modern western education.

• British discrimination in recruitment of civil and military services.

• Not involved in growth of organized industry.

BACKWARDNESS OF THE MUSLIMS

• Muslims were too proud of their literature , did not accept western education.

• Western education necessary for the government jobs.

• Muslims continued to remain backward whereas Hindus accepted the western education and developed.

Role of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan• Educationist and Social reformer.• Regarded Hindus and Muslims as one

nation.• Founded Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental

College at Aligarh with the patrons of Hindu as well as Muslims

• Later changed his views…….

Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan Changed View • Political interests of Muslims and

Hindus are different.• Opposed the formation of INC.• Founded the United Indian Patriotic

Association in 1888 to oppose the INC.• Supported by Mr Beck, Principal of

MAO college.• Beck opined- Anglo- Muslim unity is

possible but Hindu – Muslim unity is impossible

Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan Changed View • Hindu population is in majority , they would dominate

after the Britishers have left.• The British Rule is advantageous for the growth and

welfare of the Muslim Community.• Educated Muslims should support the British so that

they are rewarded with government jobs and special favours.

Mis-interpretation of History

• Divided Indian history into two phases-– Hindu History : Hindu rule- Rana Pratap, Shivaji– Muslim History- Turks, Akbar, Aurangzeb.

• Failed to interpret to Composite culture.• Hindu culture was not developed in the Muslim

period, but Muslim literature and culture was developed.

• Communalism propagated through poetry, drama, novels and newspapers.

Assertive Nationalism

• Speech and Actions of the some the Assertives hurt the feelings of the Muslims.

• Propagation of the Shivaji and Ganpati festivals.• Aurobindo’s concept of India as Mother and

Nationalism as religion.• Dips in Ganga and barefoot march near the Ganga as

anti partition movement ( Bengal)

THE FORMATION OF MUSLIM LEAGUE

• Hindi Vs Urdu: Court language in Muslim dominated areas was Urdu, many hindu sections unhappy about this, so govt made the also included hindi as court language. This hurt the sentiments of Muslims.

• Congress became more popular than the MAO.• President of MAO Nawab Mohsin- ul- Mulk (after

the death of Sir Sayyed) raised the agitation for hindi – urdu controversy.

• Lt Governor of UP, Macdonnel very angry, asked Nawab to resign.

• Muslim decided to form political party.

• Muslims in East Bengal happy to have independent state and supported the Partition of Bengal.

• Lord Minto announced more representation to Indians in the Legislative council.

• Muslims decided to address the Viceroy. Content of their address was decided by Mr Archibald new principal of MAO.– Begin the address with pledging loyalty to British rule.– request for representation on basis of religion.

The Demands..

• 35 influential Muslims presented the address to Viceroy in Shimla on 1 Oct 1906.

• Representation to Muslim as per political importance and not numerical strength.

• Separate Electoral Constituencies.• Preference should be given to Muslims while filing

the nominations.• Reservation of seats for Muslims in State services.• State aid for Muslim universities.

• December 1906, all the emminent muslims met at Dacca and proposed to form a centrally orgainsed political party named – All India Muslim League.– President : Nawab Salimullah– Permanent President : Agha Khan.– Head Quarters : Aligarh– Central Office : Lucknow– Formed a party constitution in Karachi on December 1907– Held the first session in Amritsar on Decemeber 1908– Session Chairman : Syed Ali Imam

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• Support British government and earn a good rapport with them.

• protect and advance the political rights of the Muslims.

• Maintain peace between Muslims and other communities.

THE IMPACT….

• More importance to political representation than welfare of the muslim masses.

• Morley – Minto reforms formed the separate electorate for the muslims.

• Turko- Italian and Balkan War ( where British Massacred many muslims) hurt the feelings of the Indian Muslims and they criticized the British for such policies and launched the Khilfat Movement

• Annulment of the Partition of Bengal- detrimental for the Muslim

• Young member of the League disliked the loyalty to the British.

The rapprochment

• The Lucknow Pact- 1916– Congress and Muslim League came to an agreement– Congress accepted communal electorate.– in 1930 the League made a demand for a separate nationPAKISTAN.