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Summary
Modern Indian History Class 29

Muslim League & Muslim politics (05:08 PM)

  • The Muslim population was 20% plus in the majority in Punjab and roughly 50% in Bengal, as per the census of 1872.
  • Contribution of the census to Muslim politics
  • This led to the politicization of the masses on the basis of Religion.
  • As it led to a consciousness of a homogeneous religious identity in an otherwise heterogeneous Muslim community plus the consciousness that Hindus and Muslims are two separate communities.
  • British publish reports on education employment and poverty religion-wise creating a sense of relative deprivation among Muslims.
  • Therefore census became a tool for dividing a rule.
  • There was low growth of western education among Muslims because:
  • Education was not free therefore where Muslims were poor, they could not afford it.
  • Ulemas and also elite Muslims wanted to preserve the Persian culture.
  • Where Muslims were rich landlords, there was the low utility of Middle-class professions given by western education.
  • Contribution of Appeasement
  • Hunter's book in 1871 argued that the neglect of Muslims by the British was a reason for the Fairaizi movement(the 1830s and 1870s).
  • Therefore British should favour Muslims in education, jobs, etc.
  • Muslim organizations of western educated Muslims also began demanding special status and supported the British to secure benefits for Muslims.
  • Sir Syed Ahmed khan(1817-18) Change of topic
  • A social reformer who supported widow remarriage, Female education, and opposed child marriage, triple talaq, Purdah, and polygamy.
  • However, argued that India is not a nation of one people but of Qaums and therefore Hindu Qaums are different from Muslim Quams.
  • Muslim Quams should have special status being the Quams that ruled India before the British.
  • And to achieve this western education is a must. 
  • He believed in the unity of Quams but they are different on basis of religion (Two nation theory foundation) 
  • Setup Mohammedan anglo oriental college(AMU) in 1875 with the goal of developing unity among the Muslim Quams and western education without giving up Islamic beliefs.
  • Also, set up Mohhamedan educational congress in 1886 as a rival to INC and believed INC is equal to Hindu organizations.
  • He also pleaded for Muslim appeasement.
  • British did appeasement of Muslims to counter rising Hindu nationalism in the 1870s plus.
  • Because of increased civilizational criticism post-1857.
  • In the 1890s cow protection movement and Shuddhi movement increased communal tensions Example 1893 cow killing riots.
  • which were not condemned by INC therefore post 1893 Muslim participation in INC dropped.
  • Hindi-Urdu controversy in Northwest provinces and Awadh-1880s-90s, led by Madan Mohan Malviya with the demand for official language status for Hindi like Urdu had.
  • Success in 1900 but now Hindi got associated with Hindu and Urdu with Muslims which was not the case originally.
  • 1897 -Reservation for Muslims in Government jobs.

Bengal partition(1905) (05:50 PM) Back to factors contributing to Muslim politics

  • The British created a Muslim majority province(MMP) of East Bengal and Assam
  • Therefore to appease the Elite Muslims.
  • Elite Muslims partnered with Ulemas who controlled Rural Muslims to ensure that they don't participate in the swadeshi movement.
  • Shimla deputation 1906
  • A delegation of elite Muslim leaders led by Agha Khan met viceroy Minto 0510 in Shimla and demanded:
  • Reservation is proportional to the population of Muslims in councils and in government jobs.
  • Also demanded separate electorates( That is only Muslims get the Right to Vote in seats reserved for Muslims(This is equal to the basis of partition in the future) as a product of two nation theory.
  • Hindus do not have any say in Muslim politics plus Muslim candidates will represent only Muslim interests as only they vote.
  • Also, they demanded to not annul partition plus argued that Muslims are a separate Quam and a minority, therefore, need special protection.
  • The above demanded were Minto 0510.

All India Muslim league ML1906 (06:00 PM) 

  • Set up to ensure pressure on the British so they don't go back on promises.
  • Was set up in Dacca plus had the goal of securing Muslim interests and loyalty to the British.
  • Constitution of ML 1906 by Mohsin ul Mulk of Aligarh movement.
  • 1907-09 Provincial ML was set up.
  • In 1908, the London branch of ML set up to lobby British parliamentarians and therefore secured benefits IN the Indian council Act 1909.(ICA1909)

Morley Minto Reforms/ICA 1909 (06:13 PM)

  • Reason:
  • Swadeshi movement that had a goal of swaraj(Indian council act 1892 didn't bring limited swaraj that was the goal of moderates)
  • The rise of extremist politics and revolutionary activities created pressure.
  • Features of ICA 1909:
  • The 1909 act brought Limited self-government(INC wanted this from the 1906 Calcutta session)
  • Proper Indirect election for the first time.
  • First-time Nonofficial majority in provincial legislative council (PLC) but not elected majority.
  • The official majority continued in the Imperial legislative council(ILC) (27 of 60 members in the ILC were to be indirectly elected)
  • The first-time separate electorate in ILC, PLCs, and also local bodies.
  • In ILC 8 of 27 indirectly elected members were to be Muslims.
  • Therefore got more than 20% of reservations.
  • For the first time, one Indian was in the Viceroy executive council ( VEC) ( Meaning Minister).
  • The right to vote is linked with income criteria and lower income criteria for Muslims.
  • Morley stated no intent of responsible government by ICA 1909.
  • Powers:
  • The government could disqualify any candidate considered politically dangerous( Stick to extremists and carrots to Moderates)
  • The executive is not responsible to the legislature and the powers of the viceroy continue.
  • Powers of the legislature:
  • Budget: Can vote on Individual items on the Budget but not on the whole budget (ICA 1892-Budget could be discussed the first time but no vote)
  • Question: Supplementary questions could be asked,(ICA 1892-Question first time but no counter-question)
  • Resolutions: Members could initiate and pass resolutions but not mandatory and only recommendatory for the government(ICA1892 Opposition could not bring a resolution and No voting on government resolution)
  • Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the Law minister.
  • Results: (1861,1892,1909,1935)
  • Was the most short-lived council reform and failed to satisfy any group. ( Separate electorates and reservation)
  • Laid foundation of partition was due to separate electorates.
  • ICA 1909 is equal to benevolent despotism. (Dictator but still a less harsh dictator)

Ghadar Movement (06:58 PM)

  • A chart was drawn explaining the topic with a flow chart.
  • Bagha Jatin Mukherjee died in a Gun battle after the British caught a consignment of arms smuggled from Germany.
  • As a result, the Britishers brought the defence of India act 1915, A kind of Emergency, and suppressed the Ghadar act.
  • Gave pride in Manhood, Boosted nationalism abroad and in India.
  • India lost a generation of deeply secular and patriotic Indians. 

Home Rule league 1916-18 (07:33 PM) 

  • Not led by INC BUT BY Tilak and Annie besant.
  • HRL did not involve methods of Passive resistance that is Non cooperation and Civil disobedience.
  • And were limited to doing educative propaganda.
  • For Home rule/swaraj within the British empire.
  • Background: When Tilak returned from Burma in 1914 he found the Indian National movement in a dull phase.
  • Revolutionaries and extremists were repressed and moderates were no more relevant.
  • Therefore Tilak wanted to revive INM, therefore followed the mild approach whereby wanted the reentry of extremists into INC and did not want the British to repress extremists.
  • Therefore declared that swaraj meant self-rule within the British empire and not overthrow of the British.
  • Also, that violence has hurt the Indian national movement's progress.
  • Also that all Indians should support the British war effort, plus that he is loyal to the crown.
  • 1914-Beasant, Head of the theosophical society based in Madras joined INC.
  • She was an Irish lady inspired by the Home rule movement of Ireland and wanted home rule in India.
  • Also, she campaigned within INC for the reentry of extremists.
  • 1915 Bombay session of INC, Here INC decided to allow the reentry of extremists as PM Mehta had died.
  • But INC did not agree to support the Home rule league.
  • Therefore Tilak and Beasant set up their separate league outside of INC.
  • April 1916 Tilak setup Indian HRL.
  • September 1916 Beasant set up the All India Home rule league.
  • Both the Home rule leagues cooperated but not one league to prevent conflict among each other's supporters. 
  • GOAL: Educated propaganda that is promoting the idea of Home rule/ swaraj.
  • Tilak also demanded education in vernaculars plus a linguistic reorganization of provinces of British India plus an end to untouchability.
  • Examples stated- If God tolerates untouchability then I won't recognize him as God.
  • Tilak argued that there needs to be self-room not because the British are Christians, But because the National interest of India and Britain are divergent.
  • Therefore less use of Hindu Nationalism in HRLM.In fact efforts of Tilak, Jinnah and Beasant led to the Lucknow pact in 1916 between INC and ML that created INC-ML unity.
  • Tilak and Beasnat promoted unity in villages.
  • 1917 Beasant arrested. This energized the movement and even moderates joined HRLs.
  • Also, S. Iyer gave up knighthood.
  • Result: Beasant was released and made INC president in the 1917 Calcutta session.
  • However, the Montagu statement of 1917 was deployed as a divide-and-rule tactic by the British.
  • A Passive resistance program suggested by extremists in the 1917 session was opposed by Moderates.
  • And finally, Beasant decided in favour of moderates therefore HRL became defunct educative propaganda couldn't be converted into a Mass Movement 
  • Negatives: By 1917-18 Government repressed HRLs plus in Madras lower caste didn't support All India HRL due to Brahmin leadership.
  • Also, extremists failed the second time to take over INC.
  • Positives: 60000 members joined HRL 
  • Brought Gujarat, Sindh, UP, Bihar, and south India into INA.
  • Prepared leadership for the future, For Example, Nehru joined the Beasant's league.
  • Created an organizational network for later youths in INM.
  • Permanently decreased influence of moderates in INM.
  • Secular methods helped Hindu-Muslim unity.

The topic for the next class: Lucknow pact of 1916