Congress Rule
Outline:
•
Introduction
• Provincial elections of 1937 And their Results.
• Settlement Of Congress Ministries
• Dictatorship Of Congress Ministries
i) Communal Riots
ii) Bande Matram
iii) Wardha Scheme
iv) Hoisting Of Three Coloured Flag
v) Vidya-Mandir Scheme
vi) Mass Contact Movement
vii) Ban On Slaughter Of Cow
• Pirpur Report And Other Inquiries
• End Of Congress Rule
• Day Of Deliverance
• Impact Of Congress Rule On Muslims/Conclusion
Introduction:
The period of 27 months from July 1937 to October 1939, when the Congress ministries ruled eight out of eleven Indian provinces was crucial for the Hindu-Muslim relations and the future of the region. This policy of persecution was
“Far more analogous to the concurrent Nazi regime in Europe than to any form of democracy.” Birdhood.
Provincial elections of 1937 And their Results.
Under the Act of 1935, the elections were held in the provincial assemblies in 1937. There were total 1771 seats (1585 seats in the lower House and 186 in the Upper House) in the provincial assemblies. Out of the total 1585 eats, the Congress won 706 seats and in eleven provinces. On the whole, the Congress captured less than fifty per cent seats which refuted its claim to speak for all Indians, it also won 26 Muslim seats out 491 and Muslim League won only 106 seats.
Settlement Of Congress Ministries
Congress won clear majority in 5 provinces: Madras, C.P, U.P, Bihar and Orissa. Coalition government was formed in Bombay, Bengal and Punjab. Unionist party of Sir Sikandar Hayat made ministry in the Punjab. Congress tried to seek assurance from Governors not to interfere in the workings of the ministries who had powers or set aside the advice of the ministers. Congress refused to make coalition with the Muslim league by offering nearly impossible terms and conditions. Their demand was simple,
“abjure your party and forswear your policy and programme and liquidate the Muslim League.” I.H Qureshi:
“No political party with an iota of self-respect could possibly accept these demands.” I.H Qureshi.
Dictatorship Of Congress Ministries:
The Congress ministries in eight provinces lasted from July 1937 to October 1939. During this period, these ministries used all methods of dictatorship and acted under the Congress High Command to suppress and persecute the Muslims. For the Muslims and the minorities, the congress rule was nothing short of troubles and trials. The policies adopted by the Congress were as under:
i) Communal Riots:
organized attempts were made on the honour, properties and lives of the Muslims by indulging them in the communal and religious feuds. The Hindus got the licence to kill, dishonour and plunder the Muslims.
ii) Bande Matram:
it was a song which contained degrading verses against the Muslims and Islam. It was written by the Bengali novelist Bankim Chatterjee in his Book Anadamath. It was a cry and urge to purge the Muslims from Hindustan.
iii) Wardha Scheme:
It was an educational scheme of Gandhi authored by Zakir Hussain. It was bent upon injecting the ideas of congress in the minds of Muslim children. Even Sir Albion Banerjee called Gandhi a “dictator by proxy.”
iv) Hoisting Of Three Coloured Flag:
A three-coloured flag was hoisted with the Union Jack of the British to prove that there were only two powers in India—the British and the Congress.
v) Vidya-Mandir Scheme:
It was an educational policy which was bent upon converting the non-Hindus to Hinduism and erasing their separate cultural identity. It was compulsory to bow before Gandhi’s picture in school assemblies and sing hymns in his praise.
vi) Mass Contact Movement:
It was an attempt to win Muslims to the Congress and reduce vote bank of the League. The main tactic was to attract attention of the poor Muslim masses with economic issues.
vii) Ban On Slaughter Of Cow:
Ban on cow-slaughter, forbidding Azan, insistence of noisy procession before mosque during prayer times and attacks on the worshippers in the mosques was the order of the day. Village wells were denied to Muslims (The Muslims were considered as Maleech). Official intervention was always biased in favour of the Hindu.
viii) Pirpur Report And Other Inquiries:
As a result of dictatorial rule of Congress, on 28th March, 1938 the Council of the Muslim League appointed an eight-member committee under the presidentship of Raja Syed Muhammad to find the truth about the congress rule. The committee submitted its report on 5th November, 1938 which made the following revelations:
i) Congress ministries have failed to inspire confidence in the minorities.
ii) Congress leaders tried to purchase Muslim leaders, asked them to liquidate the Muslim League Parliamentary Board, disband the league parties and sign the Congress pledge.
iii) Congress supported rival Muslim organizations.
iv) Congress tried to destroy the Muslim solidarity.
A companion volume was Sharif Report (1939) which confined its inquiry to Bihar. Fazal-ul-Haq also made report on the same topic.
End Of The Congress Rule:
The British declared war against Germany in 1939 and appealed all political parties for help and assistance in such trying circumstances. Congress tried to take advantage of the situation to squeeze transfer of power from the British government. Congress, after submitting impossible set of demands, it resigned owing to their rejection.
Day Of Deliverance (22nd December 1939):
The poor Muslim population heaved a sigh of relief from the tyranny, oppression and high-handedness of the Congress rule. The Quaid asked the people to the Day of Deliverance on 22nd December, 1939. Public meetings were held and thanksgiving prayers were offered in token of relief from the tyranny, oppression and high-handedness of the Congress.
Impact Of The Congress Rule On Muslims/Conclusion:
Congress rule in eight provinces was, no doubt, a period of sufferings for the Muslims but as it proved subsequent atrocities of the Hindu dominated ministries brought unprecedented unity among the Muslims. It convinced the Muslims that Hindus were their sworn enemies and it would not be possible for both communities to live together in one country. This newly found reality strengthened the belief of the Muslims in the Two-Nation Theory which henceforth made the basis for the demand for a separate independent Muslim State.
Similarly, the Congress ministries’ dictatorship led to the unity of the Muslims under the banner of Jinnah-led All India Muslim League. During the months intervening between the resignation of Congress ministries and the passage of the Lahore Resolution in March, 1940, the popularity of Jinnah rocketed sky-high and he was given the title of Quaid-e-Azam. This conviction can also be supported by the fact that the great Muslim Leaders like Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, Sir Muhammad Saadullah and Maulvi Fazl-ul-Haq accepted the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam.