The
Muslims remained aloof from Congress as per advice of Sir
Syed.
Demand for Separate Electorate
Under the 1892 “Legislative Councils of India Act”,
a limited number of elected Indians were allowed to be
14
inducted through local governments, Universities; Chambers
of Commerce and Cultural Associations electorate. It
resulted in most of the elected members to those Legislative
Councils being Hindus. Even if a Muslim did get elected, he
had to cut a sorry figure! The Muslims opted to start a
movement to achieve “Separate Electorates” to cope up with
this situation. A situation arose during that period, which
clearly focused the attention of the Muslims on “SeparateElectorate” as a safeguard to their Rights and Interests. The
British Government partitioned provinces in 1905, A.D.
Assam was amalgamated with East-Bengal with a separate
Legislative Assembly and Board of Revenue. The division
of Bengal improved the percentage of the Muslims vis-à-vis
Hindu population in East Bengal. The Hindus launched a
violent agitation against this division in the whole of Bengal,
creating a law and order situation.It was in this backdrop of
anti Muslim Movements, especially the agitation against the
Partition of Bengal, that a deputation of Muslims met the
Viceroy, Lord Minto, in Simla, in October 1906, to plead for
the right of the Muslims to elect their own representatives
through “Separate Electorates” in all the Legislative
Councils.......read the extract from notes that i am having for pak studies.