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.

Lahore Resolution 1940

Outline:

• Lahore Resolution
• Text Of The Resolution
• Importance Of The Resolution
• Conclusion

Lahore Resolution-1940:

The Muslim nationalism reached its highest watermark on 23rd March, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League passed the historic Lahore Resolution in its 27th annual session held in Lahore (Minto Park).

On 21st March, 1940, the working committee of the Muslim League appointed a committee to draft the famous Lahore Resolution. On 22nd March, 1940, the committee submitted the resolution. Next day, on 23rd March, 1940, Fazl-ul-Haq, the premier of Bengal, moved the resolution which was seconded by Chaudary Khaliquzaman and supported by sir Zafar Ali Khan, Nawab Ismail Khan and others.

Text Of The Resolution:

The Lahore Resolution embodied the demand for a separate Muslim State in these words:

“No constitution plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principles, namely that the geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial readjustment as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are in majority as in the North Western and Eastern Zones of India should be grouped together in independent states in which the constitutional units shall be autonomous and sovereign. Adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights.”

Importance Of The Lahore Resolution:

The Lahore Resolution carries a great importance in the history of the Pakistan Movement because it marked a turning point in the Muslim attitude towards the future constitutional arrangements in the Sub-continent. The Muslims changed their demand from a federal system to a sovereign independent nation, Pakistan. Thus after the adoption of the resolution, Pakistan became a magic word for the Muslims throughout the light and breadth of country. This spirit was carried forward to the general elections of 1945-46, in which the Muslims gave their verdict clearly in the favour of Pakistan. According to I.H Qureshi:

“The passing of the Lahore Resolution was a historic event in retrospect.
At the time when it was passed its significance was not completely app-
-rehended by many observers. In I India, of-course, there was a
hue and cry among the Hindus……..In fact, it was the Hindu press
which dubbed the Lahore Resolution as a demand for Pakistan.”

Throwing the light on the implications of the Lahore Resolution, Dr. Waheed-uz-Zaman writes in his book entitled “Towards Pakistan.”

“The Lahore Resolution was inspired by mixed motives in
the minds of those who framed it but there can be no
reasonable doubt that it was presented as a practical
solution of the communal problem……The Resolution
was at once subjected to severe criticism by represent-
-tative Congressmen on various grounds.”

For his position and influence Mr. Gandhi’s criticism may be considered to be most important. One passage of the article published shortly after the adoption of the Lahore Resolution contained the gist of his comments:

“The Two-Nation Theory is an untruth. The vast
majority of Muslims of India are converts to
Islam or are descendants of converts. They
did not make a separate nation, as soon as
they become converts. The Bengali Muslim
speaks the same tongue that a Bengali Hindu
does, eat the same food and has the same
amusements as his Hindu neighbour.”

However, Quaid-e-Azam defended strongly the Lahore Resolution in the sense that it was the only solution of the communal problem. He said:

“The Hindus and the Muslims belong to two different
religious philosophies, social customs and literatures.
They neither intermarry nor interdine together, and
indeed they belong to two different civilizations, which
are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions.
…….. To yoke together two such different nations
Into a single state, one as a numerical minority and
other as a majority, must lead to the growing dis-
-content and final destruction of any fabric that be
may be so built up for government of such a state.”

Conclusion:

The Lahore Resolution set an independent Muslim State as the goal for the Muslims of the Sub-continent. Consequently, henceforth in the shape of Pakistan the Muslims had a clear target for their political struggle. This changed strategy worked wonders and the whole Muslim nation gathered under the banner of Muslim-League and within seven years succeeded in achieving an independent Muslim State on 14th August, 1947.

Cripps Mission Plan

Outline:

• Background
• Proposals Of The Cripps Mission Plan
• Critical Analysis/Were Proposals Favourable To The Muslims?


Background:

After rejecting the August Offer, the Congress started the Civil Disobedience Movement but it failed to achieve its objectives. The situation took a new turn on 11th March, 1942, when the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill announced that the British Government intended to send a mission to India with Draft Declaration aimed at resolving the constitutional deadlock. As a result, on 24th March 1942, a mission led by Sir Stafford Cripps, the Lord Privy Seal and the leader of the House of Commons arrived in India with a Draft Declaration which was published on 30th March, 1942.

Proposals Of The Plan:

The Declaration contained the following proposals:

• A new Indian Dominion was to be created which would be associated with the British Commonwealth.
• After the war, a constitution making body was to be set up to frame the constitution of the country.
• Any province was to be free to keep itself out of the proposed union. The non-acceding provinces would have their separate union.
• The Government of India Act 1935 will remain in force until the cessation of war.
• The recommendations would be implemented only if both Muslim League and Congress accepted the Plan.
• Britain and the constitution-making body were to enter into a treaty covering all matters arising out of the transfer of power.
• The recommendations are to be accepted or rejected as a whole and with no amendments.

Critical Analysis Of The Cripps Mission Plan:

Both Congress and Muslim League rejected the Cripps Mission Proposals. Congress, at that time, was not ready to accept anything less than the self-rule. Gandhi rejected it by calling it as “post-dated cheque on a failing bank.”

Muslim League also rejected it because at that time the movement for the establishment of Pakistan had gained momentum and nothing less than Pakistan was acceptable to the Muslims. But in one respect Cripps Plan was very important. It had seeds of Pakistan in its non-accession Clause. According to this clause any province or state could accept the federal constitution or reject it. so there was a wide scope for the autonomy of the Muslim majority areas. But though these proposals did not concede the concept separate Muslim State unequivocally.

v nice effort...and i consulted the same books .every thing is good at your part.but improvement is everywhere so keep on working like this.good luck

Salam. roshan i am following your notes from the begining no doubt they are very good. i came across some new points as well. you have added beautiful and relavent quotations which is good. now try to add some different approach like advantages and dis advantages of topic you choose. try to be a bit different then traditional approach the more you diff. the more you will get good marks. i said different not irrelevent.


keep it up and you will ROSHAN your result like your username. inshallah. regards sabahat

__________________
GEO to aise k sab tumhara ha,MARO to aisa jaise tmhara kuch bhi nhi.

Maza deti han zindagi ki thokerin unko,jinhen NAAM-E-KHUDA le kar sanbhal janey ki adat ho.

Good work dude ! Hats off to you ........but do not stop here and do post the remaining topics .........furthermore give a bit more relevant details on the topic.......especially the Impacts on the Pakistan movement ........and what role did these events played in creating awareness among the Muslims that they were a separate nation ..........these two things are missing in your notes ........Kindly add these details as well in your coming notes.......

__________________
*~The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance~*

thnx a lot liza


Walekum Salam Dear Syeda Sabahat

First of all thnx in tons for ur encouraging words and ur nice wishes for mewishing u 2 success in every work u do its nice of u dat u have followed notes from the beginning and has given me a nice suggestion for getting good marks...dear i whole heartedly welcome ur suggestion and will try to add sum different points to improve and make the notes more better.always waiting and welcuming ur suggestions, keep guiding me...thnkng once again God Bless U..Regards

thnx a lot dear for ur appreciation and useful suggestion ya i'll post all the topics that i prepared for pak affairs....welcuming ur suggestion i'll surely try to add sum relevant details and points mentioned by u..thnx

Good Notes Roshan, Keep it up. I really appreciate. However some points to clarify.

Quaid-e-Azam did not participated in the second round table conference so he did not 'answer'.



Well, the Muslims were unhappy on the award but did not refuse to accept it. Rather, they accepted it. In its annual session of 1933, the All India Muslim League passed a resolution that reads; "Though the decision falls far short of the Muslim demands, the Muslims have accepted it in the best interest of the country, reserving to themselves the right to press for the acceptance of all their demands."

__________________
Ahmad Shakeel Babar
.
"If you really want to achieve something the whole universe conspires for you to get your dream realized."

Cabinet Mission Plan:

Outline:

• Background
• Indian Situation Before Cabinet Mission Arrival
• Negotiations
• Three-tier Constitutional Plan
• Long-term And Short-term Plan
• Muslim Direct Course To Achieve Pakistan
• Establishment Of Interim Government
• Critical Analysis
a) Merits Of Cabinet Mission Plan
i) Democratic Principles
ii) Minority Protection
iii) All Indian Members
iv) Indirect acceptance of Idea Of Pakistan
b) Demerits Of The Plan
i) Other Minorities Were Ignored
ii) Unclear Position Regarding The Grouping Of Provinces
iii) Defective Method Of Drafting Constitution
• The Reaction Of The Political Parties

Background:

When Labour Party came in power in England in 1945, it ordered the holding of the elections in India. After that the Labour Government sent the famous Cabinet Mission to India in March, 1946. The Cabinet Mission consisted of the Lord Panthic Lawrence, the Secretary of State Of India, Sir Stafford Cripps, the President of Board of Trade and Mr. A.V Alexander. The Mission arrived on 24th March, 1946.

Condition Before The Arrival Of The Cabinet Mission:

When the Cabinet Mission came to India, the situation there was very tense. Both Hindus and Muslims were at daggers drawn against each other. Freedom was in sight but there was no clear indication about future of the sub-continent. Hindus wanted that the British should go at once giving Congress the reins of the government without dividing it or giving any part of it to the Muslims. On the other hand, Muslims wanted the establishment of Pakistan, according to the Resolution which they had passed on 23rd March 1940. They wanted the freedom from both the British and the Hindus. Quaid-e-Azam made it clear to the mission that in India there were two-nations not one nation, the Hindus and the Muslims. There is no way other than the partition of India.

Negotiations:

The Cabinet mission held negotiations with the political leaders of the country and arranged a joint Conference at Simla. The congress was represented by Abdul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Lal Nehru, Valabhai Patel and Ghaffar Khan. Muslim League was represented by Quaid-e-Azam, Liaquat Ali Khan, Nawab Ismail and Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar. Both the parties put their proposals. The fundamental issue at Conference was that whether there should be two independent states or one state. There was a deadlock as neither party accepted the proposals of the other. They could not
come to mutual understanding. As a result, the mission had to give its own formula.

Three-tier Constitutional Plan:

On May, 1946, the Cabinet Mission and Viceroy published a statement containing their own plan of the constitutional problem. The focal point in the plan was the preservation of a single federal system for India. On administrative, economic and military basis, they rejected the proposal of two independent sovereign states. The Mission was, however, of the opinion that Muslim culture might submerge in purely unitary India dominated by Hindus.
These considerations led them to formulate a three-tier constitutional plan, which was as under:
i) First, there should be union of India embracing both British India and Indian States which should deal with the subjects of Communication, Defence and Foreign Affairs and have power to raise finance required for the subjects.
ii) There should be three groups of provinces.
Group A, consisting of six Hindu majority provinces; Bombay, Madras, United provinces, Central provinces and Bihar.
Group B, consisting of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan.
Group C, Bengal and Assam.
iii) Third, all the provinces and States should be the basic unit. All the subjects other than union subjects and all the residuary powers should be vested in provinces; States would retain all the subjects and powers other than those ceded to them.
The Mission also proposed of setting up of an interim central Government in which all the portfolios should be held by the Indian nationals.

Long-Term And Short-Term Plan:

The plan consisted of two parts; a long-term plan and a short-term plan. The long-term plan was concerned with a constitutional making body and short-term with interim government.
The Viceroy also announced the importance of the plan, that if any party did not accept the plan, other would be allowed to make an interim government. Muslim League pondered over the plan and after great consideration, it decided to accept the plan even if it was not devoid of shortcomings. On the other hand, Congress immediately rejected the plan and decided to accept the plan and decided to accept it partially.
According to its promise, Viceroy was obliged to call the Muslim leaders to form an interim government along with any other party. But the Viceroy went back on his words and said that there was no question of interim government without participation of Congress. Everyone condemned this partial attitude of the Viceroy.

Muslim’s Direct Course To Achieve Pakistan:

Muslim League passed two resolutions on July 27, 1946. First resolution was concerned with the partial attitude of the Viceroy and the second explained Muslim League’s direct course to achieve Pakistan. Muslim League decided to denounce all the titles given by the British government and drew back from the acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan.

Establishment Of The Interim Government:

Muslim League celebrated the day of direct course on Aug 16, 1946. Strikes, demonstrations and meeting were held all over the country to protest against the partial attitude of the Viceroy. Consequently Hindu-Muslim riots stated. Congress met the Viceroy and asked him to allow for making of interim government. Viceroy said that it would be better to include Muslim League in the interim government. As a result, talks between Nehru and Quad-e-Azam became successful and interim government was formed.

Critical Analysis:

a) Merits Of The Plan:

• Democratic Principles:

Its greatest merit was that the Constituent Assembly was to be constituted on the democratic principles of population strength. The principle of weightage was discarded at all.

• Minority Protection:

The democratic method of decision of issues by simple majority in the case of communal issues. However, safeguards were provided for minorities.

• All Indian Members:

The scheme required that all members of the constituent assembly were to be Indians. Neither the British Government nor the non-official Europeans in India were to be given representation in the constituent assembly.

• Recognition Of Pakistan:

Though the idea of Pakistan was discarded by the Cabinet Mission but in the division of the provinces we find the clear demarcation of Muslim and Hindu majority areas. This indirectly concede the idea of separate state for the Muslims of India.

b) Demerits Of The Plan:

• Other Minorities Were Ignored

Although the rights of the Muslims were protected, it was not done with regard to other minorities such as Sikhs in the Punjab.

• Unclear Position Regarding The Grouping Of Provinces:

The proposals of the Cabinet Mission with regard to the grouping of the provinces were not clear. Both the Congress and the Muslim League interpreted the provisions differently. The Muslims regarded the compulsory grouping of the provinces as one of the cornerstones of the Cabinet Mission proposals and were not prepared to come to a compromise on that question. The Congress stand was that the making of groups was optional for the matter of fact, and they were to join the groups or not join the groups at all. However, the British Government gave its verdict in favour of compulsory grouping of the provinces.

• Defective Method Of Drafting Constitutions:

Another defect of the scheme was the order in which the union and the sectional assemblies were to meet and work and draft their constitutions. It looked ridiculous first to form the constitution of the provinces and then to frame the constitution of the union. It was like putting the cart before the horse.

The Reaction Of The Political Parties:

The Cabinet Mission plan met different reactions by the political parties of the sub-continent. The Congress Working Committee rejected it and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the British; Gandhi regarded this plan as “an apple and an advice”.

The Muslim League Council also weighed its pros and cons for three days and finally for the greater benefit of the Muslims, it gave its acceptance to both term and short term plan.

The Sikhs rejected the scheme completely on the ground that compulsory grouping was suicidal to their interests.

The Third June Plan:

Outline:

• Background
• Approval Of The 3rd June Plan
• Main Features Of The 3rd June Plan
• Implementation Of The Plan

Background:

Lord Mountbatten had been appointed as the last Viceroy of India who was to replace Lord Wavell. He arrived in India on 22nd March, 1947. He came charged with the task to make a peaceful transfer of power from British to Indian hands by June, 1948.

Approval Of The 3rd June Plan:

Lord Mountbatten soon began negotiation with the political leaders of India. After prolonged talks, Mountbatten worked out a partition plan by middle of April, 1947. Then on 2nd May 1947, he sent that plan to England for approval. The British Government approved the plan with certain amendments and sent it back to India on 10th May, 1947. This draft was not accepted by Nehru and other Congress leaders. Thus at the request of the Viceroy, Nehru and Memon prepared a revised partition plan which suited their interests. Mountbatten took that plan to England and at the threat of his resignation got it approved by the British Cabinet. He returned back to India on 31st May, 1947. The partition plan was made public on 3rd June, 1947 and is known as 3rd June Plan.

Main Features Of The 3rd June Plan:

Following were the main features of the plan.
i) The legislatures of Punjab and Bengal shall decide that whether the provinces should be divided or not.
ii) The Indian people shall make the constitution of India. This constitution shall not be applicable to those areas whose people reject it.
iii) Referendum shall be held in NWFP.
iv) The province of Baluchistan shall adopt a proper way to decide its future.
v) States shall be free and independent to join one or the other country. Both countries shall have their own Governor-General who will be the Executive Head of their respective countries.
vi) A boundary commission shall be set up to demarcate the boundaries of the two countries.
vii) Military assets shall be divided between the two countries after the partition.

Implementation Of The 3rd June Plan:

The 3rd June Plan was implemented as under.
i) Punjab Province:

The Legislative Assembly of Punjab decided by 91 to 27 votes to join the new constituent assembly. Thus, the Punjab province was partitioned and the West Punjab joined the new assembly.

ii) Bengal Province:

Bengal province decided by 106 to91 votes to join new constitutional assembly and the East Bengal joined Pakistan.

iii) Sindh Province:

Sindh Legislative Assembly decided by 30 to 20 votes in favour of Pakistan.

iv) NWFP Province:

In NWFP, a referendum was held, in which 2, 89, 24 votes were cast in favour of Pakistan and 2, 874 against Pakistan.

v) Baluchistan Province:

In Baluchistan, the members of Shahi Jirga and the Municipality of Quetta decided in favour of new constituent assembly.