Self Analysis of nationalism of Indian Muslims during

events between 1857 to 1947

 1857 queen Victoria proclaimed as empress of India:

As a visual demonstration of British imperial rule, the Delhi Durbar was convened three
times in the old Mughal capital of Delhi, first in 1877 and then again in 1903 and 1911.
In 1857 queen Victoria proclaimed as empress of India, at that time Indian Muslim
thoughts that both Hindus and Muslim should struggle for a common cause and that
cause was how to get rid off from British raaj.
The Royal Titles Bill was brought before Parliament in 1876. It faced opposition from
Liberals who feared that the title was synonymous with absolutism. Queen Victoria
opened Parliament in person, the first time since the death of Prince Albert, to announce
the change in royal title. Celebrations were held in Delhi, in what is known as the Delhi
Durbar, on 1 January 1877, led by the Viceroy, Lord Lytton.
The nationalism of Indian Muslim was not directly affected by the decision of queen
Victoria proclaimed as empress of India because at that that time Muslims were trying to
take freedom from British raj instead of from Hindus.
 The revolt of 1857:

The revolet of 1857 is often called the First War of Independence and other similar
names were the base of nationalism in Indian Muslim. It was the time when both Hindus
and Muslim were fought with unity against the British.
Indian nationalism is thus indeed the result of, rather than the reason for, the Revolt of
1857. The present historical analysis has brought out how growing awareness of
‘people’s power’ could, after 1857, become an incubator for a new sense of nationalism,
‘the sense among a large part of the population that national identity is as important as
regional or sectional distinctions’ (Taylor, 1993: 246). The summer of 1857 saw violence
and brutality, perpetrated both by the Indians and the Britons, on an unprecedented scale.
Never before in the history of British rule in India was there violence at such ghastly
level. The Muslim of Indian state have come into knew that British will never been the
favour of both Hindus and Muslims.
 1858 Mutiny against the British:

The ideal of an Islamic state is an essential part of Muslim religious aspiration. It is

unlikely that Muslims saw the events of 1857 as a struggle for national independence, but
many were influenced by the old ideal of a Muslim theocracy and a return to the heyday
of the Mughal Empire. The Uprising was certainly more than implied by the English term
'mutiny', and many who later fought for the birth of Pakistan were inspired by the events
of 1857.53 By the time of Partition in 1947, a very large number of Muslims in British
India felt themselves to be part of a special community. All the reform movements that
were formed in the previous hundred years contributed to the substantial religious self-
consciousness of the period, demonstrating and encouraging as they did the growing
awareness that the Muslims of British India were all linked together by the practice of
their faith. The financial crisis caused by the mutiny led to a reorganization of the Indian
administration’s finances on a modern basis. The Indian army was also extensively
reorganized. The nationalism in the Indian Muslims enhanced due to this Mutiny because
of violence at such ghastly level.
 1858 Government of India Act 1858:

The Act of 1858 was, however, largely confined to the improvement of the administrative
machinery by which the Indian Government was to be supervised and controlled in
England. It did not alter in any substantial way the system of government that prevailed
in India.’ After 1858, the interests of India were further subordinated to those of Britain.
Due to the conflicts of Britain with the other imperialist powers, India was made to serve
the British economic interests. Indian resources were also utilized to serve the interests of
 the British Empire in other parts of the world and in costly wars against other countries.
According to this Act the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs was given extensive
powers. He was not answerable to anyone. He could do whatever he wants to do. Neither
Parliament nor Indian Council could bind him for taking any action; both of these
institutions were not given the power to put limits on his extensive powers. Moreover the
promises that were made by Queen Victoria were never fulfilled by her. The Indian
people were not given their due rights that were promised to them under this Act.
Hence a new wave of nationalism brought out in Indian Muslim which forced them to
think about their rights.
 1883 Indian national congress formed by A.O. Hume:

Nationalism emerged in 19th-century British India both in emulation of and as a reaction

against the consolidation of British rule and the spread of Western civilization. There
were, moreover, two turbulent national mainstreams flowing beneath the deceptively
placid official surface of British administration: the larger, headed by the Indian National
Congress, which led eventually to the birth of India, and the smaller Muslim one, which
acquired its organizational skeleton with the founding of the Muslim League in 1906 and
led to the creation of Pakistan.
Congress on the other hand started to become more and more prejudiced against the
Muslims. Hindus, being in majority in the party started using it to achieve their own ends.
The Congress during all her life in united India kept claiming that it represented all the
communities living in India no matter what their faiths were. But the reality was quite the
opposite. During the last decade of the 19th century Congress and its policies became
excessively biased and violent toward the Muslims. Extremist Hindus like Tilak, Medan
Mohan Malvia, Rash Behari Ghosh and Banerjee became its major leaders who
practically took arms against the Muslims, their faith and practices. Their violent protests
against cow slaughter and division of Bengal are living proofs of Congress’s pro-Hindu
approach.
Due to all These all facts, the Muslim of Indian state came into know that congress is
only for Hindus not in favour of Muslim, so a wave of Nationalism was created in
Indian Muslim which force them to think that a new party is needed to protect the
Muslim rights.
 1905 the province of Bengal partitioned:

The decision of the Partition of Bengal and creation of a new province by the British Gov
ernment,created a new sensation both in political and social history of Bengal and the Ind
ian Sub-continent. 
The event also brought out an unprecedented awakening in the Muslim
education of East Bengal. However, there was a mixed reaction in the two major
communities of Bengal viz. Hindus and Muslims after the partition of Bengal.  The
Muslims, the majorit community of this part, welcomed the decision; on the other hand,
the educationally moredeveloped Hindu community rejected it. To them, the partition of 
Bengal was done merely to weaken the Indian nationalistic movement. But the so long
disregarded Muslim society of Eastern Bengal felt rather much encouraged and regarded
it as a correct step in the development of their own society.
The difference and disagreement on this issue caused collision between these two
communities. Alongside, it gave birth to political unrest in the form of terrorist and allied 
movement of 'Swadeshi'. In the face of terrorist agitation, the British Government was
compelled to announce its annulment in 1911.  But despite so many negative reactions,
the positive influence of the Partition of Bengal in the educational arena of East Bengal
was unprecedented and surprising in the contemporary social history of Bengal.
Especially at that time, extension in the education sector, which was recorded in the
Muslim majority Eastern Bengal, was quickest ever at any period of British India. So
Partition of Bengal deserves a special study in the history of Bengali Muslims and the spr
ead of education.
 1906 formation of All India Muslim League:

Due to the fact that the congress party is only representative of Hindus in sub-conyinent,
the nationalism in Muslim of Indian state was affected by different unlawful activities of
 congress against Muslim community. So the need of a new party is created in Muslims of
India.
The All-India Muslim League was one of the more remarkable parties of the colonial
period. Indeed, in its history and achievement it compares well not only with its sparring
partner, the Indian National Congress, but also with the Chinese Communist Party. It was
founded in the early twentieth century by descendants of the former Mughal service elite,
who had realised that they must come to terms both with British rule and with Western
learning.
There come into being a political body which was to play a decisive role in the destiny of
the Muslim peoples of the Indian sub-continent. The day the Muslim delegation won
recognition of the demand of separate electorate, the course of the Muslim freedom
struggle was charted. It was the beginning of the growth of Muslim national
consciousness. It farmed visible institutional expression in the form of Muslim League
which after a forty (40) years struggle was to achieve for the Muslims the culmination of
their national aspiration, Muslim League became a mass movement of the Muslims and
succeeded in achieving Pakistan in 1974. Actually the new breed of leadership like
Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was instrumental in its metamorphosis.
After the acceptance of the demand of separate representation in the Minto Morely
reforms, it was common sense to have political party to fight elections for Muslim
representation. Whatever may have been the effects of Muslim league, but it made clear
that the interests of Muslims must be regarded completely separate from those of the
Hindus. Any fusion of both the communities in future was not possible. It steered the ship
of Muslim destiny safely through of Political chaos and turmoil to the safer harbour of
Pakistan.

  1909 the Morley-Minto reforms:

The Nationalism of Indian Muslim was also influenced by the Morley-Minto reforms.
Because the Indian national Congress opposed Morley Minto Reforms due to a
number of reasons. One of the most important reasons was the separate electorate
system. Lord Minto had accepted the Muslim’s demand for separate electorate
system. But Congress claimed that it was undemocratic, and in democracy majority
should be the authority. The importance of Morley Minto reforms is revealed by the
fact that it had granted the separate electorates to the Indian Muslims.
Thus, Lord Minto rendered great service to the Muslims of India. It was also important
because of the introduction of Morley Minto reforms both Indian National Congress
and Muslim League became close to each other and became ready to work under
these reforms, as it was only a very short step towards greater self rule.
The Indian Muslims could determine their destiny by the introduction of the act. Lord
Minto encouraged Muslims by fulfilling their demand. This encouragement resulted
in the establishment of all India Muslim League, which struggled for the independence
of a separate homeland for Indian Muslims in the subcontinent.
 1911 the reversal of the partition of Bengal:

The partition of Bengal created a Muslim-majority province, the East Bengal. The elite
Hindus of West Bengal, who were collecting taxes from Muslim peasants in east Bengal,
would now lose their influence in the new province. They, therefore, rejected the decision
and launched a series of violent protests and demonstrations against the partition. The
tide of anger rapidly spread to other parts of India.
Muslim nationalism was encouraged by the partition of Bengal but the reaction was so
strong that it gave birth to the development of extremism. A number of small extremist
groups came into existence that launched attacks on the British officials. They succeeded
in killing a few ones. Lord Minto, the future viceroy, escaped an assassination attempt.
Many extremists were imprisoned for long time, but the situation was alarming to the
British. Finally, they had to bow down before the Hindu agitation and thus revoked the
Bengal partition.

 1914 the first world war starts:

 As many as 400,000 Muslims made up one-third of the Indian Army of 1.3 million, along
with 100,000 Sikhs, and up to 800,000 Hindu soldiers. Yet when asked to estimate how
many Muslims fought on the British side in 1914, only 2% of those surveyed by British
Future correctly placed the number at between 250,000 and 500,000. Serving Muslim
soldiers are among those in attendance at the Living Islam festival as the army seeks to
improve ties with Muslim communities.
On November 1, 1914, Turkey joined war against the Allied powers. It was the beginning
of hard and tender time to examine the patience and fortitude of the Indian Muslims
owing to Turkey alignment with Germany. This again put the Muslims of India in a
substantial awkward position they had to support British against Turkey, a Muslim’s
central power holding the institution of Caliphate.
The world war first badly damaged the Muslim nationalism in India because the Indian
Muslims wanted a great Turkey but at the same time they were also devoted to the British
Government. Hence, they did not know what to do as they could not give up their loyalty
towards the British Government and the only thing to do was to feel in low spirits.
 1916 the Lucknow pact between congress and Muslim league:

The Lucknow pact between congress and Muslim league revealed the common
Nationalism both Hindus and Muslim of India because this pact shows the unity between
both religious communities.
This unity went against the British Government policy in India that was based on the
notion to divide and rule. Both communities signed a pact of unity and agreed on
combined struggle for the self rule of India. Muslim solidarity and the Hindu-Muslim
alliance may have been more emotional than concrete, the phase of Hindu-Muslim unity
short lived and ended in 1922.
 1919 Montague Chelmsford reforms:

Minto-Morley reforms, introduced in 1909, proved unsatisfactory for Indian people.

Resultantly, Indians demanded more representation and called for greater self-
government. This could not be achieved without a formal rapprochement between
Congress and Muslim League. The Lucknow Pact of 1916 removed the sole hurdle in the
attainment of self rule by which both, Congress and Muslim League set aside their
mutual differences and showed considerable accommodation to each other’s’ claims.
The Montague Chelmsford reforms in 1919 once again explored and enhaced the
Nationalism in Indian Muslim.
 1919 Rowlett act:

The British government passed the infamous Rowlatt Act which gave enormous powers
to the police to arrest any person without any reason whatsoever. The purpose of the Act
was to curb the growing nationalist upsurge in the country. Gandhi called upon the
people to do Satyagraha against such oppressive "Act". Indian Constitutional Act of 1919
was passed to satisfy Indian people. On the contrary, Indian people opposed it because
the Act went against Congress-League pact thus resulting in the Hindu opposition.
Muslims partly accepted the Montague-Chelmsford reforms with certain reservations and
demands regarding the safety of Muslim states. Gandhi categorically rejected this scheme
and congress denounced it as inadequate, unsatisfactory and disappointing. Besides these
problems, the events like Rowlatt act, the Jallianwal Bagh tragedy and Khilafat
movement further aggravated the situation and doomed the reforms to failure. Thus, there
erupted violent communal riots and anti-British agitations become frequent creating a
disdain for British rule and Montague Chelmsford also failed as the two vanguard parties
rejected its reforms and considered them to be unsatisfactory. The only point of the
reforms appreciated by the Indian was that after ten years, a commission was to assess the
reforms and to bring further improvement in them.
 1919 Amritsar massacre:

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13

April 1919, when Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops of the British
Indian Army to fire their rifles into a crowd of unarmed Indian civilians in Jallianwala
Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab, killing at least 379 people and injuring over 1,000 other people.
 Its significance, however, was enormous. Not only did it shape new forms of colonial
racism, giving rise to tropes of natives as evil terrorists, but because Hindus and Muslims
had jointly fought the British, it created a long-lasting fear of Hindu-Muslim unity. The
war shaped the key methods of control for the rest of British control – divide and rule on
the one hand, brutal violence sanctioned by draconian laws on the other.
 1919 khilafat movement:

The Khilafat movement was a very important in context of peak of nationalism in Indian
Muslims. The Muslims of India had a great regard for the Khilafat (Caliphate) which was
held by the Ottoman Empire. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joined
the war in favour of Germany. But Turkey and Germany lost the war and a pact
commonly known as Istanbul Accord was concluded between the Allied Forces on
3rd November 1918. According to this Pact the territories of Turkey were to be divided
among France, Greece and Britain.
A wave of anger swept across the Muslin World and the Indian Muslims rose against the
British Government. Muslim leaders like Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Moulana
Muhammad Ali Johar, Moulana Shoukat Ali and others reacted against the British
Government policy and were put behind the bars.
 Thus, Muslims organized a mass movement, which came to be known as Khilafat
Movement. The aims of this movement were
(a) To protect the Holy place of Turkey
(b) To restore the Territories of Turkey
(c) To restore the Ottoman Empire.
After the unsuccessful visit to England the leaders of Khilafat Movement realized the fact
that British were not in the mood to help them. Therefore, they realized that a new
strategy needed to be adopted in order to reinvigorate the zest and zeal for freedom
among a general populace. With this aim they decided to launch a movement of Non Co-
operation. When the leaders of Khilafat movement announced the Non Co-operation
Movement, the Congress extended its full support to the Khilafat Movement. 
 1927 Simon commission:

All the members of Simon commission were British; even they did not include a single
Indian member. Indian leaders make them to realize that to examine the problems and
felling of Indian nation they should appoint Indian member in commission so, they can
solve the problems of Indian people because without this they cannot take any decision
for the future of Indian.
Unfortunately, at that time Muslim league was decided into two groups Shafi league and
Jinnah league. The confusion amongst them was temporary but during this period
Muslim clearly gets to know the intentions of Hindus. Because of this contradiction
ideology Sir Shafi supported commission. The reason which he explained to support the
commission was that by opposing the commission Hindus will get more chances on
government level. According to his idea the congress was Hindu party and every step of
Hindus on politics will be against Muslims, If Hindus were opposing the commission it
does not mean that they want to cooperate with Muslims. It was just because that they
want to press government to fulfill their demands.
The Commission never stopped his work although people were opposing it. And at last
on April, 1929 after the tour of India they went back and finally presented their report.
The report was not acceptable for Muslims, Hindus and also for the elected members of
the Indian legislative assembly.
Hence Simon commission played a neutral effect on Muslim nationalism.
 1928 Nehru report:

In December 1927, at its Madras session, the Indian National Congress took two major
decisions in response to the setting up the Simon Commission: first, it decided to not
cooperate with the Commission; second, it set up an All Parties Conference to draft a
Constitution for India.
 Muslim League leaders rejected the Nehru proposals. In reaction Mohammad Ali
Jinnah drafted his Fourteen Points in 1929 which became the core demands the Muslim
community put forward as the price of their participating in an independent united India.
According to Mohammad Ali Jinnah, “The Committee has adopted a narrow minded
policy to ruin the political future of the Muslims. I regret to declare that the report is
extremely ambiguous and does not deserve to be implemented.”
Due to Nehru report the Muslims of Indian states were clearly understood the brutality of
Hindus against Muslim. The Muslim Nationalism was directly influenced by Nehru
report and in reaction Mohammad Ali Jinnah drafted his Fourteen Points in 1929.
 1929 Jinnah’s fourteen point:

The Muslim Nationalism was directly influenced by Nehru report and in

reaction Mohammad Ali Jinnah drafted his Fourteen Points in 1929 which became the
core demands the Muslim community put forward as the price of their participating in an
independent united India.
The issue of communal representation was controversial. In December 1927, many
Muslim leaders met Motilal Nehru at Delhi and suggested a few proposals. These were
accepted by Congress at its Madras session called as ‘Delhi Proposals’. Since these
demands of Jinnah were not met, he gave the ‘Fourteen Points’ in March 1929, which
served as the basis of all future agenda of the League. League leaders rejected the Nehru
proposals.
Muslim League made it clear that no constitutional solution will be acceptable to them
unless and until it en cooperates the fourteen points.
 1930, 31, 32 (first, second and third) round table conference:

All the three 1930, 31, 32 (first, second and third) round table conferences have a great
impact on nationalism of Indian Muslims. we can say that the three Round Table
Conferences did not gain success because of the absence of the Congress, the Hindu
representative and the second Conference remained fail because of the presence of the
Congress which even enhanced the level of hostility between the Hindu and the Muslims
and the communal award proved even final blow to the relations of the two communities
of Indian subcontinent.
As result of these conferences British Government issued a White Paper based on the
recommendations which were handed over to Select Committee. On July 4, 1935 a new
constitution of India came into being which was approved by both of the Houses of the
Parliament.
 1935 government of India act:

The Act of 1935 also has a impact of nationalism on Indian Muslim because, the Act of
1935 failed to win appreciation from various sectors. Both the Muslim League and the
Indian National Congress expressed their dissatisfaction over the Act. Hindu leader
Madam Mohan greatly criticized this Act and Pandat Jawahar Lal Nehru said on the
emergency rights of Governor-General and Governors that this Act provided that this Act
was like a machine that had strong brakes and no engine. Muslim leader Muhammad Ali
Jinnah said this scheme thoroughly rotten fundamentally bad and totally unacceptable.
 1939 second world war and resignation of congress:

Though the Second World War brought advantages to the rural population, it also
brought considerable hardship in the shape of inflation and growing shortages of
consumer goods. Cloth, iron, cement, sugar, and kerosene all became virtually
unobtainable, and the increased redemption of mortgaged lands reflected as much the
shortage of these goods as the new agricultural prosperity.
As the war progressed, inflation wiped out the profits from the increase in price of such
crops as wheat, maize, gram, and bajra. The Muslim League's strategy became even more
effective from the summer of 1945 onwards, when large numbers of demobilized soldiers
began to return to the Punjab only to face massive unemployment. Even by the end of
1946, less than 20 per cent of the ex-servicemen registered with employment exchanges
had found work. The speedy end of the war in Asia had taken the Unionist government
 by surprise, so that its plans to ease the situation of post-war unemployment by resettling
servicemen on land in the canal colonies were not yet completed.
The Muslim League gained great popularity in the major recruiting areas of Rawalpindi
and Jhelum by providing work for the ex-servicemen in its organization and by setting up
committees to look into their problems.
Hence the Second World War played a neutral effect on Muslim nationalism.

 1940 Pakistan resolution:

The resolution of 1940 is a backbone of nationalism in Indian Muslims because the

Muslims realized that they would become a permanent minority in a democratic system
and it would never be possible for them to protect their fundamental rights. They only
constituted one fourth of the total Indian population and were much lesser in number than
the majority Hindu community.
In order to protect their political, social and religious rights they first demanded for
separate electorates. However, due to the political developments that took place in the
country they realized that even the right of separate electorates would not be enough and
they had to search for some other long term solution. Muhammad Iqbal, the poet
philosopher in his famous Allahbad address made it clear that Islam has its own social
and economic system and in order to implement it a political entity was required.
Though Jinnah was convinced by late 1930s, but being a realist he was not ready to
announce the new plan until he was confident that the vast majority of the Muslims were
behind him. Overwhelming support from the Muslim masses for his call to celebrate Day
of Deliverance on December 22, 1939 was actually a vote of confidence given by the
Muslim Community in the leadership of Jinnah, whom they by then had started
considering as their Quaid-i-Azam.
 1942 Quit India Movement of 1942:

The ‘Quit India’ movement, more than anything, has a grat impact on Muslim
nationalism because the movement united the Indian people against British rule.
Although most demonstrations had been suppressed by 1944, upon his release in 1944
Gandhi continued his resistance and went on a 21-day fast. By the end of the Second
World War, Britain’s place in the world had changed dramatically and the demand for
independence could no longer be ignored.
So the Muslims of Indian state were also unite and demanded a separate state which is
called “Muslim territory state” Pakistan.
 1947 Indian Independence Act of 1947:

The Indian Independence Act was passed in 1947. The act created two new independent
dominions; India and Pakistan. Pakistan was split into Pakistan and East Pakistan which
is now Bangladesh. The Bengal and Punjab provinces were partitioned between the two
new countries. These dominions separated the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh population and
caused the biggest forced migration which has ever happened that was not the result of
war or famine. The Act repealed the use of ‘Emperor of India’ as a title for the British
Crown and ended all existing treaties with the princely states. Lord Mountbatten
continued as Governor-General and Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed India’s first Prime
Minister, Muhammad Ali Jinnah became Pakistan’s Governor-General and Liaquat Ali
Khan its Prime Minster. The 15th August 1947 has since become celebrated as India’ and
Pakistan’s Independence Day.
This separation of sub-continent into India and Pakistan has a great proof of Muslim
nationalism movement as from 1857 to 1947.

THE END