Lucknow Pact 1916

DEPARTMENT OF PAKISTAN STUDIES,

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES,
SHAH ABDUL LATIF UNIVERSITY,
KHAIRPUR,

SINDH, PAKISTAN

Assignment
Submitted To:

Madam: Afroz Kalhoro

Subject: Independence movement and creation of
Pakistan(1857-1947

Submitted By:
Sajjad Ali pahore
Roll No: BS-PS-0120-067
1st Year, 1st Semester
Introduction
 The Lucknow Pact was an agreement reached between the Indian National
Congress and the Muslim League at a joint session of both the parties held
in Lucknow in December 1916. Through the pact, the two parties agreed to allow
representation to religious minorities in the provincial legislatures. The Muslim
League leaders agreed to join the Congress movement demanding Indian
autonomy. Scholars cite this as an example of a consociational practice in Indian
politics. Mahajan[who?]led the Congress while framing the deal, and A.K. Fazlul
Haq (who was part of both Congress and the Muslim League in 1916)
and Mahatma Gandhi also participated in this event.

Background

The British had announced under immense pressure from Indians, in order to
satisfy the Indians, that they will be considering a series of proposals that would
lead to at least half of the members of the Executive Council being elected and the
Legislative Council having a majority of elected members needed. Both the
Congress and the Muslim League supported these. Both had realized that for
further concessions to be gained, greater cooperation was required.

Agreements by the Congress

The Congress agreed to separate electorates for Muslims in electing
representatives to the Imperial and Provincial Legislative Councils. Although the
Muslims were given this right in the Indian Council Act of 1909, the Indian National
Congress opposed it. The Congress also agreed to the idea of one-third seats for
the Muslims in the Councils despite the fact that the Muslim population represented
less than a third. Apart from that, the Congress agreed that no act affecting a
community should be passed unless three-quarters of that community's members
on the council supported it. After the signing of this pact the rivalry between
moderates and extremists was reduced to some extent. There was a significant
change in their relation.

Demands presented to the British

Both parties presented some common demands to the British. They demanded:

➢ The number of elected seats on the councils should be increased.

➢ Laws/Motions which were passed by large majorities in the councils should
be accepted as bindings by the British Government.
➢ Minorities in the provinces should be protected.
➢ All provinces should be granted autonomy
➢ Separating the executive from the judiciary
 ➢ At least half of the members of the Executive Council being elected, the
Legislative council having a majority of elected members

Importance
The Lucknow Pact was seen as a beacon of hope to Hindu -Muslim unity. It was
the fourth time that the Hindus and Muslims had made a joint demand for political
reform to the British. It led to a growing belief in British India that Home Rule (self-
government) was a real possibility. The pact also marked the high-water mark of
Hindu-Muslim unity. It established cordial relations between the Muslim League and
the Indian National Congress. Before the pact, both parties were viewed as rivals
who opposed each other and worked in their own interests. However, the pact
brought a change in that view.The Lucknow Pact also helped in establishing cordial
relations between the two prominent groups within the Indian National Congress –
the extremist faction led by the lal bal pal trio (Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar
Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal), and the 'moderate' faction led by Gopal Krishna
Gokhale until his death in 1915 and later represented by Gandhi. Though Jinnah
advocated a separate nation for the Muslims 20 years later, in 1916 he was a
member of both Congress and Muslim League, was an associate of Tilak, and
hailed as 'ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity’.
Conclusion
The Luknow Pact was an agreement that reached between the Indian National
Congress and the Muslim League at the joint session of both the parties held in
Lucknow in December 1916. Through the pact, the two parties agreed to allow
overrepresentation to religious minorities in the provincial legislatures. The Muslim
League leaders agreed to join the Congress movement demanding Indian
autonomy. Scholars cite this as an example of a consociational practice in Indian
politics. Lokmanya Tilak led the Congress while framing the deal, and Mohammad
Ali Jinnah (who was part of both Congress and Muslim League in 1916) and
Mahatma Gandhi also participated in this event.