PAKISTAN STUDIES ASSIGNMENT

SUBMITTEB BY:
NAME: TEENAT AROOB
ROLL NO: 2019-CRP-28
SUBMITTED TO:
SIR FARHAN
TOPIC:
FORMATION OF CONGRESS MINISTRIES

INTRODUCTION:

 The demise of the Civil Disobedience Movement around 1934

resulted in serious disagreement withing Congress, in the same way
as it happened after the withdrawal of NCM ( National Commission
for Minorities )
 When GANDHI temporarily withdrew from active politics, the
socialists and other leftist elements formed in MAY 1934, CONGRESS
SOCIALIST PARTY within Congress. Nehru never formally joined this
group, whose ideology ranged fro vague and mixed up radical
nationalism to fairly firm advocacy of Marxian Scientific Socialism.
 Soon divide within Congress centred on two issues
1. Council Entry
2. Office acceptance
 At Lucknow Congress in 1936, majority of delegates led by Rajender
Prasad and Vallabhai Patel with the blessing of Gandhi, came to the
view that contesting election and subsequent acceptance of office
under Act of 1935 would help to boost the flagging morale of the
Congress.
 AICC meeting in Aug 1936 in Bombay decided in favour of contesting
election but postponed the decision on office acceptance until
election was over.
 The federal part of the Government of India ACT, 1937 was never
introduced but provincial autonomy came into operation from 1937.
ELECTION:
 Provincial elections were held in British India in the winter of 1936-
37 by Government of India Act 1935. Elections were held in 11
provinces - Madras, Central Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, United
Provinces, Bombay Presidency, Assam, NWFP, Bengal, Punjab and
Sindh.
 The 1937 election was the first in which large masses of Indians
were eligible to participate. As estimated 30.1 million persons,
including 4.25 million women, had acquired the right to vote ( 14% of
total population) and 15.5 million of these, including 917,000
women, actually did excercise their franchise.
ELECTION RESULT:
 The results were in favour of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS. Of
the 1585 seats, it won 707(44.6%). Among the 864 seats assigned
“general” constituencies, it contested 739 and won 617. Of the 125
non-general constituencies contested by Congress, 59 were reserved
for Muslims and in those the Congress won 25 seats, 15 of thwm in
the entirely-Muslim North-West Frontier Province.
 The All-India Muslim League won 106 seats(6.7%) of total, placing it
as second-ranking party. The election results were a blow to the
League. Muslim League fared badly even in provinces inhabited by
Muslims. After election, Muhammad Ali Jinnah offered to form
coalitions with the Congress. League insisted that the Congress
should not nominate any Muslims to the ministries, as it claimed to
be the executive representative of Indian Muslims. This was not
acceptable by Congress.
 The only other party to win more than 5% of all the assembly seats
was the Unionist Party (PUNJAB), with 101 seats.

CONGRESS MINISTRIES were were formed in 8 out of 11 provinces of

India in July 1937.

Madras Presidency:
The Government of India Act of 1935 established a bicameral
legislature in the Madras province. The Justice Party had been in power
in Madras for 17 years since 1920. It was a collaboration party, agreeing
with British Government harsh measures. The Swaraj Party which had
been the Justice Party main opposition merged with Indian National
Congress in 1935 as it decided to participate in elections. Congress won
74% of all seats. The 1937 elections marked the start of Indian National
Congress participation in governance of India. In the Madras Presidency,
it also marked the beginning of Rajaji ascendancy in Congress Legislature
Party.

SINDH:
These were the first elections in the province after its creation in
1936. The Sindh Legislative Assembly had 60 members. In the General
constituencies, the Sindh Hindu Mahasabha won 11 seats, the Congress
Party won 8 seats. Muhammad Ali Jinnah had tried to set up a League
Parliamentary Board in Sindh in 1936, but he failed, though 72% of the
population was Muslim.Though 34 seats were reserved for Muslims, but
it could secure none of them.

UNITED PROVINCES:
The UP legislature consisted of a Legislative Council of 52 elected or
6 or 8 nominated members and a Legislative Assembly of 228 elected
members. Congress won a clear majority in UP with 133 seats, while the
Muslims won only 27 out of 64 seats reserved for Muslims.

 ASSAM:
Congress won 33 seats out of total of 108 making it the single
largest party, though it was not in the position to form a ministry. The
Governor called upon Sir Muhammad Sadullah (ex-Judicial Member of
Assam and Leader of Assam Valley Muslim Party to form the ministry.

BOMBAY:
GOI Act,1935 created a bicameral legislature in the Bombay
province. The congress fell just short of gaining half the seats. However,
it was able to draw on the support of some small pro-Congress groups to
form a working majority. B.G. Kher became the first Chief Minister of
Bombay.

Other Provinces:
 In 3 additional provinces, Central Provinces, Bihar and Orissa, the
congress won clear majorities.
 In the overwhelmingly Muslim NWFP, Congress won 19 out of 50
seats and was able to form a ministry.
 The Unionist Party under Sikander Hayat Khan formed the
 government in Punjab with 67 out of 175 seats. The Congress won
18 seats and the Akali Dat,10.
 In Bengal, though Congress was the largest party (with 52 seats), the
Krishak Praja Party of A.K.Fazlul Haq (with 36 seats) was able to
form a coalition government.

BEHAVIOUR OF CONGRESS MINISTRIES

TOWARDS MUSLIMS
Pakistan is neither accidental nor natural creation. It is result of years of
struggle, sacrifices and human endeavor. History reflects the fact that,
various political events played the vital role in this regard. Beginning
from the Partition of Bengal in 1905 to the adoption of Pakistan
Resolution in 1940; these are actually political realities which established
Pakistan and the Congress Ministries – 1937 is one among such realities.
The Congress Ministries in fact, proved to be the last nail in coffin of the
United India under British Raj. It was the unholy and unpopular rule of
Congress Ministries that finally convinced Jinnah and his fellow Muslims
of Sub Continent to lay the foundation of a separate Muslim Homeland.

LETS SEE HOW CONGRESS MINISTRIES PAVED WAY

TOWARDS MUSLIMS HOMELAND:

Congress Ministries rule provided a number of reasons for the

establishment of the Separate Muslim Homeland. It can be better
assessed from following points:

1. Congress Ministries Rule was Reflection of Hindutva:

Congress presented itself to be a liberal and secular party.
It might have been correct at some point of time but not always. At
different political events, Congress was in the grip of Hindu Nationalists
whose aim was promotion and propagation of Hindu ideology and
culture. Congress Ministries were dominated by similar fanatics. The
Ministries managed to distort Muslim culture and ideology by:
1. Promoting Hindu mindset in educational institutions
2. Forcing young Muslims to salute ‘Indian three-colored flag’
3. Usurping the political and cultural Rights of the Muslim Community
4. Breeding sense of communalism in India
5. Suppressing Muslim nation into nothing but only a minority
6. Ensuring political victimization of Muslim League as its top political
and ideological rival
7. Hindu became the National language and Bandy Mahtram the
National Anthem.
8. Constuction of new mosques was banned and Muslims were harassed
while offering prayers.
9. 27 months of Congress rule characterized by Hinduism (working for
Hindus only) and revenging 700 years of Muslim Rule on them.
10. Slaughter of Cow was banned.

2.Education reforms were totally anti-Muslim in spirit:

 WARDA TALEEM:
Wardha Scheme of Basic Education (1937) which is also
known as Nai Talim / Buniyadi talim was the outcome of thinking of
Mahatma Gandhi. He considered education as an effective instrument
of national reconstruction. It displaced idea of 2nation theory from
Muslim children minds. Some important points of
Warda Taleem include:

 Nationwide provision of free and compulsory education for 8

years.
 System would generate remuneration of teacher.
 Mother tongue should be the medium of instruction.
 The conference endorsed Mahatma Gandhi's proposal that
education should be centered around some productive form of
manual work and be integrally related to the central handicraft.

Dr. Zakir Hussain was appointed to formulate sceme

. No place of English in curriculum.

.No place of religious education ( It was not accepted by Muslims as

they were of the view that basic education must include religious
knowledge).

Vidya mander:
 This mandir education was made cumpulsory at elementary level.
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 .

3. Muslim Reports:
Different reports by Muslim leaders to raise voice like “PIRPUR
REPORT” and “SHAREEF REPORT”.
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.

4. Muslims of India realized their Mistake of Bringing

Congress in Power:
When Muslim League contested elections, it did not enjoy the
political support of all Muslim Community of India. Portions of it made
mistake of supporting Congress and other political factions. They began
to realize their political blunder soon after Congress took power and
started targeting Muslim identity, culture and political rights. Muslims
were pilled back in econony. Their trade and agriculture was target of
Hindu harm. Muslims were expelled from government offices. This
realization of mistake played important role in paving the way towards
new Muslim Homeland in India.

3. Congress Ministries left no Alternative for Muslims:

Congress Ministries left for Muslims of India no

choice but a demand for Separate Muslim Homeland. Prior to the
Ministries Rule, there was never complete consensus in the ranks of
Muslim League over the demand of Separate Homeland. The consensus,
however, emerged soon after the Congress Ministries collapsed in 1939.

End of Congress Ministries:

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 ( 22 DEC 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.