1937 ELECTION AND CONGRESS
MINISTRIES (1937-1939)
• The Federal Part of the Government of India
Act 1935 could not be implemented due to :
– Unwillingness of the Princes to accede to the
Federation
– Opposition of the Congress
– Opposition of Muslim League
BOTH THE CONGRESS AND THE LEAGUE OPPOSED
THE FEDERAL PART OF THE ACT AS IT ENVISAGED
AN UNDEMOCRATIC AND IRRESPONSIBLE CENTER
Contd…..
• It was, therefore, decided by the government
to implement the Section of the Act pertaining
to Provinces
• It can also be said that it was according to the
British policy of introducing responsible
government in India by stages
• Dyarchy of 1919 Act was replaced by
Provincial Autonomy of 1935 Act
Contd…..
• Elections for Provincial Legislatures held in the
start of 1937
• Muslim League was not an organized party the
way congress was.
• Congress had an efficient organization, an
elaborate machinery for publicity and enormous
funding from the industrialists of Bombay and
Ahmedabad
• League had minimal support in the Muslim
majority provinces
• Jinnah had returned from his self- imposed
exile in 1934
• The social and economic part of manifestos of
Congress and League were almost similar
• The difference was League’s opposition to any
attempt to expropriation of private property
and the protection of Urdu language and
script
Contd….
• It was during the election campaign that
Jinnah started emphasizing upon the idea that
Muslim League was the sole representative
party of Muslims of India and Congress
shouldn’t challenge this idea
RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS
• Congress basically won in Hindu Constituencies
• Out of 1,585 seats Congress won 711. Out of
these only 26 were Muslim seats
• Muslim League’s performance was not at all
impressive: Out of 489 Muslim seats, the Muslim
League won only 104 seats
• It won good number of Muslim seats in Hindu
majority provinces. Out of 64 Muslim seats in UP,
Muslim League won 24 seats*. Congress won
only 1 Muslim seat
Contd….
• However, in Muslim majority provinces its
performance was actually bad
– In Bengal out of 119 Muslim seats, it won only 37
– In Punjab, it won only 1 seat out of 86 Muslim
seats
– In the NWFP and Sind it did not win a single seat
Congress- Muslim League Relations
(1937-1939) : The Parting of the Ways
Four major factors that increased the rift
between Congress and Muslim League and
helped make Muslim League a success in later
years:
• The failure coalition talks between Congress
and Muslim League on ministries in UP
• Muslim mass contact movement by Congress
• Vidya mandar education scheme
• Bande Matram as national song/anthem
Contd….
• It was understood that the League would be
offered 2 places in the Ministry
• Congress demanded that to get 2 seats Muslim
League may be completely merged into Congress
• No candidate from League to stand in the byelections
• These conditions were totally unacceptable to
the Muslim League, hence no member from
League was included in the Ministry
Contd…..
• As no Muslim Leaguer was included, the claim of
the Muslim League that Congress wanted to
establish Hindu Raj gained currency among
Muslims
• Hindus masses, many of them, also felt that
Congress wanted to establish Hindu Raj
• Maulana Azad, a muslim Congress leader, in his
book,’ India Wins Freedom’ considers Nehru’s
refusal to grant 2 seats to Muslim League as a
major factor responsible for creation of Pakistan
Contd…..
• Congress wanted to adopt Band e Matram as
national song. The song was from the
blatantly anti- muslim book Anandmath.
Nehru’s contention was that the two stanzas
recommended by Congress Working
Committee to be used did not include
anything offensive. However, Muslim
contention was how could BandeMatram be
treated seperately than the source from which
it originated.
Contd….
• The issue of Wardha Education scheme that
promoted the concept of AHIMSA, which as per
Congress meant Non- Violence was also looked
upon suspiciously by Muslims. The scheme did
not include any provision of religious education
for muslim children.
• There was too much focus on Hindi at the
expense of Urdu
• Even Jamiat ul Ulema which was pro- congress
opposed this scheme
Contd…
• Linked to Wardha Scheme was VIDYA
MANDAR Scheme. It was vigorously launched
in Central Provinces, where Muslims were only
3 % of the population. Hindu names like
Mandir were deeply offensive to Muslims
• It was the muslim mass contact movement by
Congress that was resented by muslims and
strengthened the Muslim League.
Contd…..
• Muslim masses were not willing to trust Congress
• League vigorously spread the message that the
aim of the Congress was to divide the Muslims
• On August 8, Maulana Hasrat Mohani declared
that he had accepted the leadership of Jinnah
• In the UP, where the muslims held many
important positions in subordinate public
services, the fear that Congress regime wanted to
oust them from their positions
Contd…..
• The annual session of Muslim League held in
October 1937 was first indication of growing
solidarity among Muslims of India. Sir
Sikander Hayat, the Premier of Punjab, Fazl-ulHuq, Premier of Bengal and Sir Muhammad
Saadullah, Premier of Assam declared in the
League session their support for Muslim
League
Contd….
• Soon after the League session of October,1937
held in Lucknow as many as 90 branches of
League were established in the UP and 40 in
Punjab. Nearly 100,000 new members were
enrolled in UP
• On 3 September 1939 Britain declared War on
Germany
• Viceroy declared that India was also at War
with Germany
Contd….
• On 22 nd December 1939, Congress ministries
resigned in protest. League celebrated it as
Day of Deliverance