Round Table Conferences
1st Round Table Conference:
 British government decided to hold a Round Table
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Conference
First session was started in London on 12 November, 1930
Except Congress, all Indian political parties participated
Congress party wanted to enforce completely Nehru Report
as the future constitution of India
The Muslim leaders like Mr. Jinnah Mohamamad Ali Jauhar,
Maulvi Fazl-i-Haq, Sir Muhammad Shafi, Sir Shah Nawaz,
Ch.Zafar UlIah and Ghulam Hussain Hidayat Ullah
participated in the conference
Deliverables
 At the conference,
 approval of a federal form of government,
 separate electorate for the Muslims,
 cooperation of princely states for the formation of All India
Federation,
 Sindh as a separate administrative unit
 formation of responsible governments in the provinces were the
most important decisions
 .It was ended on 19 January 1931.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact
 The failure of congress Civil Disobedience Movement
exposed its popularity in the eyes of the British
 Congress realized the British that no constitutional
framework would be workable without the approval of the
Congress
 In order to get dignity among the British eyes, the
 .Lord Irwin held talks with Gandhi.
 The agreement between Gandhi and Irwin was signed on 5
March, 1931
Cont…
 According this pact,
 Federation was to be created,
 ordinance promulgated in connection with the civil
disobedience movement would be withdrawn
 pending prosecutions would be withdrawn
 prisoners would be released
 fines would be release and fines would be remitted
 Congress agreed to call off its Civil Disobedience Movement
immediately
 Congress would attend the upcoming Second Round Table
Conference
From 1st Round Table to Communal Award
Second Round Table Conference
 It was started on 7 September, 1931 in London ,lasted till 1
December, 1931
 The important participants of the Conference
 Gandhi, Allama lqbal. While Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar died
by the time when the conference was started
Cont…
 Gandhi adopted a stern attitude against the Muslims and
tried to give impression that India was a single state and
Indians were to be considered a single nation irrespective of
the followers of the different religions
 He also remained adamant about not giving any rights to the
minorities.
 Due to Gandhi’s stubborn attitude, all the minority groups
passed a resolution for their rights and Concluded at an
agreement and this conference was failed without producing
any results.
 this conference exposed the mentality of the Nehru
Third Round Table Conference
 It began on 17 November, 1932 and lasted till 24 November,
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1932
Gandhi and Jinnah did not participate in the Conference
The third Round Table Conference could not resolve the
long-standing issues between the Hindus and the Muslims
It proved a mere formality
An unbridgeable gulf was now widened between the both
major communities of India
This conference proved a farce
Communal Award
 British efforts failed to make a future constitutional package
for the Indians,
 British published their own scheme known as Communal
Award
Cont…
 According to this award, separate electorate for the Muslims
and for the other minorities was accepted
 Ramsay Macdonald promised to recommend to the British
Parliament the substitution for the governemnt’s decision of
any agreed solution reached by the Indian leaders themselves
 It failed to give Muslim an overall majority of seats in the
Legislatures of Punjab and Bengal
Cont…
 In the Punjab, the Muslims were given 47.6% as against a
population proportion of 56.5%
 In Bengal where the Muslims formed 56% of the total
population, they received about 48% of the total provinces
 It reduced the Muslim majority in Bengal and Punjab, which
was unacceptable to Muslims
 The Award failed to satisfy all the three main communities
Congress Ministries (1937-39)
Election 1937
Election 1937
 Provincial elections were held in British India in the winter of 1936-37
as mandated by the Government of India Act 1935
 Elections were held in eleven provinces
 Madras, Central Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, United Provinces, Bombay
Presidency, Assam, NWFP, Bengal, Punjab and Sindh
 The final results of the elections were declared in February 1937
 The Indian National Congress emerged in power in all the provinces
except for three - Bengal, Punjab, and Sindh
 The All-India Muslim League failed to form the government in any
province
 The Congress ministries resigned in October and November 1939, in
protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's action of declaring India to be
a loud-mouthed in the Second World War without consulting the Indian
people
 The election results were a blow to the League.
 Jinnah was offered to form coalitions with the Congress
 The League insisted that the Congress should not nominate any
Muslims to the ministries
 (the League) claimed to be the exclusive representative of Indian
Muslims
 This was not acceptable to the Congress, and it declined the League's
offer
 In three additional provinces, Central Provinces, Bihar, and Orissa,
the Congress won clear majorities.
 In the overwhelmingly Muslim North-West Frontier Province,
Congress won 19 out of 50 seats and was able, with minor party
support, to form a ministry
 Sind
 Sind Legislative Assembly had 60 members
 The Sind United Party emerged the leader with 22 seats, and the Congress
secured 8 seats
 Jinnah 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, the Muslim League could secure
none of them
 Punjab
 The Unionist Party under Sikander Hyat Khan formed the government in Punjab
with 67 out of 175 seats.
 The Congress won 18 seats and the Akali Dal, 10
 Bangal
 In Bengal, though the Congress was the largest party (with 52
seats), The Krishak Praja Party of A. K. Fazlul Huq (with 36
seats) was able to form a coalition government
 United Provinces
 The UP legislature consisted of a Legislative Council of 52 and a
Legislative Assembly of 228 elected members
 The Congress won a clear majority in the United Provinces,
with 133 seats, while the Muslim League won only 27 out of the
64 seats reserved for Muslims
Congress ministries
Outline: Congress Ministries
 Introduction:
 Aspects of Congress Ministries
 Atrocities of Congress Ministries:
 Muslim Reaction
 Resignation of Congress Ministries
 Impacts of Congress Ministries:
 Conclusion
Congress Ministries 1939
 Introduction
 The establishment of Congress Ministries was a unique episode
in the Modern history of Political India
 It was for the first time that the responsible government was
established
Congress Ministries
 Under Britain rule and for the first time, Indians were able to
form their own government But the Congress rule was not
free from controversy
 Rule was marked by the Congress discrimination and
atrocities against the Muslims
 It proved to be a turning point in the history of HinduMuslim co-existence
 Congress ministries had defining role in the alienation of
Muslim India from the yoke of Hindu India
Atrocities of Congress
 Congress conspiracies against All India Muslim League
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(AIML)
Hindu Conspiracies to erode the identity of Muslims
Economic Exploitation
Religious interference
Communal Violence
Atrocities of Congress Ministries:
 Congress conspiracy against All India Muslim League (AIML)
 Congress started its efforts to destroy All India Muslim League
(AIML) in the subcontinent
 Congress’s refusal to form government coalition with league
 Congress refused to form the coalition governments with the
All India Muslim League in the provinces of the subcontinent
Congress humiliating conditions for
AIML in UP
 UP s a province had a great importance due to four factors; like the
citadel of Mughal glory, development of Hindu culture due to HinduMuslim social intermixture, and the ‘home province of Nehru
 Ahmad Saeed wrote in his book, “Trek to Pakistan”,
 “It was commonly and popularly believed that agreement between the
Hindus and the Muslims in this province was bound to throw its shadow
on the whole of the subcontinent.”
 In the UP. Legislative Assembly, the number of elected Muslim members
was 66 Mualana Azad, the, president of the Congress wrote a letter to Ch
Khaliq-uz-Zaman about the formation of coalition government But this
letter had the following conditions
Conditions to join Collusion Govt.
 The UP Muslim League Parliamentary Party cease to exist
 The existing members of the Muslim League Party in the Assembly shall
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become a part of the Congress Party
These new members of the Congress would abide by the code of conduct
prepared by the Working Committee of the Congress
Muslim League Parliamentary Board would be dissolved and the League
would not be put up its own candidates in any future elections
In the event the Congress Party deciding on resignation from the Ministry or
the Assembly seats, the new members would follow suit
Muslim League, therefore, rejected these terms and a pure Congress
ministry was formed in the United Provinces
Role in the fall of Sir Saad Ullah
government in Assam
 Congress played a major role in the fall of Sir Saad Ullah
government in Assam
 Khalid bin Sayeed mentions about the remarks of Sir Harry
Haig, Goyernor of UP,
 “The enthusiasm of the masses for Congress Raj melted
imperceptibly into idea of Hindu Raj, which were certainly
prevalent throughout the Province. These ideas were deeply
resented by the Muslims, who were invincibly determined not
to be ruled by the Hindus.”
Nehru’s Mass contact campaign
 Nehru and the Congress leaders started to build direct link
with the Muslims and tried to remove their “narrow
mindedness” and prejudice against the Hindus
 Though they offered ministries to the Leaguers, but they had
to sign unconditionally
 Meanwhile Congress also hired the services of Maulvis to
create split among the Muslims
Hindu Conspiracies to erode the identity
of Muslims
 Educational policies:
 Immediately after coming to power, the Congress declared a Tri-
colour flag (Taranga) as the national flag and Band-e-Matram as
national anthem
 Wardha Educational Scheme was prepared
 Co education
 Teaching of music as compulsory
 The publication of books described and propagated that all the religions were
genuine and, therefore, there was no need to follow any particular religion for
salvation
 In Behar and C.P., a new scheme known as Vidhya Mandar Scheme
 The Muslims were supposed to study Hindi or Marhati language
 The Muslims rejected such proposals and started agitation in front of the
secretariat atl Nagpur in January, 1939.
 Its main purpose was to prepare the generation of the
Muslims devoid of knowledge and insensitive to their past
cultural glory, civilization and religion
 The educational policy of the Congress was aimed to put an
emphasis on the hind nationalism of the Indians
 Muslim students were persuaded to bow before the portrait
of Gandhi
Cont…
 Economic Exploitation.
 The doors of employment Opportunities for the Muslims were
closed by the Congress Party
 Economic exploitation for the Muslims Business
 Religious interference
 They prohibited the cow slaughtering and introduced the criminal
Jaws against the claimants of this rule, such steps were against the
religious beliefs and practices of the Muslims
 Communal Violence
 During the Congress governed provinces communal riots started
between the Muslims and the Hindus
 Till august of 1939, there had been 57 communal riots with 11,100
casualties
Muslim Reaction
 Muslim league tried to cope up situation through constitutional wars
and tried hard to find rapprochement with Hindus
 In 1938, AIML passed a resolution and asked Congress to address the
major grievances of Muslims
 AIML was forced to change its creed and Quaid-e presented Pir-Pur
report, Shareef Report, Fazl-ul- Haq Report
 Resignation of Congress Ministries:
 Muslims observed 22’ October, 1939 as ‘Day of Deliverance’
 Congress resigned on the pretext that Britain inducted army in 2
World War Without the approved consent of Congress and
representative institutions
 The Pirpur Report:
 The first report is entitled as the PIRPUR REPORT which came out on March 28, 1938, the
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Council of ML appointed an eight-member committee under the presidentship of Raja Syed
Muhammad Mehdi of Pirpur that presented its report on, November 15, 1938. It tried to dig
out the cruelties of the Congress ministries in seven provinces. The report took up the
Congress support to the rival Muslim organizations, intimidation and threats to the proMuslim League people. This report also talks about the policies which the Congress in
different provinces and how those policies adversely affected the people of those provinces.
The Sharif Report, March 1939
There is another report the Sharif Report that was released in March 1939, and this report
focuses on the province of Bihar, what was the Congress ministries doing in Bihar and how the
Muslims suffered under the govt of Congress in Bihar. The ML deputed Mr. Sharif with
members to investigate the injustices under the dictatorial rule of the Hindus. This report
mainly collected the facts, concentrating on ill treatment of the government with the Muslims
in Bihar.
The Fazl-ul- Haq Report: (December 1939)
The third report is a statement or a detailed account given by the chief minister of Bengal A.
K. Fazl-ul-Haq, who published a pamphlet entitled Muslim Sufferings Under the Rule of
Congress and made many alarming revelations e.g. forbidding of Azan, attacks in mosques,
noisy processions of the Hindu scoundrels, forbidding of the cow-slaughter etc. This pamphlet
responded the indictments by the Congress on the Muslims. At that time the chief minister
was described or labeled as the premier. This report was a list of complaints and grievances
which the Muslims developed against the Congress ministries in different parts of India.
Impacts of Congress Ministries
 Alienation of Muslim India from Hindus
 Congress ministries shattered all the dreams of united India and Hindu Muslim
unity
 Muslims became thoroughly alienated from India and became disillusioned from
the policies of Congress
 It is evident from the rising popularity of League during by polls
 Exposed Hindu Mentality:
 Muslims realized that Hindu! Congress could never be sincere to Muslims
 Hindus want establish Ram Raj in Indian Congress ministries created among the
Muslims a realization that the rule of Congress was a trailer if they occupied
power, what they would do to Muslims
 The Congress would reduce the Muslims to the perpetual minority, groaning
under the yoke of tyrant majority
Cont….
 Deep sense of insecurity among Muslims:
 Congress rule aroused a deep Muslim Suspicion that Hindu can never be
their friends and it went a long way in shaping their future
 Gave strong Impetus! Boost to Muslim Nationalism:
 Congress rule reinforced Muslim belief in their exclusive identity
 This led to tow — nation theory and specific ideology i.e. ideology of
Pakistan
 Transformation in the Outlook of Jinnah
 Congress Ministries brought a paradigm shift in the strategy of Jinnah
 In the beginning Jinnah was willing to form coalition ministries and
cooperate with it, later he became champion of Muslim and Pakistan cause
 He started his campaign and emerged as a s Muslim leader
Cont…
 Popularity of Demand of Pakistan:
 1938 that Sind Assembly passed a resolution in favour of
Pakistan. In 1938
 Jinnah instructed the Muslim Leaders to look into various
partition proposals
 In February, 1940 The proposal was laid open for discussion
during the 27 annual session of AIML which was held between
22-24 March which is known as Lahore Resolution
 Brought Muslim Provincial Leaders close to Jinnah
 Those Muslim leaders like Moulvi Fazal Haq, Sir Sikandar Hayat, Sir
Saadullah Khan feared the dominance of Congress and joined AIML
 Jinnah emerged as an undisputed leader of Muslims:
 Jinnah rose as an undisputed Muslim Leader and sole spokesman of League
 He was bestowed With the title of Quaid-e during Patna session of League in
1938
 This was also synchronized in the change of Jinnah’s cap and shairwani, a typical
Muslim dress which symbolized that he had changed his role from champion of
Hindu-Muslim unity to the champion of Muslim separatism in India
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Significance of Muslims in British eyes
 This created a vacuum which was eventually filled by Muslims
 British realized the importance of Muslim India as it needed Muslim support for
their war efforts
 British realized that there were not two parties, but three parties, Hindus,
Muslims and British
 This change in British outlook is also evident from the British policies in 1940s as
all their offers / packages! deals for Hindu Muslim question gave Substantial
weightage. to the Muslim demands.
 August offer, Cripps Mission, Cabinet Mission, 3 June Plan are examples of it
Conclusion
 Start of a New Phase-Muslim Seperatism
 End of Hindu Muslim Unity
 AIML as Sole Representative
 Congress was no more a liberal Party
 Dream of Hindu Raj
 Muslim Nationalism
 Muslim Culture (Jinnah Cap, Shirwani)
 Muslim Identity in the eyes of British
 Muslim Ideology
 Strengthening Two Nation Theory