Morley MInto Reforms, 1906 (Section II)

                       Morley Minto Reforms

• Lord Minto and Secretary of State John Morley were convinced that the Indians were demanding for an increased share in government.
• So, they both worked together to draw up series of reforms.
• The main terms of Morley Minto reforms were:

1. Separate electorates for Muslims,
2. 1\3rd seats for Muslims in legislative council,
3. Muslim judges in courts,
4. Share of Jobs for Muslims.

• It was an important step by the British Government to provide concessions to Indian public for better understanding and corporation. 
• Increased seats in law making council provided Indian stronger voice in law making council.
• Separate electorates and Share of jobs for Muslims increased the political strength of Muslims.
• Share of jobs could improve the economic conditions of Muslims in the subcontinent. 
• Minto Morley provided legal rights of voice to the Indian public which improved their political position and Indians became more protected socially, politically and economically. 

• Hindus rejected and disliked the Reforms, as the political strength of Muslims increased
• Muslims were given high level jobs, which enhances their status, and Hindus didn't wanted this
• Equal seats were given to Muslims, which Hindus disliked
• 1|3rd seats were given to Muslims, now the can make laws of their own choice, however Hindus wanted Muslims to always depend on them.

Formation of Muslim League, 1906 (Section II)

            Formation of Muslim League

The reasons for Creation:

• Congress was founded in 1885, by A.O Hume for all the communities to participate,   discuss problems and find solutions. Muslims lacked it participation as it proved to be a Hindu organization and promote Hindu Views. 
• Congress were demanding that India should be treated as a cultural whole and Hindi should be declared as the official language, however Muslims believed in "Two Nation Theory".
• So, Hindus have their own party, that was protecting and advancing their views. 
• It was important that Muslims also should have their own political party, which will protect the rights and interests of Muslims., and so that they can have better

• The assurance by Lord MInto-II in the Simla Delegation (1906) for the separate electorates  for Muslims developed trust for British and confidence in them. 
• It also made clear to Muslim leaders that time had reached when organized effort was needed to protect Muslim interests for which a political party was necessary. 

• Muslims saw the reaction of Hindus at partition of Bengal, and realized that Hindus cannot    bear the prosperity of Muslims. 
• It proved an eye opener for Muslims.  
• Muslims had rightly started thinking that they should have a political party to counter Congress propaganda and to safeguard their interests. 

• The growth of extreme Hindu nationalist organizations (such as Arya Samaj) was also a      source of worry for Muslims as these groups work for the revival of Hindus religion and culture and demanded forcibly conversions of Muslims to Hinduism. 

So these reasons forced Muslims to form a political party of their own... On 30th December 1906, Muslim leaders met at Dhaka, where Muslim leaders had assembled for the 20th annual meeting of Muhammaden Educational Conference., and Nawab Viqar ul Mulk founded All India Muslim League. 

Objectives:

At first meeting of new organisation in December 1906, the league declared that its objectives were

• to protect and advance the political rights and interests of Muslims
• to represent Muslim needs
• to promotes feelings of loyalty to British government
• to remove any misunderstandings amongst Muslims
• to prevent the rise of hostility in Muslims towards other communities. 

Nawab Viqar ul mulk☝

      

SImla Delegation, 1906 (Section II)

                   Simla Delegation

• Muslims watched the reaction of Hindus to the partition of Bengal, So they were afraid for themselves
• On 8 October 1906,a deputation of 35 prominent Muslims under Sir Aga khan formed a delegation to meet the viceroy Lord Minto at SImla.
• Muslims has realized that they wanted to have a constitutional safeguard for protection of their rights.
• The delegation basically demanded:

 1.  Separate Electorate

 2. They asked for Muslim Judges in courts,

 3. There should be share of Muslims in jobs,

 4. 1\3rd seats in legislative Council,

 5. demanded for weightage was made,

 6. demanded for up gradation of MAO College.

Outcomes and Importance of SImla delegation:

• The British accepted the demands of Muslims, which showed that the attempts by Sir Syed and others to restore relations between Muslims and British had been successful. 
• It also showed that the Muslims community had decided to ensure that it established a secure place.
• By all these reforms, Muslims could have an independent role in politics, as well as it helped in formation of separate homeland. 

Simla Delegation led by Sir Agha khan
👆

Partition of Bengal, 1905 (Section II)

             Reasons of Partition (1905)

• Bengal was the most densely populated province in the British Indian Empire.
• Western half of Bengal ➤ 54 million, total people (42 million Hindus and 12 million Muslims).
• Eastern Bengal and Assam ➤ 31 million, total people (12 million Hindus and 18 million Muslims).
• There were ten times as many people in Bengal as there were in the whole Britain at that time.
• There were obviously huge administrative problems to govern large area.
• The natural hazards in the area also created great problems for the people and government. 
• Hindus were with a monopoly in trade with Calcutta and so became strong while Muslims were deteriorating in economy.
• Some areas, basically Hindu majority were developed, while Muslim majority areas were neglected. 
• So, Viceroy Lord Curzon proposed Bengal should be partitioned in West and East Bengal..
• Eastern Province ➤  Assam, and three districts previously considered to be part of west Bengal, Dhaka, Chittagong and Mymen Singh.
• Hindus didn't like the partition and were against the partition. 

                   Reasons for Reversal (1911)

• Hindus didn't likes the partition.
• Hindus thought, that British had divided Bengal as part of their "divide and rule policy".
• They thought that, British tries to weaken Hindu unity by division of Bengal and establishing East Bengal with a Muslim majority, which means "Hindu Threat" would be reduced.
• The Hindus proclaimed 16 October, the day of partition as a "Day of mourning"
• They put pressure on British to reverse partition by doing several marches and meetings.
• Hindus did not like the formation of Muslim Majority province. 
• Hindus basically cannot bear the prosperity of Muslims.
• Hindus introduced a boycott of British goods "Swadeshi Movement". which means Hindus would buy Indian produced goods instead of British goods. This was a threat to the British textile industry.
• Different restrictions were places on newspapers and public meetings, between 1906 and 1908, editors were persecuted and some were imprisoned
• A Press act passed in 1908, give more control to government
• The groups of Arya Samaj made two assassination attempts on Lord Minto-II.
• So there was unrest, all over, and So, British were forced the reverse the partition, which wasn't liked by Muslims.