Discuss those developments of the 1937-47 period that led to the creation of Pakistan.
Answers
Answer:
The provincial elections of 1937 convinced the League that Muslims were a minority, and they would always have to play second fiddle in any democratic structure. It feared that Muslims may even go unrepresented. The Congress's rejection of the League's desires to form a joint Congress-League government in the United Provinces in 1937 also, annoyed the League. The Congress's failure to mobilise the Muslim measses in the 1930s allowed the League to widen its social support. It sought to enlarge its support in the early 1940s when most Congress leaders were in Jail. At the end of the war in 1945, the British opened negotiations between the Congress, the League and themselves for the independence of India. The talks failed because the League saw itself as the sole spokesperson of India's Muslims. The Congress could not accept this claim since a large number of Muslims still supported it. Elections of the provinces were again held in 1946. The Congress did well in the General constituencies, but the Leagues' success in the seats reserved for Muslims was spectacular. It persisted with its demand for Pakistan. In March 1946, the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi to examine this demand and to suggest a suitable political framework for a free India. This mission suggested that India should remain united and constitute itself as a loose confederation with some autonomy for Muslim-majority areas. But it could not get the Congress and the Muslim League to agree to specific details of the proposal. Partition now became more or less inevitable. After the failure of the cabinet mission, the Muslims League decided on mass agitation for winning its Pakistan demand. It announced 16 August 1946 as Direct Action Day. On this day riots broke out in Calcutta, lasting several days and resulting in the death of thousands of people. By March 1947 violence spread to different parts of northern India. Many hundred thousand people were killed and numerous women had to face untold brutalities during the Partition. Partition also meant that India changed, many of its cities changed, and a new country Pakistan was born.
Answer:
Developments of 1937-1947 period Leading to the creation of Pakistan:
- Muslim league was formed in 1906 but Congress’s failure to mobilise the Muslim masses in the 1920s allowed the League to widen its social support.
- In Election results of 1937, they got very less seats, even in areas where a large number of Muslims lived, made them feel as a minority community.
- In 1940 two nation theory was floated by them.
- Elections to the provinces were again held in 1946. Congress did well in the “General” constituencies but the the league’s success in the seats reserved for Muslims was spectacular. So the league persisted with its demand for “Pakistan”.
- In March 1946 the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi to examine this demand and to suggest a suitable political framework for a free India.
- After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League decided on mass agitation for winning its Pakistan demand and announced 16 August 1946 as “Direct Action Day”.
- On this day riots broke out in Calcutta, lasting several days and resulting in the death of thousands of people, mostly Hindus.
- By March 1947 violence spread to different parts of northern India.
- With mass agitation, India was partitioned in 1947 and Pakistan was born.
Explanation:
From the late – 1930s, the Muslim League began viewing the Muslims as a separate-nation from the Hindus. This nation might have developed because of the history of tension between some Hindu and Muslim groups in the 1920s and 1930s. The provincial elections of 1937 also might have convinced the League the Muslims were a minority and they would always have to play second fiddle, in any democratic structure.
Meanwhile, Congress rejected the League’s desire to form a joint Congress-League government jn the United Provinces in 1937. This annoyed the League. In 1940, the League finally moved a resolution demanding ‘Independent States’ for Muslims in the north¬western and eastern areas of the country. The resolution did not mention partition or Pakistan.
In 1945, the British opened negotiations between Congress, the League, and themselves for the independence of India. The talks could not succeed because the League saw itself as the sole spokesperson of India’s Muslims. The Congress proved
this claim baseless because several Muslims still supported it.
In the provincial electrons in 1946 the League got grand success in the seats reserved for Muslims. Hence it persisted its demand for Pakistan. In March 1946, the Cabinet Mission came to Delhi to examine this demand and to suggest a suitable political framework for a free India. This Mission suggested that India should remain united and constitute itself as a loose confederation with some autonomy for Muslim-majority areas. Neither the Congress nor the Muslim League agreed to it. The failure of the Cabinet Mission made partition inevitable. Ultimately in 1947 partition took place with the birth of a new country, i.e. Pakistan