CIE 2051/1 History of Pakistan Chapter No 6.

Chapter 6 Nov. 2005 Q2 (c) Q. Were the Morley-Minto reforms the most important attempt by the Muslims, the Hindus or the British in seeking a solution to the problems in the sub-continent between 1906 and 1920? Explain your answer. (Morley-Minto for max. marks – Lucknow Pact 1916 – Montague Chelmsford Reform 1919 including Rowlatt act) The Morley-Minto Reforms became law in 1909 as the Indian Councils Act. The Imperial Council was enlarged from 16 to 60 members but officials members were in majority and The Central Executive Council was increased to 60 new members. The Provisional Councils to 50 members in the large province and 30 in the smaller provinces and non- officials were in majority in provinces. Reforms also added one Indian to Viceroy's Executive council and one to each Provincial council. The British also accepted the right of Muslims to have a separate electorate. The importance of the Councils which were enlarged was to ensure that Indian legislators were given a chance to express their opinions. Muslim League pleased it because of separate electorate but Congress criticized it because they needed self rule and councils were advisory only and Congress did not accept separate electorate to Muslims and said it's undemocratic. It seems important but not so much. However there were other attempts to solve the problems in the subcontinent during these years. The Lucknow Pact in 1916 was an agreement on a plan of constitutional reforms reached between Congress and the Muslim. This agreement was taken on equal footed and Congress accepted Muslim League's demands that Muslims had the separate electorate, one third of seats in the Viceroy's legislative Council, and both parties would be given more seats than their population in any province. Provincial autonomy was also agreed upon. Congress agreed to give adequate share to the Muslims in political power. Both the parties realized that co-operation was the only way to get the British government to agree to self-rule and they were also be able to demand number of political reforms to the British government in an attempt to show a united front and produce common. The Lucknow pact was a significant movement towards self-rule. The Montague Chelmsford Reforms 1919 gave more concessions to Indians that Bicameral legislature was established in the Centre and number of members was also increased. Separate electorate was kept for the Muslims so out of 103 seats of the imperial Legislative Council 30 seats were reserved for Muslims. System of Diarchy was introduced in the provinces according to which 'transferred' subjects i.e. education, forest etc. were given to the Indian ministers while 'reserved' subjects i.e. Police, Judiciary etc. were under control of governors. It was the first time that government had mentioned the possibility of self-rule in all internal matters but just 2% of Indians could cast vote and viceroy and governors had sweeping powers to appoint ministers and to dismiss the Assemblies. The Reforms disappointed Congress and Muslim League as both had hoped for more concessions. Relations between the two remained cordial since self-rule was still their aim and could only be achieved through cooperation. The Reforms did hold out concessions to political parties provided that they accepted the right of the British to remain in control. The Rowlatt Act of the same year increased the resentment of the political parties by including the right of arrest without a warrant and detention without bail. Evaluation : Lucknow Pact – because – two parties decided how to do joint efforts. The Montague Chelmsford Reforms 1919 gave more concessions that system of Bicameral legislature was established in the Centre that The Upper House increased to 60 members and the Lower House of 145 members. The tenure of the Upper House was to be five years and that of the Lower House to be three years. Separate electorate was kept for the Muslims so out of 103 seats of the imperial Legislative Council 30 seats were reserved for Muslims. System of Diarchy was introduced in the provinces according to which 'transferred' subjects i.e. education, forest etc. were given to the Indian ministers while 'reserved' subjects i.e. Police, Judiciary etc. were under control of governors. It was the first time that government had mentioned the possibility of self-rule in all internal matters. The Reforms disappointed Congress and ML as both had hoped for more concessions. Relations between the two remained cordial since self-rule was still their aim and could only be achieved through cooperation. [June 2006 Q2(b)] [Nov-2000 Q3(b)] Q. Explain why Lucknow Pact of 1916 came about? Firstly, Muslim League anger to British over the cancellation of Partition of Bengal in 1911 because British made repeated assurance that the partition is final and its reversal made great disturb Muslims and the Kanpur Mosque Firing incident in 1913 also made Muslims worry and they realized that they could not rely on the British promises in Future and In the same year a new group of Muslim leaders entered in the folds of Muslim League with the aim make good relation with Congress specially Quaid-e-Azam and in annual session of Muslim League in 1913, Muslim League also included self rule in their demands which made congress and Muslim League near. Secondly, Annual session of both parties held in Lucknow in 1916 with the great efforts of Quaid-e-Azam as he believed that self-rule could be achieved more quickly if both parties work together. So in 1915 both parties firstly held their annual session in Bombay and at the same time joint councils of both parties were setup to improve common understanding between on keys issue. In the same year British gave a series of proposals to the Indians that at least half members of the Executive Council and majority of Legislative council members having a majority of elected members. Both parties accepted these proposals and became more near to eachother. Thirdly, Congress and Muslim League held their annual session in Lucknow in 1916. And Lucknow Pact was drawn up. The Lucknow Pact was an agreement on a scheme of constitutional reforms reached between Congress and the Muslim League. For the first time Hindus acknowledged that Muslims had the right to a separate electorate and Muslims would be given 1/3 seats in all councils and weight age demand was also agreed upon. So it was seen as a beacon of hope for the future. Q. Why there were different groups to Support British or not in the year 1914-1918 (1st World War)? As the war started there were different mixed views of Indian people. Firstly, Indians who lived in British India had great sympathy for the British so more than a million Indians responded to requests to enlist in the army and thousands gave their lives fighting with the British in Europe and Mesopotamia. British also accepted it by saying war would have been longer and indeed might not be won without Indians help. And many Indian politicians agreed with the idea of giving support to the British in war. They said that if the British won the war they would reward Indian loyalty by introducing reforms to give Indians a large role in governing the country. Secondly, all the Indians who lived in British India were not sympathetic to British. British were in difficulty and needed help, so this was more opportunity for Indians to pres for self rule. This anti-British soon began to take action to unstable British government in India. In 1913, Lala Hardayl setup a Munity party but British betrayed and they were killed by Indian police in 1915. In 1915 Indian Nationalists planned uprising in Punjab but it was easily put down by British and Muslims in NWFP started Silk Letter Conspiracy but like other hundreds of alleged revolutions theses were condemned. Source A Strikes and demonstrations caused the British much worry but this increased when rioting and banks were attacked in Amritsar in 1919. The British military commander in the area was determined to restore order. Q. Describe the Amritsar Massacre. [4] A. General dyer, the British commander, he was determined to restore peace in Amritsar in 1919. He banned all public meetings in the city. When he was informed that crowd 20,000 peacefully demonstration at a public park called Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar which has a narrow entrance and was surrounded by 5fts wall. He reached there with his troops and without warning fired 1600 rounds on unarmed crowd and probably 400 killed and 1200 wounded. A crowed meeting in Amritsar was also bombed from air and many were killed, exile or punishment to restore peace. Dyer said it was done to restore peace in India. Source B In 1917, a committee was formed under justice Rowlatt to investigate any possible revolutionary action in Indian against the British and committee gave its report Q. What do you know about the Rowlatt act? A. In 1918, Justice Dyer submitted his report that there is a definite growth of revolutionary activity and recommended to impose emergency measures of the Defense of India act. Any Indian could be arrested with out warrant, detention without bail and the right of the provincial governor to order where to live. As a result Quaid-e-Azam resigned from Legislative Council and Gandhi started strikes against it but viceroy ignored the opposition and passed the Rowlatt act in 1919.