Formation and Objectives of Muslim League

A Bird’s Eye View

CONTENTS

1. Factors promoting the Muslim League

2. Events leading to the foundation of the Muslim League

3. Aims and Objectives

1.Factors promoting the Muslim League

1. British Plan

2. Lack of Education

3. Loss of Sovereignty by the Muslims

4. Teaching of History ( Sir Syed Ahmed Khan)

5. Religious Tinge in Expression

6. Economic Backwardness of India

1 .The British Plan

• The British changed their attitude when there was a thrust in the National Movement

a. The British tried to keep the people disunited, quarrelling and competing among themselves.

b. They tried to divide the people and encouraged communal and separatist attitude in Indian politics.

c. They encouraged provincialism.

d. They exploited the caste structure of the Indian society by playing the non-Brahmins against Brahmins.

2. Lack of Education

a. Muslims kept aloof from the wave of nationalism because of the following reasons:

1. Muslims shunned Western Education and remained backward in the fields of education, industry and commerce.

2. Muslims had to recover from the shock of the loss of power after the last Mughal Emperor.

3. Loss of Sovereignty

• Sovereignty- The Power of a country to control its own government

1. The British established their rule after dethroning the Mughal rule.

2. After the revolt of 1857 the British considered the Muslim community as dangerous.

4. Teaching of History

1 .No balanced view depicting a composite culture of a country.

2. History of India was written by communal minded historians.

3. They divided Indian history into Hindu period and Muslim period.

4.

5. Religious Tinge in Expression

1. The Radical nationalists glorified India’s past with a one sided picture of our composite culture

2. They praised Shivaji and Rana Pratap Singh while remained silent of Akbar and Sher Shah Suri.

3. Tilak organised Ganapati and Shivaji festivals.

4. The British took full advantage of this situation.

6. Economic backwardness of India.

1. Acute unemployment problem arose in the absence of industrialization.

2. Too many people trying to get so many few jobs.

3. Both the Hindu and Muslim communities failed to understand that the British were responsible for the acute shortage of jobs.

2. Events leading to the foundation of Muslim League

1. Influence of Sir Syed Khan

2. Hindi Urdu controversy

3. Partition of Bengal

4. Deputation to Lord Minto ( 1906)

Influence of Sir Syed Khan

1. A great religious and educational reformer.

2. He realised that the reason for Muslim backwardness was their lack of education.

3. He tried to bring the teaching of the Quran in line with modern ideas and stressed the value of service.

4. Established the Mohammedan Anglo OrientalCollege at Aligarh.

5. He opposed the policies of the Indian Congress and organised a

counter movement. 6. He advised the Muslims to remain loyal to the British and support

their rule in India.

7. Also advised them not to identify themselves with the Hindus and

the Congress.

2. Hindi Urdu controversy

1. UP- Urdu had been the court language.

2. All the petitions had to be written in Urdu.

3. Hindus demanded petitions in Hindi and the court summons and official announcements should be issued in Hindi and Urdu.

4. Govt granted their request.

5. This was resented by Muslims.

6. This strained the relations between Hindus and Muslims further.

3.Partition of Bengal

1. One of the professed aims of Lord Curzon in dividing Bengal was to set the Hindus and Muslims at odds with each other.

2. Partition was meant to deal a crushing blow to the growing influence of Congress.

3. Muslim leaders strongly supported the partition, because Eastern Bengal and Assam with Dhaka as its capital, gave them a majority

The Objectives Of Muslim League

1. To promote, among the Muslims of India, feelings of Loyalty to the British Government and to remove any misconception that may arise as to the intentions of the Government with regard to Indian Government.

2. To protect and advance the political right of the Muslims of India and to represent their needs and aspirations to the government.

3. To prevent the rise among the Muslims of India, of any feelings of hostility towards other communities without prejudice to the aforesaid object of the League.