Compiled by Sana Fatima

Q 1. Explain why the All India Muslim Conference

rejected the Nehru Report in 1928. (7)

A. The AIML couldn’t work with the Congress as it

ignored the Muslim viewpoint.

In the Nehru Report the Congress backed out from giving

separate electorates to any minorities of which it was
agreed upon at the Lucknow Pact in 1916. Muslims felt
betrayed & rejected the Nehru Report.

There was no Muslim representation in the

parliament which the Muslim League wanted to be one-
third in the Legislature. Also Muslims were against
Hindi being the official language of India and therefore
saw no future in their relationship with Hindus.

The Muslim League foresaw that the Punjab and Bengal

was in danger of not having adult suffrage and so wanted
seats to be reserved for Muslims on the basis of their
population and so AIML parted its ways from Congress
rejecting the Nehru Report.

Q 2. Explain why Jinnah introduced his Fourteen

Points in 1929. (7)

A. Jinnah introduced his Fourteen Points to make clear

of what was acceptable from Muslim point of view.

1
Compiled by Sana Fatima

Jinnah decided to issue his 14 points; 1929 in response

to Nehru Report of 1928 which was a scheme of
constitution for India. It included several points which
were against Muslim interests. The Nehru Report
suggested joint electorate in place of separate electorate
for Muslims; a unitary form of government in place of
federal form of government and Hindi as national
language for India. These points were clearly against
Muslim interests and were not acceptable by the
Muslims.

Jinnah suggested four amendments to the Nehru Report

of giving one-third Muslim representatives in the Central
Legislature, more Muslim representation in Punjab and
Bengal, full provincial status of Sindh and N.W.F.P. and
complete powers to provinces but these were rejected by
the Congress. It clearly showed that the Congress was not
sincere with the Muslims and so Jinnah left any attempt
of reconciliation and introduced his 14 Points.

At the annual meeting of Muslim League in March 1929

at Delhi; Jinnah gave his points in order to safeguard and
protect the rights and interests of the Muslims. The 14
Points were the first ever demand of the Muslim League
put to the British. These demands covered all aspects of
Muslim interests at the time; that were continually
ignored by the Congress.

2
Compiled by Sana Fatima

Q 3. Why are Jinnah’s Fourteen Points important to

the history of Pakistan? (7)

A. Jinnah’s Fourteen Points were presented in the Round

Table Conference of 1930 to counter the Congress Nehru
Report.

Nehru Report had widened the political gap between the

Muslims and the Hindus. Jinnah’s Fourteen Points made
it clear to Hindus and British Government that Muslims
wanted their own identity and cultural representation
without any influence of Hindus.

Jinnah’s Fourteen points of became principles for

Muslims of India. These points made it clear to the
Hindus and British Government that Indian Muslims are
a separate community with exclusive rights and interests
that shouldn’t be mixed with Hindus.

The Fourteen Points not only revived Muslim League but

also directed and prepared them towards struggle for
freedom. Also these points were referred to in all future
meetings of AIML during the Pakistan Movement. They
became demands of the Muslims and greatly influenced
the Muslims thinking for the next two decades till the
establishment of Pakistan in 1947.

3
Compiled by Sana Fatima

Q 4. Explain the importance of Allama Iqbal’s

Allahabad Address 1930 to the Pakistan Movement.
(7)
A. Allama Iqbal expressed the idea of a separate
homeland in his Allahabad Address in 1930.

In his address, Iqbal stressed that Muslims are a separate

nation and they should have a unique representation pf
their cultural and religious identity. Allama Iqbal
strongly supported the Two Nation Theory and said that
there was no possibility of peace in the sub-continent
unless Muslims were recognised as a separate nation.

He explained that since Islam is a complete code of life

and guides the Muslims in every field, therefore Muslims
in India needed a homeland where they could freely
profess their religion and mould their lives in accordance
with the principles of Islam.

Thus Iqbal's views helped the Muslims to determine a

line of action and work out a definite plan in order to
achieve the goal of a separate homeland. Iqbal's
Allahabad address importance lies in the fact that it was
the first time that the idea of a separate Muslim state was
expressed from Muslim League platform.

The Lahore Resolution of 1940 was also based upon the

ideas expressed in the Allahabad Address of 1930.
Allama Iqbal's influence and contribution to the ideology

4
Compiled by Sana Fatima

of Pakistan cannot be underestimated. In Lahore

Resolution of 1940 the Muslims demanded a separate
homeland which was the basis of the views of Allama
Iqbal in his 1930 address of Allahabad.

Q 5. Why was there so much opposition to the

Government of India Act of 1935? (7)

A. The Government of India Act 1935 was opposed for

a number of reasons.

One was that the Governor General was the Head of

Federation and could exert special powers in the reserved
subjects. All the ultimate control was still in the hands of
the British Viceroy and Governor General.

The Act appeared to grant real power to the people of

India, but in reality things were a little different.
Provincial governor also had special powers in the two
reserved areas. They had the authority to dismiss
ministers and even the right to dismiss the whole
administration and rule by proclamation during a period
of emergency. However, here the governors were asked
to act upon the advice of Ministers.

Another reason was that the part concerning the Central

Government was never introduced because the princes
rejected the new arrangements. Although the Act
appeared to give the Indians a say in running their own
country, there was a very limited franchise. The property

5
Compiled by Sana Fatima

qualification for voting meant that only 25% of Indians

population was allowed to vote in the provincial
elections.

The 1935 Act was opposed on all sides of India. The

Congress, Muslim League and even the princes of states
resented this act. Nehru called it a “charter of slavery’
and said that it had so many safeguards that is was like
‘a machine with strong breaks but no engine’. To Jinnah
it was simply ‘thoroughly rotten, fundamentally bad and
totally unacceptable.

Q 6. Explain the importance of the Government of

India Act 1935 to the future of subcontinent. (7)

A. The Government of India Act 1935 was the last

British attempt to govern India.

There was some provincial autonomy granted in the 1935

Act which meant that every provincial government was
allowed to devise and carry out their own programmes
and be responsible to their own legislature. This was the
first time that this had been allowed and was seen as an
important step forward.

According to the 1935; Government of India Act;

ministers in the provinces could have control over all
departments except when governors chose to intervene
in cases of public order or to veto a bill. It provided more

6
Compiled by Sana Fatima

rights for the local population to vote – some 5 times

increased in the previous numbers to a 35 million total.

In this Act 1935; provisions for a federal government

were established for the first time, which meant that
princely states could participate politically in affairs
concerning the sub-continent. However, key decisions
relating to external relations and defence were retained
by the British, and opposed by the Indians.

Q 7. Why were the 1937 elections important to the

Muslim League? (7)

A. In1937 it was the first major election fought and that

helped to unify the Muslim League.

AIML had a relative poor performance in the elections;

out of 489 Muslim seats, the Muslim League only won
109.

AIML learned a great deal about how to contest elections

and realised that it had to improve its organisation and
planning. The Muslim League also learnt that their
support lay in areas where Muslims were in minority
rather than in majority.

The Muslim League recognised the ‘image problem’ as

its leaders were seen as not in touch with ordinary
Muslims. Congress also isolated the Muslim League

7
Compiled by Sana Fatima

after the elections which led to difficulties in future

negotiations.

Muslims felt betrayed by the British who were seen as

too concerned with getting the new provincial
governments running rather than being concerned with
Muslim rights. After the elections; Congress used its new
powers to further upset Muslims during Congress Rule.

Q 8. Why was the Simla Deputation 1906 important

in the history of Indian Muslims? (7)

A. Simla Deputation was able to win the sympathies of

the British concerning matters relating to the interests of
the Muslims as a community.

It was due to the success of obtaining separate electorates

in the Simla Deputation that for the first time, Hindu-
Muslim conflict was lifted to the constitutional level. The
rift in the Indian society was now to be discussed in the
legal and political institutions.

The Muslims had made it clear that they had no

confidence in the Hindu majority, that they were not
prepared to put their future in the hands of assemblies
elected on the assumption of a homogeneous Indian
population; they eventually rejected the idea of a single
Indian nation.

8
Compiled by Sana Fatima

Simla Deputation was a step ahead in the struggle

towards demanding a separate state for the Muslims of
India. The acceptance of separate electorates may be
seen as the implementation of Sir Syed’s Two Nation
Theory. The significance of the Simla demands lay in the
reservations/concerns which the Muslims had about their
particular Indian nationality and were attended too by
Lord Minto.