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Pak Studies History IGCSEPDF 78
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(v) 1937 Elections
(vi) The INC Rule 1937-39
ML & INC didn’t approve the 1935 Act; accepted it due to elections, Jan-Feb
1937, for provincial assemblies only Jinnah’s return, 1934; permanent president
of ML; still hoped some Hindu-Muslim unity after the elections but Nehru
unwilling. Results: INC won absolute majority in 5 provinces; formed govt in 8
provinces (including NWFP) ML: 109/482 seats reserved for Muslims;
performed a little better in the Muslim minority provinces. Importance of the
Elections First major elections; various factions of ML got united ML learned a
lot about election campaign organization & planning; how to approach the
voters It realized: (1) its support lay in Muslim minority areas; no threat of
Hindu domination in Muslim majority provinces; it would eventually make
inroads in these provinces (2) it had an ‘image problem’ – a party dominated by
the elite Muslims e.g., princes, Nawabs etc, whereas INC was popular among all
socio-economic segments of society.
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Despite the failure of the Round Table conferences, in March 1933 the British
government announced its proposals for how India should be governed.
INC victory in the 1937 elections INC ministries in 8 out of 11 provinces
Nehru got assurance from Viceroy Lord Linlithgow about governors not using special
powers to interfere with the provincial matters.
In areas of ML victory, INC’s condition of ML members to leave ML. A series of
anti-Muslim policies under the INC rule:
Bande Matram: Hindu nationalist song with anti-Muslim expressions; compulsory
singing in morning in provincial assemblies; Muslims felt offended & worried about
their future.
The Wardha Scheme: Gandhi’s educational scheme; spinning cotton by hand, part
of teaching in schools; no religious education; Hindi, medium of education;
compulsory bowing before Gandhi’s portrait in schools for all students; for Muslims, it
was anti-Islamic; fear of imposition of Hinduism.
INC tyranny: Ban on beef in some places; ban on & disturbance of Azaan; attacks
on mosques during congregational prayer; pushing pigs into mosques during
prayers; local authorities were biased against Muslims; no complaints of Muslims
were entertained; attacks on Muslim houses & anti-Muslim riots; hoisting INC flag
with the Union Jack to show there were only 2 political powers in India; Muslims felt
threatened about their cultural & political identity & importance.
Linlithgow himself received reports of anti-Muslim measures from some places.
Start of WW2, Sept 1939; INC ministers resigned;
Muslims celebrated “Day of Deliverance” on Jinnah’s call, 22 Dec 1939, to mark the
end of INC rule. ML under INC rule rejected Jinnah’s offer of INC-ML coalition, by
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