Question No.

1: The Morley Minto reforms

were the most important of the attempts by
the Muslims, Hindus or the British
Governments in seeking a solution to the
problems in the Sub Continent between
1906 & 1920? Do you agree? Give reason
for your answer. 14

• Morley Minto Reforms 1909 were a definite improvement & advance on the
act of 1892. It was an important step in the direction or representation &
responsible government. But Minto Morley reforms didn't solve the problems
in the sub continent. Therefore it is not possible to agree with the statement,
because the demand of the self-rule was not granted.
continued
• But From the British government point of view it can be said that these
reforms increased the members of the central legislative assembly from
16 to 60 & first time an Indian was included in Viceroy's Executive
Council. But the reforms didn't introduce democracy in the country. It
only allowed some opportunity to a limited number of Indians to
participate in law making & administration with limited powers.The
legislative had no control over Executive. The assemblies could pass
resolutions in the form recommendations which viceroy or Governors
(in province) could accept or could not accept. The number of voters
was very small & system of voting was discriminatory. The congress was
not satisfied because the aim of self rule was still very far. One Indian
member was added to viceroy's Executive Council & one to each of
provincial Councils. The Congress condemned the reforms but agreed
to work with them. Muslims were satisfied over the grant of separate
electorate in the 1909 reforms because it protected Muslim rights to
some extent.
continued
• In 1913 Muslim league added self rule to its demands. it brought the
congress & ML closer. Mr. Jinnah joined the ML in 1913 & since then he
made very strong efforts to bring the two parties closer so that
achieving of self-rule may be easier. The annual meetings of Congress &
ML were held at Lucknow in 1916 & leaders of both parties came to
some agreements. The Congress accepted the right of separate
electorate for Muslims & the one third seats in the central assembly
were to be given to Muslims. Both parties demanded that elected
members in both Central & Provincial assemblies would be in majority.
They also agreed upon autonomy for provinces & on the principle of
weightage.In 1909 the Minto Morley reforms had promised that more
powers will be given to Indians after 10 years. Therefore in 1919
Reforms more concessions were given. A system of two houses was
proposed for the Central Legislature. Number of members was greatly
increased & elected members were to be in majority.
continued
• The 1919 reforms introduced the system of Diarchy in provinces. According
to this system the unimportant or transferred subjects (agriculture,
education, and health) were given to Indian ministers. Important or reserved
subjects (police, Justice, Revenue) were under the control of the Governors
& Executive Councilors who were British. Three Indian members were
introduced in Viceroy's Executive Council. Although the number of voters
was increased, yet the right to vote was still discriminatory. These reforms
also disappointed both the ML & the Congress because both had hoped for
more substantial powers. The Viceroy and Governors had vast powers to
appoint ministers & to dismiss the assemblies. In short the Act of 1919 didn't
do much to solve the constitutional problem of India. We come to the
conclusion that the Lucknow Pact 1916 was the most important political
development between 1909 & 1919.under the Lucknow Pact both the
congress & ML were moving in the right direction with cooperation and
understanding . If both the parties maintained the cooperation and
concession to each other the goal of the self rule or independence would
have been achieved much earlier.
Question No. 2: Why did the congress party
oppose the Morley Minto reforms of 1909? 7
• The congress opposed and rejected the MMR of 1909 because congress has
stared demanding self-rule and independence of India while the reforms
didn't give any inclination to give any effective power to Indian to run the
government.Besides that, the reforms granted separate electorate to the
Muslims. The congress was in favour of joint electorates. The congress
claimed that it represented all Indian people and that separate electorate
was undemocratic. Some Hindus also resented the relative high position of
Muslims in the councils despite their much smaller numbers.Besides that
the Viceroy's council had no real power. They could only discuss and debate
an issue and present their opinion in the form of suggestions. The real
power rested with the viceroy and governor of provinces. Therefore
congress opposed MMR of 1909.
Why did Muslim League demand Self -
Government ?
• The British had already upset the Hindus over Bengal ; their anger and violent protests alarmed the
government.
• In 1911 it reversed the decision to divide Bengal so now it was the turn of the Muslims to react .
• It seemed that protest , boycotts and violence had gained victory for Hindus and their own loyalty
had been rewarded by betrayal .
• A number of other actions by British resented by Muslims
The British:
• partly demolished a mosque at Kanpur to make wy for a road
• Stopped the Muslim College at Aligarh gaining university status
• Sided with Itlay against Muslim – controlled Turkey
• Moved the British capital from Calcutta to Dehli
So in 1913 Muslim League changed its objective and promised their loyalty to British crown instead of
British government with a demand for self government in a way that was suitable to India.
Why did Muslims not demanded complete
independence from Britain?
Muslims faced a great dilemma . They wanted a role in running their
own land however, the danger for them was that if the British were
pressed too hard they might leave India altogether. In that case the
Hindus with their majority would control the country and that would be
not acceptable for any one.
India before the First World War
• The reversal of the Partition of Bengal had led to poor relations between the
British and the Muslims.• The Muslims saw the reversal of the Partition as a
betrayal of British promises that the original Partition was final.
• They also soon realised that the Morley-Minto reforms did not provide Indians
with any genuine voice in the government of their country.•
• Despite the attempts to work with the British since the days of Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan, the Muslims now lost faith in the British to allow them any real political
power. In 1912-13, the British supported the Balkan states fighting against
Turkey in the Balkan Wars.
• As Turkey was the major Islamic state in Europe, the Muslim community in
India saw this as a further example of how the British had no interest in
protecting Muslim rights. The Muslims had so little belief in British rule that in
January 1913 the Muslim League declared that its aim was 'a form of self-
government suitable to India'. This was the first time that the League had
passed a resolution calling for self-government and it now stood beside
Congress in making such demands. The resolution was extremely important in
improving relations with Congress, which now realised that the League was not
an organisation designed to promote support for the British.
The Impact of the First World War on the
Indian Sub - Continent
When the First World War broke out in Europe in August 1914 there were
mixed views in India. As part of the British Empire many Indians had great
sympathy for the British. 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. The British, themselves, said that the war would
have been longer and indeed might not even have been won without the help
of the Indians.
Many politicians in India agreed with the idea of giving support to the British,
who said they were fighting for the rights of nations to determine how they
should be governed (self-determination). So if the British won this war, then
surely they would reward Indian loyalty by introducing reforms to give the
Indians a larger role in governing the country.
• However, it is also true that many Indians were not sympathetic
to the British. They saw Britain's 'necessity' as 'India's
'opportunity'. In other words, Britain was in difficulty and needed
help, so there was more opportunity for Indians to press for self-
government. The 'anti-British' group soon began to take action.
• In 1913, Lala Hardayal, who was in exile in America, set up a
Mutiny Party which sent arms to India and arranged for armed
opposition to the British. However, the party's supporters in India
were betrayed and they were killed in a battle with Indian police
in September 1915.
• In 1915 there was also a planned uprising by Indian 'nationalists'
in the Punjab, which was easily put down by the British.
• A mutiny by Indian troops serving in the British army in
Singapore was crushed and dozens of troops executed or
imprisoned.
• Another unsuccessful plot was the 'Silk Letter Conspiracy' in
which anti-British Muslims proposed a general uprising by
the Muslims to free themselves from British rule. However,
their plans came to nothing. As a result of discontent within
India, the British were forced to pass the Defence of India
Act, which gave them extraordinary powers to deal with
unrest. Hundreds of alleged revolutionaries were exiled or
were imprisoned without proper trial.
 Why were there mixed views in India
about supporting the British in the WW1?
• (7)
Ans. The Indians were divided when the War broke out in 1914. Many of them
were in a way idealists' as they believed that in case of the British victory they
surely would reward Indian loyalty by introducing reforms to give the Indians a
greater role in governing the country. They, therefore, agreed with the idea of
giving support to the British on the ground that the British were fighting for the
rights of nations to determine how they should be governed (self-determination).
The British, too, admitted that the war would have prolonged beyond their
calculations and indeed might not even have been won without the help of the
Indians.However, it is also true that many Indians were not sympathetic to the
British and wanted to exploit the British weakness during the War. They saw
Britain's 'necessity' as India's opportunity. They were, therefore, called the
'opportunists' or 'realists' According to their views, Britain was in difficulty and
needed help, so there was more opportunity for the Indians to press the British
for self-government. This 'anti-British' group soon began to take action in the
form of the revolutionary activity in and beyond India. They included the Mutiny
What was the Silk Letter
Movement/Conspiracy?
Ans: It was a revolutionary movement launched by the Deobandi sect
of Sunni Muslims in India from 1913 to 1920.It's aim was to liberate
India from the British rule with the help of Germany, the Ottoman
Turkey and Afghanistan. The Punjab CID uncovered the conspiracy by
capturing letters written by Maulana Ubaid Ullah Sindhi to Maulana
Mahmud Ul Hassan. These letters were written in silk cloth, hence the
name "Silk Letters Conspiracy". Both the leaders visited Afghanistan
and persuaded the Afghan Amir to initiate an insurrection in the tribal
belt of India. However, like many other similar secret attempts, this too
was foiled by the British.
Lucknow Pact 1916
• Jinnah arose as a devoted champion of Hindu Muslim unity,
he convinced all India Muslim league to change their policies
for the better of India. Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his early
career was a member of both the Congress and the Muslim
league and was well known as a man free of any religious
prejudice, as well as a brilliant advocate and debater. In
1915, mainly due to his efforts, both the Muslim league and
the Congress party had their annual meeting in Bombay. At
the end of this meeting, a committee was formed with the
intention to sort the common understanding between the
two communities.
History of Lucknow Pact
To know the significance of the Lucknow Pact 1916, it is important to
know its background.
• The Muslim League came into existence in 1906, and the prime
motive of the Muslim League was to establish a cordial relationship
with the British.
• During the period of the All India Muslim League and Indian National
Congress coalition, Jinnah, who was then a member of both parties,
used the occasion as a joint venture to pressure the British to reform.
• This was the first time when both parties were together at the joint
session.
Main clauses of the Lucknow Pact
• Indian citizens should have the power to self-govern.
• The salary of the Secretary of State for Indian affairs should be given by the British government,
not from Indian funds.
• The Members of the Legislative Assembly should elect the president.
• The term of the Legislative Assembly should be five years.
• Different communities should have separate voting groups until they request a change..
• It is suggested that a minimum of 50% of the Council members should hold Indian citizenship.
• One-fifth of the members should be appointed, while the remaining four-fifths should be elected.
• All non-appointed members must be elected through adult suffrage.
• Minority groups ought to be represented in a manner that proportions to their population.
• Each province should determine the number of Muslim representatives in its provincial
legislatures.
• The Congress and the Muslim League made joint demands to the government. They agreed to
keep separate electorates until a community requested joint voting.
• Muslims were given a specific number of seats in both the all-India and provincial legislatures.
• Muslims should be given one-third representation in the central government.3
• There should be separate electorates for all the communities until a community
demanded joint electorates.
• A system of weightage should be adopted.
• The number of the members of Central Legislative Council should be increased to 150.
• The size of provincial legislatures should silt be extended.
• Voting rights for all
• No bill concerning a community should be passed if the bill is opposed by three-fourth
of the members of that community in the Legislative Council.
• The term of the Legislative Council should be five years.
• Half of the members of Imperial Legislative Council should be Indians.
• The Executive should be separated from the Judiciary!
• Although this Hindu Muslim Unity did not last more than eight years, and collapsed
after the development of differences between the two communities after the Khilafat
Movement, yet it was an Important event in the history of the Muslims of South Asia. It
was the first time that the Congress recognized the Muslim League as the political party
representing the Muslims of the region.
Importance of the Pact
• The Lucknow pact was a great achievement of Hindu and Muslim leaders, who were
successful in offering for the first and the only time, a mutually acceptable solution of the
Hindu Muslim problem.
• It was the Quaid-e-Azam, who had always been a staunch supporter of Hindu-Muslim
unity.
• The scheme provided for a substantial step taken halfway towards the establishment of
self-rule in India which was main core of the jointly sponsored scheme of Lucknow pact.
• The Congress first time accepted the demand of separate electorate for Muslims.
• The pact ensured the protection of political rights of Muslims.
• Muslim league separate status was also being accepted.
• Through the pact the both parties were able to put a joint demand before the British.
• Congress got strength in term of political and masses because it had got All India Muslim
League Supports.
• It was basically give and take sort of agreement between the both parties.
• The Muslims had to pay a big price of loosing majority in Bengal and Punjab to obtain
some concessions.
• Similarly, it carried great constitutional significance in the future for many developments.
• The scheme of representation of Muslim community in the central and provincial
• Jinnah said that the Pact had come about because
'Cooperation in the cause of our motherland should be
our guiding principle. India's real progress can only be
achieved by a true understanding and harmonious
relations between the two great sister communities’.

• Expected questions
What was Lucknow Pact?(4)
• Ans. It was an agreement signed between the Muslim
League and the Congress in December 1916 at Lucknow.
Jinnah led the ML while Mahajan led the INC. Congress
agreed to the separate Muslim electorates and one third
Muslim seats in the Central Government. Both demanded
more seats in the Councils, provincial autonomy and
protection of minorities. They agreed to make the
proposals binding on the British. It was the first occasion
of Hindu-Muslim unity that showed the possibility of
starting some kind of Home Rule campaign. Acceptance
of separate electorates and one third Muslim seats by
Congress indicated the possible communal divide of India.
 Why was the Lucknow Pact signed in 1916?(7)

• Ans: The INC and the ML decided to work together. Jinnah had joined ML in 1913 while
retaining his membership of the INC. He persuaded the ML leaders to change the policy
of "loyalty to the British" and make a demand for self rule. This brought ML closer to INC
that already was demanding "Swaraj" (self rule). Gradually both parties realized it would
be better to ask for constitutional reforms jointly.The British were planning to introduce
fresh reforms and this was leaked to the two major parties. The British had failed to
grant more rights to the Indians in the period upto 1914. Instead, the British policy of
repression during the WW1 also brought the two parties closer to each other. Therefore,
both parties set up joint councils to improve common understanding on key issues. So,
both decided to cooperate with each other in order to generate feelings of goodwill and
friendshipML and INC also wanted to reduce mutual friction and to accommodate each
other.The main figure in this regard was Mr. Muhammad Ali Jinnah who believed in a
unity between the INC and the ML. He was, therefore, given the title of the 'ambassador
of Hindu-Muslim unity' by Mr. Gokhle. Thus, the INC and the ML held a joint session in
What were the Mont-Ford reforms/The
Government of India Act 1919?
• Ans. They were jointly drafted by the Secretary of State, John
Montague and the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford. A bicameral set up was
introduced at the Centre with an Upper House, the Council of States,
and a Lower House, the Legislative Assembly. Out of - 145 members
of the Legislative Assembly, 103 were elected. At the provincial level,
Diarchy was introduced under which some of the reserved subjects of
the Governor were transferred to the ministers. The right of separate
electorates was extended to the Sikhs, too. The number of voters was
increased to 5.5 million. Both INC and ML opposed the reforms.
What was the Rowlatt Act?(4)
• Ans. The British anticipated a violent reaction to the
Mont-Ford reforms. They appointed an investigative
committee under Justice Rowlatt in Dec. 1917. In the
light of its report the Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919.
The Act empowered the local administration/police to
arrest anyone without warrant, detain him without the
right of bail and decide where the people in a province
should live. Gandhi launched a countrywide strike
against it, and Jinnah resigned from the Imperial
Legislative Council in protest. A protest by 20,000
unarmed people led to the tragic massacre at Jillianwala
Bagh, a public park, in Amritsar, in April 1919.
Describe the Amritsar Massacre?(4)
• Ans. As part of protest against the Rowlatt Act, there
was unrest in Amritsar and five Europeans were killed.
An angry mob of 20,000 gathered in a public park,
Jillianwala Bagh. Though all were peaceful protesters,
General Dyer, the local British Commander was
determined to restore peace as he had banned all public
meetings.He sealed the only exit of the park and
ordered a shootout without warning. Over 1600 rounds
were fired and about 400 people were killed while
another 1200 were wounded. Dyer was trialed under
the Hunter Committee and was removed from his
service without any further punishment.
"The Montague-Chelmsford reforms were
more important than any other political
developments between 1909 and 1919? Do
you agree or disagree? Give reasons for
your answer.
• Ans:The Montague-Chelmsford reforms (M.C reforms) were jointly
drafted by John Montague,Secretary of State of India, and Lord
Chelmsford, this Viceroy. They became operative in 1919. They enlarged
the size of the legislative councils, increased the number of voters to 5.5
million and granted the right of separateelectorate to Sikhs, too.
• In the Centre, a bicameral set up was introduced with an upper house,
the Council of State and a lower house the legislative assembly. The
Council of State had 60 seats,retams33 of whom were elected. The
Legislative Assembly had 145 members, with 103+being elected for a
period of 3 years. These 103 included 32 Muslims. A Council of Princes
was setup with 108 members where Princes could debate important
topics.
continued
• At provincial level, Diarchy was introduced. In this, subjects were divided between the
governor (reserved subjects) and ministers (transferred subjects). Enlargement of the
councils, increased number of voters and protection of minorities were welcomed.
minto The real powers were, however, stil with the British, as the Viceroy could pass
any law he liked in the Centre. Governors of the provinces, likewise, could veto any
law++they disliked.The Council of Princes, too, didn't have powers and eventually
itbecame a kind of a 'talking shop’.
• To make things worse, the Rowlatt Act was enforced. It gave powers to the police to
arrest anyone without warrant and detain him without the right of bail. The Act led to
the tragic Amritsar massacre.However, some other political developments also took
place during the same time period. Before the 1919 Act, the British had introduced
the Indian Councils Act 1909 also known as the Morley-Minto reforms (M.M.
Reforms). Under this act, size of the provincial and central legislative councils was
increased: for larger provinces 50 and for smaller provinces 30 members.The Imperial
Council was increased to 60 members by adding more non official members. Also, the
Central Executive Council was expanded by adding 60 new members, including many
Indians. Muslims were given the right of separate electorates. The councils, however,
had little powers. The members could ask questions and express their opinion and
advise the government on some issues.
continued
• INC was not satisfied with these provisions and it sharply criticized the
provision of separate electorates for Muslims. For INC, it was an undemocratic
concession, but for Muslim League, it was recognition of their political
importance.The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was an agreement between INC and
Muslim League.Baradari,Due to the efforts of Jinnah, ML and INC held their
joint session at Qaiser Bagh Lucknow. INC was led by Ambeka Charan
Mahajan and ML was represented by Mr. Jinnah. Both parties agreed on a
charter of common demands, called the Lucknow Pact. The Pact asked the
British for provincial autonomy, enlargement of the councils by including
more Indians. A very important clause was the acceptance of separate Muslim
electorates by the INC. I also agreed to give Muslims one-third seats in the
Centre. The Lucknow Pack marked a great occasion of Hindu-Muslim unity. It
also showed the desire of self-rule among Indians, as there were two more
Home Rule Leagues during the same period ... one by Bal Ganga Dhar Tilak
and the other by Mrs. Annie Besant It, however, also reffected that Hindus
would be ready to accept any degree of partition of India along communal
lines in future.
continued
• With objective analysis, it seems that the Mont-ford reforms
were the most important political development, because the
introduction of Diarchy and bicameral showed the British
willingness to grant Indians more rights, though rather
slowly.Alternative judgements:The 1909 Act may be considered
to be the most important development because by granting
separate electorates for the Muslims, the British strengthened
the idea of nationalism among Muslims which would evolve
into their demand for a separate homeland.• The Lucknow
Pact looks to be the most important development because it
showed the possibility of joint struggle for independence by
the two largest communities of India, Hindus and Muslims. If
the spirit of the Pact had been retained, British might have
been pressurized more than their expectations.
How successful were political
developments in seeking a solution to the
problems in the sub-continent between
1909 and 1919?Explain your answer.(14)
• Ans. The Morley-Minto reforms of 1909 were jointly drafted by the
Viceroy Lord Minto and the Secretary of State for India, John Morley.
Under these the size of the central and provincial legislative councils
wasincreased to 60 members. Provincial Councils and the Central
Executive Council were also increased by adding more members. The
Muslims were given the right of separate electorates. This means more
Indians were included in the government affairs and they could express
their opinions too. Granting of separate electorates to Muslims was a
major step towards the development of Muslim nationalism. However,
the INC opposed this because it viewed this as an undemocratic step.
The councils could not make, amend or annul any laws.
continued
• Therefore, the INC opposed the reforms as it wanted more Indians in the councils
and more power for the council members.The Lucknow Pact was signed between the
ML and the INC in 1916. Both parties gathered in Lucknow with Jinnah representing
the ML and Ambeka Charan Mahajan led the INC delegation. Both parties agreed to
demand provincial autonomy and enlargement of councils in India. The INC accepted
the separate electorates for Muslims and even agreed to one third seats in the
government. For the first time both major parties had shown such a unity. It was a
reflection of the campaign for self-rule in India. This success was greatly attributed to
Jinnah who was hailed as "the ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity".
• However, it also showed the depth ofcommunal divide in India because the separate
electorates was linked with the distinct Muslim identity.Secretary of States John
Montague and the Viceroy Lord Chelmsford introduced the Mont-Ford Reforms as
the Government of India Act 1919. As Indians expected some reward for their
contribution in the WW1, the British gave them some concessions in the new
reforms. In the Centre, a bicameral set up was introduced with an upper house, the
Council of States, and a lower house, the Legislative Assembly, There was majority of
the elected people in the Assembly. At provincial level, Diarchy was introduced in
which some of the reserved subjects of the provincial governors were transferred to
the ministers. This was claimed to be a step towards self-rule.
continued
• Separate electorates was also extended to the Sikhs. Both the INC and the
ML opposed these reforms as they had expected more political rights for
the Indians.The British had anticipated this disappointment. Therefore, Jhey
implemented the infamous Rowlatt Act that empowered the police to
arrest anyone without a warrant and detain the arrested person for an
indefinite period. The Indian anger grew as Jinnah and Gandhi sharply
criticized the Act. Hundreds of Indian protestors were killed in the
Jillianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
• If viewed objectively, it seems that all these political developments were a
failure because they eventually escalated to dissatisfaction among Indians
over whatever was offered to them by the British. The political deadlock
persisted despite efforts by both the British and the Indians.
Important dates in the early life of Mr. Jinnah
• Jinnah said that the pact had come about because, 'cooperation in the cause of our motherland
should be our guiding principle. India's real progress can only be achieved by a true
understanding & harmonious relations between the two great sister communities. Important
dates in the early life of Mr. Jinnah:
• 1876 born in Karachi
• 1892 arrived in England
• 1895 qualified as a barrister
• 1896 returned to India as a lawyer
• 1906 joined congress1913
• joined ML 1916
• achieved Lucknow pact
• 1918 married Ruttie petit
• 1919 birth of daughter Dina
The Montague Chelmsford Reforms of 1919
Government of India Act 1919
• In World War I, the British claimed that they stood for the protection of
democracy around the world. Thus the Indians, who fought for them in
this war, demanded that democracy should also be introduced in their
country. Lord Montague, the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs said
that in order to satisfy the local demands, his government was interested
in giving more representation to the natives in India. New reforms would
be introduced in the country to meet this objective. Finally, in
cooperation with the Governor General Lord Chelmsford, Montague
presented a report on the constitutional reforms or India in 1918.The
report was discussed and approved by the British Parliament and then
became the Act of 1919. This Act is commonly known as Montague-
Chelmsford Reforms.
The main features of the Act of 1919:
• The Central Legislature was to consist of two houses. Upper House (Council of the State), and the Lower
House (Legislative Assembly).
• Council of the State was to consist of 60 members. The Legislative Assembly was to consist of 144
members.
• The duration of the Upper House was five and of the Lower House was three years.
• Powers were divided between the center and the provinces.
• The system of Diarchy, or a Kind of double government in the Provinces was introduced.
• The franchise was limited.
• The Governor General had the power to nominate as many members to his Executive Council as he
wanted.
• Both the houses had equal legislative powers, In case of a tie, the Governor General was to call a joint
meeting where the matter was to be decided by majority vote.
• The Executive Council was not responsible to Legislate.
• Provincial Legislatures were supposed to be unicameral.
• Besides Muslims, other minorities including Sikhs, Anglo-Indians, Christians and Europeans were also
given the right of separate electorate.
• New reforms were to be introduced after ten years.
• The Council of the Secretary of State was to comprise of eight to twelve people. Three of them
Indian Response
• Indian Constitutional Act of 1919 was passed to satisfy Indian people.
On the contrary, Indian people opposed it because the Act went
against Congress-League pact thus resulting in the Hindu opposition.
Muslims partly accepted the Montague-Chelmsford reforms with
certain reservations and demands regarding the safety of Muslim
states. Gandhi categorically rejected this scheme and congress
denounced it as inadequate, unsatisfactory and disappointing. Besides
these problems, the events like Rowlatt act, the Jallianwal Bagh
tragedy and Khilafat movement further aggravated the situation and
doomed the reforms to failure.
Diarchy
• Diarchy was introduced as a constitutional reform by Edwin Samuel
Montagu (secretary of state for India, 1917-22) and Lord Chelmsford
(viceroy of India, 1916-21).
• According to Diarchy the various fields or subjects of administration
were divided between the British councilors and the Indian ministers,
being named reserved and transferred subjects, respectively.
• The reserved subjects came under the heading of law and order and
included justice, police, land revenue, and irrigation.
• The transferred subjects i.e (those under the control of Indian
ministers) included local self-government education, public health,
public works, and agriculture, forests, and fisheries.
• The system ended with the introduction of provincial
autonomy in 1935.
Rowlett Act March1919
• The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, popularly known as the Rowlat Act or Black
Act, was a legislative act passed by the imperial Legislative Council in Delhi on10 March 1919,
according to this act it was decided to ratify the Defence of India Act 1915 during the First World War.
• It was Passed on the recommendations of the Rowlatt Committee and named after its president,
British judge Sir Sidney Rowlatt, this act effectively authorized the government to imprison any
person suspected of terrorism living in British India for up to two years without a trial, and gave the
imperial authorities power to deal with all revolutionary activities.
• The unpopular legislation provided for stricter control of the press, arrests without warrant,
indefinite detention without trial.
• This law can prohibit any person from taking part in any political, educational, or religious activities.
• This bill gave enormous powers to the police to search a place and arrest any person without
warrant.
• Despite much opposition, the Rowlett Act was passed in March 1919.
• The purpose of the act was to curb the growing nationalist upsurge in the country.
• The Rowlett Act came into effect in March 1919.
• In the Punjab the protest movement was very strong, and on 10 April two leaders of the congress, Dr.
Satya Pal and Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, were arrested.
• The army was called into Punjab, and on 13 April people from neighbouring villages gathered for
Baisakhi Day celebrations and to protest against deportation of two important Indian leaders in
Amritsar Massacre 1919
• Massacre of Amritsar, (April 13, 1919), incident in which British troops
fired on a crowd of unarmed Indian protesters, killing a large number.
• It left a permanent scar on Indo-British relations.
• In 1919 the British government of India enacted the Rowlett Acts,
extending its World War I emergency powers to combat revolutionary
activities.
• At Amritsar in Punjab, about 10,000 demonstrators unlawfully
protesting these measures confronted troops commanded by Gen.
Dyer in an open space known as the Jallianwalla Bagh, which had only
one exit. (The site is now a national monument.)
• The troops fired on the crowd, killing an estimated 379 and wounding
about 1,200 according to one official report The Hunter Commission
condemned General Dyer in 1920, but the House of Lords praised his
action, and a fund was raised in his honour.
 Questions
Q1. The Morley Minto reforms were the most important of the
attempts by the Muslims, Hindus or the British Governments in
seeking a solution to the problems in the Sub Continent between
1906 & 1920? Do you agree? Give reason for your answer. 14

Q2. Why did the congress party oppose the Morley Minto
reforms of 1909? (7)

Q3. Explain why the Lucknow Pact of 1916 was made? 7

Q4. Describe what happened at Lucknow in 1916? 4

The Non-cooperation Movement
• By March 1920 many Indians had lost faith in their British rulers and joined
Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement with great enthusiasm.
• British cloth was burned in huge amounts and the production of hand-spun
and hand-woven Indian cloth encouraged.
• Teachers and students left English colleges and schools and set up their own
institutions.
• Many lawyers gave up their practices as part of a boycott of the English legal
system.
• The first elections for the reformed Councils in 1920 (following the Montagu-
Chelmsford Reforms) were largely ignored and Congress refused to field
candidates.
• Jawaharlal Nehru has written about the attitude of the Indian people at this
time.
• He said:We were full of excitement and optimism and buoyant
enthusiasm.We sensed the happiness of a person crusading for a cause.
• In response to this widespread opposition the British began a
policy of imprisoning alleged trouble-makers. Soon the jails
were filled with over 30,000 political prisoners.It seemed that
non-cooperation was providing a very difficult situation for
the British. But as non-cooperation spilt over into violence
(see chapter 7) and Gandhi decided to call off the campaign
in February 1922.The first non-cooperation campaign had
failed to bring about swaraj and had also failed to save the
Khalifa. It had, however, played an important part in raising
Indian expectations and convincing many people of the need
to work to overthrow their British rulers. It was a weapon
which Gandhi was to use several more times against the
British.
The Growth of Communalism
• Post-war events in India had brought Hindus and Muslims closer together in their
opposition to British repression and in an attempt to save the Khalifa in Turkey.
• In the early 1920s, however, there was an increase in suspicion and rivalry between
the two groups.
• The ending of non-cooperation did not bring peace to India. Instead it led to serious
communal rioting across India. This was a period when Hindu fundamentalism gained
more influence.
• Arya Samaj had been founded in 1877 and had strongholds in western and northern
India. It aimed to purify Hinduism of some of the impure practices into which it had
fallen.
• By doing so, its founder, Dayanand Saraswati hoped to reconvert Hindus who had
been converted to Christianity.
• During the 1920s Arya Samaj was a powerful agent for the spread of education and
social reform, particularly in the Punjab.
• Together with the Hindu Mahasabha, Arya Samaj carried out militant activities in
1924 which helped strain relations between Hindus and Muslims.
Pundit Mohan Malaviya
• In the Punjab Hindu Sabhas had been involved in local politics since the
1890s.
• In 1923 UP Congressman Pandit Mohan Malaviya brought a number of them
together in a political party, the Hindu Mahasabha.
• It contested its first election in 1926. The party made little progress,
however, until the charismatic V.D.Savarkar became President.
• In 1947 the Hindu Mahasabha was to condemn the partition settlement as a
national disaster, since it wanted India to be a Hindu state.
• It believed that Gandhi's religious tolerance was a threat to Hindu purity.
• Savarkar was later accused of being involved in the assassination of Gandhi
in January 1948, though he would be acquitted by the court.
Growing divisions in the Congress Party
• The Hindu Congress Party was split in the early 1920s. Although the party officially
opposed the elections for the Council in 1920, a splinter group stood in the elections
and won some seats under the name National Liberals'. But these members, and those
of other parties who had fielded candidates, soon found that they had little influence
on the British.
• In 1923 Congress decided to adopt a new policy. Now was the time to enter the
Councils and 'carry out a policy of consistent obstruction, with a view to making
government …impossible .
• The 1923 elections were fought under the name of the 'Swaraj Party' and a large
number of seats were won.
• The growth of Congress influence worried the Muslim League which feared that
Congress was more concerned with Hindu matters than winning rights for all Indians.
• The League's suspicion was further increased when Congress refused to support
Muslim demands for full provincial autonomy (which would safe-guard Muslim
majorities in the Punjab, Bengal and the North West Frontier). To make matters even
worse, Hindu groups began carrying out forcible conversions of Muslims. It was time
for the League to fight back.
The Delhi Proposals
• In 1927 Jinnah called a conference of all Muslim leaders in Delhi.
• The purpose was to discuss how Muslim interests should be protected in the future.
• He was particularly keen to discuss the future of separate electorates in any future
constitutional reform.
• The Delhi conference resulted in a number of demands, known as the Delhi
Proposals.
• Muslims should be given one-third of the seats in the Central Legislature through
joint electorates.
• Sindh should be given full provincial status.
• All British reforms in India should be extended to Balochistan and the NorthWest
Frontier Province
• The number of seats to be given to Muslims in the Punjab and Bengal should be
proportional to the Muslim population living there.
• Jinnah stated that if these proposals were accepted, the Muslims would call off their
demands for a separate electorate.