UNIT Communalism in 6 Nationalist Politics

Learning Objectives

To acquaint ourselves with „„The emergence of religious nationalism in pre-independent „„British Divide and Rule policy to promote their imperial interests „„Grant of separate electorate by the British for Muslims encouraging the League and Jinnah to press their demand for a separate state for Muslims „„Acceptance of office by Congress, under Government of India Act, 1935, and the increasing gap between Congress and Muslim League „„Call for given by Jinnah and the resultant communal violence in Calcutta „„The partition of the country into India and Pakistan

Introduction new avenues opened by colonialism. With the emergence of Indian nationalism especially Before the establishment of , among the educated Hindu upper castes, the Mughals and their agents had ruled large British saw in the Muslim middle class a force parts of the country. Large sections of the to keep the Congress in check. They cleverly Muslims therefore enjoyed the advantages of exploited the situation for the promotion being the co-religionists of the ruling class of their own interests. The competing many of whom were sovereigns, landlords, three strands of nationalism namely Indian the generals and officials. The official and nationalism, Hindu nationalism, and Muslim court language was Persian. When the British nationalism are dealt with in this lesson. gradually replaced them they introduced a new system of administration. By the 6.1 Origin and Growth mid-nineteenth century English education of Communalism in predominated. The 1857 rebellion was the last British India gasp of the earlier ruling class. Following the brutal suppression of the revolt, the Muslims lost everything, their land, their job and other (a) Hindu Revivalism opportunities and were reduced to the state of Some of the early nationalists believed that penury. Unable to reconcile to the condition nationalism could be built only on a Hindu to which they were reduced, the Muslims foundation. As pointed out by Sarvepalli Gopal, retreated into a shell. And for the first few Hindu, revivalism found its voice in politics generations after 1857 they hated everything through the Arya Samaj, founded in 1875, with British. Besides they resented competing with its assertion of superior qualities of Hinduism. the Hindus who had taken recourse to the Besant identified herself with Hindu nationalists

73

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 73 24-03-2020 09:59:11 and expressed her ideas as follows: ‘The Indian (d) Moves of the Congress work is first of all the revival, strengthening and Though many congress men had uplifting of ancient religions. This has brought involvement in Hindu organisations like with it a new self-respect, a pride in the past, a Arya Samaj, the Congress leadership was belief in the future and as an inevitable result, a secular. When there was an attempt by some great wave of patriotic life, the beginning of the Congressmen to pass a resolution in the third rebuilding of a nation.’ session of the Indian National Congress, making cow killing a penal offence, the Congress (b) Rise of Muslims Consciousness leadership refused to entertain it. The Congress on the other hand, to quote subsequently resolved that if any resolution Sarvepalli Gopal again, was securing its affecting a particular class or community was articulation through the . objected to by the delegates representing that The British, by building the Aligarh college community, even though they were in minority, and backing Syed Ahmed Khan, had assisted it would not be considered by the Congress. the birth of a Muslim national party and Muslim political ideology. The Wahabis (e) Role of Syed Ahmed Khan wanted to take Islam to its pristine purity Sir Syed Ahmed and to end the superstition which according Khan, the founder of to them had sapped its vitality. From the Aligarh movement was Wahabis to the Khilafatists, grassroots initially supportive of activism played a significant role in the the Congress. Soon politicization of Muslims. he was converted to Muslim consciousness developed due to the thinking that in other reasons as well. The government’s a country governed order in the 1870s to replace Urdu by Hindi, by Hindus, Muslims Sir Syed Ahmed khan and the Perso-Arabic script by Nagri script in would be helpless, as the courts and offices created apprehension in they would be in a minority. However, there the minds of the Muslim professional group. were Muslim leaders like Badruddin Tyabji, Rahmatullah Sayani in Mumbai, Nawab Syed (c) Divide and Rule Policy of Mohammed Bahadur in and A. Rasul British in Bengal who supported the Congress. But The object of the the majority of Muslims in north India toed British was to check the line of Syed Ahmed Khan, and preferred the development of a to support the British. The introduction composite Indian identity, of representative institutions and of open and to forestall attempts competition to government posts gave rise to at consolidation and apprehensions amongst Muslims and prompted unification of Indians. Syed Ahmed Khan and his followers to work The British imperialism for close collaboration with the Government. By collaborating with the Government he followed the policy of Elphinstone Divide and Rule. Bombay hoped to secure for his community a bigger Governor Elphinstone wrote, ‘Divide et share than otherwise would be due according Impera was the old Roman motto and it to the principles of number or merit. should be ours.’ The British government lent The foundation of the Indian National legitimacy and prestige to communal ideology Congress in 1885 was an attempt to narrow and politics despite the governance challenge the Hindu-Muslim divide and place the that communal riots posed. genuine grievances of all the communities in

Religion in Nationalist Politics 74

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 74 24-03-2020 09:59:11 the country before the British. But Sir Syed Muslim supporters of the Swadeshi movement Ahmed Khan and other Muslim leaders like were condemned as “Congress touts.” The silence Syed Ameer Ali, the first Indian to find a of the Congress and its refusal to deal with such place in London Privy Council, projected the elements frontally not only provided stimulus Congress as a representative body of only to communal politics but also demoralized and the Hindus. Of the seventy-two delegates discouraged the nationalist Muslims. attending the first session of the Congress only two were Muslims. Muslim leaders opposed Hindu and Muslim Communalism were the Congress tooth and nail on the plea that products of middle class infighting utterly Muslims’ participation in it would create divorced from the consciousness of the Hindu an unfavourable reaction among the rulers and Muslim masses. —Jawaharlal Nehru against their community. The situation took a turn for the worst in the (f) Communalism in Local Body first decade of the twentieth century when political Elections radicalism went hand in hand with religious Democratic politics had the unintended conservatism. Tilak, Aurobindo Gosh and Lala effect of fostering communal tendencies. Lajpat Rai aroused anti-colonial consciousness by Local administrative bodies in the 1880s using religious symbols, festivals and platforms. provided the scope for pursuing communal The most aggravating factor was Tilak’s effort to politics. Municipal councillors acquired vast mobilise Hindus through the Ganapati festival. powers of patronage which were used to Lal Chand spared no efforts to condemn the build-up one’s political base. Hindus wresting Indian National Congress of pursuing a policy of the control of municipal boards from the appeasement towards Muslims. Muslims and vice-versa led to communalisation of local politics. 6.2 Formation of All India Muslim League Lal Chand, the principal spokesperson of On 1 October 1906, a 35-member the Punjab Hindu Sabha delegation of the Muslim nobles, aristocrats, and later the leader of legal professionals and other elite sections Arya Samaj, highlighted of the community mostly associated with the extent to which some Aligarh movement gathered at Simla under the Municipalities were leadership of Aga Khan to present an address organised on communal Lal Chand to Lord Minto, the viceroy. They demanded lines: ‘The members of the Committee arrange proportionate representation of Muslims in themselves in two rows, around the presidential government jobs, appointment of Muslim chair. On the left are seated the representatives judges in High Courts and members in Viceroy’s of the banner of Islam and on the right the council, etc. Though the Simla deputation failed descendants of old Rishis of Aryavarta. By to obtain any positive commitment from the this arrangement the members are constantly Viceroy, it worked as a catalyst for the foundation reminded that they are not simply Municipal of the All India Muslim League (AIML) to Councillors, but they are as Muhammedans safeguard the interests of the Muslims in 1907. versus Hindus and vice-versa....’. A group of big zamindars, erstwhile Nawabs and ex-bureaucrats became active members of this (g) Weak-kneed Policy of the movement. The League supported the partition Congress of Bengal, demanded separate electorates At the dawn of twentieth century, during for Muslims, and pressed for safeguards for the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal (1905–06), Muslims in Government Service.

75 Religion in Nationalist Politics

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 75 24-03-2020 09:59:11 Objectives of All India Muslim of the British officers to Lady Minto: ‘I must League send your Excellency a line to say that a very The All India Muslim League, the first big thing has happened to-day. A work of centrally organized political party exclusively statesmanship, that will affect Indian History for Muslims, had the following objectives: for many a long year. It is nothing less than „„To promote among the Muslims pulling of 62 million people from joining the of India feelings of loyalty to the ranks of seditious opposition.’ British Government, and remove any The announcement of separate electorates misconception that may arise as to the and the incorporation of the principle of instruction of Government with regard to “divide and rule” into a formal constitutional any of its measures. arrangement made the estrangement between „„To protect and advance the political rights Hindus and Muslims total. and interests of Muslims of India, and to respectfully represent their needs and 6.3 Emergence of the All aspirations to the Government. India Hindu Mahasabha „„To prevent the rise among the Muslims of India of any feeling of hostility towards In the wake of the formation of the Muslim other communities without prejudice to League and introduction of the Government the aforementioned objects of the League. of India Act of 1909, a move to start a Hindu Initially, AIML was an elitist organization organisation was in the air. In pursuance of of urbanized Muslims. However, the support of the resolution passed at the fifth Punjab Hindu the British Government helped the League to Conference at Ambala and the sixth conference become the sole representative body of Indian at Ferozepur, the first all Indian Conference Muslims. Within three years of its formation, of Hindus was convened at Haridwar in 1915. the AIML successfully achieved the status of The All India Hindu Mahasabha was started there separate electorates for the Muslims. It granted with headquarters at Dehra Dun. Provincial separate constitutional identity to the Muslims. Hindu Sabhas were started subsequently in UP, The (1916) put an official seal with headquarters at Allahabad and in Bombay on a separate political identity to Muslims. and Bihar. While the sabhas in Bombay and Bihar were not active, there was little response Separate Electorate or Communal Electorate: in Madras and Bengal. Under this arrangement only Muslims could vote Predominantly urban in character, the for the Muslim candidates. Minto-Morely Reforms, Mahasabha was concentrated in the larger 1909 provided for eight seats to Muslims in the trading cities of north India, particularly Imperial Legislative Council, out of the 27 non- in Allahabad, Kanpur, Benares, Lucknow officials to be elected. In the Legislative Council and Lahore. In United Province, Bihar the of the provinces seats reserved for the Muslim Mahasabha, to a large extent was the creation of candidates were: Madras 4; Bombay 4; Bengal 5. the educated middle class leaders who were also activists in the Congress. The Separate Electorates and the gave some respite to the separatist politics of the Spread of Communalism communalists. As a result, between 1920 and The institution of separate electorate 1922, the Mahasabha ceased to function. was the principle technique adopted by the The entry ofulema into politics led Hindus Government of British India for fostering and to fear a revived and aggressive Islam. Even spreading communalism. important Muslim leaders like Ali brothers had That the British did this with ulterior always been Khilafatists first and Congressmen motive was evident from a note sent by one second. The power of mobilisation on religious

Religion in Nationalist Politics 76

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 76 24-03-2020 09:59:11 grounds demonstrated by the Muslims during frustration. In the aftermath the Khilafat movement motivated the Hindu of Non-Co-operation communalists to imitate them in mobilising the movement, the alliance Hindu masses. Suddhi movement was not a between the Khilafatists new phenomenon but in the post-Khilafat and the Congress crumbled. period it assumed new importance. In an effort There was a fresh spate to draw Hindus into the boycott of the visit of of communal violence, as Prince of Wales in 1921, Swami Shradhananda Hindus and Muslims, in the context of self- tried to revive the Mahasabha by organizing governing institutions created under the Act of cow-protection propaganda. 1919, began to stake their political claims and in the process vied with each other to acquire Before the World War I, Britain had power and position. Of 968 delegates attending promised to safeguard the interests of the the sixth annual conference of the Hindu Caliph as well the Kaaba (the holiest seat of Mahasabha in Varanasi in August 1923, 56.7 Islam). But after Turkey’s defeat in the War, % came from the U.P. The United Provinces they refused to keep their word. The stunned (UP), the Punjab, Delhi and Bihar together Muslim community showed its displeasure contributed 86.8 % of the delegates. Madras, to the British government by starting the Bombay and Bengal combined sent only 6.6% Khilafat movement to secure the Caliphate in of the delegates. 1920s was a trying period for Turkey. the Congress. This time the communal tension in the United Province was not only due to the zeal of Hindu and Muslim religious leaders, The bloody Malabar rebellion of 1921, but was fuelled by the political rivalries of the where Muslim peasants were pitted against both Swarajists and Liberals. the British rulers and Hindu landlords, gave another reason for the renewed campaign of the Hindu Mahasabha. Though the outbreak was basically an agrarian revolt, communal passion ran high in consequence of which Gandhi himself viewed it as a Hindu-Muslim conflict. Gandhi wanted Muslim leaders to tender a public apology for the happenings in Malabar. Motilal Nehru M.M. Malaviya

In Allahabad, Motilal Nehru and Madan Mohan Malaviya confronted each other. When Nehru’s faction emerged victorious in the municipal elections of 1923, Malaviya’s faction began to exploit religious passions. The District Magistrate Crosthwaite who conducted the investigation reported: ‘The Malabar Rebellion, 1921 Malavia family have deliberately stirred up the Hindus and this has reacted on the (a) Communalism in United Muslims.’ Provinces (UP) (b) The Hindu Mahasabha The suspension of the non-cooperation movement in 1922 and the abolition of the In the Punjab communalism as a Caliphate in 1924 left the Muslims in a state of powerful movement had set in completely.

77 Religion in Nationalist Politics

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 77 24-03-2020 09:59:11 In 1924 Lala Lajpat Rai openly advocated the partition of the Punjab into Hindu and Expressing anguish over the development Muslim Provinces. The Hindu Mahasabha, of sectarian nationalism, Gandhi wrote, represented the forces of Hindu revivalism ‘There are as many religions as there are in the political domain, raised the slogan individuals, but those who are conscious of of ‘Akhand Hindustan’ against the Muslim the spirit of the nationality do not interfere League’s demand of separate electorates with one another’s religion. If Hindus believe for Muslims. Ever since its inception, the that India should be peopled only by Hindus, V.D. Savarkar Mahasabha’s role in the freedom struggle they are living in a dream land. The Hindus, has been rather controversial. While not the Sikhs, the Muhammedans, the Parsis and supportive of British rule, the Mahasabha the Christians who have made their country did not offer its full support to the nationalist are fellow countrymen and they will have to movement either. live in unity if only for their interest. In no part of the world are one nationality and one Since the Indian National Congress religion synonymous terms nor has it ever had to mobilize the support of all classes and been so in India.’ communities against foreign domination, the leaders of different communities could not press to separate Sind from for principle of secularism firmly for the fear of Bombay and the other losing the support of religious-minded groups. to examine proportional The Congress under the leadership of Gandhi representation as a held a number of unity conferences during this means of safeguarding period, but to no avail. Muslim majorities. Jinnah who had taken (c) Delhi Conference of Muslims the initiative to narrow and their Proposals down the breach Sarojini One great outcome of the efforts at unity, between the two, and however, was an offer by the Conference of had been hailed the ambassador of Hindu- Muslims, which met at Delhi on March 20, Muslim unity by Sarojini, felt let down as the 1927 to give up separate electorates if four Hindu Mahasabha members present at the All proposals were accepted. 1. the separation Parties Convention held in Calcutta in 1928 of Sind from Bombay 2. Reforms for the rejected all amendments and destroyed any Frontier and Baluchistan 3. Representation by possibility of unity. Thereafter, most of the population in the Punjab and Bengal and 4. Muslims were convinced that they would get Thirty-three per cent seats for the Muslims in a better deal from Government rather than the Central Legislature. from the Congress.

Motilal Nehru and S. Srinvasan persuaded (d) Communal Award and its the All India Congress Committee to accept Aftermath the Delhi proposals formulated by the The British Government was consistent in Conference of the Muslims. But communalism promoting communalism. Even the delegates had struck such deep roots that the initiative for the second Round Table Conference fell through. Gandhi commented that the were chosen on the basis of their communal Hindu-Muslim issue had passed out of human bearings. After the failure of the Round Table hands. Instead of seizing the opportunity to Conferences, the British Prime Minister Ramsay resolve the tangle, the Congress chose to drag MacDonald announced the Communal Award its feet by appointing two committees, one to which further vitiated the political climate. find out whether it was financially feasible

Religion in Nationalist Politics 78

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 78 24-03-2020 09:59:11 The Rashtriya 6.5 Observation of Day of Swayamsevak Sangh Deliverance (R.S.S.) founded in 1925 was expanding The Second World War broke out in 1939 and its volunteers had and the Viceroy of India Linlithgow immediately shot upto 1,00,000. announced that India was also at war. Since the K.B. Hedgewar, V.D. declaration was made without any consultation Savarkar and M.S. V.D. Savarkar with the Congress, it was greatly resented by Golwalker were it. The Congress Working Committee decided attempting to elaborate on the concept of the that all Congress ministries in the provinces Hindu Rashtra and openly advocated that would resign. After the resignation of Congress ‘the non-Hindu people in Hindustan must ministries, the provincial governors suspended adopt the Hindu culture and language... the legislatures and took charge of the provincial administration. they must cease to be foreigners or may stay in the country wholly subordinated The Muslim League celebrated the end to the Hindu Nation claiming nothing.' of Congress rule as a day of deliverance on 22 to separate Sind from V.D. Savarkar asserted that ‘We Hindus are December 1939. On that day, the League passed Bombay and the other a Nation by ourselves’. Though the Congress resolutions in various places against Congress to examine proportional had forbidden its members from joining the for its alleged atrocities against Muslims. The representation as a Mahasabha or the R.S.S. as early as 1934, it demonstration of Nationalist Muslims was means of safeguarding was only in December 1938 that the Congress dubbed as anti-Islamic and denigrated. It was Muslim majorities. Working Committee declared Mahasabha in this atmosphere that the League passed its resolution on 26 March 1940 in Lahore Jinnah who had taken membership to be a disqualification for demanding a separate nation for Muslims. the initiative to narrow remaining in the Congress. down the breach Though the idea of Pakistan came between the two, and 6.4 First Congress from the Muslim League platform in 1940 had been hailed the ambassador of Hindu- Ministries it had been conceived ten years earlier by Muslim unity by Sarojini, felt let down as the the poet–scholar Mohammad Iqbal. At the The nationalism of the Indian National Hindu Mahasabha members present at the All League’s annual conference at Allahabad Congress was personified by Mahatma Parties Convention held in Calcutta in 1928 (1930), Iqbal expressed his wish to see a Gandhi, who rejected the narrow nationalism rejected all amendments and destroyed any consolidated North-west Indian Muslim exemplified by the Arya Samaj and the possibility of unity. Thereafter, most of the State. It was then articulated forcefully by Aligargh movement and strove to evolve a Muslims were convinced that they would get Rahmat Ali, a Cambridge student. The basis political identity that transcended the different a better deal from Government rather than of League’s demand was its “Two Nation religions. Notwithstanding the state-supported from the Congress. Theory” which first came from Sir Wazir communalism of different hues, the Indian Hasan in his presidential address at Bombay (d) Communal Award and its National Congress remained a dominant political session of League in 1937. He said, “the force in India. In the 1937 elections, Congress Aftermath Hindus and Mussalmans inhabiting this won in seven of the eleven provinces and formed The British Government was consistent in vast continent are not two communities but promoting communalism. Even the delegates the largest party in three others. The Muslim should be considered two nations in many League’s performance was dismal. It succeeded for the second Round Table Conference respects.” in winning only 4.8 per cent of the Muslim votes. were chosen on the basis of their communal The Congress had emerged as a mass secular bearings. After the failure of the Round Table Neither Jinnah nor Nawab Zafrullah Khan party. Yet the Government branded it a Hindu then had considered creation of separate state Conferences, the British Prime Minister Ramsay organisation and projected the Muslim League for Muslims practicable. However, on March MacDonald announced the Communal Award as the real representative of the Muslims and 23, 1940, the Muslim League formally adopted which further vitiated the political climate. treated it on a par with the Congress.

79 Religion in Nationalist Politics

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 79 24-03-2020 09:59:11 the idea by passing a only those finances required to take care of resolution. The text union matters. The subcontinent was to be of the resolution ran divided into three major groups of provinces: as under: “Resolved Group A, to include the Hindu-majority that it is the concerted provinces of the Bombay Presidency, Madras view of this session Presidency, the United Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, of the All India and the Central Provinces; Group B, to contain Muslim League that the Muslim-majority provinces of the Punjab, no constitutional Sind, the North-West Frontier, and Baluchistan; scheme would be workable in this country and Group C, to include the Muslim-majority or acceptable to Muslims unless it is Bengal and the Hindu-majority Assam. The designed on the following basic principles, group governments were to be autonomous viz. that geographically contiguous units in everything excepting in matters reserved are demarcated into regions which should to the centre. The princely states within each be constituted with such territorial group were to be integrated later into their readjustments as may be necessary, that the neighbouring provinces. Local provincial area in which the Muslims are numerically governments were to have the choice of opting in majority should be grouped to constitute out of the group in which they found themselves, Independent State.” The League resolved that should a majority of their people desire to do so. the British government before leaving India Jinnah accepted the Cabinet Mission’s should effect the partition of the country into proposal, as did the Congress leaders. But after Indian union and Pakistan. several weeks of behind-the-scene negotiations, 6.6 Direct Action Day on July 29, 1946, the Muslim League adopted a resolution rejecting the Cabinet Mission Plan Hindu communalism and Muslim and called upon the Muslims throughout India communalism fed on each other throughout to observe a ‘Direct Action Day’ in protest on the early 1940s. Muslim League openly August 16. The rioting and killing that took boycotted the Quit India movement of 1942. place for four days in Calcutta led to a terrible In the elections held in 1946 to the Constituent violence resulting in thousands of deaths. Assembly, Muslim League won all 30 seats Gandhi who was until then resisting any effort reserved for Muslims in the Central Legislative to vivisect the country had to accede to the Assembly and most of the reserved provincial demand of the Muslim League for creation of seats as well. The Congress Party was successful Pakistan. in gathering most of the general electorate seats, Mountbatten who succeeded Wavell came but it could no longer effectively insist that it to India as Viceroy to effect the partition plan spoke for the entire population of British India. and transfer of power. In 1946 Secretary of State Pethick- Lawrence led a three-member Cabinet Mission Summary to New Delhi with the hope of resolving the „„ Congress–Muslim League deadlock and, Communalism in British India is traced thus, of transferring British power to a single to the religious reform movements, Indian administration. Cripps was primarily Arya Samaj and Theosophical Society responsible for drafting the Cabinet Mission representing Hinduism and Wahabi and Plan. The plan proposed a three-tier federation Khilafat movements representing Islam. for India, integrated by a central government „„Cow Protection Associations and their in Delhi, which would be limited to handling attempt to prevent killing of cows led to foreign affairs, communications, defence, and riots and spread of communalism.

Religion in Nationalist Politics 80

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 80 24-03-2020 09:59:11 „„Use of religion in politics and its fallout 6. The Muslim League celebrated the end of in north India created estrangement Congress rule as a Day of Deliverance on between Hindus and Muslims. (a) 22 December 1940 „„Jinnah’s obstinacy in arriving at a (b) 5 February 1939 settlement based on Cabinet Mission (c) 23 March 1937 Plan and his call for Direct Action Day in 1946 led to a civil war like situation in (d) 22 December 1939 Calcutta, ending in the partition of the 7. Match List- I with List- II and select the country into India and Pakistan. correct answer using the codes given below List- I List- II (A) Annie Besant - 1. Aligarh EXERCISE Movement (B) Syed Ahmed Khan - 2. Dayanand I. Choose the Saraswati correct answer (C) Khilafat Movement- 3. Theosophical Society 1. During the Mughal Period (D) Suddhi Movement - 4. Ali Brothers the Official and Court language was A B C D (a) Urdu (b) Hindi (c) Marathi (d) Persian (a) 3 1 4 2 2. The first Indian to find a place in London (b) 1 2 3 4 Privy Council (c) 4 3 2 1 (d) 2 3 4 1 (a) Rahmatullah Sayani 8. Find out the correct answer from the (b) Sir Syed Ahmed following: (c) Syed Ameer Ali i) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder (d) Badruddin Tyabji of Aligarh movement, was initially 3. Assertion: The Bengal government’s order supportive of the Congress. of 1870 created apprehension in the minds ii) The Punjab Hindu Sabha founded in of Muslim professional groups. 1909 laid the foundation for Hindu Reason: It replaced Urdu by Hindi and the communal politics. Perso-Arabic script in the courts and offices. (a) Statement (i) & (ii) are correct (a) A is correct R does not explain A. (b) statement (i) correct (ii) wrong (b) A is correct and R explains A. (c) Statement (i) wrong (ii) correct (c) A is wrong and R is correct. (d) statement (i) & (ii) are wrong (d) Both A and R are wrong 9. Direct Action Day organised by the Muslim League on 4. The Two Nation Theory first came from (a) 25 December, 1942 (a) Rajaji (b) Ramsay MacDonald (b) 16 August, 1946 (c) Mohammad Iqbal (c) 21 March, 1937 (d) Sir Wazir Hasan (d) 22 December, 1939 5. In the 1937 elections, Congress won in 10. Wavell was succeeded by (a) 12 Provinces (b) 7 Provinces (a) Linlithgow (b) Pethic Lawrence (c) 5 Provinces (d) 8 Provinces (c) Mountbatten (d) Chelmsford

81 Religion in Nationalist Politics

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 81 24-03-2020 09:59:12 11.Assertion (A): The institution of separate III. Write short answers electorate was the principle adopted by 1. How did Gandhi view the Malabar Rebellion the British Government for fostering and of 1921. spreading communalism. 2. Highlight the objectives of the first centrally- Reason (R): The people were split into organized political party of Muslims. separate constituencies so that they voted 3. State the importance of Minto-Morley communally. reforms of 1909. (a) A is correct, R is not the correct 4. What were the proposals of the Delhi explanation of A Conference of Muslims held in 1927? (b) A is correct, R is wrong IV. Answer the following in detail (c) A and R are wrong 1. Trace the origin and growth of (d) A is correct, R is the correct explanation communalism in British India. of A 2. How did the divide and rule policy of the 12. Match the following and choose the correct British impact on Indian nationalism? answer form the codes given below 3. Hindu nationalism, Muslim nationalism and (A) Hindu Revivalism 1. M.S. Indian nationalism were equally responsible Golwalkar for the partition of the country. How? (B) Abolition of the Caliphate 2. Arya Samaj V. Activity (C) Lala Lajpat Rai 3. 1924 1. Compile an account of major Hindu- (D) RSS 4. Partition of Muslim Riots in India since 1875. the Punjab 2. Hold a discussion on whether religion can into Hindu come into the public sphere. and Muslim Provinces REFERENCES

A B C D 1. Anil Seal,The Emergence of Indian Nationalism, (a) 2 4 3 1 Cambridge University Press, 1968. (b) 3 4 1 2 2. S. Gopal, British Policy in India, 1858-1905, (c) 1 3 2 4 Cambridge University Press, 1992 (reprint). (d) 2 3 4 1 3. K.N. Panikkar, Communalism in India: A Perspective for Intervention (New Delhi, II. Write brief answers Tulika, 1991) 1. Why was supported to British by Syed 4. Richard Gordon, “The Hindu Mahasabha and Ahmad Khan? the Indian National Congress, 1915–1926”, 2. Write a short note on Separate Electorate. Modern Asian Studies, vol. 9, no. 2 (1975). 3. What were the demands put forth by 5. Chandini Saxena, “The Partition of Muslim under the leadership of Aga Khan. India: Contestation, Appeasement and 4. Write about the sixth annual conference Culmination”, Proceedings of Indian History of the All India Hindu Mahasabha held in Congress, Vol. 76 (2015). Varanasi in 1923.

Religion in Nationalist Politics 82

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 82 24-03-2020 09:59:12 GLOSSARY

communalism socio-political grouping based on religious or வ埁ꯍꯁவாத믍 ethnic affiliation. nationalism the policy or doctrine of asserting the தே殿ய믍 / நா翍翁ப㞪쟍쟁 interests of one’s own nation. Divide and Rule breaking up larger centres of power into ꮿ쎿த்த쿁믍 ஆ翍殿 small groups. revivalism a desire to revive a former customs or 므翍ꯁவாத믍 practice imperialism a policy of extending political or economic ஏகா鎿பத鎿ய믍 control by a powerful country over a weaker country. jizya the poll tax formerly paid by religious இஸ்ல뮿ய쏍 அல்லத groups other than Muslims in Islamic ꮿற சமயத鎿ன쏍 empires செ쯁த鎿ய வ쎿 shariat Islamic code of law based on Koran and the இஸ்ல뮿ய母 சட㞟 teachings of the Prophet 믁றைமை communal a judgement based on religion வ埁ꯍꯁவாத 鏀쏍ꯍꯁ award

83 Religion in Nationalist Politics

12th_History_EM_Unit_6.indd 83 24-03-2020 09:59:12