Chapter 6 - Late Nineteenth To Early Twentieth Century

Question 0

Formation of Congress 1883

Answer 0

• Hume writes to Calcutta Graduates
• Hume sets up Indian National Union with branches in several cities
• Viceroy Lord Dufferin supports Hume
• I.N.U. has a conference in Bombay (28th December 1883). Another in Calcutta. Both under name of Indian National Congress

Question 1

Suggestions to form Congress 1883

Answer 1

• Indian Association suggests formation of political body
• British Member of Parliament writes to Times newspaper

(By the end of the 19th century Indians and British believed that a national political body should be formed)

Question 2

Aims of Congress

Answer 2

• Basis of government should be widened (1883)
• United one and for all to promote our welfare and the welfare of our mother country (1886 - second conference with 436 delegates elected from provinces)

Question 3

Attempts of Congress

Answer 3

• Educated the public. Printed resolutions. Formed British committee.
• Call to end unfair practices. More Indians in I.C.S. and legislative councils.
• Indian Councils Act 1892

Question 4

Indian nationalism leading to Bengal partition

Answer 4

• B.G. Tilak of Poona made speeches. Put in prison 1897 for newspaper article.
• British officer and companion killed 1897
• Secret Societies in late 1870s

Question 5

Reasons for Bengal Partition

Answer 5

• Lord Curzon proposed it in 1903. Administrative difficulty. Efficient to govern as two provinces.
• Hindus believed it was to reduce Hindu threat. Part of divide and rule policy.

Question 6

Bengal Partition

Answer 6

• East Bengal and Assam (31 million - 18 million M 12 million H)
• West Bengal (54 million - 12 million M 42 million H)
• Introduced on 16th October 1905. Proposed in 1903.
• East Bengal included Mymensingh, Chittagong and Dhaka.

Question 7

Indian Reaction to Bengal Partition

Answer 7

• Muslims delighted. Felt their rights weren’t considered by the British after 1857. Hindus had exerted authority.
• Hindus infuriated. Felt that their authority and power was reduced. Started Swadeshi Movement. 100s of protest meetings on the day of partition. Petitions sent. Assassination attempt on Lord Minto.

Question 8

Swadeshi Movement

Answer 8

Hindu boycott of British goods as a reaction to Bengal partition. British salt, cloth or other manufactured products boycotted. Clothes thrown on bonfires. Strikes by Indian workers such as in Calcutta to show opposition. Became a matter of honour to wear locally produced cloth. Resulted in drop of sale of British goods.

Question 9

British Reaction to Bengal Partition

Answer 9

• 1. Restrictions placed on newspapers and public meetings. Editors prosecuted and incarcerated from 1906-1908.
     
     2. Press Act 1908 to control newspapers.
     3. Tilak imprisoned for 6 years in June 1908. Local prisons filled with alleged revolutionaries. Radical leaders left India to avoid arrest. Others deported without trial or charge.
• Morley-Minto Reforms or Indian Councils Act in 1909

Question 10

Morley Minto Reforms or Indian Councils Act

Answer 10

• Viceroy Minto and S.O.S. John Morley worked. Introduced 1909
• Imperial Councils increased to 60 members. More non-official.
• Central Executive Council had 60 new members added. Could discuss matters of important and advice on policies like budget.
• Provincial Councils increased to 50 and 30 members in large and small provinces respectively.
• Separate Muslim electorates

Question 11

How were the reforms important?

Answer 11

• Not a proper voice for Indians. Councils could only advise, not devise nor change. Not a step towards setting up a parliament in India.
• Hindus enraged by electorates. Called them undemocratic. Passed an annual resolution for 25 years against it.
• British only wanted to restore peace and make as little concessions as possible to maintain control.

Question 12

Follow up to Simla Deputation

Answer 12

• Muslims afraid of opposition to Bengal partition and its possible reversal.
• Hindu domination of Congress. Muslims feared Hindu and forcible conversion.
• New Liberal Government elected in 1905 which introduced elections. Hindus would always win and dominate Muslims politically.

Question 13

Simla Deputation

Answer 13

• 8th October 1906 a deputation of prominent Muslims visited Lord Minto in Simla. Led by the Aga Khan.
• Asked for the British to recognise Muslims by their political importance and services and NOT numerical strength.
• Asked for separate electorates. (avoid communal violence)
• Asked for more percentage of Muslims in councils than their numbers.
• Believed this reflected the important of Muslims. High percentage of Muslims in army and many big landowners were Muslim.

Question 14

How was the deputation important?

Answer 14

• British were prepared to make concessions. Relationship was proved to be improved by Sir Syed and others.
• Muslims took a step to protect their rights in the constitution. Separation with Hindus in constitution as well.
• Visible separation. Two nation theory started to turn concrete. Step to Pakistan movement and partition.

Question 15

Aims of the All-India Muslim League

Answer 15

• Counter the influence of Congress. (Hindu reaction to Bengal partition)
• Represent Muslim views to the British. (Reinforced division between M and H)
• Establish a proper platform to protect Muslim rights (H believed it was a B organisation. Separate electorates and H reaction to partition led to this)

Question 16

Formation of the A.I.M.L.

Answer 16

• 1906 after the 20th session of the Mohammedan Educational Conference in Dhaka.
• Meeting chaired by Nawab Viqar-ul-Mulk to consider the formation of a body called A.I.M.L.

Question 17

Objectives of the A.I.M.L.

Answer 17

• protect and advance M rights
• represent M needs and wishes
• promote feelings of loyalty to B
• remove misunderstandings about B in M
• prevent rise of hostility between M and other communities

Question 18

Reversal of Bengal Partition

Answer 18

• Lord Harding (new Viceroy) agreed to it.

- King George V announced it in a Durbar in Delhi on 12th December 1911

Question 19

Reasons for Reversal

Answer 19

• part of new administrative policy

- to stop H protest

Question 20

Reaction to Reversal

Answer 20

• Muslims bitterly opposed it. Felt betrayed after promises. Sir Syed’s efforts fruitless. Reforms useless. B supported 1912-13 Balkan wars by Balkan States against Turkey. In 1913 M changed aim to a form of self-government suitable to India.
• B moved capital to Delhi from Calcutta
• Hindus pacified

Question 21

Anti-British protest during 1914-1918

Answer 21

• Lala Hardayal (exile in America) set up Mutiny Party. Sent arms to India and organised protest. Supporters betrayed and were killed in 1915 in battle with Indian police.
• Planned uprising by Indian nationalists in Punjab easily put down by B in 1915.
• Mutiny by Indian troops in Singapore who were imprisoned or executed.
• Silk letters conspiracy to start a Muslim uprising against B.

Question 22

Defence of India Act

Answer 22

An Act passed in 1915 by the British to take deal with revolutionary activity during the World War I (1914-1915). Hundreds of alleged revolutionaries deported without proper trial. It gave them special powers and formed the basis of the Rowlatt Act (1919)

Question 23

1915

Answer 23

• Lucknow Pact. In 1915 (Bombay-Jinnah) and 1916 (Lucknow-Jinnah and Mahajan) M.L. and Congress held their annual sessions.
• Joint councils of the two parties set up to improve common understanding of key issues
• Right to separate electorates
• One third of seats in Councils to M
• No act affecting a community to be passed unless three fourths of it accept it
• Number of elected seats in councils to be increased
• Provincial autonomy
• Motions passed by large council majorities to be accepted as binding by the B
• Minorities in provinces to be protected

Question 24

October 1916

Answer 24

British to improve situation:

• Half elected members in Executive Councils
• Majority of elected members in Legislative Councils

Question 25

How was the Lucknow Pact important?

Answer 25

• Muslims and Hindus united. High water mark.
• Hindus accepted partition on a small scale as a step to self rule for the first time
• Muslims realised they had to work with Congress to protect their rights
• Home rule was a possibility. 1917 - two such leagues led by Tilak and Annie Besant. (imprisoned June 1917. Released and elected Congress president)

Question 26

Follow up to Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms/Montford Report

Answer 26

• Lord Chelmsford (Viceroy) and Edwin Montagu (S.O.S.) in November 1917 carried out a fact finding tour. Issued Report in July 1919.
• Done to pacify the Indians who fought in the war.

Question 27

Montford Report

Answer 27

• Two Houses of Parliament: Council of State (60 members, 33 elected) and Legislative (Council) Assembly (145 members, 103 elected for 3 years, 32 seats reserved for Muslims)
• Council of Princes (108 members)
• Executive Council (nominated members, 3 to be Indian)
• Viceroy could veto any decision, pass any law.
• Diarchy at provincial level: Reserved Subjects for governor and his Executive Council (2-4 nominated members), Transferred Subjects for minister (chosen from Council by Viceroy) responsible to Legislative Councils.
• 5.5 million (2%) Indians could vote.

Question 28

Reaction to Report

Answer 28

• Moderates excluded from Congress.
• Condemned as unsatisfactory in the special session of Congress August 1918.
• Increased divisions in society.

Question 29

Rowlatt Act

Answer 29

• British feared the appeal of communism (Russia) to Indians.
• December 1917: committee formed under Justice Rowlatt to investigate revolutionary activity.
• April 1918: committee reported in the affirmative.
• April 1919: protests against it. Jinnah resigned from Imp. Leg. Council. Gandhi launched hartal.
• 1919: Act passed.

Question 30

Features of the Rowlatt Act

Answer 30

• People could be tried in camera in private by 3 High Court Judges.
• No right of appeal.
• People could be ordered to live in a particular place by Provincial Government.
• People could be stopped from attending meetings.
• Arrest without warrant; detention without bail.

Question 31

How were the Indians disappointed by the British in 1919?

Answer 31

• Inadequate reforms

- Repressive measures

Question 32

Amritsar Massacre

Answer 32

• 10th April: rioting in Amritsar. 2 banks attacked. 5 Europeans killed.
• Unarmed crowd of 20,000 men, women and children arrived in Jallianwala Bagh (narrow entrances; 5 foot walls) despite ban by General Dyer (British Commander of the area).
• Unexpected opening of fire by Dyer’s troops (1600 rounds). 400 killed and 1200 injured.

Question 33

Arya Samaj

Answer 33

• Founded in 1877 to purify Hinduism of some of the impure practices it had fallen into.
• Had strongholds in Western and Northern India.
• Led by Dayanand Saraswati.
• Powerful agent of social and educational reform in 1920s.
• Carried out militant activities with the Hindu Mahasabha to strain Hindu-Muslim relations.

Question 34

Hindu Mahasabha

Answer 34

• UP Congressman Pundit Mohan Malaviya brought a number of Punjabi Hindu Sabhas together to form this political party.
• Contested its first election in 1926.
• Made little progress till V.D. Savarkar became President (who was accused in January 1948, and later acquitted, for Gandhi’s murder)
• Against Partition (India to be a Hindu state; Gandhi’s religious tolerance was dangerous)

Question 35

Division of the Hindu Congress Party

Answer 35

• In early 1920s.
• Boycotted 1920 elections.
• Splinter group ‘National Liberals’ won some seats.
• Contested 1923 elections under the name Swaraj Party (new policy to cause obstruction).
• Refused provincial autonomy (to safeguard Muslims in Bengal, Punjab and NWF)
• Hindu groups started carrying out forced conversions of Muslims.

Question 36

Delhi Proposals

Answer 36

• Jinnah called Muslim Leaders in Delhi in 1927 to discuss:
  1. Protection of Muslim interests
  2. Separate electorates in future constitutional reform
• Proposed that (in place of demand for separate electorates)
  1. Muslims be given 1/3rd of the seats in the Central Legislature.
  2. Sindh to be given full provincial status.
  3. British reforms to be extended to Balochistan and NWF.
  4. Muslim seats in Punjab and Bengal to be proportional to their population there.