Communalism & Partition

Key Pointers

Roots of communalism: British divide-and-rule (Partition of Bengal 1905, Morley–Minto separate electorates 1909, Communal Award 1932); communal historiography; socio-religious revivalism; economic backwardness; rise of communal organisations.
Organisations: All India Muslim League (1906, Dhaka); Hindu Mahasabha (1915); RSS (1925).
Early milestones: Lucknow Pact (1916) (Congress–League unity); Khilafat–Non-Cooperation unity; communal riots after 1922; Nehru Report (1928) and Jinnah's 14 Points (1929).
Idea of Pakistan: Muhammad Iqbal's Allahabad Address (1930); Choudhry Rahmat Ali coined 'Pakistan' (1933, Now or Never).
1937 elections: Congress won a majority in 8 of 11 provinces and formed ministries in 7 (later 8); League performed poorly; refusal of coalition in UP; Pirpur Report and 'Day of Deliverance' (22 Dec 1939) after Congress ministries resigned.
Lahore Resolution (23 March 1940): League's demand for separate Muslim-majority states (moved by A.K. Fazlul Haq); two-nation theory.
Attempts at settlement: Cripps Mission (1942), CR Formula (1944), Gandhi–Jinnah talks (1944), Wavell Plan/Simla Conference (1945).
1945–46 elections: League won all 30 Muslim seats in the Central Assembly and most Muslim seats in provinces; Congress won most general seats.
Cabinet Mission (1946) failed; Direct Action Day (16 August 1946) caused the Great Calcutta Killings; riots spread to Noakhali (Oct 1946) and Bihar; Gandhi toured Noakhali.
Interim Government (2 Sept 1946), League joined in October; deadlock; Constituent Assembly (9 Dec 1946) boycotted by League.
Attlee's statement (20 February 1947) and Mountbatten's arrival (March 1947) led to partition.
Causes of partition (summary): British policy, League's rigidity, communal violence, Congress's acceptance to avoid civil war and achieve early independence.

MCQs

Q2. Who coined the name 'Pakistan'? (a) Muhammad Iqbal (b) Choudhry Rahmat Ali (c) M.A. Jinnah (d) Liaquat Ali Khan Answer: (b).

Q3. 'Direct Action Day' was observed by the Muslim League on: (a) 16 August 1946 (b) 15 August 1947 (c) 22 December 1939 (d) 23 March 1940 Answer: (a).