Lucknow Session (25th session of AIML) (15-18 Oct 1937) After 1937 Elections, the Congress, having become the dominant party in Indian politics, came to power in seven provinces exclusively, spurning the Leagues offer of cooperation, turning its back finally on the coalition idea and excluding Muslims as a political entity from the portals of power. Congress which took office in July, 1937, convinced Muslims that, in the Congress scheme of things, they could live only on sufferance of Hindus and as second class citizens. Extremely frustrating as the situation was, the only consultation Jinnah had at this juncture was in Allama Iqbal (1877-1938), the poet-philosopher, who stood steadfast by him and helped to charter the course of Indian politics from behind the scene. As evidenced in Letters of Iqbal to Jinnah published for the first time in 1942 with a foreword from Jinnah in which he says: “I think these letters are of very great historical importance…”. Although, a divergence of opinion seems to have emerged between Iqbal and Jinnah on the question of the Sikander-Jinnah agreement reached at the Lucknow session of the Muslim League in 1937. But Allama Iqbal in last years of his life was a pillar of strength to Jinnah. He was an influential man and his poetry had made a place for itself in the hearts and minds of the people of India and abroad and had a special appeal for the Muslims. He was not an active, practical politician, but he could not remain indifferent to the Muslim majority provinces. In his letter of 28 May, 1937 he wrote to Jinnah to concentrate on Muslim majority provinces. He recognized in Jinnah the man chosen to lead the Muslims. You are the only Muslim in India today to whom the community has a right to look up for safe guidance through the storm which is coming to North-West India, and perhaps the whole of India. ________________________________________ Latter on it has proven that Jinnah’s instance regarding Sikander Hayat was right as The League’s influence increased in the Punjab after the death of Unionist leader Sikander Hyat Khan in 1942. ________________________________________ In that year, also, the Muslim League, under Jinnahs dynamic leadership, was reorganized, transformed into a mass organization, and made the spokesman of Indian Muslims as never before. Jinnah arrived in Lucknow on October 3, 1937, Jinnahs speech at that historic session gave a resounding reply to the Congress policies and exposed the anti-Muslim acts of the Congress ministries. Jinnah said in 25 session of AIML in Lucknow: This Session of the All-India Muslim League is one of the most critical that has ever taken place during its existence…”. Many Muslims, overcome by emotion, wept tears of joy to see their leader who, they felt sure, would deliver them from their bondage. This Session marked a dramatic change not only in the Leagues platform and political position, but also in Jinnahs personal commitment and final goal. He changed his attire, shedding the Seville Row suit in which he had arrived for a black Punjabi sherwani long coat. It was for the first time he put on the compact cap, which would soon be known throughout the world as Jinnah cap. It was at that session that the title of Quaid-i-Azam (the great leader) was used for Jinnah and which soon gained such currency and popularity that it almost became a substitute for his name. The great success was achieved the organization front of the Muslim league. Within three months of the Lucknow session over 170 new branches of the League had been formed, 90 of them in the United Provinces, and it claimed to have enlisted 100,000 new members in the province alone. ________________________________________ In 1937, soon after winning the general elections, Sikander Hayat Khan decided to also negotiate with the Muslim elements under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. As a result, Khan and Jinnah signed the Sikander-Jinnah pact at Lucknow in October 1937. In the Lucknow Session that Jinnah persuaded Sir Sikander Hayat Khan to join the Muslim League along with his Muslim colleagues. That development later became famous as the Jinnah-Sikander Pact. ________________________________________ This how the Jinnah leaded Muslims, Iqbal contributed and recognized Jinnah as the only hope, similarly Jinnah took guidelines from Iqbal as he wrote in his letter of 28 May, 1937 he wrote to Jinnah to concentrate on Muslim majority provinces. ________________________________________ Jinnah and Pakistan’s Creation: In the 27th session in Lahore in 1940, the Pakistan resolution was adopted as the main goal of the party. The resolution was rejected outright by the Congress, and criticized by many Muslim leaders like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Syed Ab’ul Ala Maududi and the Jamaat-e-Islami. Jinnah gave a precise definition of the term ‘Pakistan’ in 1941 at Lahore in which he stated: “…This word has become synonymous with the Lahore resolution owing to the fact that it is a convenient and compendious (short) method of describing [it]….” For this reason the British and Indian newspapers generally have adopted the word ‘Pakistan’ to describe the Moslem demand. Jinnah founded Dawn in 1941, a major newspaper that helped him propagate the League’s point of views. The Cripps offer was rejected because it did not concede the Muslim demand. (in 1942). To create harmony and consensus Cabinet mission 1946, had to make its own proposals in May, 1946. Known as the Cabinet Mission Plan, these proposals stipulated a limited centre, supreme only in foreign affairs, defense and communications and three autonomous groups of provinces. Two of these groups were to have Muslim majorities in the north-west and the north-east of the subcontinent, while the third one, comprising the Indian mainland, was to have a Hindu majority. A consummate statesman that he was, Jinnah saw his chance. He interpreted the clauses relating to a limited centre and the grouping as the foundation of Pakistan, and induced the Muslim League Council to accept the Plan in June 1946; and this he did much against the calculations of the Congress and to its utter dismay. Jinnah decide to launch direct action (if need be) to wrest Pakistan. Partition Plan by the close of 1946, the communal riots had flared up to murderous heights, engulfing almost the entire subcontinent. The two peoples, it seemed, were engaged in a fight to the finish. The time for a peaceful transfer of power was fast running out. Realizing the gravity of the situation, his Majestys Government sent down to India a new Viceroy- Lord Mountbatten. His protracted negotiations with the various political leaders resulted in 3 June (1947) Plan; the plan was duly accepted by the three Indian parties to the dispute- the Congress the League and the Akali Dal (representing the Sikhs). By which the British decided to partition the subcontinent, and hand over power to two successor States on 15 August, 1947.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 08:07:53 +0000