The Congress Ministries-- Policies

towards Muslims
Government of India Act, 1935 Implementation

The Government of India Act, 1935 was not fully promulgated but the only provincial part was
introduced in the country. Muslim League and the Congress criticized it but agreed to contest
provincial elections.

The 1937 Elections

The elections of 1937 were held with the restricted franchise and separate electorate. The
Congress projected itself as an all-India force representing all religions and factions of the
society. The Muslim League contested for the Muslim seats. There was a tough competition
from the other Muslim organizations. The elections were completed in February 1937. The
Congress got majorities in five provinces, Madras, U.P., C.P., Bihar, and Orissa. It emerged as
the largest party in Bombay and won 704 out of 1585 general seats.

The Muslim League performed poorly in the elections and got only about 21 percent of Muslim
seats without winning majority anywhere, Bengal, Punjab, NWFP, and Sindh. It was mostly due
to the organizational problems and opposition by local Muslim groups

Formation of Provincial Governments:

In July 1937, Congress formed governments in 6 provinces. In NWFP, Khudai Khidmatgar and
Congress formed a coalition government. In the Muslim majority provinces, the Muslim League
could not form the governments. The Muslim League desired to be in government in the U.P.
but the Congress consented to a conditional support:

1. Dissolve AIML Parliamentary Board

2. AIML members not to function as a separate group
3. AIML members to express allegiance to the Congress

Definitely the above-mentioned terms were a device to subvert the existence of the Muslim
League. Therefore, no agreement was possible on this issue.

Policies of the Congress Governments

First all Congress governments in the provinces launched anti-Muslim drive basically to exclude
the Muslim League and other Muslim organizations from the government making process. With
the installation of Congress ministries the Hindus came out to impose Hindu nationalism on the
Muslims. Following were the attitude and policies of the Congress ministries towards Muslims.

Bande Matram

In order to strengthen the Hindu nationalism, Bande Matram was adopted as a national anthem
and was to be recited before the start of official business every day.

Wardha and Widdia Mander Schemes

The Wardha Scheme was the outcome of Gandhi’s philosophy. It preached the Hindu
nationalism and principles of non-violence. It aimed to develop a high respect among the young
minds about the Hindu heroes and religious leaders.

Another attempt was made to erase the Muslim culture by introducing a new educational system.
The educational policy was known as Widdia Mander Scheme and meant to convert the non-
Hindus to Hinduism. It was introduced in all educational institutions. Under this scheme the
students were asked to pay respect and homage to Gandhi’s picture every day in their
assemblies in the schools. The students were asked to bow before Gandhi’s picture and sing
hymns in his praise. Dr. Zakir Hussain, a Congress Muslim, was the author of this scheme.
The Wardha and Widdia Mander schemes sought to isolate the young generation of the
Muslims from their religion, culture and civilization.

Hoisting of Three-Coloured Flag

The Congress, after taking over the government in the provinces, immediately ordered the
hoisting of three-coloured flag with the British Union Jack to prove that there were only two
powers in India which were the British and the Congress.

Hindu-Muslim Riots

The Hindu-Muslim riots were usual during the Congress rule. Organized attempts were made on
the honour, property and lives of the Muslims by indulging in the communal and religious feuds.
The Hindus were free to assault the innocent Muslims in any area. The Muslim houses and
property were set on fire and their women and children abducted. Muslim massacre and
plundering of their localities were the scenes of the day.

Muslim Mass Contact Campaign

The Congress started a Muslim mass contact campaign. The main objective of this campaign
was to crush the popularity of the Muslim League amongst the Muslims. It was Nehru’s
imagination to destroy the image of Muslim League as the only representative party of the
Muslims. The campaign began by directly contacting the Muslim masses with a view to win
them over to the Congress.

The Congress ministries adopted overall negative and cruel attitude, especially towards the
Muslim activists. This unjust treatment compelled the Muslims to be disciplined in every sphere
of life.

Muslim Response

The Muslims were well aware of the theocratic inclination of the Hindu people. They arranged a
close monitoring of the government. They publicized their policies and raised the issues. The
mobilization of Muslims on these matters required keen probe to collect the original facts of the
Hindu atrocities.

The Pirpur Report

On March 28, 1938, the Council of Muslim League appointed an eight-member committee under
the presidentship of Raja Syed Muhammad Mehdi of Pirpur that presented its report
on, November 15, 1938. It tried to dig out the cruelties of the Congress ministries in seven
provinces. The report took up the Congress support to the rival Muslim organizations,
intimidation and threats to the pro-Muslim League people.

The Sharif Report, March 1939

The ML deputed Mr. Sharif with members to investigate the injustices under the dictatorial rule
of the Hindus. This report mainly collected the facts, concentrating on ill treatment of the
government with the Muslims in Bihar.

The Fazl-ul- Haq Report: (December 1939)

A. K. Fazl-ul-Haq published a pamphlet entitled Muslim Sufferings Under the Rule of Congress
and made many alarming revelations e.g. forbidding of Azan, attacks in mosques, noisy
processions of the Hindu scoundrels, forbidding of the cow-slaughter etc. This pamphlet
responded the indictments by the Congress on the Muslims.

All the reports described the Congress government as an attempt to create ‘Hindu Raj’ that
wanted to overwhelm the Muslim culture and their identity. It was a rigorous threat to the
Muslims’ interests.

Muslim League Activism

The Muslim League highlighted the issues and mobilized the Muslims to counter them
adequately. It reorganized the Muslim community to cope with the situation. The Muslim League
arranged its session at Lucknow in October 1937. Many prominent leaders like Fazl-ul-Haq
participated in the session while Sikander Hayat and Saadullah announced their support to the
Muslim League.

The Muslim leaders shed a sharp criticism on the Congress policies. They protested against the
reduction of status of Urdu and other Muslim related issues. They created realization, amongst
the Muslims, of what can happen under the Congress rule and urged for serious thinking about
the future political and constitutional arrangements. They unearthed the real objectives of the
Congress and urged the need of unity among the Muslims under the banner of Muslim League.

End of the Congress Rule

The Second World War began in 1939. Britain declared war against Germany. The government
appealed to all political parties for help and assistance in this hour of need. Congress convened
its meeting to consider Government’s appeal and put the following conditions for assistance in
war:

1. The British Government should explain the objective of the war.

2. The Government should announce that the elected legislature would draft the constitution
of India.
3. The members of the Viceroy’s Executive Council should be those only who enjoy the support
of the Central Assembly.

The acceptance of these demands would have meant the transfer of power to the Congress as
these demands clearly showed that the Congress was asking for the right of constitution making.
The government could not accede to these demands as it wanted to pacify both Congress and
the Muslim League. Viceroy declared that due consideration would be given to the point of view
of every party and that dominion status would be given to India after the war.

The Congress did not believe the promises of the government. The Congress leaders
expressed their utter disappointment on the decision of the government. The Congress with a
view of putting more pressure on the government refused to extend co-operation to government
in the war activities and announced to resign from the ministries. The Congress High Command
asked its ministers to tender resignations in protest against the decision of the government. In
November, 1939 the Congress ministries resigned from their office. The poor Muslim population
took a sigh of relief as they have been relieved of the most tyrannical and oppressive rule of the
Congress.

Day of Deliverance

With the resignation of the Congress ministries the Muslims of India were relieved of the most
dreadful domination of the Congress and Hindu majority. The two and half years of the
Congress rule was a bitter and painful experience for the Muslims of India who had seen the
real Hindu mentality. The Quaid-e-Azam appealed to the people to observe the Day of
Deliverance on 22nd December, 1939. The Muslims of India, in accordance with the appeal of
the Quaid-e-Azam celebrated the day with happiness. Public meetings were held and
thanksgiving prayers were offered in token of relief from the tyranny, oppression and high-
handedness of the Congress regime.

The Muslim League redefined its position during the World War II. They expressed their
enthusiasm that no constitution to be enforced without the consent of the Muslims. They
eradicated their organizational weaknesses and refined their objectives keeping the experiences
of the Congress ministries.