Friday 2 April 2010

Simla Deputation (Continued: Pakistan Movement)

Simla Deputation, 1906

The Hindu attitude during the anti - partition agitation had convinced the Muslims of the futility of expecting any justice or fair play from the Hindu majority. Therefore, to safeguard their interests at this critical moment, Mohsin - ul - Mulk and other prominent Muslims leaders drew up a plan of separate electorates for their community and presented it to the Viceroy, Lord Minto, at Simla on October 1st, 1906 through a representative deputation headed by the Aga Khan. The Muslims put forward the following demands.

  1. Separate electorate
  2. Muslims must be given weightage in all elected bodies, i.e. in the Central Legislature and in the Legislatures of those provinces where the Muslims were in a majority, the number of seats for the Muslims would be proportionately greater than the percentage of Muslims in the population concerned. In the provinces where the Muslims were in a majority, they would obtain seats less than their proportional number
  3. Full representation services and councils.
  4. Representation in University senate and syndicates.
  5. Aid for the establishment of Muslim University.
The Viceroy did not promise anything substantial to the deputation of the fear of offending other communities. But he assured the Muslims that "their political rights and interests as a community will be safeguarded by an administrative reorganization".

Both the demands by the Muslims and the sympathetic attitude shown to them by the Viceroy were the most deep and profound aspects of Simla deputation. The demand of separate electorate proved that the Muslims considered themselves as a separate nation. Realistically speaking the door of cooperation with Hindus closed for ever by demanding separate identity as a nation.

The Simla deputation, as it is known, proved to be a stepping stone in the history of Indian Muslims because, by acceding to the principle of separate electorates, the British recognized the Muslims as a separate nation. The demand for separate electorate was an unavoidable necessity because the members elected by joint electorates could not be the true representatives of the Muslims.

4 comments:

  1. shimla deputation was a wise step from mulims leaders which historically proved as a stepping stone for muslims as a political identity.
    Importantly our at least our politician should have knowledge about pak-history so can work with zeal.

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  2. Good step by Muslims representatives, as it led to the foundation of Muslim League. It was the first political step taken by Muslims.

    ReplyDelete