(Congress
Raj)
Even though Muslim League and Congress were
against the Government of India Act 1935, yet it was implemented in the winter
of 1937. Now, what lay before them was the task of persuading their concerned
masses to support them in the upcoming elections. But Muslim League, which
stood for separate electorates, was unfortunately divided in several factions
owing to personal and ideological differences. Congress, on the other hand, was
raising slogans of joint electorates. Congress also wanted Hindi to be declared
as the official language in the Deva Nagri script, while Muslims were in favour
of Urdu in Persian script to be officially declared as the national language of
the Indian sub-continent.
The result of elections came as a huge shock
to both the parties. Congress, who claimed to be representing 95% of the total
Indian population, could not even secure 40% of the seats. It won almost 750
seats out of 1,771 in 8 out of 11 provinces. Its success was restricted to
Hindu-majority provinces only. As for the results for the Muslim League, they
were greatly disappointing. Out of 491 Muslim seats, it could only capture 106
and 26 of them were taken by Congress. Hence, the final success of the
elections was named in the favour of Congress, which gained majority in Bihar,
Orissa, Madras and U.P and other regions.
The Congress didn’t set up ministries for
about four months demanding British government to not interfere in its
legislative affairs. Discussions between them took place, and at last, the
British agreed without making any formal amendment to the Government of India
Act 1935. As a result of which, Congress ministries were formed in July 1937
but with bitter policy against Muslims: Hindi became the national language,
Congress flag became the national flag, and Bande Matram became the national
anthem. A strict prohibition was laid on cow slaughter and singing of Bande
Matram, taken from the novel of Chandra Chatterji, was started in schools.
Construction of new mosques was banned and Muslims were harassed while they
offered prayers.
Twenty-seven months of Congress rule were
characterized by rising political Hinduism, which seemed to be working only for
the welfare of Hindu community and revenging the previous 700-year Muslim rule
over them, as stated by some Congress leaders. Educational reforms were
introduced that were purely anti-Muslim in spirit. The purpose of Warda Taleemi
Scheme was to displace the idea of two nation theory from minds of Muslim
children, while Vidya Mandar Scheme aimed at promoting Hindu culture by making
Mandar education necessary at elementary level. Muslims were also kept back in
economic circle. They were expelled from government offices and career
opportunities were closed for them. Their trade and agriculture was a target of
Hindu’s harm, and they couldn’t appeal justice which already had Hindu imprints
upon it. As a result, and to nobody’s surprise but huge dismay, massive
Hindu-Muslim riots took place.
Several reports such as “Pirpur Report”,
“Muslim Sufferings under Congress Rule”, and “The Sharif Report” were issued by
Muslims leaders to give word and voice to the injustice and cruelty they were
receiving under Congress reign, and they found expression in newspapers.
When World War II started in 1939, the British
were fighting against the Axis Powers. The Viceroy of India announced India’s
involvement without consulting its representative political leaders. Congress
asked for transfer of power in repayment of their cooperation in war, which the
British government denied. As a result, Congress ministries resigned. Thus came
to an end the nightmarish rule which had terrorized Muslim community beyond
imagination. Quaid-i-Azam asked the Muslims to observe it as a ‘Day of
Deliverance’ with peace and without any harmful intent towards any other
nation. Prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude were offered and Muslims took a
sigh of relief from the atrocities committed against them in the two-year
Congress rule.
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