The Lucknow Session of 1916 was pivotal for Indian politics, marking the readmission of Extremists led by Tilak into the Congress and the historic Lucknow Pact with the Muslim League. This session showcased a significant shift towards unity and cooperation between Congress and the League, although it faced criticisms, especially regarding separate electorates and executive-legislature relations. The session's outcomes, including the pact, fostered enthusiasm and led to the British government's pledge for self-government for Indians.
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Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress (1916)
Reunion of Extremists and Moderates: The Lucknow session, presided over by Moderate Ambika Charan Majumdar, marked the readmission of Extremists led by Tilak into the Congress. Key factors included the obsolescence of old controversies, realization of political inactivity due to the split, and efforts by Tilak and Besant for reunion.
Facilitating Factors:
Old controversies had lost their significance.
The split had led to political stagnation.
Tilak’s declaration supporting administrative reform rather than overthrowing the government helped allay Moderate suspicions.
The death of key Moderates like Gokhale and Pherozshah Mehta eased opposition to the Extremists.
Unity of Congress and Muslim League: The Lucknow session also saw the Lucknow Pact, where the Congress and Muslim League presented common demands to the government. This was a significant shift as the Muslim League, previously more conservative, began aligning with Congress objectives.
Reasons for the Shift in League’s Position:
Britain's refusal to support Turkey during World War I angered Muslims.
The annulment of the partition of Bengal in 1911 alienated Muslims who had supported the partition.
The British refusal to set up a university at Aligarh further alienated some Muslims.
Younger League members sought a broader nationalist agenda, moving beyond the Aligarh school’s outlook.
Government repression during World War I galvanized anti-imperialist sentiments among younger Muslims.
Nature of the Pact:
The Congress accepted the League’s position on separate electorates and agreed to a fixed proportion of seats for Muslims in legislatures.
Common demands included early self-government, expanded representative assemblies, fixed legislative council terms, salaries of Secretary of State paid by British treasury, and half of the viceroy’s and provincial governors’ executive councils being Indian.
Executive-Legislature Relations: Although half of the executive was to be elected by the legislature, the executive as a whole was not fully accountable to the legislature, creating potential for constitutional deadlock.
Separate Electorates: The Congress's acceptance of separate electorates meant the Congress and League functioned as separate political entities, reinforcing the two-nation theory advocated by the League.
Impact and Enthusiasm: Despite the criticisms, the pact generated significant enthusiasm among the people and led the government to declare its intention to grant self-government to Indians, as indicated in Montagu’s August 1917 declaration.
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