Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress (1916)

Readmission of Extremists to Congress

The Lucknow Session of 1916 was a pivotal moment in Indian politics. It marked the readmission of the Extremists, led by Tilak, into the Congress and witnessed the historic Lucknow Pact with the Muslim League. This session signaled a significant move towards unity and cooperation between the Congress and the League, although it faced criticism, particularly concerning separate electorates and the structure of executive-legislature relations. The session's outcomes, especially the pact, generated widespread enthusiasm and contributed to the British government's subsequent pledge of self-government for Indians.

• Reunion of Extremists and Moderates at the Lucknow Session: The Lucknow session, presided over by Moderate Ambika Charan Majumdar, facilitated the return of the Extremists, headed by Tilak, to the Congress. This reunion was driven by several factors, including the diminishing relevance of past disagreements, the recognition of political stagnation caused by the split, and the dedicated efforts of Tilak and Besant to achieve reunification.
• Factors Facilitating the Reunion at the Lucknow Session:
  • The issues that had initially caused the split had become less important over time.
  • The division within the Congress had resulted in a period of political inactivity.
  • Tilak’s public declaration supporting administrative reforms, rather than advocating for the overthrow of the government, helped to alleviate concerns among the Moderates.
  • The deaths of prominent Moderate leaders like Gokhale and Pherozshah Mehta reduced the opposition to the Extremists' return.

Lucknow Pact between Congress and Muslim League

• Unity of Congress and Muslim League at Lucknow: The Lucknow session also witnessed the signing of the Lucknow Pact, in which the Congress and the Muslim League jointly presented a set of common demands to the government. This represented a major shift, as the Muslim League, which had previously adopted a more conservative stance, began to align itself with the objectives of the Congress.
• Reasons for the Shift in the League’s Position at Lucknow:
  • Britain's refusal to support Turkey during World War I deeply angered many Muslims.
  • The annulment of the partition of Bengal in 1911 alienated Muslims who had been in favor of the partition.
  • The British government's refusal to establish a university at Aligarh further fueled resentment among some Muslims.
  • Younger members of the League sought a more inclusive nationalist agenda, moving beyond the narrow focus of the Aligarh school.
  • Government repression during World War I intensified anti-imperialist sentiments among younger Muslims.
• Nature of the Lucknow Pact:
  • The Congress accepted the League’s demand for separate electorates and agreed to a fixed proportion of seats for Muslims in legislative bodies.
  • The joint demands included the early establishment of self-government, the expansion of representative assemblies, fixed terms for legislative councils, the salaries of the Secretary of State to be paid from the British treasury, and the inclusion of Indians in half of the executive councils of the Viceroy and provincial governors.

Critical Comments on the Lucknow Pact

• Executive-Legislature Relations under the Lucknow Pact: While the pact stipulated that half of the executive members would be elected by the legislature, the executive as a whole was not fully accountable to the legislature, potentially leading to constitutional deadlocks.
• Separate Electorates under the Lucknow Pact: The Congress's acceptance of separate electorates meant that the Congress and the League would function as distinct political entities, which, in retrospect, strengthened the two-nation theory advocated by the League.
• Impact and Enthusiasm Generated by the Lucknow Pact: Despite the criticisms, the Lucknow Pact generated considerable enthusiasm among the Indian populace and prompted the government to declare its intention to grant self-government to Indians, as articulated in Montagu’s August 1917 declaration.