All India Muslim League and the Creation of Pakistan A Chronology 1906-1947 | Prof Dr Riaz Ahmed

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ALIML All India Muslim League

AIMEC All India Mohammedan Education Conference

C.P. Central Provinces

G.H.G. General Head Quarters

H.M.G. His Majesty’s Government

N.W.F.P. North West Frontier Province

R.A.F. Royal Air Force

R.T.C. Round Table Conference

U.K. United Kingdom

U.N.O. United Nations Organization

U.P. United Provinces

A CHRONOLOGY

1906 30 Dec. The concluding day of the 20^th session of the All-India Mohammedan Educational Conference (AIMEC) in Dacca. After the Session was over, the delegates reassembled in the pandal to discuss the formation of a political organization of Muslims. On Nawab Salimullah Bahadur of Dacca’s proposal Nawab Viqarul-Mulk, Maulvi Mushtaq Hussain Bahadur, was elected chairman, and on Nawab Salimullah’s proposal, again, it was decided to form a political organization, called the All India Muslim League (AIML), with thd following aims and objects :

To promote among the Musalmans of India feelings of loyalty to the British Government and to remove any misconception that may arise as to the intention of government with regard to any of its measures;

To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Musalmans of India and to respectfully represent their needs and aspirations; and

To protect among the Musalmans of India of any feeling of hostility towards other communities without prejudice to the other aforementioned objects of the League.

A Provisional Committee was formed with Nawab Viqarul Mulk and Nawab Mohsinul Mulk as Joint Secretaries, to frame the Constitution of the AIML within four months.

1907 29-30 Dec. First session of the AIML held at Karachi, with Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy as President. It resolved that Rules and Regulations of the AIML be framed as early as possible. Two Provincial Branches in the Punjab, an established in Feb. 1906 and the other in Dec. 1906, were merged together with Mian (later Justice) Shah Din as President, Mian Muhammad Shafi as General Secretary and Mian Fazl-i-Hussain as Join Secretary. Also approved the Rules and Regulations of the party prepared by the Committee. A resolution was adopted to get up a Committee of 26 Members to prepared the draft of Rules and Regulations of the AIML.

1908 18-19 March. Adjourned First session of the AIML held in Aligarh, with Shah Din as President. A donation of Rs.500 from the Aga Khan was announced. Teh Session approved financial support to the British Committee. Resolutions adopted included imploring the government to implement the Simla Deputation demands and to provide representation to Muslims in various bodies.

6 May. Inaugural meeting of the British Committee of the AIML was held in London, with Syed Ameer Ali as President. The primary purpose was to safegurd and promote the special Muslim interests. According to its constitution all the Muslims residentions the U.K. and Ireland were eligible for elementary membership. Resolutions adopted included those expressing “…their extreme regret and disappointment at the telegram from His Excellency the Viceroy communicated to the House of Lords by the Secretary of State on the 4^th instant.

1908 [May 1909] as being absolutely at variance with the repeated assurance by which the Mohammedan subjects of His Majesty were given to understand that their demands for separate representation through all stages and in excess of their numerical strength will be definitely and unequivocally conceded”; expressing apprehension “…that the inconsistent and unsatisfactory manner in which the question of Mohammedan representation has been dealt with, will leave behind a rankling sense fo injustice on the minds of the Mohammedan people; and they earnestly

trust that the telegram of His Excellency may not be regarded as finally closing the issue”.

12 May. Meeting of the British Committee of the AIML held in London, with Syed Ameer Ali as President, Resolutions adopted included those demanding separate representation for the Muslims exceeding their numeral strength at all stages as per commitment of the government; and clarifying the actual demands of the Muslims about separate representation, and scotring misinterpretation regarding it.

May. Extraordinary General Meeting of the AIML held at Lucknow, with Nawab Viqarul Mulk as President. It reconsidered the extension of the principle of separate electorates to Municipal and District Boards, and called for special treatment of Muslims by the Government as a special community.

1908 7 June. Meeting of the Central Committee of AIML held at Aligarh decided to hold the next AIML session at Amritsar and to request Syed Ammer Ali to preside over it.

8 July. Meeting of the British Commettee of the AIML held in London, with Syed Ameer Ali as President.

9 Aug. Special meeting of the Central Committee of the AIML, held at Aligarh, urged Muslim representation in the Viceroy’s Executive Council, appointment of Muslim judges and a separate High Court for Eastern Bengal and Assam, and expressed concern overy the movement against the Partition of Bengal.

15 Nov. Meeting of the Central Committee of the AIML held at Aligarh. Secretary reported the establishment of Provincial Leagues in East Bengal, Bihar and the Deccan, and effforts to estabish one at Madras.

16 Nov. London Muslim League’s breakfast meeting was terned a, “big success” and was well reported by the leading British newspapers like The Times, Daily Telegragh, etc.

30-31 Dec. Second sessoin of the AIML held at Amritsar, with Syed Ali Imam as President. Haji Musa Khan, the Officiating Hon. Secretary, presented the annual report. Three resolutions on the reform scheme, moved by the Chair were adopted. Other resolututions adopted dealt with, among others, Muslims representation in the Executive Council of the Governor-General and of the Governors, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and in the Services, and setting a Committee to finalize and address on the Reform Scheme.

1909 21 Jan. General meeting of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League held at Calcutta, with Sultan Ahmed as President.

25 Jan. Ibni Ahmad, Honorary Secretary, AIML London Branch, sent to the Under-Secretary of State for India, a 22 point charter of demands on behalf of the Muslims of the subcontinent. The memorandum concluded with the words, “The Committee beg to affirm most emphatically that their people ask for nothing to the derogation of the just rights of any other class or community; they seek simply to obtain a fair and just recognition of their legitimate claims that they may in future occupy a position in the Councils of Government consistent with their numbers and political status. Whilst anxious to work in a spirit of compromise, and in concord, harmony, and in co-ordination with the Hindu community, they are not disposed to place themselves in subordination to any class or people in India, or to consent to follow any policy that may be

dictated by the majority.”

1909 12 Feb. In the Council Room of the India Office on 27 January 1909, the Right Hon. Viscount Morely received a deputation of the AIML, London Branch, to present him the views of the Musalman’s of India on the projected Indian Reforms. The deputation was composed of the following gentlemen :

Syed Ameer Ali, C.I.E., President;

Mr. C.A. Latif, Vice President;

Maj. Syed Hasa Bilgarami, Hon. Secretary, AIML;

Mr. Ibni Ahmad, Hon. Secretary, AIML, London Branch;

Mr. Abdeali S.M. Anik, Hon. Treasurer;

Mr. Zahoor Ahmad, Joint Secretary;

Mr. Masudul Hasan Siddiqi, Hon. Assistant Secretary;

Dr. Abdul Majid, L.L.D., Barrister-at-Law

Mr. M.A. Ansari, B.A., M.D.

Viscount Moreley was accompanied by Sir Arthur Godley, Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Mr. T.R. Buchanan, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, and Sir Charles Lyall, Secretary of the Public and Judicial Department. In introducing the deputation, Ameer Ali said, “We are extremely obliged to your Lordship for granting us this Muslims of India on the question of the important reforms which, under your Lordship’s auspices, are to be introduced in India. We come, not only on behalf of the League in London, but also in India, for we have been authorised to represent their case before your Lordship.”

6 May. Meeting of the British Committee of AIML held in London, with Syed Ameer Ali as President.

26-27 June. Public meeting organized by the U.P. and Oudh Provincial Muslim League at Aligarh. 10-11 July. An abortive meeting of the AIML was held at Lucknow. Nawab Viqaurl Mulk presided.

12 Sept. Meeting of the Central Committee of AIML held at Aligarh.

1910 6 Jan. In connection with the formation of Burma Provincial Muslim League, at the instance of A.M. Dawood, a public meeting was held at Rangoon, with Maulvi Ismail Khan as President. Among other dignitaries Nawab Mushtaq Hussain, Viqarul Mulk Bahadur, addressed the meeting. Resolutions adopted included those deciding to establish a Provincial Muslim League in Burma for the protection of the rights of the Muslims of the province, with the commitment that it would always work in conjunction with the All-India Muslim League.

29-30 Jan.Third annual session of the AIML held in Delhi, with H.H. the Aga Khan as President and Hakim Mohammad Ajmal Khan as Chariman of the Reception Committee. The Aga Khan was elected President of the AIML, with 16 Vice-Presidents, on Hon. Secretary (Maulvi Mohammad Aziz Mirza), and two Joint secretaries for a term of two years, Resolutions adopted included those seeking Muslim representation to all self-government public bodies; Privy Council’s responsibility on the creation of Wakf; restoration of the importance or Urdu in the U.P. and the Punjab; and demanding free primary education.

1910 12 March. General meeting of the members of the Burma Privincial Muslim League held at Rangoon in which office bearers were elected. Resolutions adopted included on asking the Government of Burma that “…during the census next year great care be taken in enumerating and classifying as Mahammedans those Mohammedans who have got Burmese and Chinese names so as not to mix them up with Buddhists of those nationalities.”

13 March. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow.

24 April. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow with Sir Tasaddaque Rasool Khan as President.

24 Oct. Meeting ot the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow. 20 Nov. Meeting of the Central Council of AIML held at Lucknow.

16 Dec. The AIML annual report acknowledged the view that “the unprecedented success which the League has achieved in a comparatively shorts time is in no little measure due to the unstinted efforts and munuficent support of His Highness the Aga Khan who has been its President from its very inception. His Highness has taken the warnest interest in the successful working of the League. His sincere devotion to the cause of his community and his constant presence in England and exalted position has been better able to serve our communal interests than any organization however powerful.”

28 & 30 Dec. Fourth session of AIML held at Nagpur with Syed Nabiullah as President, and Khan Bahadur H.H. Malak as Chairman, Reception Committee, H.H. the Aga Khan also attended. Resolutions adopted included among other things, concerned with the extension of communal representation to all self-governing public bodies and in the administration, Wakf-alal-Aulad, free and compulsory primary education, and the access of Indians to the highest offices.

23 July. Meeting of the Central Councul of the AIML was held in which Mr. Jinnah’s Wakf-alal-Aulad Bill was discussed. Mr. Zahur Ahmad Secretary of AIML, was requested to prepare a draft in accordance with the opinions expressed in the Council meeting.

18 Aug. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow with Sir Mohammad Tasaddaque as President.

7 Oct. An emergency meeting of the resident members of the Central Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow with Sir Nabiullah as President, to consider telegrams of the Aga Khan and the AIML London Branch regarding the Italian raid on Tripoli.

1911 5 Nov. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow with Maulvi Mohammad Kassim as President to discuss the arrangements for the next AIML annual session.

15 Dec. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML was held with Syed Nabiullah as President. Jinnah’s bill on Waqf Law as further discussed. The Council urged upon the government the desirability of its being passed into law “with such amendments as may be deemed necessary at an early date.”

24 Dce. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullal as President.

1912 21 Feb. Meeting of the Central Council of the AIML held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullal as President.

3-4 March. Fifth session of the AIML was held at Town Hall, Calcutta with Maulvi Badruddin Haider, Khan Bahadur, as Chairman, Reception Committee and Nawab Bahadur Sir Salimullah of Dacca as President. Resolutions including one urging upon the government the desirability of Jinnah’s bill regarding Wakfs being passed into law at an early date were adopted.

8 Dec. Wazir Hasan, General Secretary of the AIML wrote to Jinnah inviting him to attend the forthcoming meeting of the AIML Council. Then Jinnah was not an AIML member, but was invited because of his expertise on constitutional matters.

31 Dec. Meeting of the AIML Council held at Bankipur in which Jinnah also participated as a special invite. At Jinnah’s suggestion, the resolution regarding “self-government suitable to India” as the goal AIML was adopted after a good deal of discussion.

1913 19 Jan. Meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow to consider the date of the next annual session. Mian Mohammad Shafi was nominated as President.

22-23 March. Sixth session of the AIML held at Lucknow, with Mian Mohammad Shafi as President. Resolutions adopted included those commending Jinnah’s efforts for the adoption of the Wakf Bill by the Imperial Legislative Council; expressing a “deep sense of regret and disappointment at the annulment of the partition of Bengal in utter disregard of Muslim feelings”, urging the Government to “take early steps to safeguard Muslim interests in the Presidency of Bengal”, welcoming the scheme for a residential university in Dacca (Dhaka); demanding adequate safeguards for Muslims in Gokhale’s Elementary Education Bill; expressing sympathy with Persia vis a vis the Russian encroachments; and urging the British Government to help restore the Macedonian Muslim population’s rights. The amendments in the AIML constitution, as recommended by the AIML Council at its Bankipur meeting, were approved.

14 July. Jinnah attended the fifth annual general meeting of the AIML London branch in London.

9 Sept. A meeting of the AIML Council held in Lucknow with Maulvi Ehtasham Ali as President.

19 Sept. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullal as President.

10 Oct. Jinnah was enrolled as a member of the AIML, with Syed Wazir Hasan as the proposer and Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar as the seconder.

14 Oct. A Cawnpore lacal Muslim deputation comprising Nawab Syed Ali Khan, Nawab Syed Jafar Ali Khan, Hafiz Mahmood Halim, Mr. Mahommad Hashim, Sheikh Sana Nadim, Hafiz Ahmadullah and Mr. Yamin Ahmed, Trustees of the Machli Bazar (Kanpur) Mosque and Syed Fazlur-Rahman, Secretary, District Muslim League, waited on the Viceroy at the Circuit House, Kanpur. Besides the members of the Deputation, a large number of prominent Musalmans including the Raja of Mahmudabad, Mazhar-ul-Haq, the Hon’ble Syed Raza Ali, Hon’ble Ross Masood were present in the Circuit House. Syed Fazl-ur-Rahman, Secretary District Muslim League, read the address which was presented to Viceroy by Nawab Syed Ali Khan. The deputation pointed out that “we, the representatives of the Muslim community, reflecting various

shades of responsible Muslim opinion in India, humbly beg to approach Your Excellency on behalf of our coreligionists and ourselves with a view to lay before Your Excellency certain matters of the highest moment relating to our community. For this opportunity so graciously afforded to us by Your Excellency of His Majesty the King-Emperor to wait in deputation upon his representative on occasions of importance is highly prized and is, we venture to think, of inestimable value in the special circumstances of the government of India.”

1913 20 Dec. A public meeting in Bombay under the auspices of Anjuman-i-Zia-ul-Islam presided over consisting of Syed Wazir Hasan and Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar who had visited England recently to resolve Cawnpore Mosque issue.

29 Dec. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Agra.

30-31 Dec. Seventh session of the AIML was held at Agra with Syed Alay Nabi as Chairman, Reception Committee and Sir Ibrahim Rahimtullah as the President. Jinnah also participated in the session. Resolutions adopter included those on the creation of Muslim League National Fund; Separation of Judiciary from the administration in every province; and Muslim representation in the public bodies.

1914 19 March. At Jinnah’s Law Chamber in Bombay, a meeting of the AIML leaders was held with the participation of Raja of Mahmudabad, Sir Fazulbhoy Carrimbhoy, Abdul Hussain Adamjee Peerbhoy, A.M. Jewanedd, M.T. Kaderbhoy, besides Jinnah. Those leaders were to proceed to Delhi to meet the Viceroy.

30 July. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow. It was decided that each provincial branch be made responsible for its own affairs.

25 Oct. To consider the holding of the next annual session at Rawalpindi, a meeting of the Council of AIML was held in Lucknow. By majority it was decided to postone the holding of the session at Rawalpindi.

1915 7 Feb. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow in which Sir Ibrahim Rahimtullah, M.A. Jinnah, Nawab Syed Mohammad of Madras, and Nawab Mir Asad Ali Khan of Madras were elected members of the AIML Council.

8 March. Jinnah wrote to Wazir Hasan that the proposed meeting date i.e., 27-28 March was not suitable to him and proposed to fix some other suitable.

20 March. Wazir Hasan replied agreeing to Jinnah’s proposal to hold the meeting of AIML Council on some other date.

12 April. Jinnah, Sir Currimbhoy, Ibrahim and 27 other leaders of Bombay wrote to Wazir Hasan suggesting AIML session at Bombay during the Christmas holidays. 25 April. On Jinnah’s requisition, a meeting of the Council of AIML was held in Bombay.

15 May. A meeting of the AIML Council was held at Lucknow, which favourably discussed Jinnah’s suggetion to convene next annual session of AIML at Bombay.

12 Sept. An informal meeting of the AIML leaders including Jinnah was held at Simla to discuss holding of the next session of the AIML at Bombay.

1915 10 Nov. A meeting of the Council of AIML was held at Lucknow to discuss the arrangements of the next session of the AIML at Bombay in Dec. 1915. It was decided that Mazharul Haq should be asked to preside over it. Total 49 members voted in fovour for Jinnah’s motion to hold it at Bombay while 13 voted against.

11 Nov. Jinnah appealed “all the Mohammedans to rally round the flag of All-India Muslim League and as true patiots stand by its constitution and thus make the community feel proud of the only political organization it possesses at present”.

9 Dec. At Bombay Government House a meeting of the British officials and AIML leaders including Jinnah it was agreed that the AIML might hold its annual meeting in Bombay during Christmas holiday. The AIML leaders promised to pass a resolution praying His Majesty’s Government to extend the term of the office of His Excellency Lord Harding, the Viceroy.

25 Dec. Jinnah received Mazharul Haq, President elect of the 1915 League session, at the Bombay railway station.

1915/ 30 Dec.-1 Jan. 1916. Eighth session of the AIML held in Bombay with Abdul Hussain Adamjee

1916 Peerbhoy as Chairman, Reception Committee and Mazhar-ul-Haq as the President. The most important resolution was the appointment of committee to formulate a scheme of reforms in consultation with other political organizations to be presented to the next meeting of the AIML Council. This Committee consisted of 71 members taken from all the provinces of British India. This Resolution was passed unanimously on a motion by Jinnah. The holding of the session at Bombay proved to be “a great victory for Jinnah”.

10 Oct. At a meeting of Council of the AIML it was decided to make M.A. Jinnah president of the next session of the AIML at Lucknow.

30-31 Dec. Nineth session of AIML held at Lucknow with Nabiullah as Chairman, Reception Committee and Jinnah as President. Several Congress leaders attened the session. The session approved the Joint Scheme of Reforms formulated by the Congress and League representatives. Popularly known as the Lucknow Pact, that scheme was also approved by the Indian National Congress. Most of the credit for getting if formulated goes to Jinnah who was hailed as the architect of the Lucknow Pact.

1917 18 Feb. An emergency meeting of the Council of AIML held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullah as President. It expressed profound sorrow on the death of Nawab Viqarul Mulk Bahadur.

6 May. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow which decided that an AIML Deputation consisting of the Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad, Mazharul Haq, and M.A. Jinnah should visit England.

3 June. Bengal Provincial Muslim League hosted a garden party in Calcutta in honour of M.A. Jinnah.

27 June. To protest against the arrest of Mrs. Annie Besant an urgent meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow, with Mirza Samiullah as President.

28-29 July. Joint meeting of the All-India Congress Committee and Council of the AIML was

held at Bombay to prepare the joint representation to the Viceroy and the Secretary fo State for India.

1917 28 Aug. A meeting of the AIML Council was held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullah as President.

20 Sept. A Special meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullah as President.

26 Sept. To protest against the delay in the release of Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali, an emergent meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullah as President.

…(Text not clear)… A meeting of the AIML Council held at Allahabad with Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad

as President. It decided to hold the next session of the AIML at Calcutta.

6 Oct. Joint Conference of All India Congress Committee and the AIML Council held at Allahabad at the residence of Motilal Nehru. M.A. Jinnah played a pivoted role in the meeting.

15 Nov. An extraordinary meeting of the AIML Council held with Syed Nabiullah as President.

16 Nov. An AIML Extraordinary Meeting was held at Lucknow. Resolutions adopted included those viewing with satisfaction the adherence to the Congress-Muslim League scheme of reforms of the meeting of influential Muslims representing various parts of India held in Lucknow and “the widespread and strong desire expressed by the community for complete representation on the subject of its special needs in respect of future constitutional reforms welcomes; the proposal to send an All-India Muslim Deputation to the Secretary of State with reference to the following matters which this meeting of the League hereby approves : (a) The release of Messrs Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali from internment; (b) half the number of Indian Under Secretaries or the members of the Secretary of States Council for India, as the case may be, should be Musalmans. If there is one Under Secretary then the post should be given to a Hindu and Musalman alternately; (c) half the number of the Indian members of the Imperial and Provincial Executive Councils should be Musalmans; (d) Musalmans should be adequately represented in the public services of the country; (e) separate, adequate and effective representation of Mohmmedans on local bodies; (f) representation of Musalmans on Government Universities in the same proportion as the representation of Musalmans on the Provincial Legislative Council of the province; (g) the maintenance of the Urdu language and the Persian characters in the courts and public offices in those provinces where they are in vogue and the employment of Urdu as a medium of primary education in the aforesaid provinces; (h) that Musalmans should be afforded facilities, protection and help in the observance and performance of their religious rights, ceremonies and usages on the occasion of the Bakr Id, Moharrum etc. without any restriction or obstruction by any official or community; (i) the preservation of the integrity and sancty of holy Muslim places, as promised by the Government of India communique, including Jerusalem.

26 Nov. A joint Deputation of Indian National Congress and the AIML met the Viceroy in Delhi and presented a joint memorandum. M.A. Jinnah played a leading role in the deputation.

29 Dec. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Calcutta with Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad as President.

1917/ 30 Dec.-1 Jan. 1918. The Tenth Annual Session of the AIML held at Calcutta. Resolutions

1918 adopted included those on Dacca University; Muslim representation in all the provinces; and immediate introduction of a bill embodying the Congress-League Reforms Scheme of December 1916.

17 March. A meeting of the Constitution Committee of the AIML at Lucknow, amended the Constitution of the AIML.

9 June. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow with Munshi Ehtasham Ali as President.

28 July. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow with Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad as President. It discussed the British reform programme.

1 Aug. A meeting for the AIML Counsil held at Lucknow with Syed Nabiullah as President.

9 Aug. An emergency meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow. Syed Nabiullah presided.

29-30 Aug.-1 Sept. A Special Session of the AIML held at Bombay with Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan the Raja of Mahmudabad, as President and Sir Fazlalbhoy Currinbhoy as Chairman, Reception Committee. A resolution registered the AIML’s emphatic protest at the insinuation contained in the Report on Indian Constitutional Reforms the “the people of India are unfit for responsible government”.

14 Sept. An extraordinary general meeting of the Bengal Presidency Muslim League held at Calcutta with Maulvi A.K. Fazlul Haq as President. The meeting was held to consider the ban imposed by the government on holding public meetings in Calcutta.

24 Nov. To decide about the holding of the next annual session of the League, a meeting of the AIML Council was held at Lucknow.

28-30 Dec. A meeting of the AIML Council was held to elect its members.

1919 9 March. To elect members of the deputation to England, a meeting of the AIML was held at Lucknow. 30 March. A meeting of the AIML held at Lucknow. It decided to hold the next meeting of the party at Aligarh.

20 April. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow.

27 July. A meeting of the AIML Council was held at Lucknow to approve its new members.

29 July. M.A. Jinnah as President of AIML addressed a meeting in Caxton Hall, London.

19 Aug. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow to protest against the peace settlements imposed on Turkey.

27 Aug. An AIML Deputation consisting of Junnah, Hasan Imam, G.M. Bhurgri and Yakub Hasan submitted a memorial to the British Prime Minister regarding Muslims, Turkey and Peace.

1919 4 Sept. A deputation of the AIML went to London to place before the British Prime Minister. The Rt. Hon’ble Lloyd George, the viewpoint of the Musalmans of India over the dismemberment of the Turkish territories, position of the Khilafat and Muslim holy places. The leader of the deputation, Mr. M.A. Jinnah, wrote the following letter dated 4 September 1919 to Mr. Lloyd George.

I beg to forward herewith a Memorandum on behalf of the deputation of the AIML. At the head of the deputation I am authorised to request you to grant me a private interview so that I may be able to place the point of view of the Musalmans of India which cannot be properly placed before you through the medium of pen and inks.

31 Oct. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow to discuss the Turkish position at the Peace Conference after the War.

7 Dec. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow, expressed its conern that no satisfactory settlement had been arrived at between the Great Powers and Turkey.

29-31 Dec. Twelfth Session of the AIML was held at Amritsar, with Hakim Ajmal Khan as President. Resolutions adopted included those demanding adequate Muslim representation in the public services, Government Universities bodies; retention of Urdu language and Persian characters in the courts; enforecement of Muslim religious rights in their rites, ceremonies and usages without any restrictions; justice in the Punjab (Jillianwala Bagh case) and recall of Lord Chelmsford; and strongly opposed the contemplated dismemberment of Turkey; and regretted the denial of “complete self-government…in the reforms recently enacted…” but welcomed the Act of 1919.

30-31 Dec. Eleventh session of the AIML was held in Delhi with A.K. Fazlul Haq as President and Dr. M.A. Ansari as Chairman, Reception Committee. Besides his presidential address in English, Fazlul Haq also spoke in Urdu. Resolutions adopted included those dealing at length with the fate and future of Turkey, and said, inter alia that “The Indian Musalmans take a deep interest in the fate of their co-religionists outside India, and that the collapse of the Muslim Powers of the world is bound to have an adverse Influence on the political importance of the Musalmans in the country, and the annihilation of the military powers in the world cannot but have a far-reaching effect on the minds of even the loyal Musalmans if India…” Other resolutions strongly condemned the Bengal Government for its failure in giving freedom of expression to the “wanton desecration of the Nakhuda Mosque and advocated the restoration of the aforementioned rights of the Muslims; strongly protested against the occupation of Jerusalem and Najaf-i-Ashraf and other Holy places by the British forces and demanded their immediate restoration.

1920 29 Feb. An emergency meeting of the AIML Council was held at Lucknow with Munshi Ehtasham Ali as President. The British Government was requested to grant Indian Khilafat Deputation a hearing at the Peace Conference.

18 July. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow to protest against the Christian attitude against Turkey at the Peace Conference.

7 Aug. Jinnah, as President of the AIML wrote to Zahur Ahmad, Secretary of the AIML, to arrange a meeting of the Council of the League a few days before the special session of the AIML.

1920 7 Sept. An extraordinary Session of the AIML, held at Calcutta with M.A. Jinnah as President and Hakim Maulana Abdur Rauf as Chairman, Reception Committee, Several Congress and Hindu leaders attended as guests. The meeting condemned the imposition of Marital law in the Punjab and said that “what we want is true political freedom of the people, not posts and positions in the Government”.

1 Dec. An emergency meeting of the AIML Council held at Lucknow, elected M.A. Ansari as the President for the coming Nagpur session of the AIML.

17 Dec. A meeting of the AIML Council held at Calcutta with Munshi Ehatsham Ali as President.

30-31 Dec. Thirteenth session of the AIML held at Nagpur, with Dr. M.A. Ansari as President. The main resolution sought to amend the AIML Rule No. 2 and to include the attainment of Swaraj by the people of India by all peaceful and legitimate means among the AIML objects. Other resolutions sought to protect and advance the political, religious and other rights and interests of the Indian Musalmans; to strengthen brotherly relations between the Musalmans of India and other countries; to affirm the Calcutta resolution and express satisfaction at the progress of the non-co-operation movement with particular reference to the boycott of the councils and to welcome the estabishment of the National Muslim University (Jamia Millia Islamia) at Aligarh.

1921 27 Oct. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held to decided about the holding of the next annual session of the AIML at Ahmedabad.

26 & 28 Dec. To discuss the arrangement for the forthcoming annual session at Ahmedabad, a meeting of the Council of the AIML was held.

30-31 Dec. Fourteenth session of the AIML held at Ahmedabad, with Maulana Hasrat Mohani as President and Abbas Tayabji as Chairman, Reception Committee, who proposed that the AIML should “cease” to function as a separate body, since the League and the Congress had the same object in view. Resolutions adopted included those congratulating “Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha upon the success” in the Greco-Turkish War; and urging extension of the AIML activities by the formation of Provincial and District Leagues. Hasrat Mohani proposed the establishment of an Indian Republic or a United States of India.

1922 24 Sept. To congratulate Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha on his glorious victory in Turkey, a meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Lucknow.

1923 27 Jan. Under instructions from Jinnah, President of the AIML, Syed Zahur Ahmad, Hon. Secretary of AIML, issued instructions to all the Council members to differ with the Congress programme adopted as Gaya in Dec. 1922 and to work for the revival of the AIML and Council entry programme.

15-16 March. A meeting of the AIML Council was held with M.A. Jinnah as President. M.Z. Sharif from Nagpur wrote to Zahur Ahmad, Secretary of the AIML that “It gives me immense pleasure to find that efforts are being made to revive the AIML which, under the present circumstances, is most essential, to voice our grievances and to safeguard and advance our rights privileges in India.”

31 March-1 April. Fifteenth session of the AIML held at Lucknow with G.M. Bhurgri as

President and Shaikh Shahid Hussain as Chairman, Reception Committee. Jinnah’s resolution recommending entry into Councils was debated for five hours without a definite conclusion, and the session was adjourned to the next day.

1924 15-16 Macrh. A meeting of the AIML Council was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

23 May. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Bombay with M.A. Jinnah as President. Membership of the Council rose to 44.

24-25 May. The adjourned Fifteenth session of the AIML was held at Lahore with M.A, Jinnah as President, and Agha Mohammad Safdar as Chairman, Reception Committee. In this address, Jinnah declared that the AIML, which had gone into the background due to the ill-advised issues of Non-Cooperation, Rowlat Bill, Khilafat question etc., had decided to come again into the forefront. Hd advocated Council-entry, as proposed by the Special Session of the Congress at Delhi, in September 1923. Resolutions adopted included those condemning Hindu-Muslim riots; measures to popularize the AIML at the district, tehsil and village levels; rejection of the Government of India Act 1919, terming it”…wholly unsatisfactory and altogerther inadequate to meet the requirements of the country…”, and demanding an “complete overhaul” of the Act; and reforms in N.W.F.P., to make it as a full-fledged province.

11 Oct. Jinnah presided over a public meeting held under the auspices of newly established Bombay Presidency Muslim League and spoke on the issue of Hindu-Muslim Unity. He also spoke on the issue of organizing the Muslims around the platform of Muslim League.

30-31 Dec. Sixteenth annual session of the AIML was held at Bombay with Shariff Deoje Canji as Chairman, Reception Committee and Syed Raza Ali as President. Maulana Mohammad Ali “garlanded Mr. Jinnah at the conclusion of proceedings and embraced him and kissed him on both cheeks admist loud outburst of applause from the audience” and congratulated him for reviving the AIML. Resolutions adopted included those urging the enforcement of Musalman Wakf Act by those provincial governments which had failed to do thus so far; condemning the promulgation of criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1924, terming it as “a suggesting appointment of a committee to formulate the Muslim demand regarding the representation of the Muslim community in the Legislature and other elected bodies of the country. Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. M.A. Ansari and Raja Ahmad Ali Khan and its most prominent members were Syed Raza Ali, Sahebzada Aftab Ahmad Khan and Abdul Majid Khwaja.

1925 24 Jan. An All Parties Conference Committee meeting was held at Delhi, in which Jinnah participated as President of the AIML.

30-31 Dec. Seventeenth session of AIML was held at Aligarh with Sir Abdur Rahim as President and Sheikh Abdullah as Chairman, Reception Committee. Jinnah moved a resolution observing that although in the opinion of the League the present constitution was unsatisfactory, the Muslim representatives in various legislatures should utilize the reforms as far as they went. Other resolutions adopted included those concerning the demand of the AIML for the amendment of the constitution, and appointment of a committee on constitutional advancement; extending support to the demands of the Muslims of Bihar and Orissa for the option to present their pleadings in Urdu in courts.

1926 29-31. Dec. Eighteenth Annual Session of AIML held at Delhi with Khan Bahadur Pirzada Muhammad Hussain as Chairman, Reception Committee and Sheikh Abdul Qadir as President.

Allama Iqbal also attended this session. Resolutions adopted included those demanding for an early appointment of a Royal Constitution Commission to frame a new constitution for the country; the repeal of anti-Indian legislation in South Africa; adequate Muslim representation in the Central and provincial legislatures in India; at least one Muslim member in the Punjab Cabinet; and adequate Muslim representation in the proposed Statutory Commission.

1927 13 March. A meeting of the AIML Council was held at Delhi. 24 members attended, Jinnah presided over it.

20 March. On an invitation by Jinnah, President of the AIML, a meeting of Muslim League leaders was held at Delhi for settling the issue of electorates and other matters of Muslim interest so that an advance could be made with the non-Muslim parties to frame a common constitution. Jinnah presided over this meeting of 27 leaders. The Muslim leaders agreed to discart separate electorates in favour of weightage of 1/3 representation to be given to the Muslims both in the Central Assmbly as well as in the Central Cabinet, and proportional representation in the Punjab separation of Sindh from Bombay.

17 April. The All-India Hindu Mahasabha in its meeting at Patna accepted the AIML proposed package for joint electorates but rejected the idea of separation of Sindh from Bombay Presidency.

1 May. A meeting of the Punjab Muslim League was held in Lahore under the presidentship of Sir Muhammad Shafi in which on a motion by Sir Muhammad Iqbal a resolution was adopted which ’reiterated the League’s conviction that in the existing political conditions in this country separate communal electorates provided to only effective means of making the central and provincial legislatures truely representative of the Indian people, and the League was emphatically of the opinion that as long as an equally effective gurantee was not forthcoming, the Muslim Community could not but continue to insist on the retention of Communal electorates as an essential element of the Indian Constitution”.

29 Aug. Alarmed by Hindu-Muslim tussle Jinnah arranged a Unity Conference in Simla which was participated by, among others, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar. Lajpat Rai, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Dr. M.A. Ansari, Pandit M.M. Malviya and Pandit Motilal Nehru, Various committees were appointed to resolve the Hindu-Muslim problem.

9-10 Sept. The AIML Council met at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

23 Sept. Various Committees on Hindu-Muslim questions finally met at Simla to resolve the issues effecting relations between the two communities but nothing tangible could come out of it.

8 Nov. Formation of the Simon Commission to frame an Indian Constitution was announced. Jinnah urged joint action on the part of Indian leaders against the Simon Commission.

16 Nov. An all Parties Conference was held in Bombay attended by Jinnah and other Hindu-Muslim leaders. They decided to boycott the Commission as no Indian was included in the Commission.

20 Nov. The AIML Council met at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

Dec. The AIML was divided into two groups—Jinnah groups and the Shafi group—each holding

its separate meetings and sessions.

1927/ 30 Dec.-1 Jan. 1928. Nineteenth session of the AIML Jinnah Group held in Calcutta with

1928 Majibur Rahman as Chairman, Reception Committee, and Maulvi Mohammad Yakub as President. Resolutions adopted included those announcing the rejection of Statutory Commission as well as announced related procedure; appointing a sub-committee by the AIML Council to confer with the Working Committee of Indian National Congress; electing Mohammad Ali Jinnah as President of AIML for 3 years; condemning Sir Muhammad Shafi and his collegues for their rebellious action against the AIML authority; and deploring the Punjab Provincial Muslim Leader’s violating action against the parent body.

31 Dec.-1 Jan 1928. Nineteenth Session of the AIML held at Lahore with Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Khan as Chairman, Reception Committee and Sir Muhammad Shafi as President. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal was Secretary of the Group. Resolutions adopted included those inviting non-Muslim communities of India for co-operation with Muslims for a joint Draft constitution for India, supporting the Simon Commission; and authorizing the Council to draft a new constitution for AIML.

26 Feb. The AIML Council met at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

22 June. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal resigend form the secretaryship of the AIML Shafi League for his differences with Shafi regarding the latter’s memorandum to the Simon Commission.

8 Sept. Maulvi Muhammad Yakub, President of AIML, issued s statement in which he clarified that the AIML had not approved the All-Parties Report popularly known as the Nehru Report announced in August 1928.

10 Sept. Twenty-eight Muslim members of central and provincial legislatures issued a statement to the press showing their disapproval of the Nehru Report.

2 Nov. Jinnah in a letter to Pandit Nehru maintained that Nehru Report deviated from the principles set out in the Delhi Muslim Proposals, duly approved by the Congress in Dec. 1927. He maintained, that Nehru Report was “counter proposals” which were going to be discussed in the ensuing AIML Council meeting on 12 Nov. 1928.

12 Nov. AIML Council meeting held at Delhi with Raja of Mahmudabad as President. President of the AIML, Jinnah, also participated. Nehru Report was discussed. It was declared that the final decision regarding the Nehru Report would be taken at the AIML annual session in December.

22 Nov. To condole the death of Lajpat Rai a public meeting of the AIML Bombay Branch was held at Bombay, which was presided over by Jinnah. When Maulana Shaukat Ali entered the pandal there was a great uproar in the meeting on which Jinnah issued a stern warning. “If you do not obey me I assure you I will not proceed with the meeting but dissolve it.” Thereafter calm was restored in the meeting. This meeting opposed the Nehru Report and suggested certain modifications and amendments in the Report, on a motion by Jinnah.

27 Dec. Twentieth session of AIML held at Calcutta with Maulvi Abdul Karim as Chairman, Reception Committee, and Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, Maharaja of Mahmudabad as President. Resolutions adopted included those forming a delegation to attend the Convention called by the Indian National Congress and resolving to adjust various outstanding questions

between Hindus and Muslims regarding the Nehru Report; declining to send a delegation to the All-parties Muslim Conference, terming it as a “rival” and “reactionary” organization; supporting Afghan King Amanullah Khan in his nation building efforts; demanding review of the Bengal Tenancy Bil; and adjourning the session inviting the Council for making arrangements to summon the adjoured Session before the end of May 1929.

28-30 Dec. An All-Parties National Convention was held at Calcutta with the participation of Jinnah. Criticizing the Nehru Report, he said : “If we cannot agree let us agree to differ, but let us part as friends”.

1929 3 March. With M.A Jinnah in the Chair, a representative meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at the League’s Office, Delhi, in which members of Shafi and Jinnah groups participated. Both the groups consented to participate in the forthcoming meeting of AIML on 30 March. It was generally agreed that a democratized Muslim League would be the only authoritative organization of the Muslim community. The meeting authorised M.A. Jinnah “…to negotiate with the representatives of various groups in the League regarding the form which the Moslem demands should take, and to place an agreed formula before the Leader’s session”.

28 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President. He Presented a resolution since known, as the Fourteen 14 Points to acommodate the various points of view with regard to the policy and programme of the Muslim League regarding the forthcoming constitutional reforms. (In subsequent years, it served as the Charter of Muslim Demands, till the adoption of the Lahore Resolution in 1940).

30-31 March. Two sections—the Jinnah Group and the Shafi Group—of the AIML met in Delhi to discuss the future course of action in the light of the Nehru Riport. Considerable disorder prevailed in the AIML when it reassmbled in the afternoon. M.A. Jinnah tided over the situation by adjourning the session till such date as the Council of the League might decide upon.

2 April. In two separate statements to the press, Shafi and Jinnah deplored the League adjournment since die of the League meeting, although the meeting was held as a result of an agreement between Shafi and Jinnah.

1930 9 Feb. An AIML Council meeting held at Aligarh wiht M.A. Jinnah as President.

28 Feb. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Delhi in which the two sections of the Muslim League—Shafi group and the Jinnah group—finally announced their merger into the AIML headed by Jinnah and making Jinnah’s 14 Points as a united demand of AIML.

14 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML held at Delhi.

13 July. Meeting of the Council of AIMl was held at Delhi to decide about the next annual session of the AIML. Jinnah presided. The Council resolved to make Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal as President of the forthcoming session of the League.

29-30 Dec. Twenty-first session of the AIML was held at Allahabad with Muhammad Hussain as Chairman, Reception Committee, and Dr. Muhammad Iqbal as President. In his Presidential Address, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal observed, “I would like to see the Punjab, the North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan amalgamate into a single state. Self-government within the British Empire, the formation of consolidate North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me

to be the final destiny of the Muslims at least of North-West India”. Resolutions adopted included those terming the Government of India’s Dispatch on constitutional reforms as a failure; supporting the resolution passed by the All-India Muslim Conference at Delhi on 1 January 1919 regarding united Muslim efforts at the Round Table Conference.

1931 22 Feb. To condole the death of Maulana Mohammad Ali and to discuss the progress of the RTC, meeting the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with Sir Mian Mohammad Shafi as President.

15 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi. The Council elected Sir Muhammad Shafi as President of the AIML in place of Mr. M.A. Jinnah, and Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz becomes as the first women member of the Council. The Council placed on record its “sincere appreciation of the invaluable services of Mr. M.A. Jinnah to the Muslim community in general and the Muslim League in particular during many years of his public life”. Resolutions adopted included those criticizing the government inaction regarding the demand for reforms in Baluchistan: expressing satisfaction on the retention of separate electorate at the Round Table Conference; and welcoming the provincial status of the NWFP and separation of Sindh from Bombay.

31 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi.

5 April. At a meeting of All-India Muslim Conference held at Delhi, Maulana Shaukat Ali, in his presidential address, declared the he and other leaders of Muslim Conference “stood” by Jinnah’s 14 Points.

15 Nov. A meeting of the Council of the AIML held, with Dr. Mufti Mohammad Sadiq as President.

22 Nov. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi, with Maulvi Syed Murtaza as President.

6 Dec. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi in which a resolution was passed by which the Council appreciated the services rendered at the Round Table Conference by the H.H. the Aga Khan, Jinnah, Sir Mohammad Shafi and other muslim delegates and congratulated them on their unanimity and solidarity.

26-27 Dec. Twenty-second session of the AIML was held at Delhi with Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah as Chairman, Reception Committee and Choudhury Zafarullah Khan as President. The Ahrars demonstrated against ch. Zafarullah’s acting as President of the AMIL. Resolutions adopted included those concerning the statement of the Prime Minister at the Round Table Conference on 1 December 1931, and reaffirming that the future constitution should certain the safeguards for the Muslims full autonomy to the provinces Sind’s separation from Bombay and Residuary Powers for the component units in the Federal Constitution. Another reoslution demanded the end of the sufferings of the Kashmiri Muslims.

1932 24 Jan. To Condole the death of Sir Mian Mohammad Shafi, a meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Delhi.

31 Jan. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with ch. Zafarullah Khan as President.

1932 17 March. A meeting of the Working Committee was held at Delhi with Ch. Zafarullah Khan as President.

30 March. Representing the AIML Mirza Ejaz Hussain, member, AIML Council, submitted a memorandum and appeared for oral evidence before the Indian Franchise Committee at Delhi.

29 May. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at New Delhi with Ch. Zafarullah Khan as President. The meeting deplored the Bombay riots “as a fresh instance of Hindu intolerance and highhandedness”.

14 June. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held at New Delhi.

1 Sept. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Simla.

3-4 Sept. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Simla with Sir Zulfiqar Ali Khan as President. The meeting discussed the Communal Award.

23 Oct. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held, with Abdul Aziz as President.

27 Nov. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held, with Abdul Aziz as President.

6 Dec. A meeting of the Working Committee was held at Delhi, with Rahimtoola Chinoy as President.

24 Dec. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi to discuss the RTC issues. Abdul Aziz presided over this meeting.

1933 5 March. A meeting of the Executive Board of the All-India Muslim Conference was held at New Delhi. Sir Mohammad Iqbal presided. The following reoslution was passed : “In view of the fact that as the objects of the All-India Muslim League and All-India Muslim Conference are identical, this meeting of the Executive Board of the All-India Muslim Conference approves the proposed amalgamation ot the two organizations, and furthur proposes that a joint committee be appointed to draft a constitution for the joint organization”.

6 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi.

12 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held as Delhi. In a resolution the Muslim League requested Jinnah to return to India to give lead to Muslims at that critical juncture.

24 March. To consider the White Paper, a meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held in Delhi.

28 May. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi. Mian Abdul Aziz presided Death of Nawab Sir Zulfiqar Ali Khan was condoled.

16 July. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with Syed Raza Ali as President. The issue of holding next annual meeting of the party was discussed.

21 October. Twenty-third session of AIML (Aziz Group) was held at Howrah with Mian Abdul Aziz as President and Maulvi Abdul Kasem as Chairman, Reception Committee. Resolutions

adopted included those welcoming the Communal Award, recording dissatisfaction on, among others, lack of one-third seats for the Muslims in the Central legislatures, lower representation for Bengal Muslims in terms of population and for Bihar Muslims lower representation in the legislature, denial of Residuary Powers to the provinces, and reforms to Baluchistan.

1933 24 Nov. A meeting of the Council of the AIML (Hidayat Group) was held at Delhi with Hafiz Hidayat Hussain as President.

25-26 Nov. Twenty-third session of the AIML (Hidayat Group) was held at Delhi with Hafiz Hidayat Hussain as President and Haji Rashid Ahmed as Chairman, Reception Committee. Resolutions adopted included those suggesting that the expected presence of H.H. the Aga Khan and Mohammad Ali Jinnah be used for bringing unity in the ranks of the AIML; and supporting extended franchise for women.

26 Nov. Annual General meeting of the Bengal Presidency Muslim League was held at Calcutta with Maulvi Abdul Karim as President. Resolutions adopted included those demanding that “no special constituencies and no second chamber in the lacal legislature in the Presidency of Bengal” be created.

1934 4 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at New Delhi to welcome Jinnah who had come on a short visit to India from London, It was becuse of Jinnah’s presence that both the groups the AIML—Aziz group and Hidayat group—were are altogether and it was urged upon Jinnah to return to British India to lead the AIML as a unified body of the Muslims. Jinnah was elected President of the united Muslim League.

31 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with Haji Rashid Ahmad as President.

1-2 April. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. On his arrival from England M.A. Jinnah was given “an enthusiastic welcome”. He “…made a striking appeal for unity among all the Muslim organizations with a view to confront the Government with united demands. Resolutions adopted included those accepting the Commnunal Award so far as it goes, until a substitute is agreed upon…”; and resolving to revive the Provincial Muslim Leagues.

30 June. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with S.A. Abdullah as President. It expressed sympathy with the Arabs of Palestine.

12-13 August. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Simla with Syed Raza Ali as President. Resolutions adopted included those expressing “great concern” about the economic, social and political position of the Arabs in Palestine; and demanding 25 per cent seats for the Muslims in all branches of the Railway department.

1935 26-27 Jan. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. It discussed the issue of Communal Award and decided to negotiate with other parties for co-operation only after the general acceptance of the Communal Award.

16 Feb. A meeting of the Council of the AIML held in New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. The meeting passed a resolution repeating its earlier deman “that Baluchistan should be made a separate province and reforms should be introduced in that province”.

1935 29 Feb. A meeting of the Council of the AIML held in New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

21 April. A meeting of the Council of the AIML held in Lahore with Nawab Sir Ahmed Said Khan of Chattari as President.

22 June. An emergent meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

21 July. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi.

30 Dec. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. It resolved to hold the next session of the League on 8 April in Bombay. The Council also agreed to invite Jinnah to retain the office of the President of the League till the end of the League’s session in 1937. Jinnah proposed the name of Sir Fazl-i-Hussain for the presidency of the next session provided he agrees. Jinnah was also authorized to propose some other neme for the President of next session.

31 Dec. The Board of All-India Muslim Conference decided to marge the party with the AIML. Nawab of Chattari, President of the Conference, and Sir Mohammad Yakub, Secretaty of the Conference, resigned from their offices.

1936 29 Feb. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. As Sir Fazl-i-Hussain did not agree to preside over the next League session. Sir Wazir Hassan was elected president in this place.

4 April. Jinnah stressed the importance of the forthcoming meeting of the League, at a meeting of the Working Committee of the AMIL.

8 April. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Bombay to review the arrangements for the next session of the League.

11-12 April. Twenty-fourth session of the AMIL was held at Bombay with Sir Syed Wazir Hassan as President and Sir Currimbhoy Ebrahim as Chairman, Reception Committee, Resolution adopted included those offering gratitude to Mohammad Ali Jinnah for his “valuable services” in connection with the Shahdiganj Mosque question “at a time when no other leader could venture to undertake the resposibility…”, and appointing a committee to amend the rules of the AIML.

26 April. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held with M.A. Jinnah as President.

8 June. The first meeting of the Muslim League’s Central Parliamentary Board was held in Lahore at the residence of Mian Abdul Aziz, with Jinnah as President. Among others, Sir Mohammad Iqbal attened thid meeting. The programme for the next election was chalked out.

9 June. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held, with Jinnah as President. The meeting approved the programme chalked out by the AIML Parliamentary Board for the next elections.

11 June. At a meeting at Lahore, the AIML Parliamentary Board appointed Jinnah as President, Raja of Mahmudabad as Treasurer, Abdul Matin Chaudhry as Secretaty of the Central Board.

1936 5 July. Jinnah presided over a meeting of the Bombay Muslim League in which the Muslim Parliamentary Board for the Bombay Presidency was elected. Jinnah was elected President while M. Suleman Mitha was elected Secretary of the Bombay Parliamentary Board.

19 July. A draft constitution prepared by Jinnah for the Bombay Presidency Muslim League Parliamentary Board was adopted at a meeting of the Board at Islam Club, Bombay.

24 July. “We feel that the time has come when the Muslim League, like the Congress, should establish contact with the people, and not simply meet in a hall and air its views on all sorts of questions. The League has decided to do something tangible and real”, said Jinnah in the course of a public speech on the policy and programme of the AMIL, in a meeting under the auspices of the Young Muslim Brotherhood, Bombay. S.A. Brelvi president. Jinnah added. “Today the Muslims have no organization; it is a no man’s land; there is no party, no unity, no common banner under which the 80 million Muslims of India can express their opinions, their sentiments and their feelings…we want the Muslims, therefore, to come together on one platform and express their opinion and feelings in one voice”.

26 July. A meeting of the U.P. Parliamentary Board of the Muslim League was held at Bombay.

15 Aug. Addressing a gathering of Muslims in Lucknow, Jinnah said that “…for the last 30 years of its existence the AIML had been nothing more than a mere academic body with no real contact with the Muslim masses and that it was high time to make it a living organization and that the passing of the Government of India Act of 1935 had afforded the best opportunity for the community to organize itself.”

20 Aug. Addressing a gathering of Muslims in the Town Hall, Calcutta, Jinnah called upon the Muslims that the time had come for the “sleepy and summissive community to wake up”. He also stressed the need for the formation of Bengal Muslim League Parliamentary Board.

5 Oct. The Bihar United Muslim Party Conference met at Patna and extended its full support to the 14 Points of Jinnah and urged for unity amongst the different sects of the Muslims.

12 Oct. The Muslim League Parliamentary Board’s election campaign was inauguarated by Jinnah. Speaking on this occasion at Lahore, Jinnah said that “Muslims of the Punjab are my right arm. Are you going to desert the Muslims of India.”

21-22 Oct. Jinnah visited the Khayber (NWFP) but on his return to Peshawar he had an attack of fever due to which he could not attend a tea party arranged by Sir Abdul Qaiyum on 22 October. However, Malick Khuda Bakhsh arrived from D.I. Kamal and met Jinnah. Representatives from (Text not clear) districts were also invited to discuss Muslim League party matters.

15 Dec. Addressing a meeting organized in Bombay by the Muslim Student’s Union Jinnah said : “The Muslims had to organize themselves on one platform and under on flag, and that platform and that flag should be those of the All-India Muslim League. In view of the altered constitution and the impending elections the present was the most appropriate time to unite.”

31 Dec. Meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Bombay.

1937 11 Jan. In a press statement, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had declared that “there were only two parties in the country, namely the Government and the Congress.” Jinnah in a counter statement

“reminded Pandit Nehru that there was a third party, namely, Indian Muslims.”

1937 1 Feb. Addressing a meeting of the Muslims in Ahmedabad, Jinnah appealed to vote for the League candidates.

11 Feb. Jinnah, as President of AMIL, visited the polling station at Town Hall, Bombay for the Bombay Assembly elections.

15 Feb. Sh. Abdul Majid, leader of the Sindh Muslim League won election from Larkana against

Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, leader of the Sindh United Party and official adviser to the Governor of Sindh and ex-Minister, Govt. of Bombay.

28 Feb. In an interview to the press, Jinnah outlined the propramme and policy of the AIML candidates who were returned to the provincial assemblies. A meeting of the Muslim League members of the Bombay Provincial Legislature was also held at Islam Club, Bombay, on the invitation of Jinnah.

13 March. A joint meeting of the Working Committee of the League Parliamentaty Board and the Muslim members of the U.P. Legislature was held in Lucknow in camera. Special importance was attached to the meeting in view of Jinnah’s presence and the request of independent Muslim’s to Jinnah, to give them a hearing.

21 March. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held at New Delhi with Jinnah as President. It was decided unanimously to hold the next session of the AIML at Lucknow on 17-19 April under Presidentship to Jinnah. Nawab Sir Muhammad Yusuf, who proposed Jinnah’s name for the Presidentship of the session, stressed that “at this psychological moment there was none so eminently suited to guide the destinies of Muslims in India…as Mr. Jinnah.” The Council also considered ways and means to orgnize Muslims and bring them within the fold of the League. In his speech Jinnah stressed that the primary issue before them would be a mass organization of the Muslims.

28 March. A meeting of the members of the Muslim League was held with Jinnah as President to chalk out the future course of action.

29 March. In his U.P. tour Maulana Shaukat Ali declared that the AIML would not be “camp follower of the Congress.”

19 April. In a statement, Jinnah, termed it “absolutely untrue to suggest that the Muslim League does not stand to fight for the freedom of the country.”

25 April. A meeting of the U.P. Muslim League Parliamentary Board was held at Lucknow under the presidentship of Nawab Muhammad Ismail Khan.

26 April. The Working Committee of the U.P. Muslim League Parliamentary Board met at Lucknow to discuss Muslim League’s policy towards the Congress.

—, Punjab Provincial Muslim League at a meeting of its general body under Khan Bhahadur Malik Zaman Mehedi Khan recommended to the AIML the goal of attainment of complete independence for India so that changes be made according to the League’s constitution and rules.

The meeting also appointed a committee of seven members, including Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, to bring the Muslim League into contact with the Muslim masses, and to establish district and tehsil committees.

27 April. Malik Barkat Ali, who represented the Muslim League in the Punjab Assembly, in a statement, said that the Muslim masses were “slidly” behind men like Jinnah and Sir Mohammad Iqbal.

29 April. In a rebut to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s “Utopian” ideals, Jinnah, in a statment, said, that “the Muslim League is a political organization and its policy and programme differ in vital respects from that of the Congress.”

2 May. In a statement from Bombay Jinnah explained the policy and programme of the AIML.

6 May. In a tense atmosphere, the U.P. Muslim League Parliamentary Board met this morning at the Lucknow residence of the Raja of Mahmudabad with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan in the chair. Among those present were Maulana Shaukat Ali, Raja of Mahmudabad, ch. Khaliquzzaman, and Maulana Hussain Ahmad. Jinnah was expected to arrive in the evening from Bombay.

7 May. A meeting of the U.P. Muslim league leaders held at Lucknow was attended by Jinnah was advised on the future course of action with the Congress.

10 May. In an interview, Jinnah said that the Muslim League in the U.P. had emerged more statement and united that ever it was.

16 May. Addressing a genenral meeting of the Bombay Muslim League at Kaisar Bagh, Bombay, Jinnah said that Muslims should not be carried out by the Congress propaganda to look down on their own organization—the AIML.

3 June. In a statement, Jinnah said that much work remained to be done by the AIML in the political, economic and social spheres of life.

1 July. In a statement, Jinnah said that the AIML was a political organization and they stood by the policy and programme and the basic principles enunciated by the AIML.

15 Aug. The Muslim League members in the Bombay Legislative Assembly and Council resolved to walk out from the Chamber when His Excellency the Governor of Bombay addressed the joint session of the Legislature in protest against the Governor for accepting the nomination of the Hon’ Mr. Yasin Nurie as Minister.

21 Aug. Jinnah passed through Delhi by train enrouted the Simla to attend the session of the Central Assembly. At the Delhi railway station by prominent members of the Muslim League including the Raja of Mahmudabad (Chairman, Reception Committee of the annual session of the League), Nawab Ismail Khan, two representatives of the Azad Muslim League (Leftists), and a Muslim Congressman from Ceylon, met him. They discussed with him questions relating to the dates of the League’s annual session and ways and means of popularizing the League’s progrmme among the Muslim masses.

22 Aug. Annual General Meeting of the Bengal Presidency Muslim League was held at Calcutta

wit Sir Wazir Hassan as President. Resolution adopted including those demanding immediate release of all political prisoners; asking for overhauling the Bengal provincial tenancy legislation “in order to give belief to overtaxed peasantry.”

1937 6 Oct. A meeting of the AIML Parliamentary Board of Bogra was held with Mohammad Ali, MLA as President.

15-18 Oct. Twenty-fifth session of the AIML as held at Lucknow with Jinnah as President and Amir Ahmad Khan, Raja of Mahumdabad, as Chairman, Reception Committee. Jinnah travelled across India by train in a triumphant manner. At almost every station where his train stopped he was given a rousing ovation, and at Jhansi and Cawnpore particularly huge crowds turned out to see him, indicating tha the Muslims of these areas were wholeheartedly in support of his programme. It was at this session that Jinnah unfurled the Flag of Islam—Star and Crescent inscribed in a green background, This the first occation on which the flag was unfurled at a League session. Resolutions adopted included those for the “establishment of full independence in the form of a federation of free democratic states in which interests of the Musalmans and other minorities are adequately effectively safeguarded in the Constitution”, condeming : the demolition of the Shahidganj Mosque at Lahore, and the attitude of the Congress in foisting the Bande Mataram as the national anthem; and disapproving the scheme of All-India Federation as embodied in the Government of India Act, 1935.

17 Oct. A meeting of the Subjects Committee of the AIML was held at Lucknow in which various ways and means to spread the AIML to provincial district and tehsil level were discussed. The Working Committee would now consist of 21 members intead of 14.

19 Oct. A meeting of the Council of the AIML held at Lucknow. The new Council of AIML consisted of 435 members elected by the provincial organizations for a period of one year as follow : Delhi-15; UP-70; Punjab-90; Bombay-25; Madras-20; NWFP-20; British Baluchistan-5; Bengal-100; Bihar-30; Orissa-10; Assam-25; CP and Berar-20, and Ajmer-5.

25 Oct. At Berhampore (Bengal), Jinnah presided over an All-Bengal Muslim Conference. During the course of his speech, Jinnah said : “We insist that in any future constitution of the country, by whosoever it be framed, the rights and interests of the Muslims should be effective safeguarded. If you lose this battle the Muslims of India will be crushed and wiped out of their existence.”

26 Oct. Addressing a function at Anjuman-i-Islamia Hall, Patna arranged by the Bihar Muslim Students Federation, Jinnah declared : “They wished to keep the rights of 80,000,000 Muslims alive. Islam no doubt taught them to remain free, but it did not mean a freedom in which they should become slaves of the Hindus.”

29 Oct. Jinnah reached Bombay after his tour of Begal and Bihar. Explaining the position of the AIML in Bengal he stated that the AIML’s position was more solid than it had ever been before in Bengal and Bihar and that people in Bihar were rallying round the League flag.

5 Dec. Addressing a public meeting under the auspice of the Surat Muslim League at Surat, Jinnah advised the Muslims to be loyal to the League if they wanted their voice to be a living voice.

26 Dec. Addressing a public meeting held at Calcutta under Jinnah’s presidency, A.K. Fazlul Haq, Premier of Bengal, expressed satisfaction that the Muslim League had attained a high degree of popularity. He called upon the Muslims to avoid all their separatist tendencies.

27 Dec. Addressing the All-India Muslim Student’s Conference at Calcutta, Jinnah said : “While we want to raise ourselves to the highest standard our hands for co-operation and for the good of our country are always fully stretched but on equal terms. We are not going to be subdued or be camp-following or a subjects race of a Hindu raj.”

1938 1 Jan. Addressing the Muslim Student’s function at Gaya, Jinnah said that “Gaya was the first town in Bihar to open a branch of the Muslim League.”

29 Jan. An address of welome was presented to Jinnah by the Delhi Provincial Muslim League at a big public meeting attened by nearly 20,000 people. Begum Mohammad Ali presided over this

meeting.

30-31 Jan. AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. The meeting, due to start at 11.00 A.M. on 30 Jan. was delayed upto 3:00 P.M. because of the procession leading to Azad Park, New Delhi, where Shaukat Ali unfurled the flag of Islam. Resolutions adopted included those recognising that the Musalmans throughout India were pledged to the restoration of the Shahidganj Mosque, and proposing to summon a special Session of the AIML be summoned for that purpose to decide upon the final line of action without delay, in view of the grave situation which had arisen consequent upon the recent decision of the Punjab High Court. 18 Feb. On a call by the AIML the day was observed as the Shahidganj Day all over the country.

27-28 Feb-1 March. A meeting of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League was held at Ahmedabad. As Jinnah could not preside because of his illness, Sir Ali Mohammad Khan Dehlavi presided. The meeting expressed full confidence in Jinnah’s leadership who was termed as “Amir-e-Siyasat.”

20 March. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi, with M.A. Jinnah as President, to discuss the issue of the Shahidganj Mosque of Lahore. It was decided that special committees should be appointed to collect all information regarding the ill-treatment and injustice meted out to Muslims in the Congress provinces and to submit a report to the AIML President and the Council from time to time. The meeting also decided to hold a special session of the AIML at Calcutta on 18-19 April 1938. The President was authorized to take all necessary steps to form a Muslim League Assembly Party in the Central Legislature at an early date. Resolutions adopted included those that in view of the decision of the Punjab Premier, expressing his readiness to resign even if the majority of the Muslim Members give their verdict disapproving of his action foreshadowed in his recent pronouncement with regard to the Shahidganj question, the Council realised that the main burden and responsibility rested with the Muslim representatives of the Punjab Legislature and the public generally. The Council appreciated that the gravity and the nature of the issues involved were taken cognisance of by Sir Sikandar Hayat and his Government; that the assurance taken by him in his pronouncement of his making the earnest attempt to bring about an honorable settlement of the question was the best course in the opinion of the Council, and that in this direction lay the way of restoring and securing a permanent peace and goodwill between the two great sister communities, the Muslim and the Sikhs, whose moral responsibility to each other, whose interests and the welfare, and the larger interests of the Province and the country, demanded that, with their great history, religions and traditions behind

them, they should rise above the verdicts of Judicial Tribunals and the decisions of legislatures and Government, and rise to the occasion and come to an honourable settlement of their own, that failing such a desideratum of mutual agreement of the parties concerned, which would be most unfortunate, the Council noted, with great satisfaction, the determination of the Punjab Government that it would not fail to explore and exhaust all constitutional avenues open to them to find a satisfactory and just solution of the problem to which they were already applying themselves; and that, while the final decision as to the policy and the line of action could only be decided by the AIML, the Council, in the meantime, were willing and ready to render all the assistance and help they could towards the solution of the matter.

1938 3 April. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Arrangements for the Calcutta session of the AIML was discussed in detail. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that a Sub-Committee of the follwing members of the Council of the AIML be appointed to inquire into the question of the mosque in Asansol and sumit their report to the Council of the League as soon as possible : 1. Maulana Shaukat Ali Saheb, M.L.A., 2. The Hon. Hussain Imam, M.C.S., and 3. Hussain M. Malik Saheb, Bar-at-Law.

6 April. A delegation from Sindh Muslim League consisting of Sh. Abdul Majid, Sir Abdullah Haroon met Jinnah in New Delhi and discussed with him the situation of the party in Sindh province. The discussion related to steps to organize the Muslims in Sindh and establish district branches of the League in the province.

17 April. AIML Council meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. 199 members participated and 125 new members were elected. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that a copy of the complaints against the Delhi Provincial Muslim League by some Members of the Council of the Delhi Provincial Muslim League and others be sent to the President of the Delhi Provincial Muslim League for such explanation as they might think proper and that matter be placed before the next meeting of the Council.

17-18 April. A Special Session of the AIML, held at Calcutta with A.K. Fazlul Haq as Chairman, Reception Committee, and M.A. Jinnah as President. In his address Jinnah pleaded for social, educational and economic uplift of the Muslims. He also oberved that the AIML had grown into a power in British Indian politics. Resolutions adopted included those appreciating the efforts of the Fazlul Haq Ministry in Bengal and Saadullah Ministry in Assam,”…particularly for resisting the machinations of the Congress to break through these fronts….” and appealing “to every Musalman to accord whole-hearted support to the Ministries in Bengal and Assam”, appreciating the assurance of the Government to get an honourable solution of the Shahidganj dispute and appealing to the “Musalmans to create and maintain a peaceful atmosphere in order to facilitate the settlement”; and deploring the “signal” failure of the Congress Governments in protecting the Muslim minorities in their provinces.

19 April. A meeting of AIML’s Central Parliamentary Board was held as Calcutta at the residence of M.A.H. Ispahani. Jinnah presided. In the meeting Jinnah called upon the Muslim groups in the Bengal Assembly to remain united.

20 April. At Calcutta, Jinnah and Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, Premier of the Punjab, met leaders of the Muslim community in Bengal at an informal conference and discussed the general political situation.

21 April. Sir Mohammad Iqbal, President of Punjab Muslim League and a great Muslim

Philosopher, died at Lahore.

1938 28 April. Congress-AIML talks to resolve differences.

4 May. The Barabanki District Muslim Conference was held at Barabanki under the presidentship of Maulana Shaukat Ali. It was attended by a large number of Muslims from Barabanki and other districts.

6 May. Jinnal presided over the flag hoisting ceremony organized by the C. Ward Primary Muslim League, Bombay. In this address Jinnah appealed to every Muslim to join the League and stand by its policy and programme. There was a large gathering.

13 May. Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday was celebrated by all the Muslim organizations including the AIML all over British India. In Bombay a big meeting was held at Sir Cowsji Hall, presided over by Pir Syed Mansur Shah. Jinnah also addressed the meeting. Meetings and processions were held in different cities.

4-5 June. A meeting of the Executive Council (Working Committee) of the AIML was held at Bombay. Jinnah presided. It was declared that the Muslim League was the only organization which could speak for the Muslim community and the Congress, which was predominantly Hindu could represent only Hindu opinion.

14 June. In accordance with the resolution of the AIML empowering the President to appoint organizing committee in the various provinces for the purpose of establishing provincial and district Leagues and branches all over India, Jinnah, as President of AIML, appointed the following as members of the organizing committee of the Province of the Assam : 1) Sir Mohammad Syed Sadullah, 2) Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan, 3) Khan Bahadur Sydur Rahman, 4) Maulvi Abdus Samad, 5) Abdul Matin Chaudhry, 6) Mumtaz Ahmad, 7) Mohammad Abdullah, and 8) Ashrafuddin Chaudhry.

—,The Cawnpore stronghold of the Muslim League in the U.P. had the distinction of organizing the first Muslim League Conference in a village in furtherance of the League’s mass contact programme.

30-31 July. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as Prsident. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that the invitation of the Bihar Provincial Muslim League to hold the next Annual Session in Bihar be accepted and that the Session be held at Patna during the Xmas holidays; the Bihar Provincial Muslim League be informed that as regards its request for a share in the Visitor’s and Delegate’s fees, the matter would be considered by the Council and an equitable adjustments made; that “Palestine Day” be observed throughout India on Friday, 26 August and that all the Muslim League organizations appealed to the Musalmans to hold meetings condemnig the unjust, repressive, and inhuman policy that was pursued by the British Government and offer prayers for the complete success of our Arab brethren in their honourable and just struggle for freedom of their country Condemning the action of the N.W.F.P. Government in imposing a fine of Rs. 2,500 on all the inhabitants of Mardan in consequence of murders of a few persons, of requested the Government to set aside its order at the earliest oppportune moment.

30-31 July. An AMIL Executive Council (Working Committee) meeting, held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President, approved the draft reply to the Congress on Communal Unity talks. It

made it clear that the League wanted talks with the Congress on the basis of equality as was done by it in 1916. Resolutions adopted included those regarding the above letter on behalf of the Executive Council to be sent to Mr. Bose President of the Congress in reply to his letter dated Wardha 25 July 1938 addressed to Jinnah, stating that “the Executive Council gave its earnest attention and careful consideration to the arguments which were urged in your letter for persuading it not to claim the status it has done in its Resolution No.1 already communicated to you. I am desired to state that in defining the status the Council was not actuated by any motive of securing an admission, but had merely stated an accepted fact.”

17 Aug. The Bose-Jinnah correspondence on the recent communal talks was released, It showed that the negotiations broke down on the Congress refusing to recognize the claim of the AIML that it was the authoritative and representative organization of the Muslims of British India.

7 Oct. A welcome reecption was accorded to Jinnah, President-elect of the Sindh Muslim League

reception was accorded to Jinnah, President-elect of the Sindh Muslim League Conference, on his arrival this afternoon by a special train from Hyderabad (Sindh). From the eastern border at Chore all along the route to Hyderabad platform was overcrowded and Hyderabad station presented a gala appearance. Jinnah boarded a special train with Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur and about 500 others and they arrived this afternoon in the city station of Karachi accompanied by aeroplanes. Unprecedented scenes were witnessed at the station, where it was impossible to move about owing to the crowd whose enthusiasm was unbounded. Jinnah was received at the platform by Sir Abdullah Haroon, Chairman of the Reception Committee, and Muslim leaders. After inspecting the guard of honour presented by the National Guards Jinnah entered an open lan dau drawn by four horses and, proceeded by a mile-long, procession, made slow progress along a circuitous route to the Conference Pandal. The League flag was borne on the horse back first, followed by a band. Fisherman came next with a huge artificial fish on decorated carts. A steam launch on wheels followed and thereafter came members of various Anjumans. The cavalry presented a smart appearance, but outstanding in procession were 70 camel riders in Arab costumes. Akhbarwalas, Scouts and other ogrnizations were followed by six pilot cars before Jinnah’s coach came and thereafter came a long string of vehicles of every description, besides those walking, Aeroplanes overhead dropped flowers on the roadway and thrilled the gathering with acrobatics. A huge crowd crammed the Conference Pandal where Jinnah unfurled the AIML flag.

8-13 Oct. Sindh Provincial Muslim Legaue Conference was held at Karachi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Sir Abdullah Haroon read the welcome address. A.K. Fazlul Haq, Premire of Bengal, and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, Premire of Punjab, also addressed the Conference, There was veiled reference to the “Pakistan” idea in Haroon’s address. Resolutions adopted included those recommending to the AIML to review and revise the entire question of a suitable constitution for India, which would secure the honourable status due to Muslims and disapproving of the All India Federation embodied in the Government of India Act of 1935; “urging Muslims to enrol themselves as volunteers in the Muslim National Guards, were Khadi and Swadeshi cloth manufactured by Muslim weavers, observe thrift and economy, encourage Muslim shopkeepers to employ their unemployed brothers, carry on regular propaganda for moral, religious, social, economic and educational uplift, and create political awakening amongest Muslim masses for the speedy achievement of the freedom of Islam and India.”

8-10 Oct. An AIML Executive Council (Working Committee) meeting was held at Karachi with M.A. Jinnah as President, At the flag-hoisting ceremony Jinnal unfurled the AIML flag in the presence of a huge gathering. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that Raja Saheb Mahmudabad and Sir Currimbhoy Ibrahim be appionted as Treasures of the Fund Committee and

that they should hold in Trust the Funds that might be collected by the Committee until further instructions. It also considered the letter of the Congress President and Ministry. You should compel the Premier to resign if he does not join the League.” Then Jinnah left for Sukkur.

18 Oct. Jinnah’s tour in Upper Sindh evoked the greatest enthusiasm and thousands of people flcked in the station to receive him. He and his party including the Raja of Mahmudabad, Sir Abdullah Haroon, Sheikh Abdul Majid and Gazdar, addressed meeting exhorting the Muslims in the interior parts to awake from their slumber and agitate for their rights. They visited Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur and Larkana.

23 Oct. Sir Abdullah Haroon issued the following statement : “Jinnah has for the present departed from Sindh, but not the League movement, I assure critics of the League movement that neither has Jinnah taken away the League with himself nor is Sindh going to be the grave of the movement. On the contrary I hope to be able to prove, with only a fortnight’s labour, that the League has dug the grave of all organizations that have unnecessarily chosen to come into clash with it. The League message has reached almost every corner of the province and the enthusiasm with whcih the people rallied round us during the presidential tour clearly indicated that the Sindhi Muslim is today more alert and more active than his critics seem to think. I am determined to see that every Muslim inhabitant of Sindh gets our message, understands our mission and becomes an active member of the League.”

4 Dec. An AIML Councli meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those expressing its deepest feelings of sorrow and grief at the sad demise of Ataturk Ghazi Mustafa Kamal Pasha whom it acknowledges as a great general and a great stateman. He rebuilt and revived the Turkish Nation after its defeat and disintegration, and in spite of opposition from the European powers, succeeded in defeating the enemises of Turkey, and within a short time brought his country to the front rank of nations. The Council also placed on record. “Its apreciation of late Sir Mohammad Iqbal as a sage philosopher of Islam and a great national poet. He urged the Muslims to build their future in consonance with their great past. Though he is not among us, he lives for ever in his imperishable verses which would continue to inspire the life and actions of the Muslims all over the world.” It also confirmed the report of the Affiliation sub-Committee regarding the affiliation of the Bombay Presidency Muslim League, but deffered. The consideration of the question of the National Guards on all India basis. The Report of the Palestine Committee was placed before the Council and noted.

5 Dec. An AIML Executive (Working Committee) meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. It considered the serious situation prevailing in C.P. and Berar as well as Government of India Act 1935. Resolutions adopted included those declaring that “…the Muslim League is already opposed to the Federal scheme embodied in the Government of India Act of 1935 for reasons it has repeatedly made clear, and it warns the British Government that, if the methods of coercion and intimidation resulted in the British Government yielding to the Congress, the Musalmans will not hesitate to resort to the most extreme measures in their opposition to such a position where their most vital interests would stand to be sacrificed”; and setting up a committee consisting of Sir Abdullah Haroon, the Raja Saheb Mahmudabad and Nawab Ismail Khan Saheb, to select and adopt a suitable candidate on behalf of the Muslim League for the vacancy created in the Central Legislative Assembly by the death of Maulana Shaukat Ali Saheb.

17 Dec. “Join the Muslim League and no power on earth can prevent you from gaining your rights”, declared Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, General Secreatary of AIML, addressing a

meeting at Mominpura under the presidentship of Abdur Rauf Shah, M.L.A., President of the Provincial Muslim League, C.P. The Nawabzada expressed gratitude for the Muslims of Nagpur for the enthusiastic reception that they had accorded to him. He said that at this stage he would refrain from making any definite pronouncement on the Vidyia Mandar scheme which he was deputed to investigate. His presence there, however, indicated that the Muslims of India had taken up the cudgels on behalf of the Central Province.

24 Dec. In a 47-page book, the Committee appointed by the AIML to investigate alleged grievances of Muslims in the Congress provinces, gave in detail what were described as the various hardships whcih Muslims had to endure since the advent of the Congress in power. Popularly known as Pirpur Report, it is divided into three parts : A general survey, the conflict and its causes, and alleged Muslim grievances. The Committee found the principal causes of conflict in three things : the “Bande Mataram” song, the tricolour and cow protection. The report was signed by Raja Syed Mohammad, Mehdi of Pirpur, Mrs Syed Ashraf Ahmad, Syed Hasan Riyaz, Syed Taqi Hadi Naqvi, Syed Shakir Ali and A.B. Habibullah.

25 Dec. An AIML Council meeting was held at Patna, with M.A. Jinnah as President. The meeting decided that no member of the Council should make any statement without the permission of the President of the Working Committee. Resolutions adpoted included those resolving that the Sub-Committee appointed to examine the Wardha Scheme of Education be given another three months to submit its report to the Council.

27 Dec. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Patna with M.A. Jinnah as President. At this meeting Vidyia Mandar Scheme and other matters were considered. Resolutions adopted included those authorizing the Honorary Secretary be authorised to attend the proposed meeting between the Premier and the Muslim M.L.As of C.P. as desired by the C.P. Premire S.A. Aziz and Mohammad Ashique Warsi, members from Bihar, brought the matter of the cow-sacrifice and sluaghter of kine to the notice of the Committee and explained their grievances against the unsatisfactory manner in which the local Government was dealing with it. The Committee was of opinion that the Bihar Provincial Muslim League should pursue all constitutional channels available to them and report the result to the Committee.

26-29 Dec. Twenty-sixth annual session of the AIML held at Patna, with Jinnah as President and Syed Abdul Aziz as Chairman, Reception Committee. In this presidental address Jinnah said that the need for greater unity and organization in the ranks of the Muslims under the banner of the League was of highest importance. He also referred to the services of late Maulana Shaukat Ali in the cause of the country, and the Muslim community. He regretted the death of the Maulana and Sir Mohammad Iqbal and Kemal Ataturk. Resolutions adopted included those setting up the AIML Women Sub-Committee in order to organize provincial and district women sub-committees under the Provincial and District Muslim Leagues to organize themselves under the League, and nominating thirty women including Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah and Begum Shah Nawaz; authorizing the Working Committee of the AIML to launch direct action with a view to safeguarding Muslim rights and interests, if and when necessary in Bihar, the U.P. and the C.P., for the first time in of history that the Muslim League; condemning Bihar, U.P. and C.P. Ministers for their failure in protecting the elementary rights of the Muslims; declaring Balfour Declaration in respect of Palestine as unjust; reiterating the position that the Scheme of generation as embodied in the Government of India Act, 1935, was unacceptable; and demanding reforms in British Baluchistan.

1939 30 Jan. The Andhra Provincial Muslim League Conference, the first of its kind, was held at

I’itharpur, with Mahaboob Ali Baig as President. Resolutions adopted included those deploring “…the ‘religious bias’ in the political activities of the Congress Governments” and protesting “against the singing of the ‘Bande Mataram’ song in any public institution.”

1939 13 March. Bihar Provincial Muslim League Annual Conference was held at Patna with Syed Abdul Aziz as President. Resolutions adopted included those warning that the “Bihar Muslim League would start civil disobedience against the Government, if the latter introduced the Wardha scheme in the Province”; and requesting the Working Committee of the AIML to sanction “the launching of civil disobedience” which would “convert its Working Committee into a ‘War Council’ for the purpose”.

18 Macrh. A Muslim League Conference was held at Gorakhpur (U.P.). Addressing the Meerut Muslim League Conference at Meerut, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, Secretary-General of AIML, expressed that if Hindus and Muslims could not live together amicably in India—and it had become almost impossible for them to exist together under the same regime—then they must be able to do so by dividing the country on a religious and cultural basis. On occasion Jinnah also made a brief speech.

18 March. U.P. Muslim League Conference held at Gorakhpur with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President who said, “The Muslim League is no more dominered by a handful of rich individuals, nor is it an organization of a section but of the whole Muslim populace”.

25 March. Meerut Division Muslim League Conference held with Major Nawab Jamshed Ali Khan as Chairman, Reception Committee and M.A. Jinnah as President, Jinnah spoke in Urdu and them in English pointing out that, “During the last two years…Muslims had been made to realise that the Congress was trying to perpetrate a big political fraud”. Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was of the opinion that “…1935 Constitution had failed so far as Muslims were concerned, brought Muslim leaders to the point where they were considering whether Muslims should press for securing for themselves political and cultural independence”.

25 March. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Meerut at the residence of Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan with Jinnah as President. Two resolutions adopted on the occasion were : (i) “Whereas the Muslim League is opposed to the scheme of Federation embodied in the Government of India Act, 1935.” “Whereas the working of the provincial part of the constitution has created grave apprehension amongst Muslims and other minorities regarding their future because the provincial sheme has utterly failed to safeguard even the elementary rights of the Muslim minorities in various provinces. And whereas by a resolution passed at the Patna session in December, 1938, course as may be necessary with a view to exploring the possibility of a suitable alternative which would safeguard the interests of the Musalmans and other minorities, the President, with the concurrence of the Working Committee, hereby appoint a committee of the following to examine various schemes already pronounded by those who are fully versed in the constitutional development of India and other countries, and those that may be submitted hereafter to the President, and report to the Working Committee their conclusions at an early date”. (ii) “In view of the policy of the Congress and other Hindu organizations to achieve Hindu supremacy and their persistence in resorting to coercive and subversive methods in the Indian States, the Muslim League is gravely concerned with regard to the fate of Musalmans in various States and therefore earnestly advises them effectively to organise themselves forthwith in order to protect their liberties, rights and interests and assures them of its fullest support and assistance in the struggle.”

1939 26 Macrh. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Meerut, with M.A. Jinnah as President. A Working Committee was appointed to examine and report at an early date on various draft schemes of constitutional reforms to secure the rights and interests of the Muslims in India. The Committee consisted of M.A. Jinnah; Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, Syed Abdul Aziz, Khawaja Sir Nazimuddin, Sir Abdullah Haroon, Sardar Aurangzeb Khan and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan. Dr. Syed Abdul Latif of Hyderabad’s scheme was presented for consideration. The Honorary Secretary submitted his report regarding his visit to Nagpur in connection with the Vidya Mandir Scheme which was recorded. As a result of the settlement between the Government of C.P. and the Muslim League regarding the proposed Vidya Mandir Scheme the Working Committee noted with satisfaction that C.P. Muslims were taking practical steps to advance Muslim education and appealed to every Musalman to assist the association which being formed for the purpose. In view of the set policy of the Congress and other Hindu organizations to achieve Hindu supremacy and their persistence in resorting to corecive and subversive methods in the Indian States the meeting expressed grave concern with regard to the fate of the Musalmans in various States and Muslims advised to effectively organise themselves forthwith in order to protect their liberties, rigths and interests and assured them of its fullest support and assistance in their struggle. Whereas the AIML is opposed to the Scheme of Federation embodied in the Government of India Act 1935 and whereas the working of the provincial part of the Constitution has created grave apprehensions amongst Muslims and other minorities regarding their future, because the Provincial scheme has utterly failed to safeguard even the elementary rights of the Muslim minorities in various provinces, and whereas by a resolution passed at tha Patna Session in December 1938 the President of the AIML was authorised to adopt such course as may be necessary with a view to explore the possibility of a suitable alternative which will safeguard the interests of the Musalmans and other minorities…”

28 March. In his Central Assembly speech, Jinnah defended the neutral position take by the AIML in the legislature between the Government and the Congress.

6 April. In his address to the Aligarh Students Union at Aligarh, Jinnah said : “The days of sitting in gilded chairs and playing with politics for amusement are gone. Grim reality and struggle stare us in the face. What contribution were the students making to the progress and consolidation of the Muslim League. When a man grows rich everybody flocks round him and claims him as his relation. The same seems to be the case with the Muslim League. I am glad everybody is claiming the Muslim League as his own.” He then turned to Rajkot Muslims who had been fighting for the Muslims in the Kathiawar States. Withing two months Muslim League branches hae been formed in Rajkot, Junagadh, Ramnagar and several other states. “We will not allow our bretheren in the Indian States to be ground down. The position of the Muslims in the states is simply pitiable”, he said.

8 April. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with Jinnah as President who expressed pleasure at the rapid organization of Muslims in Indian States. The meeting was largely attended and representatives from all the provinces attended it. Several schemes regarding federation including one to divide the country into Muslim and Hindu India were discussed. These schemes were before the Committee set up by the Working Committee of the AIML. Jinnah assured the meeting that the Committee was not pledged to any particular scheme, but would examine the whole question and produce a scheme in the best interest of the Indian Muslims. The Council also decided to appoint a committee to report the organization of National Guards on all-India basis.

8 April. First Delhi Provincial Muslim League Political Conference was held at New Delhi with

Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad as President. Resolutions adopted included those appealing to the Muslims to give preference to goods produced by Muslims; condemning the repressive policy of Congress Ministries towards Muslim and other minor communities with special reference to the actions of the U.P., C.P., and Bihar governments; and terming the Government of India Act 1935 as “incomplete”, with a request to the AIML to prepare a “preferable constitution, which would safeguard the rights of Muslims”.

1939 8 April. An Bengal Provincial Muslim League Council (General Committee) meeting was held in Calcutta with Fazlul Haq, Chief Minister of Bengal as President. A.K. Fazlul Haq was elected President and the Nawab Bahadur of Dacca, Maulana Akram Khan, M.A. Ispahani, Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood and Maulana Ruhul Amin were elected Vice-President; and H.S. Suhrawardy was elected Secretary of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League. The meeting stressed “the need for protecting and promotion the Urdu language and script in Bengal…”

6 May. A Bombay Provincial Muslim League Conference was held at Sholapur, Bombay, with Jinnah as President. Jinaah and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, President of the second session, arrived by the same train, and were accorded enthusiastic welcome. Sir Sikandar was accompanied by Major Khizr Hayat Khan and Mian Abdul Haye, Ministers of Public Works and Education, Nawab Ahmad Yar Khan Daultana, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mir Maqbool Mahmood, Parliamentary Secretary General, Syed Amjad Ali, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Premier, Nawabzada Khurshid Ali Khan, Member of the Council of State and Malik Muzffar Ali, Zamindar, all from the Punjab. Jinnah was taken in a procession of nearly 5000 Muslims. The Muslim National Guards carried green crescent flags. More than 10,000 Muslims attended the Conference.

11 May. The Indian Muslim leaders who visited London and Cairo on behalf of the AIML to place the views of the Indian Muslims on the Palestine problem returned to Bombay by ship. They were Abdul Reham Siddiqi, M.L.A. (Bengal) and Chowdhry Khaliq-uz-Zaman, M.L.A. (United Province) who were both members of the Working Committee of the AIML. Khaliq-uz-Zaman said that the object of their tour was to establish contact with the Islamic countries as well as to declare the views of the Indian Muslims on the Palestine problem. They visited Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, among the Islamic countries and went on to France, Italy, Switzerland and England. They were in London when the Round Table Conference on the Palestine question met there.

21 June. A meeting of the Committee of Bombay Provincial Muslim League was held at Bombay. Jinnah Presided.

2-3 July. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at the Bombay with M.A. Jinnah as President. The recent Bombay decision of the Princes on Federation, under the terms offered, the position of Indian nationals abroad, and the general situation in the country with particular reference to the Muslims came under discussion, The meeting which lasted over nine hours considered matters of far-reaching importance to Muslims in British India and the Indian States. The Committee had received reports of alleged ill-treatment of Muslims in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhavnagar, Patiala and Cutch. The Committee urged upon the Rulers of these states to redress the grievances of their Muslim subjects. Resolutions adopted included one urging the provincial governments and the Government of India to take immediate action to stop the activities of Arya Samajiate and Hindu Sabha with regard to the agitation in Hyderabad State.

18 July. The political correspondent of the Times of India in his report noted : “Underneath all

the protests, complaints and threats of the Muslim League, which have found expression in the resolutions of that organization and in the speeches of its leaders, there is a spirit of sullenness and unrest over the existing state of affairs and a fear about the future of the community.”

1939 25 July. A meeting of Bombay Provincial Muslim League Committee was held in Bombay which was presided over by Jinnah. It passsed resolutions asking the Government to withdraw the Urdu textbooks sanctioned by them provisionally in pursuance of the Wardha Scheme.

20 Aug. A meeting of the Committee of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League was held at Bombay to amend certain rules of the primary Muslim League. Jinnah presided.

27-28 Aug. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi, with M.A. Jinnah as President. On the first day a discussion lasting six hours resulted in the adopted of resolution moved by Sir Abdullah Haroon on the Muslim attitude in the event of a war, stating that the British Government must meet the demands of Indian Muslims without delay if the former desired to enlist the support and sympathy of Muslims in future contingencies. Jinnah spoke on the issue for than one hour. On the second day another resolution was adopted by which it was declared that “opinions and sentiments expressed by Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan in his statement to the Press on August 25 in no way represent the views of the Muslims of India”. Other resolutions adopted included those deploring the policy of the British Government towards Muslims by attempting to force upon them against their will a constitution and in particular the Federal Scheme as embodied in the Government of India Act 1935 which allowed a permanent hostile communal majority to trample upon their religious, political, social and economic rights; and by the utter neglect and indifference shown by the Viceroy and the Governors in the Congress governed provinces in exercising their special powers to protect and secure justice to the minorities; and towards the Arabs in Palestine in refusing to meet their demands. The Council held the view that in those circumstances if the British Government desired to enlist the support and sympathy of the Muslims of the world and particularly of the Indian Muslims in future contingencies it must meet the demands of the Muslims of India without delay.

17-18 Sept. An AIML Working Committee’s emergency meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah, as President. Jinnah apprised the Committee of his parleys with the Viceroy. On the second day the Committee unanimously passed a resolution appreciating Viceroy’s invitation to hold talks with Jinnah and pointed out that Muslim India occupied a special and peculiar position in the policy of India and that for several decades it had hoped to occupy an honourable place in the national life, Government and administration of the country and had worked for a free India with free and independent Islam in which they could play an equal part with the major community with a complete sense of security for their religious, political, cultural, social and economic rights and interests. The Committee also made it clear that they did not endorse the “federal objective” of His Majesty’s Government referred to by His Excellency in his address to the members of the Central Legislture” and strongly urged upon the British Government to review and revise the entire problem of India’s future constitution de novo in the light of the experience gained by the working of the provincial constitution of India and the developments that had taken place since 1935 or might take place henceforth. Thus the Muslim League conditionally supported the British in their war efforts.

8 Oct. To elect office-bearers and members of the Committee, an annual general meeting of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League was held. Jinnah presided. Jinnah was re-electded as President of the Committee while Miss. Fatima Jinnah was elected as one of 25 members of the committee.

1939 11 Oct. At the annual general meeting of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League held in Bombay, office-bearers, members of the provincial branch and 30 representatives to the Council of AIML were elected. Jinnah was again elected President alongwith other office-bearers.

16 Oct. Half an hour before sunset at this evening, Jinnah, Sir Abdullah Haroon, M.L.A. (Sindh), Sir Ziauddin Ahmed And Sir Abdur Rahim, President of the Legislative Assembly, received salute of 500 uniformed Khaksars at their camp at Karol Bagh, just outside Delhi. Lined up four deep, each shouldering a spade, the guard of honour stretched across the entire width of the camp, a sandy compound surrounded by more than 20 tents, the Khaksar’s living quarters. In one of them, Inayatullah, the leader, released two days ago from a U.P. prison, received his guests, who squatted round him and discussed the Khaksar policy. This was Jinnah’s third interview with Inayatullah since yesterday, and he hoped to have another tomorrow.

18 Oct. His Excellency the Viceroy stated that he had been authorized by His Majesty’s Government to say that, at the end of the war, they would be very willing to enter into consultation with representatives of the several communities, parties and interests in India and with the Indian Princes with a view to ascertaining their aid and co-operation in the framing of such constitutional modifications as may seem desirable.

—,Working Committee of the AIML met in Delhi to discuss this statement.

19 Oct. Congress criticized the Viceroy’s statement. Gandhi said that we “asked for Bread, go a stone”.

22 Oct. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. The meeting discussed the Viceroy’s statement on Britain’s aims regarding India as a new charter of hope for minorities and as recognition of the Muslim League’s right to have a full say in the future constitutional arrangements. Jinnah was empowered to give an assurance of co-operation to the British Government in the prosecution of war. Resolutions adopted included those empowering the President to advise, guide and issue instructions to Muslim League parties in the various provincial legislatures in the event of some sudden emergency arising, and resolving that the Muslim League parties should give effect to or carry our such instructions as might be given by the President.

1 Nov. A communique was issued this afternoon making the bare announcement that at the request of His Excellency the Viceroy, Mr. Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prsad, President of the Congress Working Committee, and Mr. M.A. Jinnah, President of the Muslim League, attended a meeting at the Viceroy’s House. All that was said was that “discussion of a general nature took place.”

5 Nov. Rebutting Gandhi’s statement regarding the Muslims, Jinnah emphatically said : “I assure Mr. Ghandhi that the Muslims of India depend upon their own inherent strength. We are determined to fight, and fight to the last ditch, for the rights to which we are entitled in spite of the British or the Congress opposition. We do not depend upon anybody.”

13 Nov. In his Eid-ul-Fitr message after unfurling the Muslim League flag in Bombay, Jinnah appealed to the Muslims to strengthen the League by joining in large number, The League, he continued, was the only political organization of the Muslims. He appealed to them to keep the League flag flying. The Muslims were downtrodden at the time when the League started to organize them and within two years it gave them the position they now enjoyed.

1939 7 Dec. Jinnah’s statement was published in the newspapers. He said : “…I wish the Musalmans all over India to observe Friday, 22 December as the day of deliverance and thanksgiving as a mark of relief that the Congress Governments have at last ceased of function”….

17 Dec. Jinnah unveiled the Muslim League flag over the Bombay Provincial Muslim League office in Bombay. In doing so he asked Muslims to rally round the flag and to make every sacrifice if necessary to preserve its prestige. Muslims, he added, had no enmity towards anyone and wanted to live in this country independently with honour under the flag. If they were united, success would be theirs.

18 Dec. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, leader of the Independent Labour Party, had decided to join in the celebrations of “Deliverance Day” on 22 Dec. It is also beleived that Parsis and other communities would also join the AIML in its observance of Day of Deliverance.

22 Dec. Muslims in Bombay celebrated on Friday their “deliverance” from the “tyranny, oppression and injustice” of the Congress Ministries by offering prayers in their mosques and holding mass meetings. In the observance of the “Deliverance Day” was conceived by M.A. Jinnah, President of the AIML, were joined by Parsis and Scheduled Classes among other non-Congress groups. The occasion was unique in the history of the province. Never before had there been a common platform on a non-communal basis for recording the protest against an administration which claimed to represent popular feelings. It was a day of gaiety for the Muslims in particular. At night the principal mosques were illuminated and the main public meeting held in the open air at Mahomedali Road was attended by nearly 40,000 people. Currimbhoy Ebrabim, Jinnah, Dr. Ambedkar, and others addressed the meeting.

–, In the same way the Day of Deliverance was celebrated all over India by the Muslims of India.

25 Dec. Sixty-fourth birthday of Jinnah, President of AIML, fell on Monday. He spent a quiet day at his residence at Mount Pleasant Road, Malabar Hill, Bombay, where he received a stream of friends, who personally wished him many happy returns of the day. He received numerous telegrams from friends and admireres from all parts of India and outside offering felicitations. The Memon Educational and Welfare Society, Johannesburg, registered its sincerest appreciation of the great services which Jinnah had rendered in the case of Islam and in bringing home to Muslims the fundamental principles of securing the safety, protection and safeguards of Muslims and other minorities in the Constitution of India, in a congratulatory message on his 64^th birthday.

1940 7 Jan. Refuting Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s charges and explaining the reasons of the failure of Nehru-Jinnah correspondence, Jinnah made it clear that so long as the Congress was not prepared to treat the Muslim League as the authoritative and representative organization of the Muslims of India, it was not possible for him to carry on talks regarding the Hindu-Muslim settlement.

8 Jan. In a statement Dr. Khalil, President, Ceylon Muslim League, urged the Muslims to back Jinnah, the fighter of common causes, not only on behalf of the Muslims, but on behalf of every minority in the world and contradicted certain statements which appeared in non-Muslim papers, and further prayed for the ultimate triumph of the Muslim cause.

—, A meeting of the AIML Council was held at Delhi with Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan as President. Dates for the AIML session at Lahore were fixed as 22-24 March 1940.

12 Jan. Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan was unanimously elected President of the Parliamentary Party

of the Muslim League in the Punjab, at a meeting of the Provincial Council of the League held in Lahore. About 125 members from all parts of the Punjab attended and Sir Sikandar Hayat presided. In his speech Sir Sikandar referred to the appointment of the organizing committee for the purpose of organizing Muslim League branches in the punjab, and as a result 18 district and 13 city Leagues had been formed in the Punjab.

1940 21 Jan. Jinnah left Bombay on a tour of Kathiawar in connection with the collcetion of the “Press and Propaganda Fund”, sponsored by the Bombay Provincial Muslim League. I.I. Chundrigar, Deputy Leader of the Muslim League Party in the Bombay Legislative Assembly, and four others accompanied him in this tour.

23 Jan. A public meeting was organized by local Muslim League at Rajkot with Osman Memon, President, Kathiawar Muslim League, as President. AIML President M.A. Jinnah was the Chief Guest. The meeting was largely attended by Hindus and other non-Muslims showing the cosmopolitan spirit of the people of Rajkot.

Another meeting at Jetpur was also addressed by Jinnah on the same day.

–, At a meeting of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League at Bombay, Jinnah was recommended to be the President of the ensuing AIML session.

26 Jan. Jinnah addressed another meeting at Rajkot arranged by the local Muslim League. Seth Haji Abubaker Javeri of Porbandar presided over the meeting. About 10,000 people including many Hindus attended this meeting. In his address Jinnah said : “The many efforts of the Muslim League for a compromise with the Congress having proved futile, there was no other alternative but to sever connection with that organization”. Jinnah also dealt on the work the Muslim League had been doing for the welfare of all the Muslims for the last 30 years.

28 Jan. In a statement issued from Ahmedabad, Jinnah said : “My attention has also been drawn to an aticle in the London Times. This paper is generally well-informed, but when it says that the All-India Muslim League is not an authoritative and representative organization of the Muslims of India, it is misled completely, showing the ignorance of the actual position in India today. Of course, the League is not the only Muslim organization in the country, nor does it represent cent per cent of the Muslims in the Country—which it is impossible for any organization to do in any country—but I venture to state without fear of contradiction today that it represents the Muslim nation more truly and effectively than His Majesty’s present Government represents the British Nation.” In his tour of Ahmedabad Jinnah and his party collected Rs. 1,50,000 for the League propaganda press fund. In the speeches Jinnah also explained how the Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations.

2 Feb. In an interview in New Delhi, Jinnah made it clear that, “The Muslims of India, who constitute 90,000,000 of the people are a separate nation entitled to the same right of self-determination which had been conceded in respect of other nations”.

3-4 Feb. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those stating that the Viceroy’s reply to Muslim demands was not satisfactory as certain important points still required further clarification and elucidations; empowering Jinnah to place its views before the Viceroy and request him to reconsider the matter regarding the assurances asked for; removing all doubts and apprehensions from the mind of the Viceroy; and resolving “that a delegation on behalf of the AIML consisting of A.K. Fazlul Haq,

Premier of Bengal, Sikandar Hayat Khan, Premirer of the Punjab, Sir Nazimuddin, Home Minister of Bengal, and Ch. Khaliquzzaman should visit England as soon as possible in order to put the case of Muslim India before the British public, Parliament and His Majesty’s Government.

1940 6 Feb. Jinnah released to the Associated Press his correspondence with Lord Linlithgow, The Viceroy, since November 1939 showing Viceroy’s assurances to the Muslim League regarding the future of Muslims in the Indian constitution.

25 Feb. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with Jinnah as President. Jinnah was unanimously elected President for the forthcoming annual AIML session at Lahore. His name was unanimously proposed by all the provincial Leagues. Arrangements for the 27^th annual session of the AIML at Lahore in March 1940 were finalized. Resolutions adopted included those

expressing dissatisfaction with the Viceroy’s speech at the Orient Club, Bombay, and placing on record its bitter resentment at Sir Hugh Neil’s statement declining to appoint the Royal Commission demanded by Jinnah.

21 March. A tumultuous reception was accorded to Jinnah, President of AIML, who arrived in Lahore this morning from Delhi by a special train, bedecked with Muslim League flags, and buntings. Islamic slogans rent the air as the train steamed into the ceremonial platform of the Lahore railway station. Jinnah received a great ovation as the train drew up. He was received by Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, Premier of the Punjab, Sir Shah Nawaj Khan, Chairman of the Reception Committee, and other prominent Muslims, including delegates from all over the country. Never before in the history of Lahore had Muslims shown such enthusiasm as they did today. In spite of the restrictions imposed by the Railway authorities, every vantage point on the platform and the adjoining buildings was occupied by the crowds eager to have a look at the “Quaid-i-Azam”. The platform was crowded to its utmost capacity and the cordons of police and volunteers were broken on sevral occasions. The Premier personally helped in controlling the crowd which was estimated to have been about 50,000. Jinnah drove to the residence of Sir Shah Nawaz Khan in a decorated car. Jinnah was accompanied by Miss Fatima Jinnah, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, and Begum Liaquat Ali Khan, Nawab Mohammad Ismail, Sir Abdullah Haroon and a large number of delegates. Miss Jinnah was accorded a separate reception by Muslim ladies, a lot of whom were in purdah.

—,This afternoon Jinnah performed the flag hoisting ceremony at the Muslim League pandal in the presence of a large gathering including a number of woman, a lot of whom in purdah.

—, A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Lahore with M.A. Jinnah as President.

22 March. A meeting of the Working Committee of AIML was held in Lahore with M.A. Jinnah as President.

22-24 March. Twenty-seventh session of the AIML was held at Lahore with Jinnah as President and Nawab Sir Shah Nawaz Khan as Chairman, Reception Committee. The prime resolution passed by this session is popularly known as the “Pakistan Resolution”. Over 100,000 people participated in the historic meeting held at Minto Park, outside Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Stirring scenes were witnessed during the session. In his presidential address Jinnah declared his views on Muslim Nationalism, differences between Hindu and Muslim cultures in India along with its historical diemensions. The pivotal resolution adopted at the session was, inter alia, “That geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so

constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a minority, as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India, should be grouped to constitute Independent States in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign”. Other resolutions adopted included those appealing to the British Government to solve the Palestine problem; and empowerting the AIML Working Committee to regulate the acitvities of the provincial Leagues.

1940 20 April. At Calicut Malabar District Muslim League Conference began with A.K. Fazlul Haq, Premier of Bengal as President. At this Conference P.M. Attam Koya Thangal, M.L.A., Chairman, Reception Committee, welcoming the delegates at the Conference said : “Mr. Jinnah’s clarion call to the Muslims to organize themselves found a deep and ready response in the minds of the Moplahs…To the Moplahs there is no greater and more venrable living leader than Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah whose name has become a household word with them. The Moplahs, like all true and self-respecting Muslims, firmly belive that Muslims are a separate nation with a religion, culture and traditional of their own and that Muslims, can and will never submit themselves to the domination of any nation or political party. The League grew from strength to strength till it has become today a true Parliament of the Muslims of India”. Jinnah’s message was also read at this first Malabar District Muslim League Conference.

24 April. A Bombay Presidency Muslim League Conference was hela at Hibli with Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad as President. In his speech he pointed out that “The Lahore resolution was unambigous. The Muslims had demanded the very right of self-determination that the Congress had been asking from the British Government. We have demanded a place in the Indian Sun, where we will be able go re-establish the Government of Islam. We have demanded the right to establish a laboratory wherein we may experiment in peace the greatest experiment that was ever tried”. “We do not want wholesale emigration of the Musalmans from the Provinces in which they are in a minority, nor is it our intention to expel the non-Muslim minorities from the Muslim States. It is a calumny, a wholly unwarranted distortion of our intentions and programme. I myself belong to a minority province and much as I would have liked to have been born in a Muslim sovereign state of India, I do not intend to uproot myself from my home and leave my co-religionists to their fate.”

15-17 June. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Bombay with M.A. Jinnah as President to consider the grave situation created by World war-II and the setting up of an organization of the Muslim National Guards. Resolutions adopted included those stating that the Working Committee of the AIML, while being of the opinion that further clarification contained in the letter of His Excellency the Viceroy. dated the 19^th of April, 1940, with regard to the assurances asked for by the AIML was not satisfactory, endorsed the following from the statement issued by the President, Mr. M.A. Jinnah, to the press on the 27^th of May 1940 : Up to the present movement, we have not created any difficulty nor have we embarressed the British Government in the prosecution of the war. The provinces where the Muslim League has a dominent voice have been left free to co-operate with the British Government, pending their consideration with regard to the assurances we have asked for, and in particular that the British Government should make no declaration regarding the future constitutional problem of India and the vital issues that have been raised in that connection without our approval and consent.

26 July. A Baluchistan Muslim League Conference was held at Quetta with Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan as President who observed that the “Muslim Legue’s two-nation scheme was a glorious one and holds out hope of a splendid future for India, a future in which the different communities can rise to their full stature according to their own tradition and characteristics and can make

progress without any hitch and hindrance. There is absolutely no ground for the apprehension that the condition of the Muslims residing in the provinces in which the Hindus are in a majority would be helpless and pitiable. Each nation would be in a majority from committing aggression. In case an all-India federation is established accoriding to the British and Hindu schemes, the Muslims would everywhere be subject to Hindu rule and in a helpless position.”

1940 31 Aug.—2 Sept. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Bombay. Resolutions adopted included those appointing a committee with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan to exmine the cases of those members of the Council of the AIML who had joined the war committees in contravention of the League’s resolution and to take appropriate disciplinary action.

28 Sept. A meeting of the AIML Working Committee was held at New Delhi, with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included the one which reaffirmed the decision of “the Working Committee of the AIML at their meeting at Bombay on September 2 last, after considering the letter of His Excellency the Viceroy, dated 14 August last and adressed to the President, containing a specific offer in regard to the proposed expansion of the Governor General’s Executive Council, requested His Excellency to reconsider the matter and authorised the President to seek further information and clarification, particularly on the points set out in the resolutions, before the Committee could deal with the offer.”

29 Sept. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those deciding to organise a Red Crescent movement along with the National Guards for rendering medical help to the victims of aggression in the “Islamic Iands.”

24 Dec. The U.P. Muslim League Conference was held at Allahabad with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President. In regard to the Pakistan scheme, the President observed that the Lahore resolution had raised a huge and cry among the non-Muslims, and said that “if the Lahore resolution was examined calmly and carefully, it would be found that all it did was to group the provinces in which units comprised in these zones will be autonomous as they are today. These units will, therefore, retain their present character and coplexion. There is going to be no exchange of populations or migration of Musalmans from other parts of India to those zones. What do the Hindus and Sikhs then fera? How would they be worse off from what they are today?”

1941 22 Feb. A meeting of the Working committee of the AIML was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President. The meeting re-affirmed the Pakistan Plan of the AIML. It also opposed the Satyagarh launched by the Congress.

—, It was followed by the meeting of the Council of AIML presided over by Jinnah in which the Council unanimously elected Jinnah as the President of the year. One member suggested that Jinnah should be elected President of the League for life. The Honorary Secretary, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan said that the proposal could be adopted by amending the constitution. Jinnah, while expressing appreciation of the confidence of the Muslims of India as shown in him, said that they should never elect a man as life President, whosoever he might be. “Let me come to you at the end of every year and seek your vote and your confidence. Let your President be on his good behaviour”.

23 Feb. An AIML Council meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. The

meeting elected Jinnah as the President of AIML for the next term. Resolutions adopted included those deciding that the following constructive programme should be worked out by evrey Provincial, District, City and Primary Muslim League :

That the cottage industries should be promoted and encouraged and stores should be established at central places on a co-operative basis.

That the Muslims should use Garha, made by Musalmans on all occasions of festivity and mourning, so that due impetus may be give to the Garha manufacture.

That Night Schools should be opened in order to spread Adult Education.

That Un-Islamic ceremonies should be given up and discouraged.

That no loans on interest be taken for marriage and funeral ceremonies.

That the use of Intoxicants and Gambling should be checked.

That the true spirit of brotherhood, based on the Islamic conception of equality and fraternity should be infused among those Muslims, who have adopted the Un-Islmic view of caste, based on profession and occupation.

That Panchayats should be established, in order to settle ordinary disputes so that people may not suffer unnecessary monetary loss by going to law-courts.

That Muslims should be persuaded to take to Commerce and Industry.

That full interest should be taken in all the schemes of rural uplift and progress.

1941 25 Feb. AIML members in the Council of State staged a walk out after their leader, Mr. Hossain Imam, had made a statement in the house on the Railways budget on the plea that the Muslim League demands on the budget had been ignored.

2 March. Addressing the special Pakistan session of Punjab Muslim Student’s Federation, Jinnah asserted that the Pakistan scheme was the best and only solution for which there was no parallel in the world and it was the only solution to India’s complex problem. He contended that it should be in the interest of the three vital elements in the counrty—the British Government, the Princes and the Hindus—to accept this solution.

13 March. At a meeting of the Aligarh Muslim University Students Union Jinnah declared, “Pakistan had been there for centuries. It is there today, and it will remain till the end of the world.” In his speech Jinnah quoted passages from writers like H.G. Wells and Salvador de Madariaga to support his declaration that democratic representative Government was breaking down in the West and that Great Britain was a democracy owing to certain special circumstances. He maintained : “But in India conditions are entirely different. Here there are two nations, and talk of democracy and a single unit is impossible. The meaning of democracy in this country can only result in the permanent domination of a Hindu majority over a Muslim society in a minority, antagonistic to each other and different in everything that is essantial to life.”

1941 11 April. An AIML Council meeting as held at Madras with Raja Mohammad Amir Ahmad Khan Saheb of Mahmudabad as President. Resolutions adopted included those deciding that a Sub-Committee consisting of Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad, Mr. Hasan Ispahani and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan Saheb be appointed to fill up vacancies which had occurred in the Council of the AIML.

12 April. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Madras with Raja Mohammad Amir Ahmad Khan Saheb of Mahmudabad as President. Resolutions adopted included those deciding that a Parliamentary Committee, the personel of which to be nominated by the President, be appointed as laid down in Resolution No. 14 passed at the Annual Session held at Patna in December 1938.

12-15 April. Twenty-eighth session of the AIML was held at Madras with Jinnah as President and Abdul Hamid Khan as Chairman, Reception Committee. Resolutions adopted included those reiterating the demand for “Pakistan”; amending the AIML constitution to accommodate that demand; terming the Congress Civil disobedince movement as aiming at the consolidation of Hindu power in India; asking the government not to postpone ensuing elections at least in the provinces where provincial autonomy was already working under the Government of India Act, 1935, and also in the N.W.F.P.; and forming a Committee to draft the constitution and rules for the Muslim National Guards.

4 July. Nawab Bahadur Yar Jang, President of the All-India States Muslim League, nominated certain persons on the Working Committee of the States Muslim League. Seven leaders from different States were nominated in a statement from Bhopal iussed by Propaganda Secretary of the States Muslim League.

24-26 Aug. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Bombay with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included throne allowing ten day’s time to Sir Sultan Ahmad and Begum Shah Nawab, the former to resign from the membership of the Viceroy’s expanded Executive Council and the later from the National Defence Council. Nawab of Chhattari, who had been nominated to the Defence Councli, was asked to resign his seat from the Council before assuming office of the presidentship of H.F.H. the Nizam’s State Council. In pursuance of this decision the three members of the League reisgned from their respective offices; hence no action was deemed advisble.

6 Oct. A Special Meeting of the Committee of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League was held at Bombay.

23 Oct. The Muslim League flag was unfurled at a public meeting arranged by the Muslim League at Urdu Park, New Delhi, in which Jinnah said : “Today unfurling the Muslim League flag I want to reaffirm with all the emphasis at my command that we stand for Pakistan and for faith, unity and discipline.”

26-27 Oct. An AIML Conucil meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. There was a record attendence of the members from all parts of India, particularly Bengal and the Punjab. The meeting unanimously adopted the resolutions of the Working Committee passed in Bombay on 24, 25, 26 August and at Delhi that morning. Among other resolutions adopted included those endorsing the decision of the Working Committee and the steps taken by the President of the AIML in connection with the expansion of the Executive Council of the Viceroy and the so-called National Defence Council; congratulating the Working Committee and the

President on their decision and the steps taken in the matter; and severely condemning the action of Sir Syed Sultan Ahmad and Begum Shah Nawaz, in refusing to accept the mandate of the Working Committee and in insisting to remain on the said Councils in flagrant disregard of the wishes of the Musalmans. This Council further declared that the Musalmans taken in the expanded Council of the Viceroy and the so-called National Defence Council were in no way the representatives of the Musalmans and could not in any way represent their interests. The Council further condemned the attitude of the Government in this connection which was meant to create a rift in the ranks of the Musalmans.

1941 26-27 Oct. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those deciding that a Committee consisting of Mr. M.A. Jinnah, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan, Mr. G.M. Syed and Maulana Mohammad Akram Khan be appointed to decide upon such aciton by the Muslim League Party in the Central Legislature as might be considered proper to show the resentment and disapproval of Muslim India against the manner in which the expansion of the Governor General’s Executive Council was undertaken and carried out and the National Defence Council constituted, and the action and attitude of the Viceroy and His Majesty’s government in this connection, in consultation with the Muslim League Party in the Central Legislature.

6 Nov. At a Muslim League Conference at Aligarh, Jinnah stated that the Muslims of British India fully knew what Pakistan scheme was. Wherever he went he was asked by the common Muslim about the Pakistan issue which meant that they had fully grasped the issue of Pakistan.

16 Nov. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President.

It considered the letter of explanation by Fazlul Haq, Premier of Bengal, dated 14 November and accepted his explanation. Resolutions adopted included the following resolutions (i) “The Working Committee of the AIML regrets that the British Government has not only failed to accept the offer of co-operation made by the Muslim League by its resolution dated 17 June 1940 but in utter disregard of it, has expanded the Governor-General’s Executive Council by associating with it persons representing nobody except themselves. This ill-advised and unfair action on the part of the Government, in the opinion of the committee, was due to the fact that the British Government was not prepared to concede the just demands of the Muslim League even when the Congress Party was engaged in obstructionist tactics and civil disobedience and refused to even consider any agreement within the framework of the present constitution. The Working Committee therefore urges upon the Government that no further steps be taken or adjustments be made in the future even within the framework of the present constitution and law without the approval and consent of the AIML and once more warn the Government that any action in this connection without the approval of the Muslim League will be deeply resented.” (ii) “The Working Committee of the AIML has read with satisfaction the statement made by His Excellency the Viceroy on December 15, 1941, at Calcutta reaffirming the policy enunciated in the Declaration of 8 August 1940, which laid down inter alia the following principle for the future constitution of India.” There are two main points which have emerged. On those two points His Majesty’s Government now desire me to make their position clear. The first is as to the position of minorities in relation to any future constitutional scheme. It has already been made clear that may declaration of last October does not exlude the examination of any part either of the Act of 1935 or of the policy and plan on which it is based. His Majesty’s Government’s concern that full weight should be given to the views of minorities in any revision has also been brought out. That remains the position of His Majesty’s Government. It goes without saying that they could not contemplate the transfer of their present responsibilities for the peace and welfare

of India to any system of government whose authority is directly denied by large and powerful elements in India’s national life. Nor could they be parties to the coercion of such elements into submission to such a government.”

1941 5 Dec. Jinnah issued a statement from New Delhi : “I congratulate the members of the Muslim League in Bengal on having formed the Muslim League Party in the Assembly and having elected Sir Nazimuddin ad their leader.”

25 Dec. In a statement to the News Chronicle of London, Jinnah said : “I want the British public and statement to understand that the stand of the Muslim League is vitally different from that of the Congress and other Hindus organizations. It is somewhat difficult to understand the Congress, as even in the recent pronouncements of front-line leaders such as Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Nehru and others, they will have nothing to do with the prosecution of the war unless an immediate declaration of India’s independence is made by the British Government, and as free Indians they will determine their war policy…When they talk of freedom of India and the independence of India, they entirely ignore the hundred million Muslims in the country. That is the first and foremost mistake, and it is most misleading to say that the Congress represents the Indian nation. There is no such thinking as the Indian nation in existence. India is constellation of nations and the two major nations are the Hindus and Muslims.”

26.27 Dec. AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Nagpur with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those declaring “the Working Committee of the AIML has read with satisfaction the statement made by His Excellency the Viceroy on 15 December 1941, at Calcutta reaffirming the policy enunciated in the Declaration of August 8, 1941, which laid down inter alia the following principle for the future constitution of India : “There are two main points which have emerged. On those two points His Majesty’s Government now desire me to make their position clear. The first is as to the position of minorities in relation to any future constitutional scheme. It has already been made clear that my declaration of last October does not exclude the examination of any part either of the Act of 1935 or of the policy and plan on which it is based. His Majesty’s Government’s concern that full weight should be given to the views of minorities on any revision has also been brought out. That remains the position of His Majesty’s government. It goes without saying, that they could not contemplate the transfer of their present responsibilities for the peace and welfare of India to any system of government whose authority is directly denied by large and powerful elements in India’s national life. Nor could they be parties to the coercion of such elements into submission to such a government.”

1942 14 Feb. Addressing the special session of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League at Serajganj, Jinnah said : “India from one end to the other now echoes and re-echoes the cry of Pakistan.” H.S. Suhrawardy, Secretary of the Bengal Muslim League, also addressed the meeting.

15 Feb. A Bengal provincial Muslim League Conference held at Sirajgung, with Jinnah as president. In this address, he reviewed the situation after the expulsion of A.K. Fazlul Haq from the League, and asked, “Is this not a case of gross betrayal and treachery. not only to the Muslim League, but to Muslim India?” Resolutions adopted included those condemning the “repressive policy of the present Government which aims at the suppression civil rights of the people, particularly its ill-conceived campaign against Muslim students and the gross misuse of the extraordinary powers assumed by Rules for the furtherance of personal ends and party tactics.”

21 Feb. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those expressing dismay on the Sapru proposals, stating that “The

Working Committee have carefully considered the proposals formulated by the so-called Non-party Conference presided over by Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and ard definitely of the opinion that if the British Government are misled into accepting them, Muslim India will without doubt revolt against any such decision, for these proposals clearly mean the virtual transfer of all power and authority to the Central Government to be set up as indicated in these proposals on the basis of India being a single national unit and enjoying Dominion Status in action, thereby establishing Congress or Hindu Raj for all practical purposes, Muslim India will never accept such a position which is sought to be secured by Hindu leaders, who are virtually hand in glove with the Congress and other allied Hindu organizations in the country, under the guise of interim changes during the period of the war but in reality the object behind is to coerce the British Government at this critical movement to surrender and compel them to prejudice and torpedo the Pakistan demand of Muslim India. This will be a clear breach of pledges given by His Majesty’s Government and recently reaffirmed by the Secretary of State for India, Mr. Amery, in his speech at Leeds on February 4, in the following words : We Shall stand by pledges, both by our general pledges as to India’s future freedom, and also by our pledge to the different main elements in India’s national life, that they shall not be cocreed under a system of government which they are not prepared to accept.”

“The working Committee diplores the method adopted by the Non-Party Conference and its President, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, in levelling an attack against Mr. Amery who, as spokesman of His Majesty’s Government, has refused to resile from the solemn pledges given to Musalmans. The Working Committee trust that the British Government, inspite of present difficult war situation, will not submit to coercive methods adoptsed by Hindu India and will remain true to their pledges.”

1942 22 Feb. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those expressing the opinion that if the proposals of the Non-Party Conference were accepted by the British Government, Muslim India would revolt against any such decision.

—, An AIML Council meeting was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President. The council re-elected Jinnah. AIML President as the sole nominee of all the Provincial Muslim Leagues. Resolutions (non-official) adopted inclulded those condemning A.K. Fazlul Haq for “becoming a mere puppet in the hands of the Hindu Mahasabha and adopting a policy of ruthless repression against the workers of the Muslim League which is the only popular representative organization of the Muslims of India and also against the Muslim students of Bengal, who have undergone great suffering in the Muslim cause and expressing its sympathy with the Muslim League workers and the Muslim students of Bengal, who have thus served the best interests of the Muslim India.”

7-8 March. The second annual session of the Punjab Muslim Student’s Federation was held at Rawalpindi in a specially erected pandal in the Islamia High School grounds. The session proved highly successful and on both days the audience, which included many non-Muslims, was at least 25,000. A special feature was the presence of a large number of Muslim girl students from all over the province. In the course of his presidential address, Chaudhri Khaliquzzaman reviewed the history of Hindu-Muslim relations in Indian during the previous 25 years. The Congress, he said, was throughout chary of recognising the rights and demands of Muslims, which ultimately led the Muslim League to formulate its demand for separate homelands for Muslims in zones where they were in a preponderant majority. Resolutions adopted included those declaring (a) …“unanimously and in unequivacal terms that no constitution shall be acceptable to the Muslims unless it is based on the principle that the Muslims in India form by themselves a separate nation and the North-Western and North-Eastern Muslim Blocks are their homelands wherein they shall

be entiled to the right of self-determination unhampered; (b) that this Conference of the Muslim Student’s Federation strongly protest against the mischievous attempts and machinations of certain Hindus to frame a constitution without the consultation and to the detriment of the Muslims; warns the British Government that any attempt on their part to go back on the declaration of 8 Aug. 1940, shall be stoutly resisted by the Muslim nation all over India and (c) assures the Quaid-i-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, that the Muslim nation under his able leadership shall, in a thoroughly organized and disciplined manner, strongly resist any such attempt of the British Government and shall readily make all sacrifices required of them in this connection.”

1942 23 March. Calcutta Muslims celebrated Pakistan day. A function in this connection was held under the auspices of Bengal Muslim League. H.S. Suhrawardy presided over this function. Various resolutions on Pakistan Day were passed.

—, In Delhi, “Pakistan Day” was celebrated. Early in the morning small League flags were sold and the main bazaars were decorated with flags. In the evening after a procession the Muslim League flag was unfurled by Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan at the Urdu Park. Afterwards a big meeting was held in the Park, the Nawabzada presided. Addressing the meeting Jinnah said : “We have nothing to fear. We know our cause is right. We have no designs on our sister communities. We want to live as a free nation. We are not a minority community but we are a nation. We do not want to embarrass the British Government, becuase we know the real situation. But we are not going to give help to the camp-followers, who after the victory will sit on our chest. It is a lie that we want to support British imperialism.”

3 April. An AIML Council meeting was held at Allahabad with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan

as President. Resolutions adopted included those deciding that the resolution of the Emergent Meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML held on the 22^nd of February 1942 at Delhi be approved; and resolving that a Sub-Committee consisting of Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan Saheb, and Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan Saheb be appointed to fill in the vacancies in the AIML Council.

3-6 April. Twenty-ninth session of the AIML was held at Allahabad, with Jinnah as President and Nawab Sir Mohammad Yusuf as Chairman, Reception Committee. When Jinnah reached the Pandal there were slogans of “Jinnah Zindabad”, “Muslim Legaue Zindabad”, and “Pakistan Zindabad”. Resolutions adopted included those affirming that “…Muslims had implicit faith in Mr. Jinnah, and [that] no one would feel reluctant in giving him this authority, which would be used by him to the best interests of the Muslims and the country”, electing Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan as Honorary Secretary and Raja Mohammad Amir Ahmad Khan of Mahmudabad as the Honorary Treasure of AIML for the next term; endorsing A.K. Fazlul Haq’s expulsion from the League; demanding lifting of the ban on the Khaksar Movement.

27 March-11 April. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at New Delhi at Allahabad with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those concerning the ban imposed on the following persons disqualifying them from becoming members of the AIML or any of its branches be fourth with lifted : Begum Hamida Momen M.L.C.; Mr. Mukhlessurrahman M.L.C.; Mr. Kader Bukhsh M.L.C.; and appreciating that the British Prime Minister, in his pronouncement, had made it clear that the Draft Declaration embodied only the proposals of His Majesty’s Government and not their decision, and that they are subject to agreement between the main elements in India, thus maintaining the validity of the declaration on the 8^th of August 1940,

which had promised to the Musalmans that neither the machinery for the framing of the constitution should be set up nor the constitution itself should be enforced without the approval and consent of Muslim India.

1942 12 April. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held at Delhi, with M.A. Jinnah as President. The meeting declared that the Cripps proposals in their present form were not acceptable. Jinnah presided.

15 April. In a press interview Jinnah said : “If all parties agree to the Muslim demand for Pakistan or partition and the Muslim right to self-determination, details to be settled after the war, then we are prepared to come to any reasonable adjustment with regard to the present.”

29 May. A public meeting was organized by the Bombay Muslim League at Bombay. Jinnah presided and addressed the huge gathering in which he emphasized the importance of Muslims joining the Muslim National Guards and Civil Defence in order to protect their hearths and homes.

15 July. Memon Chamber of Commerce and Memon Merchants Association, Bombay, presented a purse of Rs. 17.000/- to Jinnah, in a ceremony held in Bombay. In his address Jinnah stressed the need for more funds for the Muslim League.

16-20 Aug. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held in Bombay with Jinnah as President. At this meeting opposition to the present policy of the Congress was voiced. Resolutions adopted included those calling upon the Muslims to keep aloof from the Congress “Quit India” movement as “it is detrimental to the interests of Muslims”; demanding self-determination without delay, assuring that they would abide by the verdict of a plebiscite of the Muslims in favour of Pakistan, and expressing the willingness of the Muslim League to negotiate with any party for the setting up of a provisional government in order to mobilize the resources of India for the defence of the country and the successful prosecution of the war, conditional on the grant of the Muslim demands; and opposing the “open rebellion” by the Indian National Congress through “mass civil disobedience movement in pursuance of their objective of establishing Congress Hindu domination in India, which has resulted in lawlessness and considerable destruction of life and property”.

21 Aug. After the Muslim League Working Committee had passed a resolution on the political situation in India, Jinnah explained the resolution to journalists. Regarding Muslim and the war effort, Jinnah said that officially the League had not undertaken the responsibility and burden of participating in the war effort because the Government had declined to give the League real share and authority in the governance of the country on honourable terms.

6 Sept. In a statement to the press Jinnah, as President of AIML, congratulated the Muslims in India on their “remarkable discipline, solidarity and unity” in keeping themselves aloof from the mass civil disobedience movement launched by the Indian National Congress.

13 Sept. In a press conference at New Delhi, Jinnah declared : “My fundamental point is this, that we do not want, under the stress of the war emergency, to be stampeded into forming a provisional government which should be of such a character and composition as would prejudge, prejudice or militate against the Muslim demand for Pakistan”.

In asnwer to a question put by an American correspondent, Jinnah said : “The Muslim League is

not supporting the war effort. It is not that the Muslim League is recalcitrant or inimical, but it is unable to give wholehearted and enthusiastic support and co-operation in the prosecution of the war unless people feel they have their real voice and share in the Government of the country”.

1942 19 Oct. Khan Bahadur Khuhro and M.H. Gazdar, the two League nominees, were sworn in as Ministers in Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah’s coalition Sindh Ministry this morning. Twenty-nine out of the total strength of 34 Muslim members of the Assembly had joined Sir Ghulam Hussain. Sir Ghulam Husssain Hidayatullah’s coalition Ministry was now a certainly, the Muslim League having joined it today. This was done with the approval of the Provincial Muslim League of Sindh.

23 Oct. Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, Premier of Sindh, had joined the Muslim League.

8 Nov. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. It considered the Sindh situation as well as the Civil Disobedience Movement started by the Congress. Resolutions adopted included those regretting that the Sindh Muslim League Party in the Legislative Assembly and the Executive of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League had failed to carry out the instructions of the President regarding the formation of the Ministry in Sindh according to the power conferred upon him by Resolution No.22 of the Working Committee passed on 2 October 1939, but in view of the further developments that had taken place since October 1942, the whole matter was entrusted to a Committee consisting of Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan, Chairman, Hon’ble Mr. Hussain Imam, Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin, Choudhri Khaliquzzaman and Qazi Mohammad Isa, to take such action in the matter as it might think proper; observing that the attention of the Working Committee had been drawn to a number of cases where collective fines have been imposed or have been realised from the Muslims, who on the admission of Government themselves had kept themselves aloof as a community from the Civil Disobedience Movement that had been started by Congress and that this action of some of the Provincial Governments was not in consonance with the policy of the Government as the Muslim League understood it and that the various Provincial Muslim Leagues asked to collect such cases and make representation to the Provincial Governments concerned for redressing the wrong and that if they failed in their efforts to have justice done, to report the matter to the Honorary Secretary of the AIML for proper action.

9 Nov. An AIML Council meeting was held at New Delhi with Jinnah as President. In this address Jinnah reaffirmed the Muslim right to self-determination in zones where they were in a majority. He maintained that India had never been a nation governed by a single power, even by the sword. Even today, he continued, one-third of India was not under British rule. The present administrative oneness was entirely the making of the British. Resolutions adopted included the one concerning “…the aggressive behaviour of the Kashmir National Conference Party and the attitude of the Kashmir Durbar which, in the opinion of the Council, was aimed at crushing and undermining the attemtps of Kashmir Musalmans to organise themselves. The resolution urged the Government of India to warn the Kashmir Durbar and demand of it to punish the offenders, including officials and appoint an impartial committee to enquire into Muslim grievances and make suitable recommendations for redress”.

10 Nov. A Muslim League deputation, elected by the AIML Council yesterday and led by Abdul Hamid Khan of Madras, waited on the Hon. Mr. M.S. Aney, Overseas Member, Government of India, at Delhi, regarding restrictions on Haj Pilgrims. The Law Member, the Hon. Sir Sultan Ahmed, was also present at the interview. It is understood that Mr. Aney promised to give sympathetic consideration to the proposal placed before him by the deputation.

—, The Muslim League Civil Defence Committee met at New Delhi with Nawab Ismail Khan, as President. Chairman and secretaries of the provincial branches also participated in this meeting.

1942 15 Nov. An All India Muslim Student’s Federation Conference was held at specially built “Gulzar Jinnah” near Jullunder. Addressing the second open session Jinnah repeated the Muslim League’s offer to mobilize the Muslims to keep the enemy out of India’s doors and from a provincial Government to which real power should be transferred, provided the British Government made a declaration and the other parties agreed to the right of the Muslims to self-determination and guaranted and pledged themselves to give effect to the verdic of a Muslim plebiscite regarding the Pakistan scheme. Resolutions adopted included those calling upon British to make a declaration guaranteeing the right of the Musalmans to self-determination and to from a Provisional Government, with real power transferred to it, with the co-operation and support of the Muslim League and such other parties as might be ready and willing to assume the responsibility and authority of the Government for the specific period of the duration of the war in order to mobilise all the resources of India to resist any aggressor.

17-19 Nov. An Annual session of the Punjab Muslim League was held at Lyallpur (Faisalabad) with Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin as President. The President, in his speech, observed, “I am convinced that if the non-Muslims will examine this question dispassionately, free from the effects of the propaganda that has been carried on against it, they will see the truth of my assertion. Let us take the case of the Sikhs in the Punjab. Before this year they never had a Sikh representative in the Government of India. They had no voice or infulence in the Working Committee of the All-India Congress, and yet in the Punjab during the last twenty years they have not only had their representative in the Cabinet but a very effective voice in shaping the policy of the Cabinet, a position which under a Central Government for the whole of India the Sikhs will never attain. In the Federal Government of the North-Western Pakistan the Sihks cannot be ignored. The above applies with greater forec to the Hindus of Sindh and the North-Western Frontier Province.”

1943 3 March. A resolution on Pakistan—the first of its kind to be passed by any provincial legislature—was passed by the Sindh Legislative Assembly. 24 members casted their votes in favour while 3 Hindu members including 2 ministers voted against it. European members remained neutral. Seven members belonging to non-official Hindus block walked out of the Assembly. This resolution was moved by G.M. Syed, member of the Working Committee of the AIML.

7 March. An AIML Council meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, announced amidst prologed cheers that all the provincial Leagues had unanimously recommended Jinnah’s name for the Presidentship. Resolutions adopted included those approving the decision of the Sindh Provincial Legislative Assembly in endorsing the principle of Pakistan Scheme adopted by the Lahore Resolution of the AIML on the 23 March 1940 and feeling confident that before long the other Muslim majority provincess would follow suit.

23 March. An AIML Council meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that a Sub-Committee consisting of Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan be appointed to fill in the vacancies in the Council of the AIML; and to refer the following resolutions to the Subject Committee for its consideration : The Council of the AIML resolves that in order to organise the Musalmans especially the masses more effectively and to import to them a sound and acute political

consciousness and training and also to bring about a greater solidarity and contact between the Muslims of various Provinces a Committee known as the Muslim Mass Organization Committee be formed with its central office at Dehli. This committee should undertake the following work :

It should help the Provincial Leagues to expand and improve their organization.

It should produce literature useful to the aims and ideals of the Muslim League for the masses as well as for intelligentsia.

It should send missions and organise mass campaigns for the propagation of the Muslim League ideals.

It should bring about more contact and solidarity between the Musalmans of all parts of India.

1943 24-26 April. Thirtieth Session of the AIML was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President, and Hussain Malik, as Chairman, Reception Committee . On 23 April, the flag hoisting ceremony was held. Colourful scenes were witnessed in Delhi this evening when Jinnah, President of AIML was taken out in a procession along a three-mile route, decorated with flags and triumphal arches. While the procession itself was more than a mile long, and continued to swell as it progressed to its destination, thousands of people, mostly Muslims, lined the route. The Quaid-i-Azam sat in a decorated car. Caparisoned elephants led the procession, followed by camels mounted by men in picturesque Arab dress. A squad of Muslim National Guards, on cycles went in formation and behind them were the League “cavalry” of “mounted guards”. Volunter contingents from various parts of India marched behind their own bands in full parade style. The Muslim Student’s Federation, Delhi, and some students organizations from outside were also represented. The procession started from the central office of a AIML at Daryaganj at 4:30 p.m. and moved slowly along the decorated roads and all along the road Mr. Jinnah received ovations from the gathering. After passing through Patra Barian, and through Lah Kuan and Hauz Kazi, and Ajmere Gate the procession reached Chaman-i-Pakistan, the venue of the (Text not clear) 30^th session at 7:30 p.m. Then Jinnah hoisted the League flag in the presence of some 50,000 persons. Members of the Working Committee and the Council of the Muslim League, Muslim Ministers from the Punjab, Sindh and Assam were among those who were present. Then Jinnah addressed the gathering. Resolutions adopted included those condemning collective fines on the Muslims despite their non-connection with the subversive movement of the Congress; condemning martial law in Sindh; recommending reconstruction of the AIML Committee on Women; and condemning Zionist actions in Palestine.

17 June. Jinnah addressed the Sindh Provincial Muslim League Council in which he explained as to why Muslims wanted Pakistan. He said, if a chance came and the British withdrew from India, in the Akhand Hindustan the Centre would be prenominated by the Hindus and Provincial Autonomy, as far as the Provinces were concerned, would be made to carry out at the behests of the Government at the Centre. He added that the position of the Muslim majority provinces then could be compared to the present day Indian States which outwardly were independent but in reality had no power. In the latter’s case the Viceroy and his political Department were all in all. He remarked that they were not prepared to change British masters for the Hindus.

2 July. In the evening Jinnah performed the flag Hoisting Ceremony at tha pandal of the Provincial Muslim League Conference at Quetta. Addressing the gathering Jinnah said : “I consider it as a great honour that I am unfurling this National Flag of ours today on the soil of Baluchistan. Every nation in the world has their own National Flag. For a long time the Muslim

nation in India had no flag of theirs but now, thank God, we have our own National Flag.”

1943 6 July. Jinnah inauguarated the Third Session of the Baluchistan Muslim League at Quetta. Addressing the session he said : “In few years we have made Indian Muslims, who were merely crowd, a nation. They were a scattered mass, disorganized and apathetic. Muslim League had elcetrified them, roused them from their stupor and knit them together. We have gone through a process of nationalization and now we have one flag, one platform and one voice.” The session was attended by all the notables and over 25,000 people. Qazi Mohammad Isa presided.

15 Aug. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President, to express thanks to Almighty Allah for saving the life of Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah and condemned the desperate attack on his life.

24 Sept. At Bombay, Jinnah gave interview to the foreign Press in which he said : “Pakistan is an indispensable condition of any settlement in India. It has the support of 99 per cent of the Muslims in the India, as has been proved in recent by elections.”

6 Oct. Second session of the Sukhur District Muslim League was held today with great enthusiasm in Khanpur village (Shikarpur) under the distinguished presidentship of Nawab Khan Bahadur Makhdum Murid Hussain, Sajjada Nashin of Dargah Ghaous, and Bahawal Haq of Multan MLA (Central).

16 Oct. Nawab Ismail Khan, Chairman, All-India Muslim League Civil Defence Committee, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, Secretary, AIML, and Zaki Ali, Secretary AIML Defence Council, arrived at Faridpur to study the food situation in the district.

17 Oct. The Council of the All-India States Muslim League which concluded its two-day session in Nagpur, discussed mainly the questtion relating to the affairs in Kashmir. The Council passed a

lengthy resolution strongly protesting against the ban on the entry of its President, Nawab Bahadur yar Jang, demanding the appointment of Prime minister of the state of a man who commanded the confidence of all communities and appealing to the Government of India to exert its influence to improve the present situation in Kashamir. It also protested against the arrest of Ch. Ghulam Nabi, President of Jam Khandi State Muslim League.

13 and 15 Nov. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those congratulating the AIML President, M.A. Jinnah, on his providential escape and thanking God Almighty for saving his life to lead and guide the Musalmans of India; considering the recent correspondence that had passed between the ex-Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow, and the President of the AIML regarding the situation in Kashmir and having heard the leaders of the Kashmir Muslim Conference headed by Chowdhry Ghulam Abbas resolved that the President should take such further steps in the matter as he might deem necessary, resolving that a Committee consisting of Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan, Chowdhri Khaliquzzaman and Khawaja Sir Nazimuddin be appointed to examine the constitution that had been framed for the Muslim League Party in the Punjab Legislative Assembly and report back whether the constitution is in conformity with the fundamental principles, policy and programme of the AIML. It further resolved that in submitting its report the Committee would also consider the objections that have been sent to the President against certain clauses of the constitution by Nawab Iftikhar Hussain Khan of Mamdot, Mr. Karamat Ali and Mr. Mumtaz Daultana and suggest such alterations, amendments or additions, if any, that it might consider necessary.

1943 14 and 15 Nov. An AIML Council meeting was held at Delhi with Jinnah as President. Jinnah was re-elected President of the AIML for the next year. No other name had been suggested by any of the Provincial Leagues. Addressing the meeting after his re-election, Jinnah observed “this manoeuvring on the part of the Government to create the impression that there should be a united Central Government of India shows that the diehard Tories who rule Great Britain do not wish to release their hold on this country.” Resolutions adopted included the one on Palestine, pointing out that “the Working Committee has learnt with alarm and misgivings that Jewish agencies have again started anti-Arab propaganda and are pulling strings in America and England for further immigration of Jews into Palestine to the determent of the just and legitimate interests of that country.”

24 Dec. An AIML Council meeting was held at Karachi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that the following be elected as members of the Council from the Assam Province :

Hon’ble K.B. Sayedur Rahman, Shillong, Assam

Hon’ble Maulvi Manuwar Ali B.L., Shillong, Assam

Hon’ble Maulvi Abdul Matin Chowdhry, Shillong, Assam

Maulvi Abdus Samad, P.O. Fakrigunj, Assam

Maulvi Abdur Rahman, M.L.A., Habigunj, Assam

Alhaj Dewan Ahbab Chowdhry, P.O. Duhalia, Sylhet, Assam

Hon’ble Sir Syed Saadullah, Premier Assam Government Shillong

Mukbul Husain Chowdhry, M.L.A., P.O. Sunamganj, Assam

Maulvi Badrul Haque, Mukhtar, P.O. Karimganj, Assam

Mikabbar Ali Majumdar, B.L., P.O. Silchar, Assam

Khendaker Mumtazuddin, B.L., Gauhati, Assam

Maulvi Abdul Salam, G.O.C.M.N.G., P.O. Sylhet, Assam

Maulvi Abdul Hamid, B.L., Ex-Minister, P.O. Sylhet, Assam

Maulvi Myeenuddin Chowdhry, M.A. B.L., Maulvi Bazar, Sylhet, Assam

Maulvi abdul Hye, B.L., P.O. Habigang, Assam

S. Nurul Hussain Khan, Pleeder, P.O. Habiganj, Assam

Maulvi Fazlul Huq Selbaroshi, ‘ Gugaveri’ Office, Sylhet

Abbas Ali, P.O. Juria, Dist, Nowgong, Assam

Ajmal Ali, P.O. Sylhet, Assam

Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan, M.L.A., Fakirganj, Dhubri, Assam

A. Razzaque, P.O. Desangmukh, Dt, Sibsagar, Assam

Maulvi Kajimuddin Ahmad, B.L., P.O. Barpta, Dt. Darang, Assam

Maulvi Mujibur Rahman, P.O. Dhekiajulee, Assam

Maulvi Syed Abdur Rauf, M.L.A., P.O. Barpita, Assam

Hon’ble Maulvi Mudabbir Husain Chowdhry, Shillong, Assam.

1943 24-26 Dec. Thirty-first Session of the AIML was held at Karachi with Jinnah as President and G.M. Syed as Chairman, Reception Committee. Jinnah, in his Presidential address, said that “we shall never rest contented until we seize the territories that belong to us and rule over them.” Meetings of the Council of the AIML and the Subjects committee were also held in Karachi. Resolutions adopted included those declaring the resolve of the Muslims of the subcontinent to give any sacrifice to achieve Pakistan.

25 Dec. Fifth annual meeting of the All-India States Muslim League was held at Haroonabad (Karachi). Nawab Bahadur Yar Jang presided. In his presidential address, he appealed to the government to appoint an independent man as Premier of Kashmir.

23-24 and 27 Dec. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Karachi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those considering the representations made by certain members of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League challenging the validity of the meeting of the Council of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League held at Lahore on 5 December and the elections held at the said meeting. It was resolved that a Committee consisting of Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan, Chowdhry Khaliquzzaman and Qazi Mohammad Isa be appointed, with powers to determine and decide the disputes in question after hearing the parties concerned. The Working Committee was unable to grant the interim injunction prayed for in the petition of objections submitted, It also considered the representation made by certain members of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League objecting to the elections of the representatives from Sindh to the Council of the AIML and resolved that the sub-committee appointed to deal with the representation from the Punjab be authorised to decide the matter.

1944 1 Feb. Replying to an address presented by Bombay District Muslim Students Federation, Jinnah, said that the “Muslims have established unity of thought. Their ideal is one and the goal (Pakistan) is clear. Now what we want is to establish is unity of action.” Jinnah claimed that 99 per cent of Muslims were with the League. The task before them was to develop educationally, economically and socially.

2-3 Feb. To discuss matters relating to the strengthening of National Guards, a meeting of the

Committee of Action of AIML was held at Lahore with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

1944 29 Feb. In an interview to a London Papaer, Jinnah said : “If little New Foundation can stand on its own feet in the same continent as Canada, the Pakistan with its population of 70 to 80 millions is certainly strong enough to march alone.”

18-19 March. Inauguarating the Punjab Muslim Student’s Federation Conference at Lahore, Jinnah assured the Muslim youth that they had a bright future if they would put courage and energy, galvanise the Muslim League and its programme, throw away fears and continue to be united and put themselves under one discipline. He also declared in India and abroad as the sole mouthpiece of Muslim opinion.”

20 March. In a function of the Punjab Muslim Student’s Federation, Jinnah reviewed the progress of the Muslim League in the Punjab. He recalled that when he visited the province in 1936 he was threatened by his own Muslim brethren with black flags, and it was after very strenuous efforts that they succeeded in securing two seats in the Punjab Assembly on the Muslim League ticket. But when he visited it again in 1940, “this land and this very city” had accepted the charter of Pakistan. In 1944 as far as the Punjab Legislature was concerned, with all the complaints they might have against it, between 90 and 95 per cent of the pledge of the Muslim League and had formed a Muslim League Party in the Assembly which was undoubtedly subject to the control and discipline of the League.

21 March. During his three-hours long meeting with the Muslim Members of the Punjab Assembly including the opposition, Jinnah declared that neither he nor the League was party to what is known as the Jinnah-Sikandar Pact, and that the Unionist Party was dead. Jinnah also explained that the name Jinnah-Sikanadar Pact was a misnomer. Sir Sikandar, he said, drew up that document himself and wanted to give it the fullest publicity so that the whole world might know that the Punjab with its full force was behind the Muslim League, How could he (Jinnah) object to the propaganda the Sir Sikandar wanted to carry on in favour of the League? Jinnah recalled on his return to the Punjab after attending the Lucknow session of the League in 1937. Sir Sikandar had sent Jinnah over 70 forms duty filled in by Muslim members of the Punjab Assembly espressing their agreement to become members of the Muslim League. From the day these members signed the League pledge, Jinnah maintained, they had ceased to be the members of the Unionist Party, Since 1937, he declared, the Unionist Party had not been functioning at all. Its creed and policy were dead and even Sir Chhoto Ram, who originally belonged to the Unionist Party, had formed a separate group with 13 followers. The Unionist Party, therefore, was dead and the Muslim League Party had entered into a coalition with other groups.

23 March. In his Pakistan Day message Jinnah said : “For us Pakistan means our defence, our deliverance and our destiny. It is the only way which will ensure to us our freedom and the maintenance of our honour and the glory of Islam.”

25 March. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

28 March. Sir Chhoto ram, Revenue Minister Punjab, was closeted for three hours tonight with Jinnah at the residence of the Nawab of Mamdot. The talk related to the party position in the Punjab Assembly with particular reference to the recent interpretation of the Jinnah-Sikandar Pact by the League President. This was the first meeting between Jinnah and Sir Chhoto ram since the

conclusion of the Pact in 1937. It may be mentioned that Chhoto ram is co-founder of the Unionist Party with Sir Fazl-i-Hussain, the founder of Unionist Party, in the Punjab some twenty years ago.

1944 8-9 April. An Assam Provincial Muslim League Conference was held at Barpita with Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman as President. He observed “Pakistan was the only effective safeguard for the protection to political, cultural, economic and religious rights of Muslim against the vagarise of the majority. Pakistan would ensure the healthy progress of this sun-continent towards real and lasting democracy, since majorities in Pakistan and Hindustan zones would have to behave in a more responsible way towards the minorities.” Resolutions adopted included one “affirming the faith in Pakistan as its political objective and goal and expressing determination to spare no effort or sacrifice for its achievement.” The Conference further resolved that it was “definitely of opinion that the province of Bengal and Assam should be formed into an independent sovereign state to be known as Eastern Pakistan.”

9-10 April. A Pakistan Conference was held at Gaya with Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin, Premier of Bengal, as President. He said that Great Britain, which had accepted and conceded the principle of Pakistan for India, would be forced to conceded the Muslim demand in full, in view of having to recognise similar demands from other parts of the world.” To the Muslims may advice is : Do not take any notice of the pronouncements of retiring Viceroy’s and arm-chair politicians in England.” “We have the comment of the British Cabinet and it is our duty to see that we do not allow the British Government to go back on their pledge.” Resolutions were passed reiterating the demand of Pakistan and acceptance of the Lahore Resolution and requesting the Provincial Muslim League and the All-India Muslim League Committee of Action to impress upon the respective Governments the necessity of appointing communal ratio officers to watch and safeguard the interest of Muslims and other minorities in the matter of services and promotions and to publish six monthly lists of all appointments and promotions made in the province. By another resolution the Conference expressed concern and anxiety at the situation in Palestine and requested the British Government to adhere to the pledges given to Muslim India by His Majesty’s Government through the Viceroy of India.

27 April. The Jinnah-Khizar Hayat Khan talks finally broke at Lahore. The Punjab Preimer’s afternoon interview with M.A. Jinnah lasted eighty minutes. Immediately after the Premier left, Jinnah went into a conference with nearly twenty Muslim members of the Punjab Assembly, including Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan. Others present at the conference were Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, General Secretary of the All-India Muslim League, Mian Bashir Ahmed and Kazi Mohammad Isa, members of the Working Committee of the AIML.

28 April. M.A. Jinnah, in a statement to the Press issued from Lahore said, “We (Mr. Jinnah and Malik Khizr Hayat Khan) have had prolonged discussions and since my arrived here a second time in continuation of our previous discussions which started as far back as March 19, I met Malik Khizr Hayat Khan on April 20 and he has discussed the matter with me during half a dozen interviews lasting over two hours or three hours on each occasion and he had promised to give me his final reply to-day. He arrived at my house this afternoon when I asked him what was his final attitude and that of Sir Chhoto Ram and Sardar Baldev Singh regarding the proposals which I had placed before him and them. He then verbally told me many things and I suggested that in fairness to him and me it is better that the he should give me the final reply in writing so that there should be no room for any misunderstanding. Accordingly when he was here I directed a letter to my private secretary. It was typed and handed over to him on the understanding that he will let me have a final reply in writing by 9 o’clock tonight as I made it clear to him that we had

discussed the whole question threadbare and that it was not possible for me to wait any longer, especially as I was booked to leave for Sialkot tomorrow. He promised to let me have his reply by 9 o’clock tonight. I waited for the reply and at 9:20 p.m. I rang him up saying that I had not received from him the promised reply in writing. Much to my surprise, on the telephone he informed me that he had on reply to give except what he had told me verbally. Thereupon I sent him a letter, same date. After this telephonic conversation between him and me at about 9:30 p.m. I sent this letter with a responsible person to make sure that it delivered to him. When he went there Malik Khizr Hayat Khan declined to acknowledge even the receipt of the letter on a slip of paper which was sent along with the letter. I had again to sent the Nawab of Mamdot, President of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League, and Mumtaz Daultana, M.L.A., with the letter and the slip on which he was requested to acknowledge the receipt, but he again declined to sign the receipt and receive the letter. I personally to Malik Khizr Hayat Khan and endorse upon that acknowledgement slip that they and their endorsement runs as follows; “We have personally delivered this letter to Malik Hayat Khan on 27 April 1944 at 11:00 p.m. and he refuses to acknowledge receipt of it. Therefore, we hereby state that we have, in fact, delivered the letter to him personally and certify to that effect (Sd.) Iftikhar Hussain and Mumtaz Daultana.

1944 30 April. The Punjab Muslim League Conference was held at Sialkot with Abdur Rab Nishtar, Finance Minister, Frontier Province, as President. The main resolutions deplored “the whole attitude and action of Malik Khizr Hayat Khan and called upon every member of the Punjab Assembly to declare that he owed allegiance solely to the Muslim League party in the Assembly and not to the Unionist Party or any other political party. It also said that the present label of coalition should be dropped namely the “Unionist Party” and that the name of the proposed coalition should be the “Muslim League Party.”

1 May. To discuss the Punjab affairs, a meeting of the Committee of Action of AIML was held at Lahore with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

3 May. A joint meeting of the Committee of Action and the Working Committee of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League was held in Mamdot House this evening to consider a plan for organizing and strengthening Muslim League branches in the Punjab. The Provincial Muslim League has set up a sub-Committee to prepare a scheme for organinzational work. The scheme would be considered by the Committee for Action, after it had been approved by the Proivincial Muslim League.

13-14 May. To discuss publicity matters, a meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

14 May. A Sindh Muslim League annual meeting was held at Karachi. Speaking on the occasion, G.M. Syed observed “The jealousies of power politics and the struggle for seats and offices should give place to a simple ideal of service for its own sake; otherwise there is danger of friction and disintegration setting in within the organization.” He criticised the attitude of the Hindu minority in Sindh and said that the methods adopted by them to encourage the disruptive forces in the Muslim community betrayed their evil intentions. Mr. Syed also refferred to the Khaksars, the Ahrars, Jamiat-ul-Ulema and the Socialists whom he described as disintegrating forces in the Muslim community and said that being frightened at the increasing power of the League they were trying to organise themselves to order to present a united front against it.” Resolutions adopted included the one condemning “the action of the Governor of the Punjab in dismissing Captain Shaukat Hayat Khan without assigning proper reasons.”

1944 20 May. The Seventh Session of the Baroda State Muslim Conference was held at Kholwad with Rasool Khan Pathan as President. He said in his address “Pakistan is the symbol of Indian independence. It is very strange that after five years of explanation some people are yet asking for the clarification. Self-determintion and distribution of provinces on a national basis is Pakistan.” The principle of self-determination is accepted by the British Government, the principle of redistribution of provinces on a national basis is accepted by the Congress. The position is not impossible of solution if the League, the British Government and the Congress place their heads together.” He also said that Muslim bodies other than the League like the Ahrars, the Khaksars and the Jamiat Ulema had accepted Pakistan in some form or other as their creed, that the Cripp’s proposals contained the germs of acceptance in principle of Pakistan, and that if all the parties concerned frankly considered the problem, its solution was not difficult.

27 May. A meeting of the AIML Committee of Action was held at Lahore. The Committee decided that Malik Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana should be forthwith expelled from the membership of the All-India Muslim League and should be ineligible to become a member in future till the Working Committee of the AIML removed this ban against him. The Committee issued the following statement from Lahore at midnight : “The Hon. Malik Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana, the Premier of the Punjab, and a member of the AIML, issued a lengthy statement on April 28 immediately after the breakdown of his conversations with Mr. M.A. Jinnah, the President of the AIML. In the course of this statement, Malik Khizr Hayat Khan Saheb gave expression to his views and made assertions which were not only diametrically opposed to the declared policy and progrmme of the AIML, but constituted a grave violation of the fundamental principle of its constitution and rules and thus rendered himself liable to disciplinary action. The Committee of Action, when they met at Lahore on 2 May examined this statement with great care and picked out passages from it which, in their opinion, offended against the basis principles of the constitution and the rules of the AIML. They authorised Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, the Convenor of the Committee, to draw Malik Khizr Hayat Khan’s attention to these objectionable passages by means of a commnication which was sent to him on May 3 and called for his explanation. It may be mentioned here that in this letter of the convenor not only those passages were reproduced in exienso, but it was also pointed out to him how they contravened the aims, objects and rules of the Muslim League.”

28 May. A Punjab Muslim League Council meeting was held at Lahore with Nawab IftiKhar Hussain Khan of Mamdot as President. The main resolution stated that “The meeting of the Council of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League, views with satisfaction the action taken against the Hon. Malik Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana by the Committee of Action for his open defiance of the aims and objects and rules of the AIML and creating disruption in the Muslim nation. This meeting calls upon the Muslims of the Punjab to demonstrate, beyond all doubt, that they stand solidly behind their national organization.”

19 June. An Open Session of the Punjab Muslim Student’s Federation Conference was held at Rawalpindi with Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan as President. He referred to the political ideal of the Muslim League which, he said, was the only representative body of ten crores of Muslims, having one platform, one leader and one ideal. He envisaged the complete independence of India in the real sense as one is which the ten crores of Muslims would be absolutely free from the domination of the Britishers and the Hindus. Referring to Punjab politics, he criticised the Punjab Premier’s stand regarding the Jinnah-Sikandar Pact, and said that malik Khizr Hayat who had promised to infuse fresh life in the Muslim League Party in the Punjab Assembly, was in fact responsible for strangling the party which was yet hanging between life and death. He added that the only fault of the League Council was that they had trusted Premier Tiwana and his associates,

Dwelling on the League-Unionist Party controversy and the statement of the Punjab Premier, he stated that it was absolutely wrong to state that the only bone of contention between the Quaid-i-Azam and the Punjab Premier related to the Punjab Ministry and added that the real trouble arose over the demand by Mr. Jinnah that Muslim members in the Punjab Assembly could owe allegiance only to one political party as the Muslim League could no longer tolerate divided loyalties of the Muslim members to two masters.

1944 7 July. A Sindh Provincial Muslim League Working Committee meeting, held at Karachi, passed a resolution calling on the Sindh Ministry as then composed to resign from office forthwith. Premier Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah was present at the meeting. The resolution added that the Muslim League accepted office as a experimental measure to see how far and to what extent it was able to safeguard and promote the interests of the masses of Sindh, that the experiment had gone on for a year and three quarters and nothing substantial had been done it the constructive field, and that the Working Committee has before it a long list of the middeeds of some of the Ministers.

29 July. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Lahore with Jinnah as President, Of the 21 members of the Working Committee all excepting two, viz. Begum Mohammad Ali and Mr. Latif-ur-Rahman, attended the meeting. In view of the important nature of the matters, which were expected to come up for discussion before the Working Committee, the members made it a point to come up to Lahore. Jinnah, on coming out of the meeting, was surrounded by the waiting journalists, including two Australian War Correspondents. Replying to the questions asked by the journalists as to what transpired at the Working Committee meeting he said : “Gentlemen you must wait till tomorrow.” He added that he would say nothing more.

30 July. An AIML Council’s half-yearly meeting was held at Barkat Ali Hall, Lahore with Jinnah as President. Committee consisting of Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan, Mr. M.A. H Ispahani and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan be appointed to fill up vacancies in the Council of the AIML; protesting against the notifications of the U.P., C.P., Bihar and Bombay Governments whereby very hard restrictions had, by misrepresenting the intentions of the Central Government, been imposed on the slaughter, or purchase for slaughter, of animals and which, while not useful for the desire end, had resulted in the supply of bad and unwholesome meat to non-vegetarian communities and wherein Hindu officials had found a means for giving vent to their communal feelings and harassing cattle-dealers in a number of ways. The resolution also noted that the result of the notification had been that the price of meat had shot up much above the purchasing capacity of the poor, and demanded that either these orders were withdrawn or else they were so interpreted and clarified as might be acceptable to the Provincial Leagues of the respective Provinces and called upon the Provincial Leagues to adopt ways and means to ward off these hardships.

1-2 Aug. To dicuss certain matters relating to the appointment of woman as members of the Woman’s Sub-Committee, a meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Lahore with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

1 Oct. The Working Committee of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League, at its meeting in Bombay passed a resolution supporting Jinnah, in the stand he had taken discuss talks with Gandhi for a settlement of the communal question and expressing complete confidence in his leadership.

19 Nov. The Working Committee of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League today passed a

resolution upholding the principle binding the British Empire as the best means of maintaining harmonious relations between Hindus and Muslims. With regard to the breakdown of the Gandhi-Jinnah talks, the Working Committee fully supported the stand taken up by Jinnah during these talks and expressed its complete confidence in his leadership.

8 Dec. To advice the provincial primary and district Muslim Leagues as to how to improve the efficiency of their respective organizations, Maulana Zafar Ahmad Ansari, Secretary, Committee

of Action, wrote letters to secretaries of all provincial Muslim Leagues.

12 Dec. Jinnah, in a statement to the press issued from New Delhi regarding the position of Muslim League in NWFP said : “The Chief Minister of the NWFP and his colleagues, the Muslim ministers, were good enough to come to Delhi and I was glad to meet them. After a full examination and review of the situation in the NWFP both in the Assembly [and outside] regarding the Muslim League organization, district and Provincial, certain lines were chalked out to further and better organize the Muslim League both inside the Legislature and outside, There was complete agreement with regard to various matters that were discussed and unanimous conclusions were arrived at regarding the steps to be taken to give effect to the decisions, and I trust that there will be no further delay in implementing them.”

1945 10 Jan. To discuss certain reports sent by various provincial Muslim Leagues, a meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

13 Jan. Addressing a gathering at Ahmedabad, Jinnah, said : “Pakistan means freedom for all peoples of India, and I am convinced that the quickest way of freedom for the peoples of India lies in our gaining the establishement of Pakistan.”

22 Jan. Jinnah, declared at Bangalore : “My attention has been drawn to reports in a section of the press that an agreement has been arrived at between Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan on the one hand, on behalf of the Muslim League, and Mr. Bhulabai J. Desai on the other, on behalf of the Congress, with the consent of Mr. Ghandhi and myself. I know nothing about this. There is absolutely no foundation for connecting my name with the talks which may have taken place between Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan and Mr. Bhulabai Desai. All I know is that the Nawabzada’s immediate attention was drawn to this false rumour on his having come to an agreement with Mr. Bhulabai Desai, (and that he) characterized it as a ‘lie and nonsense’. I really cannot understand what benefit is expected from publishing this false news by a section of the press as it is doing the greatest possible himself.

13 Feb. The talks between Jinnah and G.M. Syed, President of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League, concerning Sindh political and League affairs concluded at the end of which Jinnah in a statement appealed to Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah and Syed to end all differences and controversies at this critical juncture.

16 Feb. To discuss the report on Sindh affairs presented by Qazi Mohammad Isa, a meeting of the Committee to Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab M. Ismail Khan as President.

28 Feb. Jinnah, has sent a strongly worded telegram to G.M. Syed, President of the Sindh Muslim League, denouncing his action in “letting down his leader and party.” This is revealed in the telegraphic correspondence between him and Syed which Jinnah released to the press.

1945 12 March. Sardar Aurangzeb Khan, the Frontier Premier, belonging to the Muslim League, submitted the resignation of the Ministry to the Governor, following the passing of a no-confidence motion against the Ministry in the Assembly today by 24 votes to 18. The Governor, however, had asked Sardar Aurangzeb Khan to continue till His Excellency made alternative arrangements.

2 April. Jinnah, in a press statement issued from New Delhi said : “My attention has been drawn to the press report of the cable sent by the so-called Sapru Conciliation Committee to Lord Wavell, who is now in London. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and his asscociates have been passing off under different levels from time to time, first as “all party conference”, then as “no party conferences” and now they have assumed the level of “conciliation committee”. By such methods, Jinnah maintained, they “move to torpedo Pakistan” which was not possible.

13 & 14 April. To discuss matters relating to the consolidation of the AIML in various provinces, a meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held in Delhi with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

15 June. In his telegram to the Viceroy Lord Wavell, Jinnah suggested the postponement of the Simla Conference to enable the Working Committee of the AIML to decide its course of action in the light of preliminary discussion.

24 June. Jinnah met the Viceroy in Simla to discuss preliminary matters concerning the Simla Conference scheduled for tomorrow.

25-29 June. Simla Conference adjourned for a fortnight as the Congress and the Muslim League were firm in their stands.

6-14 July. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held at Simla with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those authorising the AIML President to communicate to the Viceroy on the issue of suggesting certain names from Muslim League for the Viceroy’s Executive Council with the condition that “…the Muslim members of the proposal Executive Council should be chosen from the Muslim League, subject to a confidential discussion” between the Viceroy and the AIML President.

11 July. Lord Wavell finally turned down the League’s claim that all the Muslim seats of the proposed Executive Council should be filled by its nominees and that its recommendation must be accepted “in to do”. Jinnah had decided to stay out and his firm stand had been endorsed by the League Working Committee functioning as the League Executive.

13 July. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML held at Simla with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

15 July. The Working Committee of the AIML’s resolution demanding and early general election was a formal expression to the feeling which had prevailed among the League circles for some days past especially since the chanllenges to the League’s influence over the Muslims made by the Congress and the Premiers of the Punjab and Frontier Province. It was pointed out by League spokesman that it was unfair to measure the present day strength of the league in terms of the provincial elections of 1936-37 and the Central Assembly elections of 1934. The results of by-elections in the past few years and the numerous crossings of the floor that had taken place were

held to prove that the League had acquired and enormous accession of strength during the past seven or eight years. It was felt that the best method of solving this dispute concerning the undoubted influence of the League was by means of a general election.

1945 17 July. After a meeting with Jinnah in Simla, Sir Nazimuddin, former Premier of Bengal, said : “Our next important move is to demand a general election and make preparations for it.” He said acquainted Jinnah with the latest situation in Bengal.

6 Aug. The view that India should strive for a final constitutional settlement rather than group for a interim agreement now that the war in Europe is over and the war against Japan is drawing to a close, as expressed by Mr. M.A. Jinnah, President of the AIML, addressing at Bombay a meeting convened to present a purse on him. Mr. Jinnah analysed the Simla Conference and said : “The first question is why did Mr. Gandhi as one of the leaders of the recoginzed parties go to Simla? Having gone there, why did he not attend the Conference? the reason is simple. It was to play the role of a wire-puller. He was not merely content with being and adviser to the Congress and its Working Committee but he constituted himself as an adviser to the Viceroy and through him, the British nation. Mornings and evenings, the Working Committee meetings took place and he was the guiding spirit behind.

12 Aug. Jinnah categorically refuted the two charges made against him by the Congress, in an address to a large gathering of Muslims assembled to present a purse and donations to him for the Muslim League election fund. Characterising the charges as the Congress ‘stunt’, Jinnah dealt with the first, namely that the British Government had given him the veto, and the second, that his attitude was intransigent and that he was obstructing the achievement of India’s freedom as he was “playing the game of British Imperialism” and thereby insinuating that he was “carrying out the wishes of Britain.”

31 Aug. Text of the Liaquat-Desai Pact released to the press from New Delhi.

2 Sep. Replying to an address at the Sindh Muslim college. Karachi, Jinnah said that Ministries did not matter now. He wanted the Muslims to conduct the elections as one solid body and work for the welfare of Muslim India. He also said his appeal for funds had received a great response and he was receiving money orders daily from all over India.

5 Sept. At a press conference at Karachi, Jinnah said : We are face to face with a very vital and paramount issue, and this (the general elections) is one of the important criteria by which the opinion in India and abroad will be greatly influenced, as this is one of the tests by which Muslim India can prove that we are solidly and determinedly in favour of Pakistan.”

20 Sept. Mian Iftikhar-ud-Din, President of the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee, had resigned from the Congress and joined the Muslim League. He recently submitted his reisgnation from the Presidentship of the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee.

30 Sept. Pandemonium prevailed for sometime at the meeting of the Provincial Muslim League Council at the Muslim Institute Hall on nominate persons for election to the Provincial Muslim League Parliamentary Board. When names were being proposed for election, two groups fell out and some members were assaulted. About 300 members from different districts attended the meeting. After the scenes, however, nomintions are submitted under a comparatively cooler atmosphere.

1945 1 Oct. In an exchange of telegrams from Quetta with Secretary, Shi All-Party Conference, Jinnah advised them to “join the Muslim League” so that the AIML as a body was made a sole voice of Muslims of India.

3 Oct. The biggest Tiwana lanlord and one of the four pillars of the Tiwana tribe in the Punjab, Nawab Major Mohammad Mumtaz Khan had joined the Muslim League, In Peshawar, the Afgan Jirga, an organization for the uplift of Muslims, had decided to join the Muslim League.

8 Oct. The Central Parliamentary Board of the AIML decided to set up three boards in the NWFP. These were : 1) A Board to select candidates for the general elections, which would be known as the Muslim League Selection Board; 2) A Board to organize and make all necessary arrangememts to contest the elections, which would be known as the Muslim League Election Borad; and 3) A Board for the collection of funds and maintenance of regular and proper accounts which would be known as the Finance Board. Nominations on all these boards were appreoved.

—, During his stay at Quetta, Jinnah received a telegram from the Transvaal Muslim League, South Africa, saying : “In response to your appeal the Transvaal Muslim League organized a special finance committee to raise funds throughout South Africa for the AIML election. The South Africa national target is 20,000-/.”

9 Oct. Jinnah, had, it was understood, advised G.M. Syed, President of the Sindh Provincial Musim League, not to change the personal of the Sindh Muslim League Parliamentary Board. Jinnah said if there were any differences over the election of candidates the matter should be refferred to do the Central Parliamentary Board, whose decision should be final. The Council of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League was meeting on 12 Oct. to consider the situation.

10 Oct. The Central Parliamentary Board of the AIML concluded the nominations of a number of persons as Muslim League candidates for election to the Central Legislative Assembly from different provinces such as Bombay, Madras, UP, Punjab, C.P., Bihar and Orissa, Sindh, Assam and other areas.

15 Oct. A meeting of the Committee of Action was held at Karachi with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

17 Oct. Major Farman Ali, MLA (Unionist), had joined the Muslim League. In a letter to the Nawab of Mamdot, President, Punjab Provincial Muslim League, Major Farman Ali wrote : “I have decided to join the Muslim League in accordance with the wishes of my Rajput electorate, who have resolved to work for the Muslim League cause.”

24 Oct. Jinnah, has disallowed all appeals and confirmed the selections of the Muslim League Central Parliamentary Board for the Central Assembly elections, in a message to the press issued from Karachi.

25 Oct. The Muslim League High Command and the Sindh Muslim League Parliamentary Board under the presidentship of Jinnah decided the names for candidates to contest elections from different Sindh Assembly and Central Assembly seats from Sindh. G.M. Syed and his group were absent from the meeting.

26 Oct. Jinnah warned G.M. Syed not to defy the decision of the Central Parlimentary Board of the AIML which was against the League rules.

1945 30 Oct. Speaking at a meeting of Muslims organized by the Bombay Provincial Muslim League at Kaiser Bagh, Bombay, Jinnah highlighted the importance of the forthcoming elections to the legislatures and pleaded with the Muslims for support.

1 Nov. The Muslim League scored a cent per cent success in the elections to the Bangalore Civil and Military Station Municipal Commission when all the six candates set up by them were returned unopposed.

11 Nov. Chundrigar was re-election President of the Bombay Provincial Muslim League at this annual general meeting. Hasan a Shaikh, a former Joint Secretary of the Provincial League, was elected General Secretary, Khan Saheb Abdul Kadeer Khan, Vice-President, M.L. Kokil and Ahmed A. Patel were elected Joint Secretaries; and Aziz Gafur Kasi M.A. Ghaiwala Treasurer.

20 Nov. Khan Abbas Khan, the Congress Minister for Industries in the N.W.F.P., rersigned from the Congress and joined Muslim League. An announcement in this regard was made by Abbas Khan during the Muslim League Conference held in Peshawar today.

27 Nov. A reccord number of votes were cast in the election to the Central Legislative Assembly from the Bombay Urban Mohammedan constituency. Jinnah, swept the polls according to press and party observers who closely followed voting trends throughout the day.

4 Dec. Jinnah was declared elected to the Central Legislative Assmebly from the Bombay City Urban (Mohammedan) constituency. He secured 3602 votes as against his opponent, Hooseinbhoy A. Laljee, who secured 127 votes and forfeited his deposit. The number of votes rejected as being invalid was 41. The counting of votes took place at the office of the Collector of Bombay and lasted 100 minutes. I.I. Chundrigarh, President of the Bombay Muslim League, was present at the counting. The interests of Hooseinbhoy Laljee were watched by his Secretary, Asad Ali. N.A. Faruqui, Collector and Returning Officer, supervised the counting and announced the result which was received with enthusiasm by a large number of League supporters collected outside.

10 Dec. Jinnah as the President of AIML told the special correspondent of the A.P.I. : “We could settle the Indian problem in 10 minutes if Mr. Gandhi would say : ‘I agree the there should be Pakistan. I agree that one-fourth of India, composed of six provinces, Sindh, Baluchistan, the Punjab, N.W.F.P., Bengal and Assam, with their present boundaries, should constitute Pakistan State.”

25 Dec. IIumination, decoration of buildings with flags and arches and meeting formed the main features of the celebration of the seventieth birthday of Jinnah, in Bombay. The office of the District Muslim Student’s Federation was brilliantly illuminated and decorated. During the day, in various wards of Bombay, the Muslim League flag was unfurled by the presidents of the respective ward committees of the League. Hundreds of admirers of the League flocked to his residence at Mount Pleasant Road, Malabar Hill. Among those who called on Jinnah and garlanded him were Begum Maulana Mohammad Ali, Shuaib Qureshi, Minister of Bhopal and the office bearers of the Provincial Muslim League and ward Leagues. A group of students from the Punjab also called on him. In his message Jinnah thanked all for their expression of love and good wishes on his birthday.

26 Dec. G.M. Syed, President of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League, resigned his membership of the Working Committee as well as the Action Committee of the AIML as a protest against the

manner in which the League “High Command” handled the Sindh situation. Disapproving the nominations made by the League Central Parliamentary Board, Syed set up candidates who were contesting elections to the Sindh Assembly on behalf of the Provincial Muslim League as against the candidates of the Central Parliamentary Board. Syed also gave up the ticket issued to him by the Central Parliamentary Board.

1946 2 Jan. G.M. Syed, President of the Sindh Provicial Muslim League was expelled from the AIML by the Action Committee of the League which met in Meerut today. The Committee also expelled ten other members of the League for contesting elections against the official League candidated from the Sindh Assembly.

11 Jan. To celebrate the victory of the AIML in the Central Assembly elections, a meeting of about 5,000 people was held in New Delhi, presided over by Jinnah. He said that the Muslims were a powerful, well-organised and determined nation and were prepared even to shed their blood for Pakistan. “But”, he maintained, “that time has not yet come. Today we are fighting the elections and I want the Muslims not to shed their blood but only to cast their votes for Pakistan and the Muslim League. When the time comes for shedding blood, we shall be ready for it.” A sum of Rs. 10,110.00 was presented to Jinnah by a deptation of the Women’s Sub-Committee of the Delhi Provincial Muslim League today. The Girls Committee of the Muslim Student’s Federation also presented a purse to Jinnah.

17 Jan. Addressing a crowded meeting of Muslim Students at the Islamic College, Lahore, this evening, Jinnah commented on the recent speech of Sardar Vallahbhai Patel wherein he had declared that the Muslim League had succeeded in the Central elections but it would not decide the issue.

28 Jan. In response to Lord Wavell, the Viceroy’s address to the New Central Assembly, Jinnah said : “The Muslim League will not agree to any Central Government being set up even as an interim arrangement.”

12 Feb. During the meeting of Jinnah with the Viceroy in Delhi he assured Lord Wavell for full League co-operation during the recent food crisis in South India.

13 March. In reply to an address of welcome presented to him by the Calcutta Muslim Club, Jinnah, said : “There is no power on earth that can prevent us from establishing Pakistan.”

17 March. In a press statement issued from New Delhi, said : “If the negotiations with the Cabinet Mission are to commence on the basis of who can shed more blood and who can bribe the British more, Muslims and the Muslim League can and will play a part, if driven to deperation, which will bring about a civil war with which Mr. Vallahbhai Patel has been threatening us.”

20 March. Jinnah addressed a meeting of the Punjab Muslim League Party at the Assembly Chamber this evening and said that unless there was an honest and sincere disire for a just, fair and honourable settlement, it was difficult to negotiate much less to come to terms. However, he declared that was no compromise on Pakistan issue.

21 March. Jinnah, President of AIML, declared in Lahore : “The Sikhs as a nation are entitled to a State of their own and I am not opposed to it as such provided they show me where it can be created.” This he said to a delegation consisting of the President and Secretary of the All-India

Sikh Student’s Federation who met him in Lahore.

1946 30-31 March-4 and 6 April. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President, to discuss basically the Cabinet Mission proposals. Resolutions adopted included those considering “the letter dated 18^th March, 1946 placed before them to the President of the AMIL which he had received from the Private Secretary to the Viceroy inviting him “and such other representative of representatives, if any as the Muslim League may desire to appoint” to meet the British Cabinet Delegation and the Viceroy on the 4 April 1946. The Committee decided that the President alone should meet the Cabinet Delegation and the Viceroy; and calling upon the Muslim League organizations throughout the country to co-operate fully and give every assistance, in the name of suffering humanity, to save the country from starvation, irrespective of political controversies and party politics.

7-9 April. The Muslim League Legislature’s Convention was held in Delhi, with Jinnah as President. During his address Jinnah and other speakers emphasized that a diluted Pakistan was not acceptable to them. Winding up the session, Jinnah said that the august and historic convention of the Muslim nation had declared itself for Pakistan. “While we hope for the best”, he said, “we are prepared for the worst.” They were prepared to make every sacrifice for the attainment of Pakistan. “Pakistan” Jinnah said, “was not going to be a theocratic state.” That main resolution adopted at the Convention demanded Pakistan as a single state, thus amending the Lahore Resolution.

10 April. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Delhi, with Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those defining the League’s attitude towards the Anglo-American Commission for Palestine, the Indonesian people’s struggle for freedom, and the anti-Asiatic legislation before the South African Union Parliament.

11-18 April. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

25 & 28 April-10 & 13 May. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Delhi and Simla with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those considering the correspondence between M.A. Jinnah and Lord Pethick-Lawrence, the Secretary of State for India, and endorsing the point of view of M.A. Jinnah viz., that “the Working Committee desire to point out that many important matters, both of principle and detail, in your brief letter, require elucidation and clarification, which, in their opinion, can be achieved at the meeting proposed by you Working Committee, in their anxiety to assist in finding an agreed solution of the Indian constitutional problem, have authorised me to nominate three representatives on behalf of the Muslim League to participate in the negotiations. The following are the four names : Mr. M.A. Jinnah, Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, and Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar.”

16 May. British Cabinet Mission announce its plan for Union of British India and States. These came to be known as the Cabinet Mission’s Proposal’s.

4 June. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held in Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President, to deliberate over the Cabinet Mission Proposals. Jinnah presided.

5 June. A meeting of the Council of the AIML was held in Delhi to discuss the Cabinet Mission

Scheme. Jinnah presided. Addressing the Council, Jinnah said : “So far as Pakistan is concerned let me tell you that Muslim India will not rest content until we have established full complete sovereign Pakistan.”

1946 6 June. The council of the AIML this evening unanimously adopted a resolution accepting the Cabinet Mission’s Proposals. The resolution was on the lines of Jinnah’s opening speech at yesterday’s meeting of the Council. As anticipated, it was strongly critical of the reasons advanced by the Mission for the rejection of the Pakistan demand and reiterated the League’s determination to achieve its goal. At the same time, the resolution acknowledged that the Mission’s scheme offers scope for the eventual attainment of the League’s cherished objective. For this reason and for the sake of the peaceful evolution of India’s future constitution, the resolution accepted the Mission’s plan. Jinnah was authorized to negotiate details.

7 June. The Committee of Action of the AIML held a three-hours stitting today when organizational matters were stated to have been discussed.

9 June. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at New Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those resolving that “the Central Parliamentary Board of the AIML shall select candidates for Constitution making Bodies in consultation with the Presidents of the Provincial Muslim League and the Leaders of the Muslim League Parliamentary Parties in the various Provincial Legislatures subject to such modifications as the President of the AIML may consider proper whose decision shall be final.”

19 June. Jinnah, has asked for clarification of five points relating to the composition of the Interim Government and had stoutly opposed the nomination of a non-League Muslim, said Jinaah in a letter addressed to the Viceroy this evening. This letter was written in response to the reaction of the Working Committee of the AIML.

20 June. The Working Committees of the Congress and the Muslim League adjourned indefinitly, and the political negotiations in the capital (Delhi) were at a standstill. There could be little doubt that the Cabinet Mission and the Viceroy were more than disappointed at the stalemate.

25 June. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held in Delhi with Jinnah as President. The main resolution adopted at the meeting concerned tha AIML’s decision to join the Interim Governement conditionally.

25 June. As expected, the Congress had accepted the long-term plan of the Cabinet Mission, having already rejected the interim proposals, while the League had accepted the short-term scheme, having agreed to co-operate in the long term proposals as well.

26 June. A reference in tonight’s statement to “further negotiations” and the exprssion of hope that the two major parties would “do their utmost to arrive at anaccommodation upon the compositions of a representative Interim Government” suggested that there was no interim to abondon the effort which would be resumed after the completion of the elections to the Constituent Assembly. The points raised during he interview were discussed by the League Working Committee last night and strong sentiments were expressed against Lord Wavell, who was accused of going back on the statement of 16 June together with the assurances given to the League President in writing.

1946 27 June. Jinnah, in a statement, reviewing the course of the Delhi and Simla negotiations in some detail, castigated both the Congress and Lord Wavell, the former for “attempting to give a ‘wrong interpretation’ to the Cabinet Mission’s long-term proposals’ and the latter for “going back on assurances given to the Muslim League” regarding cmmunal party in the proposed Interim Government. The Muslim League leader warned the British Government that “any attempt to whittle down in any way the assurances given to the Muslim League or to change or modify the basis of the statement of 16 June” would be “greatly resented by Muslim India.” “The British Government”, he declared, “will in that case forfeit the confidence of Muslim India and of those whom they expect to work, on their part according to their pledged word.” This statement was issued after taking the Working Committee of the AIML by Jinnah into confidence.

29 June. Negotiations for the formation of an Interim Government would be reopened by the Viceroy after the elections to the Constituent Assembly were over. This and other points were brought out in further correspondence between Jinnah and the Viceroy published today by Jinnah.

1 July. The Central Parliamentary Board of the AIML met in New Delhi under the presidentship of Jinnah and decided upon a list of candidates on behalf of the AIML to contest the forthcoming elections of the Constituent Assembly from difference provinces such as the Punjab, Bengal, Sindh, U.P., C.P., Bihar, Madras.

7 July. The Central Parliamentary Board of the AIML made more selections in its meeting in New Delhi for the provinces of the N.W.F.P., Assam and Bengal. This complete the list of the Muslim Leauge nominations except for two names from Bengal and one from Baluchistan, which would be announced later.

13 July. Jinnah, in a statement contradicted Pandit Nehru’s interpretation of Cabinet Mission Plan. Jinnah said : “Pandit Nehru’s interpretation of the Congress acceptance of the Cabinet Mission’s propasals of 16 May is a complete repudiation of the basic from upon which the long-term scheme rests and all its fundamentals and terms and obligations and rights of parties accepting the scheme.” This statement was issued from Hyderabad (Deccan).

27-28 July. An AIML Council meeting was held in Bombay with M.A. Jinnah as President. After a lengthy discussion, the Council was adjourned till next day morning when Jinnah promised to place before them a resolution drafted in the light of the views expressed by them.” More then 400 of 528 members of the Council attended the first two days session of the Council at Bombay. Resolutions adopted included those accepting the Cabinet Delegation Scheme condintionally with observation that it did not fulfil the Muslim demands; declaring “…anything less than the immediate establishement of independent and fully serving state of Pakistan…” would not be acceptable; Whereas the Council of the AIML has resolved to reject the proposals embodied in the Statement of the Cabinet delegation and the Viceroy dated the 16^th of May 1946, due to the intransigence of the Congress, on hand, and the breach of faith with the Muslims by the British Government, on the other, without success, all efforts to find a peaceful solution of the Indian problem by compromise and constitutional means; and whereas the Congress is bent upon setting up Caste-Hindu Raj in India with the convice of the British; and whereas recent events have shown that power politics and not justice and fair play are the deciding factors in Indian affairs; and whereas it has become aboundantly clear that the Muslims of India would not rest contented with anything less than the immdiate establishment of Pakistan, and would resist any attempt to impose and Constitution-making machinery or any Constitution, long-term or short-term, or the setting up of any Interim Government at the Centre without the approval and consent of the Muslim League, the Council of the AIML is convinced that now the time has come for the

Muslim nation to resort to Direct Action to achieve Pakistan to assert their just rights, so vindicate their honour and to get rid of the present British slavery and the contemplated future Caste-Hindu domination. This Council calls upon the Muslim nation to stand to a man behind their sole representative and authoritative organization, the AIML, and to be ready for every sacrifice. The Council directs the Working Committee to prepare forthwith a programme of Direction Action to carry out the policy enunciated above, and to organize the Muslims for the coming struggel to be launched as and when necessary. As a protest against, an in token of their deep resentment of the attitude of the British, this Council calls upon the Musalmans to renounce forthwith the titles conferred upon them by the alien Government.

1946 29 July. Amidst unprecedented scenes of enthusiasm and wild cheering, the Council of the AIML resolved ot withdraw the acceptance of the British Cabinet Mission’s plan and to resort to direct action “to achieve Pakistan, to assert their just rights, to vindicate their honour and to get rid of the present British slavery and the contemplated furture Caste Hindu domination.” Winding up the session, Jinnah remarked that the decision amounted to a departure from contitutional methods hitherto pursed by the League.

30 July. In response to the call of the Council of the AIML, 16 Muslims renounced their titles.

1 August. During the course of an interview with the political correspondent of the Times of Indian it was reported that the Muslim League was not averse to a settlement, but it must be on the basis of the two-nation theory the next move must come from the British or the Congress. “This is the sumtotal of impression I gained from a press conference held by Jinnah on the tomorrow of the direct action decision.”

2 August. A meeting of the Working Committee of the AIML was held at Bombay with M.A. Jinnah as President. It discussed latest developments of the Pakistan Movement.

12 August. The Viceroy, with the approval of His Majesty’s Government, had invited the President of the Congress to make proposals for the immediate formation of an Interim Government and the President of the Congress had accepted the invitations, says a communique from the Viceroy’s House, New Delhi. Nehru was asked to seek League’s cooperation.

25 August. The personal of Interim Government at the Centre was annouced by the Viceroy’s House. It consisted of 14 men, 12 of whom were named; the remaining two Muslims would be appointed later. The new Government would assume office on 2 September. His Majesty the King has accepted the resignation of the present members of the Governor-General’s Executive Council and had appointed a new Interim Government. In a statement to the press, Jinnah, regretted that the Viceroy in his broadcast on 24 August should have made such a misleading statement and contrary to facts that, though five seats out of 14 were offered to the Muslim League, though assurances were given that the scheme of constitution-making would be worked in accordance with the procedure laid down.

27 August. A new Committee of Action of the AIML for the ensuing year had been nominated by Jinnah, President of AIML consisting of Liaquat Ali Khan, Mohammad Ismail Khan, Kh. Nazimuddin, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishter, Abdul Matin Chowdhury, Haji Abdul Sattar, Haji Ishaq Seth, and Mian Mohammad Mumtaz Daultana. Liaquat Ali Khan would be the Convener of the Committee and Mohammad Ismail Khan will be the Chairman.

11 Sept. The Committee of Action of the AIML had decided to depute Khan Iftikhar Hussain

Khan of Mamdot, to meet Jinnah. He was leaving for Bombay the next day and it was believed that he would seek the advice of the League President on matters relating to the direct action programme. The Committee, which met the Salar-i-Ala and provincial heads of the Muslim National Guards this morning was understood to have discussed organizational matters with them. It was learnt that they had been asked to take steps to strenghthen the organization. The Central Parliamentary Board had also discussions with leaders of the opposition in the various provincial legislatures.

1946 12 Sept. Lord Wavell’s invitation to Jinnah to come to Delhi to discuss the political issue had been accepted by the League leader. The Committee of the Action of AIML in its meeting in Delhi nearly completed the fact-finding part of its work and entered the phase of formulating a programme of direct action for submission to Jinnah.

15 Sept. Jinnah arrived in New Delhi today and had prolonged consultation with the immediate followers on the eve of his interview with Lord Wavell, which was expected to take place at 5:30 p.m. the next day.

16 Sept. Lord Wavell conferred with the President of the AIML for an hour and a quarter this evening. There would be another meeting shortly, when exactly, it had not yet been fixed. Jinnah would hold consultations with the League Committee of Action the next day. It was considered likely that the Viceroy would take an early opportunity, probably tomorrow, to communicate to the Vice-President of the Cabinet the gist of this evening’s conversation. The time and the nature of the next meeting with Jinnah would depent on Pandit Nehru’s reactions. The British Government attached great importance to the meeting in New Delhi today between the Viceroy and the Muslim League leader, Jinnah. The Prime Minister Mr. Clement Attlee, was being kept in constant touch with the situation through despatches from the Viceroy.

17 Sept. Today was a quiet day on the Delhi political front. Jinnah was engaged in reviewing yesterday’s talks with Lord Wavell. The next move would take place tomorrow when Sir B.N. Rau, Constitutional Adviser to the Governor-General, would meet the League President and offer his interpretation on the provisions of the State Paper of 16 May.

22 Sept. While Jinnah was re-examining the political situation and considering the possibility of participation in the Interim Government and the Constituent Assembly, the League Committee of Action was going ahead with its plan for Direct Action.

25 Sept. Jinnah’s interview with the Viceroy this evening lasted close upon two hours. “It went off well”, was the comment in official circles. There would be further talks in the near future. On his return from the Viceroy’s House Jinnah held consultations with the League Committee of Action for over an hour. The members seemed pleased with what they had heard from their leader. The impression current in Delhi that Jinnah now felt reassured about the long-term proposals appaers to have gathered strength. If the favourable report about today’s conversations proved correct, the next step was a consideration of the Interim Government.

2 October. It is understood that Jinnah had decided to call a meeting of the Muslim League Working Committee to consider the outcome of the present series of his talks with the Viceroy culminating in today’s interview. The League Executive is expected to meet here in Delhi in the course of the next days, probably next week. The League President may again meet His Excellencey on a date to be fixed later. The fact that today’s conversation din not end in a break-down is of considerable positive significance—it was feared that, having failed to get any

concession from the Congress with regard to the Interim Government, Jinnah might break off negotiations. His realism has evidently stood him to good stead. Too much optimism must not, however, be read into today’s advice to come in; nor has be committed himself in any way. All that he has done is to promise to consult his immediate followers. This is good as far as it goes, only as fas as it goes.

1946 7-14 Oct. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held in Delhi with M.A. Jinnah as President. The Committee through a resolution decided to send the following letter to the Viceroy :

Dear Lord Wavell,

The Working Committee of the AIML have considered the whole matter fully and I am now authorised so state that they do not approve of the basis and scheme of setting up the Interim Government which has been decided by you, presumably with the athority of His Majesty’s Government. Therefore, the Committee do not and cannot agree with your decision already taken, nor with the arrangements you have already made. We consider adn maintain that the imposition of this decision is contrary to the Declaration of August 8, 1940, but since according to your decision, we have a right to nominate five members of the Executive Council on behalf of the Muslim League my Committee have, for various reasons come to the conclusion that in the interests of Musalmans and other communities it will be fatal to leave the entire field of administration of the Central Government in the hands of the Congress. Besides, you may be forced to have in your Interim Government Muslims who would not command the respect and confidence of Muslim India which would lead to very serious consequences : and, lastly, for other very weightly grounds and reasons, which are obvious and need not be mentioned, we have decided to nominate five on behalf of the Muslim League in terms of your broadcast dated August 24, 1946 and your two letters to me dated 4^th October, 1946 and 12^th October 1946, respectively, embodying clarifications and assurances.

Yours Sincerely,

(Sd.) M.A. Jinnah

13 Oct. The AIML was understood to have decided to join the Interim Government. A letter communicating this decision was sent to the Viceroy this afternoon. Later in the evening Jinnah is believed to have called on Lord Wavell. Suspension, if not abandonment of the direct action project and recession of League Council’s non-cooperation resolution passed at Bomaby, are implicit in these developments since acceptance of the Constituent Assembly scheme is a condition precedent to entry in the Interim Government.

League circles contend that they are going in unfettered by any commitments relating to the status and powers of Government and without surrendering their creed or policies. It is a moot point, however, whether it will be possible for the Leaguers to carry out their reported intention to non-cooperation from within.

14 Oct. Agreement developed between Viceroy, Jinnah and Pandit Nehru regarding re-formation of the Interim Cabinet and Jinnah was asked to submit five names of the AIML. The Congress and the League lists have not yet been submitted. Both camps are busy considering the question, and when their decision is made and communicated to the Viceroy, the work of redistribution of portfolios will be taken up by the Viceroy, Nehru and Jinnah.

15 Oct. The Muslim League decided to join the Interim Government, it is officially announced

here today, and His Majesty the King has been pleased to appoint the following to be members of the Interim Government : (1) Liaquat Ali Khan, (2) I.I. Chundrigar, (3) Abdur Rab Nishtar, (4) Ghazanfar Ali Khan, and (5) Jogendra Nath Mandal. Those who tendered their resignations were : (1) Sarat Chandra Bose, (2) Sir Shafaat Ahmad Khan, (3) Syed Ali Zaheer. The distribution of portfolios will be settled early next week. The list of the League nominees does not, as anticipated, contain Jinnah. Surprise has been caused by the inclusion of Jogendra Nath Mandal, a member of the Scheduled Caste, who is now a Minister in the Suhrawardy Cabinet.

1946 16 Oct. A Muslim League black flag demostration, in which between 400 and 5000 volunteers in green uniforms and carrying on steeltipped lances, spears and staves took part, marked the arrival of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Member of External Affairs in the Interim Government, at the Peshawar aerodrome today. When the Premier, Dr. Khan Saheb, along with other ministers was driving up to the main gate of the aerodrome to welcome Pandit Nehru he had to pass through a long corridor of Muslim League volunteers. At one place when Dr. Khan Saheb had got down from his car one of the demonstrators thrust a spear in the direction of Dr. Khan Saheb. The spear pierced through the uniform of an Indian police officer who was standing near Dr. Khan Saheb. The officer was not injured. He immediately drew his pitol, whereupon the crowd in the immediate vicinity of Dr. Khan Saheb dispersed. The demonstrators spat at the cars of the ministers and at occupants of other cars. The demonstrators who lined the road leading to the entrance to the aerodrome shouted “Nehru Go black” (Nehru Waps Jao) and “Congress Murdabad.” Pandit Nehru went by another exit thereby avoiding an ugly possibility. After Pandit Nehru had lelf the aerodrome the demonstrators, several thousand strong and with a solid corps of green clad Muslim League volunteers carrying long steel-tipped lances, marched on to the house of Dr. Khan Saheb, Chief Minister, where Pandit Nehru drove from the aerodrome.

17 Oct. Thousands of tribesmen from the Khyber and Tirah including Afridis and Shinwaris, gathered at Jamrud, the gateway to the Khyber Pass, to exprss their support for Pakistan. The atmosphere resounded with rifle shots which were fired in the air by the men when they welcomed the Pir Saheb of Manki Sharif, who addressed the gathering. The Pir Saheb of Manki Sharif asked the tribesmen to help their Indian Muslim brothers who were being crushed through unholy alliances between the British and the Hindu Congress. “There were secret attempts”, he added, “to bring up also under Hindu domination. With a view to preventing this scheme it is time for all tribesmen to unite and stand up for the noble cause of Islam.”

25 Oct. The storm that burst over the horizon of the Interim Government yesterday evening has blown over, the Congress office to give up finance in favour of the League has been accepted. It is learnt that the League has given the assurance that it is entering the Cabinet in a “constructive spirit” and that an early session of the League Council will be convented to rescind the Bombay resolution. Following portfolios have been settled with the Muslim League : (1) Liaquat Ali Khan—Finance, (2) I.I. Chundrigar—Commerce : (3) Abdur Rab Nishtar—Post and Air, (4) Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan–…., and (5) Jogendra Nath Mandal—Legislative. They were also sworn in the Cabinet.

26 Oct. Explaining today the Muslim League’s objects and ideals in entering the Interim Government, Liaquat Ali Khan declared : “It is our intention and determination to work in harmony with our colleagues in the Executive Council.” Addressing his first press conference as a member of the Government, he asserted that the League had no desire that the Government should become an arena of strife. The Muslim League, he continued, had decided to enter the Interim Government in the interest of Muslim India and the people of this vast sub-continent.

1946 15-16 Nov. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML held at Delhi with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

20 Nov. Jinnah, in a statement in New Delhi, declared that the Muslim League members would not participate in the Constituent Assembly and that no early session of the League Councli was contemplated to reconsider the Bombay resolutions. Jinnah also wrote a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, in which he pleaded for the postponement of the Constituent Assembly sine die, and called upon the Government to attend to restoring peace and order which was disturbed as a result of Bihar disturbances.

21 Nov. In a statement, Jinnah said that no representative of the Muslim League would participate in the Constituent Assembly and that the Bombay resolution of the Muslim League Council passed on 29 July stood intact. “I want to make it clear that no representative of the Muslim League should attend the Constituent Assembly summoned to meet on 9 December 1946,” he said.

28 Nov. AIML accepted invitation to visit the United Kingdom. Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan would proceed to London. Jinnah cancelled his Sindh tour.

3 Dec. The special plane bringing the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, with the Congress leader, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, President of the Muslim League, Jinnah, League Secretary, Liaquat Ali Khan and the Sikh Leader, Sardar Baldev Singh, for talks with the British Government on the Indian constitutional situation landed at the London airport today at 8 : 40 a.am. G.M.T. (2 :10 p.m. I.S.T.).

6 Dec. The R.T.C. talks on India finished after lasting for one hour and ten minutes. The Indian leaders met in conferenec with the Prime Minister Mr. Attlee, and members of the Cabinet Mission at No. 10, Downing Street, London. The conference which began at 6:00 p.m. G.M.T. (11:30 a.m. I.S.T.) ended at 7:10 G.M.T. (12:40 a.m. I.S.T. on Saturday).

9 Dec. A meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held in New Delhi which was attended by the Congress members including four non-League Muslim members : (1) Maulana Abul Kalam; (2) Asaf Ali; (3) Khan Ghaffar Khan; and (4) Rafi Ahmad Kidwai. The fifth non-Leaguer, Nawab Sir Muzafa Ali Khan Qazibash (Punjab Unionist), was absent. The League contingent was, of course not there.

14 Dec. Addressing the foreign correspondents, Jinnah, said : “The Interim Government should not be allowed to do anything administratively or by convention which in any way prejudice or militate against the problem of the future constitution of India and we shall certainly resist any such attept which directly or indirectly prejudice or militates against our demand of Pakistan.”

25 Dec. Jinnah was in Karachi when his birthday was celebrated all over India. In his message Jinnah said : “I am very thankful for the messages I have received wishing me many happy returns on my birthday from all over India. I am also thankful to the people of Karachi, where I happen to be today, who have, very warmly in various ways, given me their good wishes…I only want to say : Musalmans, maintain unity and discipline and success is yours, and I feel confident that we shall realize our cherished goal of Pakistan.”

1947 2 Jan. It was announced from Delhi the Secretariat of the AIML that the meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML fixed for 12 Jan., has been postoned to the third week of

January. The exact date and place of the meeting will be announced later.

1947 3 Jan. The Sindh Muslim League Party at its meeting held at Jinnah’s residence of Karachi resolved to carry out a programme which, among other things, include free and compulsory primary education, redressing grievances of Haris, steps to put an end to black marketing, immediate measures for welfaer and betterment of labour conditions, systematic encouragement of peasand proprietorship and effective control of money lending. About 24 members of the Assmebly were present at the meeting addressed by Jinnah. All decisions were unanimous and the deliberations lasted 45 minutes. The meeting decided to elect G.H. Hidayatullah as Leader and M.A. Khuhro as Deputy Leader. It also decided to nominate Syed Miran Mahmud Shah for the speakership, while the question of Deputy Speakership was left to the choice of the party later. The party also nominated six parliamentary secretaries and the include Rahimbux, son of the late Allahbux Qazi Akbar, Mrs. Allana, Kazi Fazlullah, Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Azam.

5 Jan. “Victory Day” was observed by the Muslim League throughout Sindh to celebrate its complete success at the polls during the recent Assembly elecitons. Muslim institutions and business houses hoisted League flags and the National Guards paraded through the main streets. At Karachi a public meeting attended by over 60,000 Muslims was addressed by Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, member of the Interim Government. Jinnah sent the following message on this occasion : “I congratulate the Muslims of Sindh over the brilliant victory they have achieved in the recent elections and if you remain united and disciplined and continue to work in the same spirit we will achieve Pakistan sooner than many people expect.”

11 Jan. A fourteen point demand has been made in a resolution passed by the Working Committee of the Bihar Provincial Muslim League in its meeting held at Patna “to give a last chance to the Bihar Government ot provide facilities for the formation of pockets of Muslim population of no less than 5000 persons in places selected by the Muslims.”

12 Jan. Replying to a welcome address from the Sindh Madrassah on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of the Madrassah Girl’s High School by his sister, Fatima Jinnah, Jinnah said : “Education is the foundation of every nation. The education for girls is as essential as that of boys. When both are educated, they will work hard hand in hand for the progress of the nation.”

26 Jan. Condemning the Punjab Government’s policy regarding the ban on the Muslim National Guards, Jinnah said in a press statement from Karachi : “The sudden swooping down upon the National Guard organization and declaring it unlawful under Section 16 of the Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, is a most high-handed and unwarranted action and besides it raises another very serious question : “It strikes at the root of civil liberties.” The Khan of Mamdot, President of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League, Firoz Khan Noon, a former member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan, former member of the Punjab Government, Begum Shah Nawaz, Mumtaz Daultana and Mian Iftikharuddin who were arrested on 24 January were released from Lahore Central Jail at 11:10 p.m. tonight. Other Muslim leaders who were also arrested have been released tonight.

28 Jan. An emergency meeting of the Punjab Muslim League leaders held today at the League Head Office in Lahore, after reviewing the situation created by the withdrawal of the ban on Muslim National Guards, decided to carry on mass struggle all over the province untill all restrictions on the people were withdrawn.

29 Jan. The AIML Working Committee re-assembled at 11:05 a.m. today at the residence of

Bunde Ali Khan Talpur, where Jinnah is staying. The Working Committee which met at 5:30 p.m. yesterday and adjourned their meeting at 9:30 p.m. discussed, it is understood, the situation in the Punjab, The Bihar tragedy and the 6 December statement of H.M.G. vis-a-A.IC.C. resolution.

1947 31 Jan-2 Feb. An AIML Working Committee meeting was held at Karachi. The Committee through a lengthy resolution withdrew League’s acceptance of the Cabinet Mission’s Plan, and called upon His Majesty’s Government to declare that the plan had failed in view of the rejection by the Congress. The resolution contained the sentiment expressed by M.A. Jinnah on his return from London criticizing the A.I.C.C. resolution as no more than a dishonest trick and jugglery of words, by which the Congress has again attempted to deceive the British Government, the Muslim League, and public opinion in general. The resolution further asserted that the Congress, thus rejected “the final appeal of his Majesty’s Government”, by its action in the Constituent Assembly, converting it into a body of its own conception, had destroyed all fundamentals of the statement of 16 May and every possibility of a compromise. The League, therefore, expressed the opinion that the Constituent Assembly should be forwith dissolved. Among other resolutions adopted included those declaring that the Congress Ministers in Bombay, Madras, the Central Provinces, Bihar, the United Provinces and Assam had failed to protect the Muslim population. It, therefore, asked the Governors of those provinces to use their special powers for safeguarding Muslim minority interests.

4 Feb. Nawabzada Rashid Ali Khan, President of the Lahore City Muslim League and 65 others, who led a huge procession of Muslims in defiance of the Punjab Public Safety Ordinance, were arrested this evening on the Mall.

6 Feb. 74 out of a total of 79 Muslim League members of the Punjab Assembly are at present in jail in connection with the League agitation against the Punjab Public Safety Ordinance, stated an official spokesman. The spokesman, however, could not give the total member of arrests which is stated to be about 13,000 by the Muslim League quarters.

20 Feb. Attlee, British Prime Minister, announced in the House of Commons that Britain will leave India by June 1948.

21 Feb. The Frontier Muslim League today launched an agitation in Mardan “to fihgt the repressive laws of the Frontier Government and to win back the civil liberties of people in the N.W.F.P.”

22 Feb. At a meeting of the Working Committee of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League, a Standing Finance Committee with Messers. Nurul Amin, Hamidul Haq Chowdhury, S.M. Usman, Shamsuddin Ahmed, Yusuf Ali Chowdhury, Karachi Anam Khan, Fazlur Rahman, Abdullah-al Mahmood and Habibullah Bahar was formed to go into the accounts and examine the financial position the Provincial Muslim League and to frame budget for the future. A Sub-Committee consisting of Messer. Abul Hashim, Hamidul Haq Chowdhury, Jasimuddin Ahmad Ghyasuddin Pathan and Habibullah Bahar with Jasimuddin Ahmad as Convenor was also constituted at the meeting to frame bye-laws under Rule 29 Sub-rule (a) (ii) of the League constitution.

23 Feb. Addressing a group of Bihar Musalmans in their refugee camp which he visited this evening, Jinnah, said : “The Muslim League will not yield an inch in their demand for Pakistan.” Jinnah presented Rs. 5000 for the relief of Bihar Musalmans.

1947 24 Feb. British troops were called out to help the police in restoring order in Amritsar city, as the demonstrations by the Muslim League took a serious turn today. The police used tear gas and restored to the lathi charges and revolver firing to disperse a crowd of Leaguers who became unruly and uncontrollable. There were pitched battles between the police and the crowd on Cooper Road, the former using tear gas and lathis and the latter stonse and brickbats. Of the 115 persons brought to hospital, 36 have beeb admitted, including Sh. Ikramul Haq, Additional District Magistrate, and Pandit Lakhpat Rai, a Sub-Inspector of Police.

26 Feb. A compromise between the Punjab Government and the Provincial Muslim League in connection with the 34-day old League agitatioin in the Punjab was announced at noon today.

27 Feb. The Muslim League Civil Disobedience Campaign in the Frontier Province, so far confined to Peshawar and Mardan, has spread to Hazara district where processions were taken out in various towns.

28 Feb. The first Indian Finance Minister’s Budget presented this evening by Liaquat Ali Khan, is demonstratedly a “socialistic budget”. On his own admission it represents “the first stage of a policy of social justice”, and related “not to purely financial purposes.” This came to be known as the “Poor-Man’s Budget.”

9 March. J.N. Mandal, Law Member of Interim Government, addressing the U.P. Scheduled Castes Federation Conference at Ferozabad said : “Pakistan will be established in the Punjab under the Muslim League and the N.W.F.P. will not remain aloof from the League.” He also said that “Jinnah is not only the leader of the Muslims but of all the minorities in India. He is the beggest man of India.”

10 March. Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan, President of the Assam Provincial Muslim League, was today arrested at Tezpur where an order under Section 144 has since been imposed.

12 March. Addressing the party given in his honour by the Bombay Provincial Muslim Journalist’s Association at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay, Jinnah said : “There was no other solution which would do credit and honour to the millions of Musalmans of India except Pakistan.”

13 March. Mahmud Ali, General Secretary, Assam Provincial Muslim League, in an interview said : “The Assam Government has put a clamp on the news emanating from the Province with regard to the movement against the Government’s eviction policy there. Hundreds of people are counting arrest from day to day and the movement has reached over the weekend.” Mahmud Ali was here in connection with the meetings of the Bengal-Assam joint Committee of Action. He further revealed that the Muslim League have no less than half a million volunteers ready to court arrest in due course.

14 March. The Punjab Muslim League Committee of Action met at Mamdot Villa this evening. Khan Iftikhar Hussain Khan of Mamdot, President of the Punjab Muslim League, presided.

16 March. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab Ismail Khan as President.

20-21 March. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held in Delhi with Nawab Ismail Khan as President.

1947 27 March. Calling for a truce—on the basis of Pakistan—Jinnah, declared at a party, “It is better to divide India and flourish than to fight for a united India and destroy everything.” He was addressing the members of the Memon Chamber of Commerce who were “At home” to him at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay.

30 March. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held today under the presidentship of Mohammad Ismail Khan. Khawaja Nazimudding and Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar attended the meeting. Ghazanfar Ali Khan and Siddiq Ali Khan were present by special invitaion. The Committee of Action by a resolution strongly condemned the Government of N.W.F.P. for creating circumstances in the province which were bound to bring about clash between the Red Shirts and other Muslims.

3 Arpil. Malik Feroz Khan Noon today said in Lahore that the Indian Muslims will not be satisfied with anything less than a full-fledged Pakistan—a sovereign independent sate comprising Muslim majority provinces.

4 April. It is learnt on good authority that some very prominent Uuionist Muslim MLA’s have assured the League and accordingly influenced the governor on behalf of all the Muslim Unionist members in the Assembly that they would support a Muslim Leauge Ministry in the Punjab.

Maulvi Ahmad Ali Chowdhury, a member of the Assam Provincial Muslim League Council, and Maulvi Mahmud Ali, Gengeral Secretary, Assam Provincial Muslim League, were arrested yesterday for leading a procession at Mankachar, in defiance of a prehistory order under Section 144 Cr. P.C.

5 April. The political talks initiated by the Viceroy entered their second phase when His Excellency received Jinnah. The conversations which were “friendly and informal” lasted an hour and fifty minutes. It being the first time that the two met each other, the talks naturally were of a preliminary nature; they just cleared the ground and paved the way for discussions of wider and serious issues, which would come up for consideration as the talks progress. The League leader drove to Viceregal Lodge at New Delhi at the appointed hour and was received by Lord and Lady Mountbatten. After the three had posed for the cameramen, Lady Mountbatten withdrew leaving the Viceroy and Jinnah together.

6 April. An emergent meeting of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League was held. Nurul Amin presided. H.S. Suhrawardy also attended the meeting. The present situation of Bengal and Assam was discussed and a programme has been chalked out for collection of funds to render help to the Calcutta riot victims and evictees of Assam. Later, Anwar Hussain, President, and Shah Azizur Rahman, Secretary, All-Bengal Muslim Student’s League, were co-opted ot the Provincial League Riot Sub-Committee and Bengal-Assam Committee of Action.

8 April. Haji Sattar Seth, regarded as one of Jinnah’s “right hand man”, declared in London today that whatever may be outcome of the conferences which the new Viceroy, Viscount Mountbatten, was not having with various Indian leaders, there was no possibility of 100,000,000 Muslim accepting “anything short of Pakistan.”

13 April. Presiding over the annual general meeting of the Muslim League Party in the Central Legislature, Jinnah is understood to have emphasized that there should be no slackening in the Muslim demand for Pakistan. Whatever the future might hold, he is reported to have said, the Muslim League Party should steadfastly stand by Pakistan and strive for it. Besides members of

the Party, League members in the Interim Government also attended the meeting. The party elected the following personal to the executive committee for the current year : Jinnah, leader; Khan Mohammad Yamin Khan, Secretary; Haji Abdul Sattar Ishaq Seith, Chief Whip; Siddiq Ali Khan and Ahmed Jaffer, Deputy Whips; and Yusuf Haroon Jaffer, Treasurer. Members of the present executive Committee were re-elected. It is understood the party has appointed a committee consisting of negotiate with the Government of India for a final settlement of transference of unclaimed interest belonging to muslims lying in the post office savings banks to a trust to be created. Mr. Frank Anthony, accompanied by Mr. C.F. Gibbon, saw Jinnah on 11 April and discussed with thim the position of Anglo-Indians in the Muslim majority areas.

1947 15 April. On the Viceroy’s initiative, Gandhi and Jinnah today jointly signed the following statement : “We deeply deplore the recent acts of lastlessness and violence that have brought the utmost disgrace on the fair name of India and the greatest misery to innocent people, irrespective of who were the aggressors and who were the victims. We dennounce for all time the use of force to achieve political ends, and we call upon all the communities of India, to whatever persuasion they may belong, not only to refrain from all acts of violence and disorder, but also to avoid, both in speech and writing, any incitement to such acts.”

17 April. In reply to the letter from Maulana Hafizur Rahman, General Secretary, Jamiat-ul-Ulema Hind, Jinnah said : “In view of the new situation that has arisen by virtue of the White Paper published by the British Government on 20 February 1947, and having regard to the grave issues which we have to face immediately, I agree with you that complete unity among the Musalmans is necessary and I have emphasized that more that one, particularly, in course of the last two or three weeks and I have appealed to every Musalman to join the Muslim League. This is not the moment for us to raise any issues concerning domestic differences and ti should be for us to settle them as an organized body, accoding to new constitution and rules. This is not the moment for us to be involved in the solution of our domestic problems when the external danger is facing us. I, therefore, most earnestly appeal to you to join the Muslim League without delay and make your contribution to Muslim national cause for the achievement of cherished goal of Pakistan.”

17 April. Lord Pethick Lawrence resigened from the office as Secretary of State for India and he is succeeded by Lord Listowel as Secretary of State for India and Burma. Compared to his predecessor Lord Listowel is younger in age.

21 April. In Delhi it is now felt that the question before the country today is no more : to divide of not to divide; but to divide and how to divide. In all sections of political opinion in Delhi, Pakistan is now taken for granted. Only the geographical content is in doubt. The Congress insists on the partition of the Punjab thus detaching unwilling, non-Muslim majority areas from the province. The Muslim League officially sticks to its demand of a “viable Pakistan”, though unofficially particularly the Punjab Muslim Leaguers are reported to tbe discussing to consider some kind of partition.

22 April. Muslim League women demonstrators in veils entered the All-India Radio Station, Peshawar, today. They demonstrators also hoisted the League flag on the buildings. Telephone wires ard reported to have been cut near Bannu, Kohat and Tank. Telegraph wires were also found damaged near Nowshera. Muslim League followers demonstrated in front of the car of Dr. Khan Shaheb while he was passing through Bannu on his way back from D.I. Khan where he had gone to see the riot-torn areas. They also organized processions in Abbottabad, Bannu and Kohat and picketed courts at Bannu, Kohat, Abbottabad, Hangu, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera and

Mansehra. In Peshawar two processions were organized—one by men and another by women Muslim Leaguers. Women processionists staged a demonstration in front of Dr. Khan Saheb’s residence.

1947 23 April. The Muslim League Worker’s Conference of Bengal and Assam was held at Dimakuri, Rangpur, says a wire from Ismail Khan, Assistant Secretary, Muslim League Rangpur. Owing to the ill-health of Giasuddin Pathan, Maulvi Mohammad Wais, MLA, presided. A large number of workers and National Guards assembled.

23 April. Jinnah had a three-hours interview with His Excellency Lord Mountbatten this afternoon. This was the Muslim League leader’s seventh meeting with the Viceroy, first being on 5 April and the last on 10 April.

23 April. Mahmud Ali, Gengeral Secretary of the Assam Provincial Muslim League, and Ajmal Ali Choudhury, member of the AIML Council, have been placed under detention for a period of two months under the Assam maintenance of Public Order Act.

24 April. An appeal to the Muslims of the N.W.F.P. to maintain peace and order during the His Excellency the Viceroy’s visit on 28 April was made today by Jinnah. Jinnah disclosed that the situation in the province had been specifically discussed during his three-hours meeting yerterday with Lord Mountbatten. The League leader said : “As a result of my talks with His Excellecncy, I feel that he is determined to play fair. The fact that he is going to the Frontier is a clear indication of his earnestness to examine the situation personally and remove the root causes of the trouble.”

—, Ch. Khaliquzzaman, a member of the League Working Committee, who is currently touring Baluchistan, in reply to a reception accorded to him in Quetta, dectared : “We have to prove to the world that we still possess the blood to rule and I ask you to conserve your enthasiasm for maintaining establishement may be announced in a period of a month.”

28 April. A meeting of the Committee of Action of the AIML was held at Delhi with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

30 April. Jinnah, in a statement issued today denounced the demand for a partition of the Punjab and Bengal as “a minister more actuated by spite and bitterness.” He also said : “I do hope that neither the Viceroy nor His Majesty’s Government will fall into this trap and commit a grave error”. He reiterated his demand for the creation of Muslim National State consisting of the six provinces. “The transfer of power to Pakistan and Hindustan Government”, said Jinnah, “must mean a division of the defence forces. This is a clear-cut road and the only practical solution of India’s constitutional problem.”

2 May. A Muslim League deputation from the N.W.F.P. consisting of the Pir of Manki Sharif, Khan Abdul Qaiyum Khan, Samim Jan Khan, Mian Abdullah Khan and Arbab Noor Mohammad Khan arrived in Delhi by air this evening. They are meeting Jinnah tomorrow morning. These leaders have been released on parole by the Frontier Gonvernment ot enable them to meet Jinnah in Delhi. This was allowed on the orders of Viceroy.

6 May. Onec again after two years and nine months, Gandhi and Jinnah met, differed and separated today in Delhi, but they again issued a joint appeal for peace in the country.

7 May. While declaring that the is unable to disagree with the decision of the Frontier League

leaders taken on 1 May not to call off the movement against the Khan Saheb Ministry, Jinnah, in a long statement issued today, makes a fervent appeal to aal Muslims, particularly Leaguers, to do everything in their power to remain peaceful.

—, In a statement to the Press, Jinnah said that the N.W.F.P. Movement started by the Frontier League Leaders will not be called off.

1947 11 May. Jinnah today said in New Delhi that if the British decide that India must be divided, “then the Central Government must be dissolved and all power should be transferred to the two Constituent Assemblies formed and representing Pakistan and Hindustan.”

18 May. When Lord Mountbatten took off for London this morning on what may be terned an epoch-making mission, he had the satifaction of carrying with him a large measure of support from all the three Indian parties—The Congress, the Muslim League and the Sikhs—to his draft plan for the transfer of power to Indian hands, it is reliably understood. In contrast with Lord Wavell’s mission to London in the past, the present Viceory may be said to be in an advantageous position.

20 May. In a meeting with Haji Surat Khan, President of the Loralai District, Baluchistan Muslim League, who met him in New Delhi this morning, Jinnah gave the message : “Pakistan is in sight and Baluchistan will be a part of it.”

21 May. In response to questions put by Doon Campbell, Reuter’s correspondent, Jinnah highlighted the demanded for a corridor between East and West Pakistan, for friendly and reciprocal relations between Hindustan and Pakistan. A Military Alliance, Pact or Treaty between the two and membership of U.N.O. for Pakistan.

3 June. The Partition Plan prepared by Lord Mountbatten keeping in the principle of Pakistan by dividing Punjab and Bengal announced with the approval of Jinnah, Gandhi, Nehru, and Baldev Singh. Partition is to come throuhg various stages. Nehru, Jinnah and Baldev Singh also spoke on the Indian Radio, accepting the Plan. Jinnah’s acceptance was on the plea that the AIML Council in its meeting to be held on 9 June will accept the Plan.

4 June. Nearly 1000 Muslim women went to Jinnah’s house in Delhi this morning shouting League slogans and contratulated him on the achievement of Pakistan. Jinnah came out of his house to acknowledge the ovation by the women. A stream of visitors came to Jinnah’s residence today to congratulate him on the achievement of Pakistan, J.N. Mandal, Law Member in the Interim Government, in a statement on the British Government’s Plan, congratulated Jinnah on the achievement of Pakistan where, he says, he feels sure the rights of the Scheduled Castes would be protected.

5 June. Lord Mountbatten is determined not to allow the grass to grow under his feet. The foundations of the separtation were laid this morning when His Excellency met the seven representative Indian leaders—Pandit Nehru, Sardar V. Patel, Acharya J.H. Kirplani, Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan, Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar and Sardar Baldev Singh “to discuss with them a paper handed to them at the previous meeting on the administrative consequences which would ensure, If partition is decided upon, and the machinery which it would be necessary to set up to give effect ot partition.” Khan Mohammad Aslam Khan, President of the Peshawar City Muslim League, and member of the Frontier Muslim League was Council, announced today in Peshawar that the Frontier Muslim League civil disobedience movement had been called off from today.

1947 9-10 June. AN AIML Council meeting was held in Delhi wiht Jinnah as President. Resolutions adopted included those accepting the scheme of 3 June “as a compromise” and authorizing Jinnah to work out the details and deal with the problems as they arise. Only eight members in a house of about 400 are reoported to have voted against the resolution. Contrary to expectations, when the Council resumed its evening session Jinnah was the only speaker. Jinnah commended the resolution placed before the House accepting the British Government’s scheme as compromise. The corridors of the Hotel Imperial—the venue of the Council of the AIML—echoed to cries of “Pakistan Zindabad”, and “Shah-en-Shah Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah” as Muslim leaders arrived this morning one after the other. On Jinnah’s arrived, when the crowd shouted “Shah-en-Shah Mohammad Ali Jinnah”, Jinnah gently rebuked them for shouting the slogan, and expressed disapproval of it.

11-12 June. A meeting of the Committee of Action was held at Delhi with Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan as President.

17 June. Jinnah, in a statement, announces that he has appointed a committee consisting of I.I. Chundrigar, Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Pir Saheb of Manki Sharif, and Syed Wajid Ali to supervise and control the Muslim League organization in the N.W.F.P. and to make arrangements to face the referendum which is going to be held in the Frontier, for the people to decide whether they would join the Pakistan Constituent Assembly or the Hindustan Constituent Assembly.

18 June. To hold referendum and run the risk of allowing Pathan to fight Pathan or to negotiate an amicable settlement between the two contending parties and bypass the explosive referendum;—this is the question that has been exercising the minds of the Congress, the Viceroy and the Muslim League. The Frontier problem has been the main preoccupation in the capital in the last two days. It is fully realized in both the Congress and League camps that there is a great risk of clashes between the protagonists of the contending parties during the period of the referendum. Gandhi is believed to be the prime mover in bringing about present talks on the question of the N.W.F.P. referendum. Earlier this week, Gandhi at one of his prayer meeting expressed the hope that the Pathans would not have to submit to a referendum, but would amicably settle the issue among them. There were the kinds of parleys going on between Jinnah, Gandhi and Gaffar Khan. In the meantime, the surprise development is the announcement tonight that Sir Olaf Caroe, the Governor Of N.W.F.P., is going on leave immediately, and that His Majesty’s Government has approved the appointment of Lt. Gen. Sir Rob Likhart as Governor of that province.

23 June. The Punjab is to be partitioned. The memebers of the Provincial Assembly in their meeting in Lahore gave their verdict this morning. At a joint session of the two sections of the Punjab Assembly—Western and Eastern Punjab—held with Dewan Bahadur S.P. Singha in the chair, 91 members voted for the new Constituent Assembly. Before the joint sitting, the two section, Lala Bhimsen Sachar, leader of the Congress Party, and Malik Firoz Khan Noon, on behalf of the Muslim League Party, demanded a joint sitting of the two Sections. A joint meeting was accordingly arranged within 15 minutes, and the House gave its verdict in favour of a new Constituent Assembly. Thereafter, two sections met again separately. The 91 members who voted in favour of the Punjab joining a new Constituent Assembly at the joint session of the Assembly included 88 Muslims, two Indian Christians and one Anglo-Indian. The Hindu, Sikh, and Scheduled Caste representives numbering 77 voted for the present Constituent Assembly. The 88 Muslims included 8 Muslim Unionists, led by Sir Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana.

1947 26 June. A meeting of the Working Committee of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League held in Calcutta at the residence of Maulana Mohammad Akram Khan. It is understood that the question of Bihar refugees who are now staying in West Bengal was discussed.

27 June. With the division of the country placed beyond doubt, following on the voted verdict in the Punjab, Bengal and Sindh earlier in the week, the Interim Cabinet’s Separation Committee yield place to the Partition Council. The Viceroy presided over the first meeting of the Council held today in Delhi at the Viceroy’s House. The Council is not a Cabinet Committee, as the earlier Separation Committee was. It compromises two members representing India and two Pakistan, Sardar Vallabhi Patel and Dr. Rajendra Parasad, who represented the Congress on the Cabinet Separation Committee, now represent India on the Partition Council, while Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan represent Pakistan, Abdur Rab Nishtar, who was a member of the Separation Committee standing down in favour of Jinnah. The expert committees and the several sub-committess appointed to hold detailed investigations on foreign problems arising from the partition of the country will not be directed by, or a report to, the Partition Council. Simultaneously with the partition work, says an Associated Press of India message, the Muslim League is going ahead with the preliminaries of organizaiton of the Pakistan Government. It is understood that the Muslim League have asked the Government of India to accord first priority for railway movements, allocation of cement building materials, other equipment, including type writers and furniture, telephones, etc. for the Pakistan Secretariat to be set up in Karachi. The Muslim League High Command is now engaged in New Delhi is establishing the Pakistan Central Secretariat, it is gathered from informed League quarters here in Karachi. It is understood that the League members in the Interim Government will be relieved of their routine duties in the Government of India from first week of July to enable them finally to pick and choose the men who will be called upon to man the key positions in the Secretariat to commerce work in Karachi from 1 August. According to a communication from the Auditor-General of India to the Local Controller, some 270 gazetted officers and 4000 non-gazetted employees will be transferred from the present Government of India to the proposed Pakistan Central Government with headquarters at Karachi. They will be drawing their salaries at Karachi from 1 September.

28 June. In a statement to the press, Jinnah, said that the resolution of the Frontier Congress demanding a free Pathan State of all the Pakhtoons is a direct breach of the acceptance by the Congress of H.M.G.’s Plan of 3 June.

2 July. For the second day in succession the five Indian leaders, Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Sardar V. Patel, M.A. Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, assembled in the Viceroy’s house in Delhi today to study the draft India Bill, which will confer Dominion Status on India and Pakistan. Congress and Muslim League leaders met in separate rooms to discuss the Bill. They were accompanied by their respective constitutional advisers and experts, while Sir B.N. Rau and V.P. Memon were the two officials present at the meetings. The leaders may meet once again tomorrow for the last time to consider the draft before submitting to the Viceroy their reactions to it so that before the weekend the Bill is expert will be back in Whitehall accompanied by the resolutions of the Indian leaders. It is believed that the present headquarters of the Northern Command will be converted into the G.H.Q. of the Pakistan Army and immediate steps are being taken for the purpose.

4 July. Two independent Dominions, known as India and Pakistan, will come into existence on 15 August 1947, under the provisions of the Indian Independence Bill introduced in Parliament today—i.e. House of Commons.

1947 6 July. Referendum in the N.W.F.P. began today in various districts for the purpose of their joining Pakistan or Hindustan. At the same time, referendum in Sylhet began today to determine whether the district should remain in Assam or join the Pakistan State of East Bengal.

9 July. A Committee of Muslim lawyers with Dr. Khalifa Shuja-ud-Din, Bar-at-Law, as Convenor, has been set up in Lahore to advise the Pakistan Constituent Assembly on various issues and problems that will confront it in the drafting of a constitution. The members of the committee include Mr. Khurshid Zaman, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Mahmud Ali, adn Ahamd Sajjid Dirmani.

—, A meeting of the Working Committee of the All-India States Muslim League was held in Delhi today to discuss the position of Muslims in various Indian states including Jammu and Kashmir.

10 July. British Prime Minister Attlee announced today in the House of Commons that the present Viceroy of India, Admiral Lord Mountbatten had been rcommended as Governor-General of India and Mohammad Ali Jinnah as Governor-General of Pakistan. Attlee also said that while the formal announcement could not be made until the passing of the India Independence Bill, the King had intimated that he would be prepared to accept the recommendations as soon as the Bill was passed.

—, This morning the Viceroy also presided over a meeting of the Partition Council.

11 July. Jinnah, at his first press conference today in New Delhi after the announcement of his appointment as Governor-General of Pakistan, assrured the minorities in Pakistan that their religion, faith, life, property, and culture would be fully protected. Members of the minority communities in Pakistan, be announced, would be treated as full citizens, and he spiritedly repudiated the suggestion that Pakistan would be a theocratic State. The Governor-General-designate of Pakistan would have to discharge his obligations of citizenship. “Every citizen must be loyal to the State and owe true allegiance to it”, observed Jinnah. “One cannot have minorities disloyal to the State and sabotaging it.”

—, As the result of referendum in Sylhet it is officially declared that Sylhet has decided to join Pakistan. Congratulatory cables and letters were also received by Jinnah in this connection.

18 July. After being passed by the Houses of Commons and House of Lords, the Indian Independence Bill was today signed by the British King.

20 July. In the N.W.F.P. referendum, 50.49 per cent. A ‘communique’ issued from the Viceroy’s House this afternoon said :

Valid votes for Pakistan : 2,89,244
Valid votes for India : 2,874
Majority : 2,86,370
Percentage of valid votes to the electorate entitled was 50.99 per cent.
Valid voter cast in the last election were 3,75,989.
The total electorate entitled to vote in the referendum was 5,72,781.

—, A deputation of five Muslim League leaders met the Frontier Governor today. The deputation consisted of Khan Samin Jan Khan, President of the Provincial Muslim League, Khan Abdul Qaiyum Khan, Leader of Opposition in the Frontier Assembly, Khan Mohammad Ali Khan,

Secretary, Provincial Muslim League, Khan Habibullah Khan, Secretary, Frontier Muslim League Parliamentary Party, and Khan Ghulam Mohammad Khan. The deputation is reported to have apprised the Governor of the situation in the province. Three of the five members of the deputaiton were scheduled to leave tomorrow for Dehli, where they will meet Jinnah and inform him of the latest developments in the province. Dr. Khan Saheb, Frontier Premier, Khan Abdul Qaiyum Khan, Leader of the Opposition, and Mehr Chand Khanna, Finance Minister, saw the Frontier Governor today.

1947 25 July. It is announced that in consequence of the enactment of the Indian Independence Act, both the chambers of the existing Indian Legislature and all committees elected or appointed by either of the two chambers will cease to function with effect from 15 August.

26 July. The setting of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan by the Governor-General is announced in a statement issued from the office of the Reforms Commissioner today. The names of members were also announced.

29 July. The Pakistan Constituent Assembly Secretariate will assemble at Karachi on 30 July. The staff, besided Bashir Ahmed, Secretary, and Messrs Ali Afzal of Bengal and Hasnain, Deputy Secretaries, will number about 700. The preliminary session which will begin on 10 August, will last a week, during which a number of committees will be appointed to get ahead with the preliminaries of Pakistan and provinsional constitutions. On 14 August, Lord Mountbatten will address the Assembly before the formal transfer of power to the Dominion of Pakistan. Jinnah will be sworn in on 15 August at Government House, probably by the Chief Justice of India, as the Governor-General of Pakistan.

30 July. The commanders of the three arms of the fighting forces of India and Pakistan have been selected by the respective Provinsional Governments. The appointments are effective from 15 August, according to a commnuique from the Viceroy’s House.

—, In a statement issued today from New Delhi Jinnah reiterates that the AIML has no intention of coercing any state into adopting any particular course of action.

4 Aug. It is reliably learnt that the broad design of the Pakistan flag is finally settled. It will contain a white vertical strip, a third in dimension of the flag, rest in deeply green with a crescent and a star.

7 August. It was tumultuous reception which Jinnah, Governor-General-designate of Pakistan, received at the Mauripur airport this evening, when he returned from Delhi to his birthplace (Karachi) with his dream of Pakistan fully realized. Long before the Viceroy’s York aircraft in which he travelled was sighted, surging crowds besieged the R.A.F. airport and broke the police cordons when Jinnah landed. Cries rent the air as Jinnah smilingly broadly stepped out of the plane dressed in spotless Indian attire. A barrage of cameras clicked. Liaquat Ali Khan, Premier of the Pakistan Interim Cabinet, was the first to greet Jinnah and his sister, both of whom walked out a few step the crowds closed in.

9 August. A meeting of the Muslim League party, held in Karachi was presided over by Jinnah which lasted 45 minutes, and it is understood that the meeting proposed the appointment of a number of committees on the lines adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly to deal with problems of procedure, minorities, fundamental rights and other allied subjects.

1947 10 August. The constitutional foundation of the dominion of Pakistan was stated here today in Sindh’s historic capital amidst scenes of animation. The inaugural session of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly Hall and was attended by 52 out of the 69 members. It lasted on hour. Jogendra Nath Mandal was elected chairman for the day after his name has been proposed by Liaquat Ali Khan. After his election in moving ovation. Mandal paid a glowing tribute to Jinnah, “the great architect of Pakistan”, as “one of the greatest statement and great men in the world.”

11 Aug. Jinnah elected President of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly unanimously. On his election this morning as President of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly, Jinnah, Governor-General-designate of the new Dominion, declared that the constitution framed by the House would be an example to the whole world. He made it clear that justice and fair play would be the guiding principles of the new State. “We are starting with the fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of Pakistan with no distinction of caste or community”, he declared.

12 Aug. Junagadh State decided to join the Pakistan Dominion, it was learnt here tonight. Ismail Ahmad, Secretary for constitutional affairs to Junagadh State, who arrived Karachi, yesterday met Jinnah today and communicated to him the decision of the State.

—,“Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Governor General of Pakistan”, —this is how Jinnah will be addressed in all official acts, documents and correspondence from 15 August—the day of which the Dominion of Pakistan will be established. A resolution to his effect was carried in the Constituent Assembly today on a motion by Liaquat Ali Khan.

13 Aug. The Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten accompanied by Lady Mountbatten, the Hon. Pamela Mountbatten and personal staff, arrived in Karachi at 5:30 p.m. today in his personal York from Delhi. Their Excellencies were received at the Mauripur airport by Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, Governor designate of Sindh, and Sindh ministers and other high civil-military officials. Col. Burmie, Military Secretary to Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah, received their Excellencies on behalf of the Governor-General designate. The Viceregal party drove to the Government House, where, it is expected, the Viceroy will preside over the last Cabinet meeting of the Pakistan Provisional Government.

14 Aug. Addressign this morning the Pakistan Constituent Assembly, Lord Mountbatten said the birth of Pakistan was a great event in history and conveyed at the outset the greeting and the warnest wishes of His Majesty the King and his own. Quaid-i-Azam in his reply reciprocated the good wishes of His Majesty and Lord Mountbatten and affirmed : “We are parting as friends and we shall ever remain friends.” He hoped that the great preachings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) would continue to pervade in the Dominion of Pakistan. He also reiterated his assurances to the minorities.

15 Aug. Jinnah was sworn in as Pakistan’s first Governor-General in Karachi. Liaquat Ali Khan, as Prime Minister, and othe members of his cabinet were also sworn in Karachi as Pakistan Government.

17 Aug. The Award of the Punjab and Bengal Boundary Commission presided over by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, was announced in Delhi today.

22 Aug. Dr. Khan Saheb’s Ministry was today dismissed from office and the Governor has invited Khan Abdul Qaiyum Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the N.W.F.P. Legislative Assembly to form the Ministry, states a communique from Government House, Peshawar this

afternoon. After the dismissal of the Khan Saheb Ministry, Khan Abdul Qaiyum Khan saw the Governor, Sir George Cunningham, at Government House. The Associated Press of India learns that Khan Abdul Qaiyum Khan has accepted the invitation to form the Ministry. The outgoing Congress Ministry took office in March 1946 after the general elections, and remained in office for about 17 months. The Muslim League launched a province-wide civil disobedience movement in February 1947 to displace the Congress Ministry.

1947 11 Sept. In a resolution the Bengal Provincial Muslim League Working Committee decided to shift the provincial office from Calcutta. A Regional Committee is to be set up for West Bengal with a view to looking after the interest of West Bengal Muslims. The President of the Regional Committee who is also authorized to nominate members of the Committee.

14-15 Dec. An AIML Council meeting was held in Karachi with Jinnah as President. The proceedings which lasted altogether about six hours over the two days were held in camera. Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, dressed in a black sherwani and wearing a black Jinnah cap, entered the Khalikdina Hall on 15 Dec., where the session was held at 10:45 p.m. after which the doors were closed for the in-camera session. When Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah, accompanied by Miss Fatima Jinnah came out of the hall, he was greeted by thousands who had lined the roadside with shouts of “Pakistan Zindabad” and “Quaid-i-Azam Zindabad.” Resolutions adopted include those deciding to set up separate Muslim League organizations for Pakistan and the Indian Union.

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APPENDICES

List of Appendices

Nawab Salimullah Scheme (1906) ` 218

AIML Inaugural Session : Resolution (1906) 225

AIML Rules & Regulations (1907) 226

Congress—League Scheme of Reform, (1916) 242

Delhi Muslim Proposals (1927) 247

Nehru’s Report on Minority Representation (1928) 250

Jinnah’s “Fourteen Points” (1929) 256

AIML Parliamentary Board Manifesto (1936) 267

AIML Constitution (1937) 274

Jinnah’s Presidential Address at AIML Lahore 285

Session (22 March 1940)

Lahore Resolution (1940) 290

The Constitutiion and the Rules of the All India Muslim 292

League (February 1946)

League Legislators Resolution (1946) 308

AIML Resolutions Cabinet Mission (1946) 311

League on the Interim Government (1946) 320

Jinnah on the Partition Plan (1947) 322

Legaue on the Partition (1947) 325

Resolution on Bifurcation of AIML, 327

(16 December 1947)

List of AIML Presidents and Secretaries (1906-1947) 331

1.Moslem All-India Confederacy : Nawab Salimullah of Dacca’s Scheme, November 1906

In November 1906, Nawab Salimullah of Dacca circuleted a scheme for the formation of a “Muslim All India Confederacy” which envisaged the establishement of a Central Muslim Association to safeguard Muslim interests. This scheme which was widely commented upon by Muslim leaders from various Provinces and discussed at length at the Dacca meeting on 30 December 1906 became the basis for the formation of the AIML.

Despite our efforts, we have not been able to locate a printed copy of the scheme, but we have come across two versions in the press, which we reproduce below.—Ed.

Nawab Salimullah of Dacca was the person who took the first concrete step towards establishing a Muslim organization. In November 1906, he circulated a scheme for the formation of the Muslim All-India Conferderacy. The scheme was the embryo from which the Muslim legaue emerged. The relevant text of Nawab Salimullah Khan’s letter is as follow :

This being the birthday of His Majesty our most gracious King Emperor, I think it an asupicious for me today to place before my Mohammedan brethren my views on the project of our Muslim All-India Confederacy.

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Sharif a Mujahid, ed., Muslim League Documents, (Karachi : Quaid-i-Azam Academy, 1990), Vol. I, pp. 219-23

Owing to my inability to attend the All-India Mohammedan Deputation to His Excellency the Viceroy at Simla, I penned a few notes for the information of my brother delegates on the advisability of forming a Central Mohammedan Association for all India, which could bring into touch the aims and aspiration of our community throughout the country.

These notes were, I learnt, discussed at an informal meeting of those present at Simla and it was proposed, without coming to any definite resolution, that the matter should be finally settled at the All-India Mohammedan Educational Conference at Dacca during the Christmas week next December, and in the meantime the scheme, as drafted, may be submitted for discussions to all our various Mohammedan associations and societies, as well as to those pre-eminent amongst our co-religionists, for their collective and individual opinion and advice.

I have, therefore, in view of the discussion that took place at Simla, enlarged these notes, and now submit them to our Association, friends and co-religionists in the various parts of the country, as well as to the press for favour of bona fide, honest and fearless discussion, which may lead us to a modus operandi for the establishment of an institution of the character I propose should be formed. I shall, therefore, feel obliged to those associations which will be sending their delegates and those gentlemen representing their provinces who will be pleased to attend the Conference at Dacca, if these gentelmen come fully authorized to express the views of the associations and provinces, so that our deliberations, as much as possible, may voice of the whole Muslim community.

From the information I received, I find the majority of those present at the informal meeting, as well as others consulted at Simla, were in favour of a central All-India association of the kind

sketched out by me in my notes; but I desire that every consideration should be paid to the views of the minority, so that after full deliberations, those whom we may not for the present succeed in fully getting into agreement with us, will nevertheless merge their individul difference and heartily co-operate with the majority for the common good of Islam and our community.

It was hinted by some that there was no necessity for any such Central Association, inasmuch as it would cripple and starve the local associations, and instead of a central association; local associations should be formed where none at present exist. But if anything, a central association of the kind I propose will be the very medium of starting, where none is in existence, and fostering a local association, or the necessity for the same being established. While a very few seem to have fear that a central association of the kind we want would interfere with such a centre of Mohammedan life as is now bound up with the Aligarh College and Institute, one of the chief principles of its noble founder, laid down for our guidence, being to avoid all politics. But while the central association will, I trust, be the menas of not only enlarging the usefulness and scope of the Aligarh College, it will be able, I hope, to find time to establish institutions in each province on lines laid down by the Aligarh College. While as regards politics there can be no question that, unless we desire to be left back in the race for life, we must march with the times. The noble foundations of the Aligarh College were laid 25 years ago and the institute has achieved its purpose but to keep up its ability ans usefulness, we have to enter into the next stage of our political life of the country and nation; and I only desire that full and earnest consideration may be given by my co-religionists to the scheme which has claimed my attention for some time, and to such other schemes as may be submitted for our consideration, so that we may come, after full deliberation, to something that will advance the well-being of our community.

The necessity of a Central Association : To the majortiy of my countrymen, I believe, the necessity of a central association is fully established; the keynote of it was struck by our All India Deputation ot additional interests of our own, which are not shared by other communities, and these have sufferd from the fact that they have not been adequately represented.

And it is hardly possible that these additional interests, peculiarly our own, can be safeguarded and protected unless there is a central authority to which the Government can took for aid and advice, and it would not be out of place to quote here the remarks of the Times of India. In its article on the Mohammedan Deputation to the Viceroy it states, “it may be hoped that one result of the unity of feelings thus aroused amongst Muslims will be that they will be able to express, from time to time, as occasion requires, the views of the community which is in many respects distinct, with, as the Memorial said, additional interests of its own which are not shared by any other community.” The Times of India foreshadows what is really being felt by thoughtful members of our community : that the authorities are getting bewildered owing to the multiplicity of Muslim associations now coming into existence, and our young men, in various parts of the country assuming to speak on behalf ot the whole Muslim community of India, and on many occasions, which I need not here mention, in direct opposition and conflict to each other. I am aware of several instances wherein untold mischief has occurred through irresponsible Mohammedan gentlemen, and associations sprung up and were created by some (who really at heart have no regard for our community) for the sole purpose of establishing their own political importance, addressing Government and the public, without anyone to question their right to do so…of course Government cannot refues to receive any representation from any corporate body or individual, however distinguished or undistinguished they or he may be, yet such representation fails to carry weight owing to the authorities not knowing how far the views contained therein are consonant with the views of the Muslim community as a whole. And even when such views are adopted by the authorities, they fail in receiving respectful concurrence from the Muslim in general, as being the views of only some particular associations or individuals, and more or less misleading, thereby causing much harm to the Muslim

community as a whole. Hence if there were an All India association of the kind I propose, Government will be able to refer to it all such representations as may be received by the authorities, to ascertain the views of the community in general before finally passing orders thereon; and there will then be no danger of any party or parties misrepresenting the facts to serve individual interests.

The Aims and objects of the Association : It is absolutely necessary that the aims and objects of the Association should be definitly stated; and although I am sure I shall not receive any hearty support from some of my co-religionists, yet I for one honestly believe that the time has come when, if the Association is to be a force and power for good, it must at the very outset lay down its policy and object and I would do so as follows :

That the sole object and purpose of the Association shall be, whenever possible, to support all measures emanating from the Government and to protect the cause and advancement of the interest of our co-religionists throughout the country.

How this is to be done I know below : Name : A suitable name is one of the greatest desiderata of an institution such as we contemplate, and after a careful consideration of several appellations, I think, the Mohammedan All-India Confederacy would suit us best, as the Association would be the mouth-piece of all the various Muslim institutions, social, religious and political, as well as of the leading men throughout the country, who will have allied themselves together for the one common object of protecting the interests and advancing the cause of their co-religionists.

The Object or Raison D’etre : (a) To controvert the growing influence of the so-called Indian National Congress, which has a tendency to misinterpret and subvert the British Rule in India, or which may lead to that deplorable situation, and (b) to enable our young men of education, who for want of such an association, have joined the Congress Camp, to find scope to exercise their fitness and ability for public life.

From the trend of the discussion in Simla, there is, I believe, disinclination to state our object and reason in this bold and blunt manner, as it will, it is contended, arouse the ire and anger of our Hindu brethren. But I think that time has come when we must no longer mind matters—we must not stand upon a sentiement—it is mere sentiment that is causing such havoc and misery in the present partition of And the question that we, the Mohammedans, must honestly discuss and decide is whether the policy now openly declared by those who are termed ‘extremists’ is one conductive to the maintenance of the British Raj; and if, as we must hold, it is not, we must then consider whether those gentlemen forming the ‘Extremist Party’ do or do not form part and percel of Indian National Congress, and unless and Congress is an open and public assembly, and by a resolution disassociates itself from the views of this party, we Mohammedans cannot countenance or be associated with the Congress. We are sorry, but cannot deny that the so-called Indian National Congress has become a potent voice in the counsels of the country. We must therefore, as true and loyal subjects of the British Raj, do our utmost to controvert and thwart that influence which it has attained, when we find it working for the destruction of all that we hold dear…

There is no doubt that many of our young educated Mohommedans find themselves shoved off the line of official preferment and promotion, unless they join, or at least show sympathy with the Congress Party. All our Mohammedan newspapers are full of the cry that there is now-a-days not the same death of Mohammedan graduates and under-graduates as before, but they are passed over (in fact this was pointedly alluded to in the All-India address to the Viceroy) on the ground that they do not come up ‘to the Government standard of efficiency’. The Executive Committee of the Confederacy will be in constant communication with the local associations, and will watch the career of our promising young men who

will no longer look to the Congress for their advancement in life.

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Inaugural Session, Dacca, 30 December 1906 : Resolution

Resolution 1

Resolved that this meeting composed of Musalmans from all parts of India, assembled at Dacca, decide that a Political Association be formed, styled All-India Muslim Leauge, for the furtherance of the following objects :

To promote, among the Musalmans of India, feelings of loyalty to the British Government, and to remove any misconception the may arise as to the intention of Government with regard to any of its measures.

To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Musalmans of India, and to respectfully represent their needs and aspirations to the Government.

To prevent the rise, among the Musalmans of India, of any feeling of hostility towards other communities, without prejudice to the other aforementioned objects of the League.

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1.Mujahid (ed.), Muslim League Documents, vol. I, p. 164

3.AIML Rules and Regulations, 1907

Approved by the Representative Committee under Resolution No. 3, passed at the Karachi Session of the AIML, 29-30, December 1907, and issued under the authority of Nawab Viqarul Mulk Maulvi Mushtaq Hussain, Honorary Secretary, AIML, Aligarh, 1908,—Ed.

Introduction

While presenting a Memorial to the Viceroy by a Deputation of Muslims on 1 October 1906, the prominent Muslim leaders, after thorough discussions and mutual consultations, had come to the conclusion that a plan should be devised in order to safeguard the Muslim political rights on a permanent basis. Discussion on such a plan of action was, however, first initiated in Agra and Oudh in October 1901. It was, therefore, decided at this juncture that local organizations should be constituted in each province and a prestigious political organization be set up on an all India basis, which should comprise prominent and capable persons dedicated to the task of safeguarding Muslim rights. Since the session of All India Mohammedan Educational Conference was to be held at Dacca shortly, it was decided that conclusion of this session, the setting up of such an organization be mooted and decided upon. A circular to this effect was therefore issued to all concerned. Thus, 30 December 1906 is that memorable day when the foundation of the All India Muslim Legaue was laid at Dacca after a good deal of discussions and deliberations. The proceedings of its first annual session have already been notified.

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Mujahid, Muslim League Documents, vol. 1, pp. 181-190

In this session, a Provinsional Committee comprising sixty members was formed under Resolution No. 2 to prepaer the constitution of the League. A draft constitution was prepared and sent to all and sundry and published in the press with a view to eliciting opinion from various quarters. Opinions received were incorporated in the draft wherever feasible anf found desirable.

The third resolution at the Dacca meeting envisaged that consequent on the preparation of the draft constitution, notable persons from various provinces should get another to consider and adopt it. Consequently, a meeting at Bankipur was fixed for the purpose. However, when the consent of the provinces was called for on the issue, it was finally decided that the meeting should be held at Karachi at the conclusion of the All India Mohammedan Educational Conference. This decision was notified to all concerned, and accordingly a meeting of the All India Muslim League was held on 29-30 December 1907. On the first day, Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy, who had taken the trouble of undertaking a rather strenuous journey from Bombay to Karachi in his old age as a gesture of his concern for the Muslim cause, presided over the session. After the presidential address and other deliberations including a vote of thanks to the chair, the session concluded and it was decided that members of the Provinsional Committee present on the occasion including members of the Simla Deputation should consider and adopt the constitution.

According to this resolution, the said members considered the draft in all its aspects and after thorough discussions and mutual consultations passed it with certain amendments.—Mushtaq Hussain, Secretary, AIML.

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Rules and Regulations

Article 1. Name. The name of the League shall be All India Muslim League.

Aims and objects

Article 2. The aims of the League shall be under :

To promote among the Musalmans of India feelings of loyalty to the British Government and to remove any misconceptions that may aries as to the intentions of Government with regard to any of its measures.

To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Musalmans of India and respectfully to represent their needs and aspirations to Government.

To prevent the rise among the Musalmans of India of any feeling of hostility towards other communities without prejudice to the other objcets of the League.

Membership

A person must be a subject of British India.

He must be at least 25 years of age.

He should be able to read and write any of the Indian languages fluently, and speak it.

He must have at least an income of Rs. 500 p.m. Parent’s income will also qualify for membership.

Under certain specific circumstances, exemption may be granted by the Central Committee of the All India Muslim League.

Article 4. The membership of the League shall comprise a maximum of 400 members, divided provincc wise as under :

At least fifty and not exceeding 200 members shall be appointed by nomination in the meeting in which the Rules & Regulations are passed. The rest shall be appointed subsequently under Article 5.

The first group of nominated members shall comprise the 33 members who participated in the Simla Deputation on 1 October 1906, who are still alive and have not joined government service.

The second group of membership shall comprise those 35 members who were entrusted with the task of framing the Rules and Regulations under Resolution No.2 of the Dacca session held on 30 December 1906.

The third group shall comprise three additional members who were summoned to the Dacca Session on 30 December 1906. They are appointed along with the first two groups

The members included in these three groups are as follows :

Group 1

(Participants of Simla Deputaion 1906)

H. Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan, G.C.I.E.
Shahzada Bakhtiar Shah C.I.E., Head of Mysore family, Calcutta
Hon’ble Malik Umer Hayat Khan, C.I.E., Lieutenant, 18^th Prince of Wales Tiwana Lancers, Tiwana District, Shahpur
Hon’ble K.B. Mohammad Shah din, Bar-at-Law, Lahore.
Hon’ble K.B. Syed Nawab Ali Chowodhry, Mymensingh, East Bengal
Nawab Bahadur Syed Amir Hasan Khan, C.I.E., Calcutta
Nawab Naseer Husain Khan Kheyal, Calcutta
K.B. Mirza Shujaat Ali Baig, Persian Counsel General, Murshidabad, Calcutta
Syed Ali Imam, Bar-at-Law, Patna
Nawab Sarfaraz Husain Khan, Patna
Khan Bahadur Ahmad Mohiuddin, President, Khandan-i-Karnatak Association, Madras
Maulvi Rafiuddin Ahamd, Barrister, Bombay
Ibrahim Bhoy Adamjee Peer Bhoy, Bombay

Maulvi Abdul Rahim, Barrister, Calcutta
Syed Allahdad Shah, Special Magistrate, and Vice President, Zamindar Association, Khairpur (Sind)
Maulana H.M. Malak, Head Maidind Bagh Bora Nagpur
Hon’ble Khalifa Syed Mohammad Husain, Murshirud daula Mumtazul Mulk Patiala
B. Col. Abdul Majid Khan, Foreign Minister, Patiala
B. Khawja Yousuf Shah, Hon. Magistrate, Amritsar
B. Mian Mohammad Shafi, Barrister, Lahore
B. Shaikh Gulam Sadiq, Amritsar
Maulana Hafiz Hakim Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Haziqul Mulk, Delhi
Mohammad Ehtisham, Rais Kakori (Oudh)
Syed Nabiullah, Barrister, Kara District Allahabad
Maulvi Syed Karamat Husain, Barrister, Allahabad (Name deleted due to his posting in Allahabad court as a judge on 2 January 1908)
Syed Abdul Rauf, Barrister, Allahabad
Abdussalam Khan, Retired Sub-Judge, Rampur
B. Mohammad Muzzamilullah, Rais Bheekampur, District Aligarh
Hon’ble Haji Mohammad Ismail Khan, Rais Aligarh
Sahebzada Aftab Ahmad Khan, Barrister, Aligarh
Nawab Viqarul Mulk Maulvi Mohammad Mushtaq Husain, Intisar Jung, Rais Amroha, District Moradabad
Maulvi Habibur Rahman, Habib Gunj, Aligarh
Nawab Syed Sardar Ali Khan, Bombay

Group II

Members appointed under Resolution No.2 of Dacca session, dated 30 December 1906 who were not included in Group 1 and who did not join Government service.

East Bengal and Assam

Hon’ble Nawab Mohammad Salimullah Khan, C.I.E. Dacca
Maulvi Himayatuddin, Barrisal
Maulvi Abdul Majid, B.A.L.L.B. Sylhet

West Bengal and Bihar

Shamsul Huda, Vakil, Calcutta
Sirajul Islam, Vakil, Calcutta
Abdul Majeed, Editor, Muslim Chronicle, Calcutta
Mazahrul Haq, Barrister, Bankipur (Patna)
Noorul Haq, Secretary, Mohammedan Association, Cuttock

United Province of Agra and Oudh

Hamid Ali Khan, Barrister, Lucknow
Zahur Ahmad, B.A. L.L.B., Lucknow
Mohammad Nasreen, Vakil, Lucknow

Maulvi Ghulamus Saqlain. B.A. L.L.B., Lucknow
Raja Naushad Ali Khan, Lucknow
Mohammad Ishaq, B.A. L.L.B., Allahabad
Mohammad Rauf, Barrister, Allahabad
Mohammad Musa Khan, Datauli, Aligarh
Maulvi Abdullah Jan, Vakil, Saharanpur
Maulvi Abdul Majid, Barrister, Allahabad
Shaikh Abdullah, B.A. L.L.B., Aligarh

Punjab

Abdul Aziz, Editor, Observer, Lahore
Shaikh Ghulam Ali, Editor, Vakil, Amritsar

North West Frontier Province

Mufti Fida Mohammad Khan, Barrister, Peshawar
Abdul Aziz, Barrister, Peshawar

Bombay including Sind

A.M.K. Dahlvi
Ghulam Mohammad Munshi, Barrister, Rajkot
Mohammad Ali, BA Sidhpur, Gujrat
Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Barrister, Chaupati, Bombay

Madras

B. Abdul Hadi Badshah, Madras
Yakoob Hasan, Propritor, Muslim Patriot, Madras
Abdul Hameed Hasan, B.A. L.L.B., Editor, Muslim Patriot, Madras
Nawab Ghulam Ahmad, G.C.F. Caromandal

Central Provice

S. Mohammad Ameer Khan, Pleader, Nagpur

Burma

A S. Rafiqi

Group III

Maj. Syed Husain Bilgrami
Shaikh Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Barrister, Lahore
Hissmuddin, Barrister, Lahore

Article 5. The number of members from different provinces, as laid down in Article 4, shall be as under :

1.	Agra and Oudh	Agra Oudh	45 25	70
2.	Punjab			70
3.	Bombay including Sind	Bombay Sind	30 10	40
4.	NWFP including Baluchistan	NWFP Baluchistan	10	15 5
5.	Madras			25
6.	West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa			70
7.	East Bengal and Assam			70
8.	Berer and Central Provinces including Ajmeer			15
9.	Burma			10
10.	British subjects residing in Indian states and other parts including residents of any of the Indian state who were exempted by all India Muslim League under Article 3			15

Article 6. After publication of the census report after ten years, the provincial quota and number of members shall be open for revision and the following principles shall be kept in view while reallocating the number of members in the provinces :

Muslim population
Their educational status

Their financial position and social status

Article7. (a) The number of members laid down under Article 5 in the provinces shall be elected by the Provincial League appointed by the All India Muslim League. In the provinces comprising several sub-provinces, every sub-Provincial League shall come within the definition of Provincial League. For instance, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in the West Bengal province.

(b) If no such Provincial League exists in any province, the Divisional, District or Town Organizations affiliated to the All India Muslim League shall elect members as per their allocation. The rest of the number of members will be completed by the Central Committee by way of inviting representatives from other parts of the province. In case of non-availability of such representatives, the Central Committee shall itself elect such representatives.

Article 8. The members shall be elected for five years, but on the expiry of this term they shall be eligible for re-election under Article 7.

Article 9. If for any reason, the vacant seats are not filled up the League shall continue with its present functions, provided the number of members including honorary office-bearers does not fall beyond a minimum of 50 members.

Article 10. Every member on being elected shall deposit a sum of Rs. 50 in the League Fund for registration of his enrolment as a member. Besides, a sum of Rs. 25 shall be paid in advance as annual fee. These deposits shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

Article 11. No member after being elected shall be deemed to be a bonafide member unless he has deposited an admission fee as per Article 10 and got his membership duly registered. However, such members who were elected in the Karachi session on 30 December 1907 and have not paid the admission fee or the subscription during the session, shall be allowed a grace period upto 15 February 1908 to remit the admission fee or the subscription, as the case may be. Those elected or appointed in future will be given a period of six weeks to pay up their admission fee and their annual subscription. Those failing to remit the amount to the Secretary, All India Muslim League, within this period, shall cease to be members.

Article 12. No member shall be eligible to exercise his right as a member in any session of the League unless he has cleared all dues against him prior to the date of the session eight weeks before the annual session.

Article 13. The Secretary shall notify to all members the list of such registered members who have fulfilled the necessary formalities at least eight weeks before the annual session.

Article 14. The League’s fiscal year shall be from 1 January to 31 December. Members appointed at annual sessions in December shall be liable to payment of fee from the next fiscal year.

Article 15. At the annual sessions of the League at least one-fifth of the registered members shall form the quorum. In other sessions the quorum shall be on-eighth of the total membership.

Article 16. In the event of exemptions granted for appointment of members under Article 7 and 8, no proxy or written vote shall be acceptable in any session or meeting of the Central Committee of the All India Muslim League.

Article 17. For the furtherance of League’s aims and objects and for the implementation of its programme, a Central Committee shall be elected out of League’s members on the basis of majority votes. The Committee shall comprise at least 30 and not more than 40 members inclusive of office-bearers. The election of Committee members shall be based as far as practicable on representation from every profession.

Article 18. The election of the Central Committee members shall be through ballot and such members, who are not present in the meeting, shall be eligible to send in their votes in writting to the Secretary at least three days prior to the date of the session.

Article 19. (a) The Central Commitee members shall be elected for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

(b) If the term of membership of any member of the Central Committee has not expired while his term of membership of the All India Muslim League has expired, he can continue to be a member of the League till th expiry of his membership of the Committee on payment of the annual fee as per Article 10.

Aritcle 20. Besides members appointed under Article 17, the office-bearers of the All India Muslim League appointed under Article 20 shall be ex-officio members and office-bearers for purposes of carrying out the functions of the Central Committee.

Article 21. The Central Committee appointed under Article 17 read with Article 20 shall be fully competent to perform all functions laid down in these Articles. Till such time as this Committee is appointed, the All India Muslim League itself will perform these functions.

Article 22. Presence of five members of the Central Committee including office-bearers shall from the quorum.

Article 23. The Central Committee shall follow the following procedure to acquit itself of its responsibilities :

To elicit opinion of members on any issue by correspondence, take decision on the basis of majority vote and take such action in the matter as is warranted to implement the decisions.

The Central Committee shall be competent to defer any matter for further consideration for some time.

To summon the annual session of All India Muslim League at an appropriate venue for discussion and deliberation on any vital issue in conncetion with the League.

To hold meetings at appropriate places during the year for the furtherance of the above objectives provided such meetings are requisitioned by at least five members of the League or two members of the Central Committee.

To accord permission to any person for participation in meetings as a Visitor under sub (c) and (d) above.

The Central Committee shall be empowered to fix any fee, for Visitors, or limit their number or lay down certain conditions for their participation.

The Central Committee shall be empowered to exempt the press reporters from admission fee for attending such meetings to report their proceedings.

Duties of the Central Committee

Article 24. The duties of the Central Committee shall be as under :

To endeavour to establish the Provincial League in every province.

To implement the resolutions adopted at the meetings of All India Muslim League or the Cerntral Committee.

To provide requisite information in respect of the furtherance of the League’s objectives.

To decide issues as far as possible by correspondence as laid down under Article 23 (a).

To prepare and send the Agenda of the annual sessions and other meetings of the All India Muslim League to members and to fix the time and venue of the sessions.

To elect the President of the Annual session.

Office-Bearers of All India Muslim League

Article 25. The office-bearers of the All India Muslim League who shall be elected at a meeting of the All India Muslim League shall be as under :

President One

Vice President Six (from different provinces)

Secretary One

Joint Secretary Two

Article 26. Candidates for various offices of the League shall be nominated and seconded by any two members of the League at least six weeks prior to the meeting at which their names are proposed for election. These nominations shall be sent to the Secretary who shall notify them to the members along with the names of proposers and seconders at least four weeks before the said meeting.

Article 27. Members present at the meeting shall vote by ballot while absence members shall send in their votes in writing to the Secretary.

Article 28. Every office-bearers shall be elected for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

Article 29. The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for the functioning of his office and for maintaning the accounts.

Article 30. The Honorary Secretary shall be empowered to appoint any provisional sub-committee.

Article 31. The Honorary Secretary shall be empowered to appoint one of the Joint Secretary to act in his place in the event of his temporary absence, and shall notify such appointment to all members of the Central Committee through a circular letter.

Article 32. The Joint Secretaries shall work under the supervision of Honorary Secretary and will assist him in his work.

Resignations

Article 33. Members shall have the right to resign their membership, and office-bearers from their office.

Article 34. When three-fourths of the members of the Central Committee are of the opinion that the continuation in office of any member or office-bearer of the League is liable to mitigate against the aims and objects of the All-India Muslim League, the Central Committee after affording the person concerned an opportunity to clarify his position, shall be empowered to severe all relations with them untill the decision of the All-India Muslim League. The Central Committee shall place this matter before the League for final decision at the earliest occasion.

Article 35. When three-fourths of the members of the All-India Muslim League consider that continuation of any member or office-bearer may injure the cause of the League, it is empowered to terminate his membership or remove him from his office, as the case may be.

Funds

Article 36. The fees realised from visitors during annual sessions and other meeting, donations, subscriptions or any other contributions collected by the League from time to time for the furtherance of its objectives, or for any particular purpose shall be deemed as the League’s Fund.

Article 37. The League’s Fund shall be deposited in the name of the League in the Bengal Bank or any other Bank where no such Bank exists to the discretion of the Central Committee and shalle drawn under the signature of the Secretary.

Article 38. (1) The members of the Central Committee shall appoint a Finance Committee every year which shall comprise President, Vice President, Secretary, Joint Secretary and three members, of the Committee.

(2) The Finance Committee shall prepare the annual budget of income and-expenditures, which shall be scrutinised and approved by the Central Committee after making such emendations as it deems fit and the Secretary shall be empowered to operate the account in accordance with the direction laid by the Central Committee.

(3) The Finance Committee shall submit the annual accounts to the Central Committee which shall get them audited by a qualified firm of Auditors, after which it shall be presented to the Central Committee for approval.

(4) The Finance Committee shall be empowered to incur expenditure over and above the budgetary provision in the event of emergencies which shall not exceed 10% fo the budget grants; but such an expenditure shall be brought to the notice of the Central Committee at the earliest opportunity.

Rules and Bye Laws

Article 39 (a) Any modification, amendment or rescission in the Rules and Regulations of the All India Muslim League shall be made only by a two-thirds majority to members at the annual session.

(b) Such an amendment or modifiaction shall be proposed in writing by a member and duty seconded by at least another member. The proposed amendment or modification shall be sent to the Secretary at least eight weeks prior to the session. The Secretary shall notify the same to the members at least five weeks before the session.

Article 40. The Central Committee shall be empowered to make bye-laws for the efficient working of the League and in matters for which no specific provision has been made in these Rules, provided, however, that no such bye-law shall be valid which contravenes any of the basic principles of the League.

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4.The Congress-League Scheme of Reform, 1916

I. Provincial Legislative Councils

Provincial Legislative Councils shall consist of four-fifths elected and of one-fifth nominated members.

Their strenght shall be not less than 125 members in the major provinces, and from 50 to 75 in the minor provinces.

The members of Councils should be elected directly by the people on as broad a franchise as possible.

Adequate provision should be made for the representation of important minorities by election, and the Mohammedans should be represented through special electortates on the Provincial Legislative Councils in the following proportions :

Punjab—One half of the elected Indian Members

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Popularly known as the Lucknow Pact. Resoution passed by the ninth session of the All-India Moslem League held at Lucknow on the 31^th December, 1916 adopting a scheme of reforms prepared by the Reform Committee of the League, published under the authority of Syed Wazir Hasan, Honorary Secretary, All-India Muslim League, from Lucknow, dated 1 January 1917. Sharif al Mujahid, Quiad-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation (Karachi : Quaid-i-Azam Academy, 1981), Appendix 7 pp. 462-65.

United Provinces—30% of the elected Indian Members

Bengal—40% of the elected Indian Members

Bihar—25% of the elected Indian Members

Central Provinces—15% of the elected Indian Members

Madras—15% of the elected Indian Members

Bombay—One third of the elected Indian Members

Provided that no Mohammedan shall participate in any of the other elections to the Imperial or Provincial Legislative Councils, save and expcept those by electorates representing special interests.

Provided further that no bill, nor any clause thereof, nor a resolution introduced by a non-official member affecting one or the other community, which question is to be determined by the members of that community in the Legislative Council concerned, shall be proceeded with, if three-fourths of the members of that community in the particular Council, Imperial or Provincial, oppose the bill or any clause thereof, or the resolution…

7.(a) Except customs, post, telegraph, mint, salt, opium, railways, army and navy, and tributes from Indian States, all other sources of revenue should be Provincial.

(b) There should be no divided heads of revenue. The Government of India should be provided with fixed contributions from the Provincial Governments, such fixed contributions being liable to revision when extraordinary and unforeseen contingencies render such revision necessary.

The Provincial Council should have full authority to deal with all matters affecting the internal administration of the province including the power to raise loans,

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to impose and alter taxation, and to vote on the Budget…

(e) A resolution passed by the Provincial Legislative Council shall be binding on the Executive Government, unless vetoed by the Governor in Council, provided, however, that if the resolution is again passed by the Council after an interval of not less than one year, it must be given effect to…

A Bill, other than a Money Bill, may be introduced in Council in accordance with rules made in that behalf by the Council itself, and the consent of the Government should not be required therefor…

Provincial Governments

The head of every Provincial Government shall be a Governor who shall not ordinarily belong to the Indian Civil Service of any of the permanent services.

There shall be in every Province an Executive Council, which, with the Governor, Shall constitute the Executive Government of the Province.

Members of the Indian Civil Service shall not ordinarily be appointed to the Executive Council…

III. Imperial Legislative Council

The strength of the Imperial Legislative Council shall be 150.

Fourth-fifths of the members shall be elected.

The franchise for the Imperial Legislative Council should be widened as far as possible on the lines of the electorates for Mohammedans for the Provincial Legislative Councils, and the elected members of the Provincial Legislative Councils should also form an electorate for the return of members to the Imperial Legislative Council.

One-third of the Indian elected members should be Mohammedans elected by separate Mohammedan electorates in the several provinces, in the proportion, as nearly as may be, in which they are represented on the Provincial Legislative Councils by separate Mohammedan electorates…

The Imperial Legislative Council shall have no power to interfere with the Government of India’s direction of the military affairs and the foreign and political relations of India, including the declaration of war, the making of peace and the entering into treaties.

The Government of India

The Government-General of India will be the head of the Government of India.

He will have an Executive Council, half of whom shall be Indians.

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The Indian members should be elected by the elected members of the Imperial Legislative Council…

The Secretary of State in Council

The Council of the Secretary of State for India should be abolished.

The salary of the Secretary of State should be placed on the British Estimates.

The Secretary of State should, as for as possible, occupy the same position in relation to the Government of India, as the Secretary of State for the Colonies does in relation to the Government[s] of the self-governing Dominions.

The Secreatary of State of India should be assisted by two Permanent Under-Secretaries, one of whom should always be an Indian.

India and the Empire

In any Council or other body which may be constituted or convened of the settlement or control of Imperial affairs, India shall be adequately represented in like mannar with the Dominions and with equal rights.

Indians should be placed on a footing of equality in respect of status and rights of citizenship with other subjects of His Majesty the King throughout the Empire.

VII. Military and other matters

The military and naval services of His Majesty, both in their commissioned and non-commissioned ranks, should be thrown open to Indians, and adequate provision should be made for their selection, training and instruction in India…

০০০

Dehli Muslim Proposals, 1927

Whether in the forthcoming revision of the Indian constitution elections to legislative bodies should be through joint or separate electorates, has been the subject of anxious discussion among Hindu and Musalman leaders, in Delhi. The Hindu members of the Congress Party and the Nationalist Party, having already decided in favour of only a joint electorate with the reservation of seats to Mohammedans, either on the basis of the Lucknow Pact or the existing population of each province, the Mohammedans met in informat conference today under the Presidentship of Mr. Jinnah, who had issued invitations to representative Mohammedans in all parts of India.

After a protracted discussion the Conference agreed to the institution of joint electorates under certain conditions. It was unanimously resolved that the Mohammedans should accept a settlement on the basis of the following proposals so far as representation in the various legislatures in any future scheme of constitution is concerned :

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Sind should be separated from the Bombay Presidency and constituted into a separate province.

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Delhi Muslim Proposals formulated by the Muslim Conference which was called by Jinnah on 20 March 1927 and was presided over by him. M.A. Jinnah, History of the Origin of “Fourteen Points” (Bombay), n.d) pp. 3-6, Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix, pp. 466-67.

Reforms should be introduced in the North West Frontier Province and in Baluchistan on the same footing as in any other province in India.

If this is agreed to Mohammedans are prepared to accept a joint electorate in all provinces so constituted and are further willing to make to Hindu minorities is Sind, Baluchistan and the North West Frontier Province the same concessions that Hindu majorities in other provinces are prepared to make to Mohammedan minorities.

In the Punjab and Bengal the proportion of representation should be in accordance with population.

In the Central Legislature, Mohammedan representation not to be less than a third, and that also by a mixed electorate.

These proposals are subject to ratification by the Mohammedan organizations concerned, but it was hoped by those present at the conference that the Hindus would accept and the Mohammedans would ratify them.

The question of the Services and other questions with regard to safeguards concerning any bill or resolution which might affect the religion, or the customs or the usages of either community, or affecting inter-communal interests were also discussed by the meeting but postponed for further consideration and will be taken up, if on the main proposition there can be unanimity of opinion.

The following attended the Conference which came to the above conclusions : Mr. Jinnah, Maharaja of Mahmudabad, Sir Mohammed Shafi, Mr. Mohamed Ali, Dr. Ansari, Mr. Mohamed Yakub, Nawab Mohamed Ismail, Syed Alay Nabi, Lieut, Sardar Mohamed Nawab Khan, Mr, Suharawardi, Mr. Shah Nawaz, Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Mr. Farooki, Mr. Abdul Rahman, Sir Abdul Qaiyum, Shah Mohamed Zubair, Syed Ahmed Shah (Imam of Jama mosque, Delhi), Maulvi Syed Murtaza, Mr. Mohammed Shafee Daoodi, Mr. Abdul Aziz, Mr. Abdul Matin Chaudhari, Mirza Abdul Qadir, Syed Abdul Jabbar (Ajmer), Mr. Ehtashamuddin, Syed Abdul Rahim, Mr. Anwar-ul-Azim, Dr. Hyder, Mr. Arif, Mr. Iajaz Hussain and Sir Zulfiqar Ali Khan.

০০০

“Nehru Report” on Minority Representative, 1928

The following resolution was unanimously adopted, subject to a noty by…Sardar Mangal Singh on the second part of the resolution :

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We are unanimously opposed to the reservation of seats in the legislatures either for majorities or minorities and we recommend that no such reservation should be provided for in the constitution. But if this recommendation is not accepted and an agreement can be arrived at only on a reservation of seats on the population basis we recommend that such reservation be made for majorities of minorities without any weightage and with a clear provision that it shall automatically cease at the expiry of ten years or earlier by the consent of the parties concerned.

The note of Sardar Mangal Singh runs ad follows :

I agree with the first part of the above proposition namely that there shall be no reservation of seats either for majorities or minorities in the legislatures to the creation of statutory communal majorities by reservation of seats for majorities on population basis under all circumstances and for any

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Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix 9, pp. 468-72. For League’s amendments to the Nehru Report, which were rejected by the All Parties Conference, see, Appendix 7, “Jinnah’s ‘Fourteen Points’ ”.

time howsoever short it may be. If the agreement can only be reached by reservation of seats I will recommend that the case of the Sikhs be considered as that of an important minority and adequate and effective representation, far in excess of their numerical strength, be given to them in the Punjab on the basis adopted for Muslim minorities under the Lucknow Pact in Bihar and other provinces. And I further suggest that special weightage be given to Sikhs for representation in the central legislature.

০০০

The following are the recommendations on communal and other controversial matters :

Communal Representation

There shall be joint mixed electorates throughout India for the House of Representatives and the provincial legislatutes.

There shall be no reservation of seats for the House of Representatives except for Muslims in provinces where they are in a minority and non-Muslims in the N.W.F. Province. Such reservation will be in strict proportion to the Muslim population in every province where they are in a minority and in proportion to the non-Muslim population in N.W.F. Province. The Muslims or non-Muslims where reservation in allowed to them shall have the right to contest additional seats.

In the provinces

there shall be no reservation of seats for any community in the Punjab and Bengal;

in provinces other than the Punjab and Bengal there will be reservation of seats for Muslim minorities on population basis with the right to contest additional seats;

in the N.W.F. Province there shall be similar reservation of seats for non-Muslims with

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the right to contest other seats.

Reservation of seats where allowed shall be for a fixed period of ten years.

Sind should be separated from Bombay and constituted into a separate province after such enquiry about the financial position as may be considered necessary.

Parts of Karnataka, except the small islands on the other side of the Mysore territory, should similarly be separated from the provinces in which they are at present included and formed into a single separate province.

The N.W.F. Province, and all newly formed provinces by separation from other provinces, shall have the same form of government as the other provinces in India.

MOTILAL NEHRU	MANGAL SINGH
S. ALI IMAM	SHUAIB QURESHI
TEJ BAHADUR SAPRU	SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE
M.S. ANEY	G.R. PRADHAN

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Shuaib Qureshi was unfortunately unable to be present at the last meeting of the Committee when the draft report was considered. The draft however was sent to him and he hsa informed us that in regard to the recommendations contained in chapter III he is of opinion that one third seats in the central legislature should be reserved for Muslims. Further. he say : ‘I agree with the resolution adopted at the Informal Conference of July 7^th but do not subscribe to all figures and arguments produced in its support.’

Sir Ali Imam, Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose and Mr. G.R. Pradhan were also unable to be present at the final meeting of the Committee but they signified their concurrence with the report after reading the draft.

Note on the Informal Conference and after

The resolution of the Informal Conference, given on page 50 of the report, I was passed on July 7^th, 1928. It was signed by Dr. M.A. Ansari, Pandit Motilal Nehru, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Sir Ali Imam, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and Messrs. Abulkalam Azad, Sachchidananda Sinha, C.Y. Chintamani, T.A.K. Sherwani, Mangal Singh, Mohammad Shafee Daudi, M.S. Aney, S.D. Kitchlew, Subhas Chandra Bose, Shuaib Qureshi, Khaliq-uz-Zaman, D.R. Ranjit Singh, Syed Mahmud, A.M. Khawja and Jawaharlal Nehru. Some others, who were present, agreed with this resolution but had left when signatures were taken.

This resolution was later considered by the All Parties Committee together with some non-members who had been invited. Extracts from the proceedings of the Committee are given below.

Extract from the Proceedings of the Committee, dated 8^th July

Morning Session

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President

Pandit Motilal Nehru

Mr. M.S. Aney

Mr. Shuaib Qureshi

Sardar Mangal Singh

Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose

The following non-members were also present by invitation :

Dr. M.A. Ansari

Maulana Abulkalam Azad

Mr. T.A.K. Sherwani

Mr. Mohammad Shafi Daudi

Dr. S.D. Kitchlew

Mr. Khaliq-uz-Zaman

Dr. Syed Mahmud and

Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru

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To see above, pp. 468-69

The question of reservation of seats for the Muslim minority in the central legislature was considered. It was stated however that under yesterday’s agreement (first part) there could be no such reservation even for minorities. On the other hand it was pointed out that without reservation it was probable that only about 30 or 40 Muslims may be returned to a central legislature of 500 members. This same result would be arrived at, it was shown in the provinces where Muslims were in a small minority. A suggestion was made that this difficulty could be got over by a reservation of seats for small minorities in both central and proviacial legislatures but not for majorities. This would mean a revision of yesterday’s agreement. No decision was arrived at and the matter was postponed to the evening session.

July 8^th

Evening Session

Present as in mornig session with the exception of Dr. S.D. Kitchlew and Dr. Syed Mahmud.

Also present Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru.

The question of minority representation left over at the morning session was then taken up. It was unanimously agreed to modify the first part of the resolution of the Informal Conference held on the 7^th July so as to permit reservation of seats in the central legislature for minorities on population basis.

The question of reservation of seats for small minorities in the Provincial Council was then considered. The Committee with the exception of Mr. Shuaib Qureshi, was of opinion that the reasons favouring such reservation in the central legislature apply with equal force to the provincial legislature also. This opinion was supported by non-members present it was therefore agreed to report to the All Parties Conference that reservation of seats for small minorities in proportion to their population, with the right to contest additional seats, should be permitted in provincial legislatures.

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Jinnah’s “Fourteen Points”, 1929

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[The following culled from Jinnah’s pamphlet, seeks History of the Origins of Fourteen Points, to trace the origins of the “Fourteen Points” :]

Recent History

The All India Muslim League defined in three successive sessions in the years 1924, 1925, and 1926, the position of Musalmans in respect of any forthcoming changes in the constitution of the country as follows :

The All India Muslim League is of opinion that the present constitution of India must be amended and urges that for this purpose the Government should undertake the revision of the Government of India Act 1919, and without any delay appoint a Royal Commission to formulate, after due enquiry and investigation, a scheme so as to place the Indian constitution on a sound and permanent basis with provisions for automatic progress to establish full responsible Government in India and thereby secure stability in the Government, and the willing co-operation of the people, provided however that for any scheme of the future constitution of India the All India Muslim League reaffirms and unequivocally declares that the following basic and fundamental principles must be secured and guaranteed, viz :

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Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix 10, pp. 473-81

All Legislatures of the country and other elected bodies shall be constituted on the definite princliple of adequate and effective representation of minorities in every province without reducing the majority in any province to a minority or even to an equality.

The representation of communal groups shall continue to be by menas of separate electorates as at present, provided that it shall be open to any community at any time to abandon its separate electorate in favour of joint electorate.

Any territorial redistribution that might at any time be necessary shall not in any way affect the Muslim majority in the Punjab, Bengal and N.W.F. Province.

Full religious liberty i.e. liberty of belief, worship, observances, propaganda, association and education shall be guaranteed to all communities.

No bill or resolution or any part thereof shall be passed in any legislature or in any other elected body, if three-fourths of the members of any community in that particular body oppose such bill or resolution or part thereof on the ground that it would be injurious to the interests of that community or in the alternative such other method is devised as may be found feasible and practicable to deal with such case.

These proposals were criticised by the Hindu leaders who insisted that we should postulate in our scheme joint electorates with adequate safeguards for rights and interests of Musalmans. Accordingly certain leading representative Mohammedans met at Dehli on 20^th March, 1927 and put forward what have come to be known as the Delhi Muslim Propasals….

Indian National Congress Response

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These proposals were substantially accepted by the All India Congress Committee meeting in May, 1927 in Bombay and were later embodied in the resolution adopted by the open session of the Indian National Congress at Madras, in December, 1927.

The responses thus made by the Congress to the Muslim proposals were considered by the session of the All India Muslim League at Calcutta, in December 1927, and the following resolution was passed by the League :

The All India Muslim League authorises its Council to appoint a sub-committee to confer with the Working Committee of the Indian National Congress and such other organizations as they think proper for the purpose of drafting a constitution for India in which the interests of the Muslim community will be safeguarded having regard to the following proposals which the League approves and adopts and subsequently take part in the National Convention which is going to take plaec in Dehli in March next as suggested by the Congress.

That Sindh should be separate from the Bombay Presidency and constituted into a separate province.

That reforms should be introduced in the N.W.F. Province and in Baluchistan on the same footing as in other provinces.

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For [Text not clear] of the Delhi Muslim Proposals, see above, Appendix [Text not clear]

That in the present circumstances the representation of Muslims in the different Legislatures of the country through separate Muslim electorates is inevitable, and that Muslims will not accept any scheme involving the surrender of this valued right unless and untill Sind is actually made a separate province and Reform aforesaid are actually introduece in the N.W.F. and Baluchistan Provinces and that when these requirements are fully satisfied, Muslims will be prepared to abandon separate electorates in favour of joint electorates with reservation of seats fixed on the basis of the population of the different communities, subject to what is related hereinafter.

In Sindh, Baluchistan and the N.W.F. Province, the Muslim majority should make the same concession in regard to the proportion of seats reserved to the Hindu minority that Hindu majorities in other provinces would make to Muslim minorities over and above the proportion of population of the provinces which shall be the minimum basis.

In the Central Legislature, the Muslim representation shall not be less than one-third.

The League further resolves (a) that in the future constitution of India, liberty of conscience shall be guaranteed and no legislature, Central or Provincial, shall have power to make any laws interfering with the liberty of conscience. “Liberty of conscience” means, liberty of belief and worship, freedom of religious observance and association and freedom to carry on religious education and propaganda with due regard to the feelings of others and without interesting with the similar rights of others; (b) that no bill, resolution, motion or amendment regarding intercommunal matters shall be moved, discussed or passed in any legislture, Central or Provincial, if a three-fourths majority of the members of the community affected thereby in that legislature, oppose the introduction, discussion or passing of such bill, the resolution, motion or

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amendment. “Inter-communal matters” means, matters agreed upon as such by the joint standing committee of both communities of the Hindu and Muslim members of the Legislatures concerned appointed at the commencement of every session of the Legislature.

Later Developments

The idea to draw up an agreed constitution led to the summoning of the All Parties Conference at Delhi, on 11^th February, 1928. This Conference continued its labours till 11^th March but no agreement could be arrived at. The All India Muslim League had appointed a Committee to represent the League at the All Parties Conference but as no agreement was reached the Council of the All India Muslim League met in Delhi and passed the following resolution :

The Council of the All India Muslim League is of opinion that the draft proposals adopted at the All Parties Conference called by the Working Committee of the Indian National Congress are not in conformity with the resolutions of the All India Muslim League passed at its sessions in Calcutta in 1927. The Council further regrets that the Hindu Mahashabha has pratically rejected the Muslim League proposals.

Council hereby appionts a Committee consisting and following gentlemen for the purpose of conferring with the representatives of other organizations in accordance with resolution No. 4 of opinion that the Committee should press the representatives of various organizations to accept the proposals embodied in the aforesaid resolutions of the League Sessions of 1927, held in Calcutta and report the final result to the Council for such action as they may consider proper before proceeding with the framing of the constitution.

Therefore, the Muslim League was not represented by any body authorised in their behalf at that All Parties Conference, as there was created a fundamental difference owing to the Indian National Congress receding from its position adopted hitherto.

Entire Overthrow of Previous Understanding

The All Parties Conference meeting in May, in Bombay, in absence of the Muslim League representatives, changed the basis of rapprochement brought about by the resolution of the Indian National Congress at Madras followed by the Calcutta session of the All India Muslim League when the latter made a response to the Congress.

The meeting of the All Parties Conference at Bombay struck a new line. It adopted a totally different course and appointed a small committee with terms to reference to which the All India Muslim League was not a party.

This Committee’s report was considered at Lucknow by the so called All Parties Conference at which the Muslim League was not represented, though it was one of the principle parties who had initiated the move by promoting Delhi Muslim Propasals. This Conference nevertheless passed resolutions with regard to communal adjustments and other matters which were finally embodied in the Nehru Report.

Muslim View of Nehru Report

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The basic principles of the communal settlement embodied in the Nuhru Report are counrty to those on which Muslim opinion had hitherto expressed ist willingsness to come to an agreement. The Conference having rejected virtually the Delhi Muslim Proposal, the League is, therefore, free to adopt such course with regard to this matter and formulate such proposals as the League may think proper, to be incorporated in any future scheme of constitution of the Government of India that may be framed and adopted.

The only occasion where the League has given its consideration to the Nehru Report was when it was invited to send the delegation to the All Parties Convention at Calcutta, in December, 1928. The League Delegation submitted proposals at the Convention subject to their ratification by the League and made it clear that if they were acceptable to the Convention, the delegates would then discuss the constitution and the various provinsions of the scheme. But the main propasals submitted by the League’s delegation were summarily rejected by the Convention.

These proposals were :

That one-third of the elected representatives of both the Houses of the Central Legislature should be Musalmans.

That in the Punjab and Bengal, in the event of adult suffrage not being established, there should be reservation of seats for Musalmans on population basis for 10 years subject to re-examination after that period but that they shall have no right to contest addintional seats.

That the form of the constitution should be federal and that residuary powers should be left to the provinces and should not vest in the Central Legislature.

That clause 13 (a) embodied in the Supplymentary Nehru Report should be deleted.

That the division of subjects in the Schedules 1 and 2 of the Nehru Report should be reivised.

That with regard to Sindh delete the words, “simultaneously with the establishment of Goverment under this constitution, Sind shall be separated from Bombay and constituted into a separate province.

In view of summary rejection of these proposals the League’s delegates could not proceed further and reported the decisions of the Convention to the All India Muslim League.

Other Organizations on the Nehru Report

The League found that it did not stand singular in its difficulties with the Nehru Report. The National Congress itself merely accorded its sanction to the scheme for a year. The All India Hindu Mahashabha declared that even, if a comma were changed the Hindus will withdraw their support from the Nehru Report. The Sikh League delegates at the Convention rejected the scheme of communal settlement. The National Liberal Federation at first adopted an attitude of beneovlent neutrality and subsequently adopted the Nehru Report without expressing strong views one-way or the other with regard to the Muslim proposals.

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Position Confronting the League

Thus the original conception of bringing about a communal pact or a national agreement was not feasible and the All India Muslim League after a very careful consideration decided to adjourn its session and intructed the Council of the League to call the adjourned session at such a place and time as the Council may deem it necessary, before the end of May, 1929.

The Nehru Report proposal can therefore, at best be treated only as counter Hindu proposals to the Muslim proposals. And as there is no agreement reached it is now for the All India Muslim League to take such action or adopt such course as the League may think proper in the best interests of the community and the country.

—M.A. JINNAH

SAFEGUARDS FOR MUSLIMS OF INDIA

Mr. Jinnah’s “Fifteen Points”

The form of the future Constitution should be federal with residuary powers vested in the province, Central Government to have the control only of such matters of common interests as may be guaranteed by the Constitution.

Uniform measure of autonomy shall be granted to all provinces.

All legislature in the country and other elected bodies should be reconstituted on the definite principle of adequate and effective representation of minorities in every province without reducing the majority of any province to a minority or even equality.

In the Central Legislature Muslim representation should not be less than one-third.

The representation of communal groups should continue to be by means of separate electotates as at present, provided that it should be open to any community at anything to abondon its separate electorate in favour of joint electorates.

Any territorial redistribution that might at any time be necessary should not in any way effect the Muslim majority in the Punjab, Bengal, and North-West Frontier Province.

Full religious liberty, that is, liberty of belief, worship, observances, propaganda, association and education should be guaranteed to all communities.

No bill or resolution, or any part thereof, should be passed in any legislature or any other elected body, if three-fourths of the members of any commnunity in that particular body oppose such a bill or resolution or part thereof, on the ground that it would be injurious to the interests of that community or, in the alternative, such other method is devised as may be found feasible and praticable to deal with such cases.

Sind should be separated from the Bombay Presidencey.

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Reforms should be introduced in the North-West Frontier Province and Baluchistan on the same footing as in other provices.

Provinsion should be made in the Constitution giving the Muslim as adequate share along with other Indians in all the Services of the State and in self-governing bodies, having due regard to the requirements of efficiency.

The Constitution should embody adequate safeguards for the protection of Muslim religion, culture and personal laws, and the promotion of Muslim education, language, religion, personal laws, Muslim charitable institutions, and for their due share in grants-in-aid given by the State and by self-govering bodies.

No cabinet, either Central or Provincial, should be formed without there being a proportion of Muslim Ministers of at least one-third.

No change to be made in the Constitution by the Central Legislature excep with the concurrence of the States constituting the Indian Federation.

That in the present circumstances the representations of Musalmans in the different legislatures of the country, and of the other elected bodies through separate electorates is inevitable, and further, Government being pledged not to deprive the Musalmans of this rights, it cannot be taken away without their consent, and so long as the Musalmans are not satisfied that their rights and interest are safeguarded in the manner specified above (or herein) they would in no way consent to the establishment of joint electorates with or without conditions.

Note : The question of excess representation of Musalmans over and above their population in the provinces where they are in the minority to be considered hereafter.

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League Parliamentary Board Manifesto, 1936

The advent and announcement of the Minto-Morely reforms broght home to leaders of Musalmans the necessity of starting a Muslim political organzation and thus was founded the All-India Muslim League at Dacca in December, 1906. The League adopted its creed and ideal definitely in December, 1912, and altered its constitution, having for its aims and objects (1) full responsible government for India with adequate and effective safeguards for Musalmans, (2) to protecet and advance the political and religious and other rights and interest of Indian Musalmans, (3) to promote friendship and union between Musalmans and other communities in India, (4) to maintain and strengthen brotherly relations between Musalmans in India and those in other countries.

The League has been faithfully and loyally acting in accordance with these fundamental principles ever since.

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The above manifesto, issued from Lahore on 11 June 1936, and adopted by the All-India Muslim League Parliamentary Board, after meeting for four days under Jinnah’s presidenship, is an edited

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version published in Nripendra Nath Mitra (ed)., The Indian Annual Register 1936, Vol. 1 : January-June 1936 (Calcutta, n.d.), pp. 299-301, and it has been compared with the original version given in All-India Muslim League Central Board : Policy and Programme (n.d.) pp. 9-16, and changes wherever necessary have been made, and divergence between them have been resolved in favour of the latter. Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix 11, pp, 482-87.

During the period of existence of the Minto-Morley constitution, it continued its development from time to time and represented and voiced the true feelings and opinions of Musalmans. As time went on, the co-operation and help of prominent leaders of India and particularly of that great man, the late Maharaja of Mahmudabad, whose selfless devotion and patriotic fervour and single-mindedness of purpose gave the League such strength, power and support that it reached the zenith of its ascendancy and accomplished what is one of the greatest beacon lights in the constitutional history of India, the Lucknow Pact, which is known as the “League Congress Pact” in 1916. This pact will go down in Indian history as a landmark in the political evolution of the country as signal proof of the identity of purpose, earnestness and co-operation between the two great sections of the people of India in the task of the attainment of responsible government.

But the Pact was not the last word no the question of adjustment of political difference between Hindus and Musalmans. Nor was it ever intended or could be so considered in the new circumstances that arose and developed since then. The national demand for complete responsible government after the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms became more and more insistent from 1921 onward. Musalmans stood shoulder to shoulder with sister commuities and did not lag behind in their patriotic co-operation with Hindus. But as a minority they maintain the principle that this position in any future political constitutional structure should be protected and safeguarded. Here it might be stated that at first sight it may appear to an amatur politician that such demand savours of communalism but in reality to those who understand the political and constitutional history of the world, it must be evident that it is not only natural but is essential by insuring whole-hearted and willing co-operation of the minorities who must be made to feel that they can rely upon the majority with a complete sense of confidence and security.

India’s Goal

In the various steps that follwed the deliberations and collaborations that took place, the League has always stood for full responsible Government for India and unflinchingly stands for the same ideal. It deplores that as a result of the Round Table Conference, the British Parliament has forced upon the people of India constitution embodied in the Government of India Act of 1935. Its attitude towards the constitution is defined by its resolution passed at the session of the All-India Muslim League to the following effect : “While it accepts the Communal Award till a substitute is agreed upon between the communities concerned, emphatically protests against the constitution embodied in the Government of India Act of 1935 being forced upon the people of India against their will and inspite of their repeated disapproval and dissent expressed by the various parties and bodies in the country. The League considers that having regard to the conditions prevailling at present in the country the provincial scheme of the most objectionable features contained therin, which render real control and responsibility of the Ministry and Legislature over the entire field of Government and administration nugatory. The League is clearly of opinion that the All-India Federal scheme of Central Government, embodied in the Government of India Act of 1935 is fundamentally bad. It is most reactionary, retrograde, injurious and fatal to the vital interests of British India vis-a-vis Indian states and it is calculated to thwart and delay indefinitely the

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realisation of India’s most cherished goal of complete responsible Government and is totally unacceptable. The League considers that the British Parliament should still take the earliest opportunity to review the whole situation afresh regarding the central scheme before it is inaugurated or else the League feels convinced that the present scheme will not bring peace and contentment to the people but on the contrary it will lead to disaster if forced upon and persisted in as it is entirely unkworkable in the interests of India and her people.”

Election Board

But as the provincial scheme embodied in the Government of India Act is going to be enforced in the course of next year, the League decided that having regard to the conditions prevailing at present in the country, the provincial scheme of constitution be utilised for what it is worth. In view of this decision, the League further decided that a Central Election Board be formed with power to constitute and affiliate provincial election boards in the various provinces and passed the following resolution : “Whereas the parliamentary system of government which is being introduced in this country with the inauguration of the new constitution pre-supposes the formation of parties with a well-defined policy and programme which facilitate the education of the electorate and co-operation between the groups with approximate aims and ideals and ensures the working of the constitution to the best advantage and whereas in order to strengthren the solidarity of the Muslim community and to secure for Muslims their proper and effective share in provincial governments it is essential that Muslims should organise themselves as one party with an advanced and progressive programme, it is hereby resolved that the All-India Muslim League do take steps to contest the approaching provincial elections and for this purpose appoint Mr. Jinnah to form a Central Election Board under his presidentship consisting of not less than 35 members, with powers to constitute and affiliate provincial electioin boards in the various provinces, having regard to the condition in each province and devise ways and means for carrying out the aforesaid objects.”

In pursuance of that resolution, the Central Board has now been formed and the policy and programme of the Central Board has to be defined. The inauguration of the Montagu-Chelmsford scheme of constitution and the working thereof has developed and brought fourth various forces and it appers that such power as was available under the scheme has been captured in the various provinces by the reactionary conservative elements in combination with a coterie of men whose sole aim and object is to secure officers and places for themselves whatever and whenever available. This has suited the Government and these two classes have received every encouragement and support with the result that they have not only been a hindrance and an obstacle in the way of the independent and progressive intelligentsia, but peple generally have been exploited. Thus was created a double domination of reactionary forces and imperialistic power. Our aim is that this domination must cease.

Political Situation

The present political situation has been aptly described by the president of the last session of the All-India Muslim League in the following words : “New problems have arisen to-day. It is not only the question of educating the middle class of Muslims in India of western lines and providing them with jobs, it is only the question of infusing in them the ideals of Victorian Liberalism. On the contarary, present conditions compel one to go much deeper into the problems of the entire social regeneration of the seventy millions of Muslims, of extricating them from the

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terrible poverty, degradation and backwardness into which they have fallen and giving them at least the reudiments of civilised existence and making them free citizens of a free land. We must realise, as people of other countries have realise, that a change is necessary and that unless such change is soon crash which will involve the extinction of not only the educated section of our people but also of all privileged classes, whether they hold privileges by reason of caste, land or money. The foundations of the super-structure in which we are living to-day were laid centuries to be stable now. It is the duty, if if is not only an obligation created by the motives of self-interests, of all of us educated classes, capitalists and land-holders to lay the foundations of the new structure. Of course, in order that this effort must fructify, sacrifices will have to be made on the part of all. Let me tell you that the building of such a social edifice will be more glorious, more human and more just than the building of an empire.” But at the same time we must make it clear that the League is opposed to any movement that aims at expropriation of private property.

The main principles on which we expect our representatives in various legislatures to work will be (1) that the present provincal constitution and proposed central constitution should be replaced immediately by democratic full self-government; (2) and that in the meantime, representatives of the Muslim League in the various Legislatures will utilize the Legislatures in order to extract the maximum benefit out of the constitution for the uplift of the people in the various spheres of national life. The Muslim League Party must be formed as a corollary so long as separate electorates exist, but there would be free-co-operation with any group or groups whose aims and ideals are approximately the same as those of the League party. The League appeals to Musalmans that they should not permit themselves to be exploited on economic or any other grounds which will break up the solidarity of the community.

Programme for Election

The manifesto lays down the following programme for the ensuing elections : To protect religious right of Musalmans in which connection for all matters of purely religious character, due weight shall be given to opinions of the Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind and Mujtahids; to make every effort to secure the repeal of all repressive laws; to reject all measures which are detrimental to the interest of India, which encroach upon the fundamental liberties of the people and lead to economic exploitation of the country; to reduce the heavy coast of administrative machinery, Central and Provincial, and allocate substantial funds for nation-building departments; to nationalise the Indian Army and reduce military expenditure; to encourage development of industries, including cottage industries; to regulate currency, exchange and prices in the interest of the economic development of the country; to stand for social, educational and economic uplift of the rural population; to sponsor measures for the relief of agricultural indebtedness; to make elementary education free and compulsory; to protect and promote the Urdu language and script; to devise measures for the amelioration of the general conditions of the Musalmans; and to take steps to reduce the heavy burden of taxation and create healthy public opinion and general political consciousness throughout the country.

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The Constitution and Rules of the All India Muslim League, 1937

Name

The Association shall be called the ‘All India Muslim League’.

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Aims and objects of the League.

The aims and objects of the All India Muslim League shall be :

The establishment in India of full Independence in the form of a federation of free democratic States in which the rights and interests of the Musalmans and other minorities are adequately and effectively safeguarded in the Constitution;

To protect and advanced the political, religious and other rights and interests of Indian Musalmans;

To promote friendly relations and unity between the Musalmans and other communities of India;

To maintain and strengthren brotherly relations between the Musalmans of India and those of other countries.

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Passed at the AIML sessions at Lucknow on 18 October 1937 (Source : Original booklet available in the NIHCR, Islamabad)

Composition of the Organization

The organization of the All India Muslim League shall consist of :

The annual and special session of the All India Muslim League.

The Council of the All India Muslim League as constituted under Rule 11.

The working committee of the All India Muslim League as provided for in Rule 14.

The Provincial Muslim Leagues as constituted and affiliated to the All India Muslim League under Rule 37.

District Muslim League and their Branches as constituted under Rule 38.

The London Branch of the All India Muslim League, if any.

Membership of the League

Every candidate for membership of a primary branch of the All India Muslim League :

must be a Musalman and a resident of British India;

must not be less than 18 years of age;

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Provided that a candidate may be exempted from all or any of the above conditions by Provincial Leagues.

Every candidate shall become a member of a Primary League on a payment of an annual subscription of annas two in advance, provided it is declared in writing that the candidate will adhere to the objects and rules of the League mentioned herein.

Annual subscription of members shall expire on the 31^th day of December every year, irrespective of the date of their enrolment and a member shall cese to be a member unless he/she renews his/her membership by paying subscription for the next following year.

Office-Bearers of the All India Muslim League

There shall be the Office-Bearers of the All India Muslim League as stated below :

President 1
Honorary Secretary 1
Honorary Treasurer 1
Honorary Joint Secretary 2

The President of the All India Muslim League shall be elected every year by the Council from amongest those who have been nominated by different Provincial Muslim Leagues and he shall hold office until the next Annual Session.

Secretary, Treasurer, and Joint Secretaries shall be elected at the Annual Session of the League and shall hold offices for a period of one year but shall be eligible for re-election.

No person shall be an office-bearer of the All India Muslim League unless he is a member of some branch of the All India Muslim League.

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The Council of the All India Muslim League

There shall be a Council of the All India Muslim League constituted under the following rules :

The Council shall consist of 465 members elected by the Provincial Leagues who shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election. Provincial League shall elect their representatives one month before the Annual Session of the League.

The total number of the members of the council shall be allotted to the different province as follow :

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Dehli 15
United Provinces 70
Punjab 90
Bombay 30
Sind 25
Madras 20
N.W.F. Province 20
British Baluchistan 5
Bengal 100
Bihar 30
Orissa 10
Assam 25
Central Provinces & Bearers 20
Ajmere 5

Total 465

Over and above the number allotted above, all the elected members of the Central Legislature will be considered ex-officio members of the Council of the League, provided they are memebers of some branch of the All India Muslim League and pay the annual subscription mentioned in Rule 12. The Secretaries of the various Provincial Leagues will also be considered ex-officio members of the Council of the League.

The existing Council of the League will continue to work as such till the Council is duty formed under these rules.

In case a Provincial League or Leagues fail to elect within the prescribed time, the Council of the All India Muslim League shall have power to elect members.

Every member of the Council shall pay in advance an annual subscription of Rs. 6/-.

The office-bearers of the All India Muslim League shall be ex-officio members and office bearers of the Council of the League.

The Working Committee of the League

There shall be Working Committee of the All India Muslim League consisting of not more than 21 memebers (besides the President and the Secretary who shall be the ex-officio members and office-bearers of the Working Committee) to be nominated by the President from amongest the members of the Council.

Sessions of the League

An Annual Session of the All India Muslim League shall and a Special Session of the League may be held at such suitable time and place as the Council of the League may determine.

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The Council may convene a Special Session of the League at such suitable time and place as it may determine provided that not less than 50 members of the Council of the League shall call in writing on the honorary Secretary of the League to hold such a Session.

The quorum of the Annual Session of the League as well as of the Special Sessions shall be 100.

The Delegates of all affiliated Provincial Leagues and the members of the Council of the All India Muslim League shall be entitled to attend, take part, and vote at annual or special sessions of the League on payment of a fee of Rs. 2/- each.

The Council of the All India Muslim League shall act as a Subjects Committee to frame and adopt the resolutions to be put forward at the Annual or Special Sessions of the League with power to the President to nominate additional members not exceeding 15 to act on the subjects committee.

Meetings of the Council

Meeting of the Council of the League shall be held from time to time at the discretion of the Honorary Secretary with the approval of the President but at least four meetings of the Council must be held during the course of a year. Special meetings of the Council may also be convened at the written requisition of 15 members of the Council.

30 memebers shall form the quorum of all meetings of the Council and all matters dealt with at such meetings shall be decided by votes, provided that the requirement of a quorum shall not apply to adjourned meetings.

The Secretary shall, not less than 15 days previous to the ordinary meeting and seven days previous to special meetings, issue to each a notice stating the time and place of the meeting. This notice shall be accompanied by an agenda paper.

Written opinion of the memebers of the Council will count as votes at all meetings of the Council.

Meeting of the Working Committee

The Working Committee shall meet as often and as frequently as the President desires.

Five members excluding the office-bearers shall form the quorum of all meetings of the Working Committee of the League.

All resolutions passed by the Working Committee will be subject to the approval of the Council of the League.

Functions of the Council

The Council shall exercise the under mentioned functions :

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To convene meetings of the All India Muslim League as provided by Rules 15 and 16;

To elect a President for the Annual Sessions of the League as provided herein;

To collect all information necessary and useful with reference to the objects of the League;

To consider and pass resolutions with regard to all matters arising from time to time relating to the objects of the League;

To take all necessary steps for giving effect to the resolutions passed at the Sessions of the All India Muslim League or at the meetings of the Council of the All India Muslim League;

To control the expenditure of the funds and appoint Auditors;

To appoint Sub-Committees for carrying out its duties and exercising its powers;

To affiliate and disaffiliate Muslim Leagues under these rules;

To frame bye-laws for;

i) regulating the conduct of the Sessions of the All-India Muslim League and the meetings of the Council;

ii) regulating the conduct of the Sub-Committee appointed under clause (g);

iii) such other and further matters necessary for carrying out the objects of the League. Provided that no bye-laws framed by the Council shall be valid of it is inconsistent with the principles embodied herein.

To Take disciplinary action against its members who violate the decisions of the League and act in contravention of its aims and objects;

To disaffiliate Provincial Leagues if they refuese or neglect to give effect to or act in contravention of the policy and programme of the All-India Muslim League;

The Council may delegate any one or more of its powers to the Honorary Secretary of the All- India Muslim League with such limitations and conditions as it may deem fit to impose.

Functions of the Working Committee

The Working Committee shall exercise the following functions :

To consider and pass resolutions with regard to all matters arising from time to time relating to the objects of the League not inconsistent or at variance with the creed or policy of the League or any resolution passed by the League or by the Council of League.

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To take all necessary steps for giving effect to resolutions passed at a Session of the All- India Muslim League or at a meeting of the Council of the League;

To prepare the Annual Budget and to authorize payments in accordance with it;

To sanctions all payments exceeding Rs. 50/- not included in the Budget;

To employ and dismiss servants;

To appoint Sub-Committees for carrying out its duties and its powers;

To collect all information necessary and useful with reference to the objects of the League;

To perform such other functions which the All-India Muslim League or the Council may empower the Committee to perform.

Funds of the Leagues

A fund shall be raised and established called “Muslim National Fund” of the amount to five lakhs of rupees to be invested in authorized under the Indian Trust Act, the interests, and not the corpus of which shall be utilised by the Council for the objects of the League.

All fees received from delegeates, councillors and office-bearers of the All-India Muslim League and from visitors at the Annual and Special Sessions of the League and all donations, subscriptions or other contributions which the League or the Council may from time to time received and collect, as well as the funds mentioned in Rule 29 shaall constitute the funds of the Leguge.

The funds of the League other than the fund mentioned in Rule 29 shall be deposited in the name of the All India Muslim League with the Imperial Bank of India, but in any place in which the Imperial Bank of India may not have a branch such funds may be deposted with any other Bank at the discretion of the Council. The Honorary Treasurer shall be authorised to operate on the Bank.

Powers and Duties of the Honorary Secretary, Joint Secretary and the Treasurer

The Honorary Secretary shall exercise all the powers delegated to him by the Council of the All-India Muslim League under Rule 27 or which may be entrusted to him by the Working Committee.

The Honorary Secretary shall exercise all the powers and discharage all duties laid down by and incidental to the enforcing of these rules and generally to his office.

The Honorary Secretary shall have the power to appoint, punish, dismiss or grant leave of absence with or without pay to the paid servants of the League subject to the sanction of the Working Committee.

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The Honorary Secretary in case of emergency and relating to matters not affecting the fundamental principles of the constitution and rules of the All-India Muslim League may call a meeting of the members of th Council, present at the headquarters, and they will be competent to take such action on behalf of the Council as they deem expedient. The resolution passed at such a meeting shall subsequently be laid before an ordinary meeting of the Council for confirmation.

The Honorary Joint Secretarary shall assist the Honorary Secretary and perform their duties under his guidence.

General Provisions

A Provincial League shall be formed and constituted in every Province of British India in such manner as the Working Committee may determine and a Provincial League, so formed may be affiliated by the All-India Muslim League on payment of 10% of its Annual income other than donations.

In every district within British India shall be formed and constituted a District Muslim League with its branches which shall be deemed to be affiliated to the All-India Muslim League provided it is affiliated to the League of the Province in which the said District League is formed.

A Provincial League affiliated by the Council of the All India Muslim League may be disaffiliated after the expiration of one year if the Council is satisfied that it has failed to establish District Leagues in the majority of the districts in the Province.

The Provincial League will be entitled to select delegates for the Anuual and Special Sessions of the League, but the number of such delegates shall not exceed three times the number fixed for the Council from particular provinces. The Provincial League shall distribute the numbers allotted to them among the District Leagues affiliated to them.

All matters dealt with at Sessions of the All India Muslim League and meetings of the Council and the Working Committee or any Sub-Committee appointed under these rules shall be decided by majority of votes, provided that if division is demanded at a session of the League, the voting will be recorded in accordance with the number allotted to the Provinces in the constitution of the Central laid down in Section 11(11).

All casual vacancies arising in the ranks of the office-bearers or members of the Council shall be filled up by the Council by election.

The constitution of the All India Muslim League shall not be added to amended, altered or cancelled except at the Annual Sessions of the League and by a majority of the votes of not less two-thirds of the members present at the Sessions.

Two Separate Nations in India : Jinnah’s Elucidation, 1940

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Now, I should like to put before you my views on the subject as its strikes me taking everything into consideration at the present moment. The British Government and Parliament, and more so the British nation, have been for many decades past brought up and nurtured with settled nations about India’s future, based on developments in their own country which has built up the British constitution, functioning now through the Houses of Pailiament and the system of cabinet. Their concept of party government functioning on political planes has become the ideal with them as the best form of government for every country, and the one-sided and powerful propaganda, which naturally appeals to the British, has led them into a serious blumder, in producing a constitution envisaged in the Government of India Act of 1935. We find that the most leading statesmen of Great Britain, saturated with these nations have in their pronoucements seriously asserted and expressed a hope that the passage of time will harmonise the inconsistent elements in India.

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All-India Muslim League Lahore Session Mach 1940 : Presidential Address by Mr. M.A. Jinnah and Text of Resolution on the future constitution of India and the position of Musalmans under it together with brief summary of speeches delivered on the occasion (Delhi, 1940), pp. 19-25. Mujahid, Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix 13, pp. 490-94.

A leading journal like the London Times, commenting on the Government of India Act of 1935, wrote that ‘undoubtedly the difference between the Hindus and Muslims is not of religion in the strict sense of the word but also of law and culture, that they may be said indeed to represent two entirely distinct and separate civilisations. However, in the course of time the superstitions will die out and India will be moulded into a single nation.’ (So according to the London Times the only difficulties are supersititions). These fundamental and deep-rooted differences, spiritual, economic, cultural, social and political have been euphemised as mere ‘superstitions.’ But surely, it is a flagrant disregard of the past history of the sub-continent of India as well as the fundamental Islamic conception of society vis a vis that of Hinduism to characterise them as mere ‘superstitions.’ Notwithstanding thousand years of close contact, nationalities which are as divergent today as ever, cannot at any time be expected to transform themselves into one nation merely by means of subjecting them to a democratic constitution and holding them forcibly together by unnatural and artificial methods of British Parliamentary statutes. What the unitary government of India for 150 years had failed to achieve cannot be realised by the imposition of a central federal government. It is inconceivable that the fiat or the write of a government so constituted can ever command a willing and loyal obedience throughout the sub-continent by various nationalities except by means of armed force behind it.

The problem in India is not of an inter-communal character, but manifestly of an international one, and it must be treated as such. So long as this basic and fundamental truth is not realised, any constitution that may be built will result in disaster and will prove destructive and harmful not only to the Musalmans, but to the British and Hindus also. If the British Government are really in earnest and sincere to secure peace and happiness of the people of this sub-continent, the only course open to us all is to allow the major nations separate homelands by diving India into ‘autonomous national states.’ There is no reason why these states should be antagonistic to each other. On the other hand the rivalry and the natural desire and efforts on the part of one to dominate the social order and establish political supermacy over the other in the government of the country with disappear. It will lead more towards natural good will by international pacts between them, and they can live in complete harmony with their neighbours. This will lead further to a friendly settlement all the more easily wiht regard to minorities by reciprocal arrangements and adjustments between Muslim India and Hindu India, which will far more adequately and effectively safeguard the rights and interest of Muslim and various other minorities.

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It is extremely difficult to appreciate why our Hindu friends fail to understand the real nature of Islam and Hinduism. They are not religions in the strict sence of the word, but are, in fact, different and distinct social orders and it is a dream that the Hindus and Muslims can ever envolve a common nationality, and this misconception of one Indian nation has gone for beyond the limits and is the cause of most of our troubles and will lead India to destruction if we fail to revise our nations in time. The Hindus and Muslims belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs, literature. They neither intermarry, nor interdine together and, indeed they belong to two different civilisations which are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions. Their aspects on life and of life are different. It is quite clear that Hindus and Musalmans derive their inspiration from different sources of history. They have different epics, different heroes and different episodes. Very often the hero of one is a foe of the other and, likewise their victories and defeats overlap. To yoke together two such nations under a single state, one as a numerical minority and the other as a majority, must lead to growing discnotent and final destruction of any fabric that may be so built up for the government of such a state.

History has presented to us many examples such as the Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Czechosolovakia and Poland. History has also shown to us many geographical tracts, much smaller than the sub-continent of India, which otherwise might have been called one country but which have been divided into as many states as there are nations inhabiting them. Balkan Peninsula comprises as many as 7 or 8 sovereign states. Likewise, the Portuguese and the Spanish stand devided in the Iberian Peninsula. Whereas under the plea of unity of India and one nation which does not exist, it is sought to pursue here the line of one central government when we know that the history of the last 12 hundred years has failed to achieve unity and has witnessed, during these ages, India always divided into Hindu India and Muslim India. The present artificial unity of India dates back only to the British conquest and is maintained by the British bayonet, but the termination of the British regime, which is implicit in the recent declaration of His Majesty’s Government, will be the herald of the entire break up with worse disaster than has ever taken place during the last one thousand years under Muslims. Surely that is not the legacy which Britain would bequeath to India after 150 years of her rule, nor would Hindu and Muslim India risk such a sure catastrophe.

Muslim India cannot accept any constitution which must necessarily result in a Hindu majority government. Hindu and Muslims brought together under a democratic system forced upon the minorities can only mean Hindu Raj Democracy of the kind with which the Congress High Command is enamoured would mean the complete destruction of what is most precious in Islam. We have had ample experience of the working of the provicial constitutions during the last two and a half years and any repetition of such a Government must lead to civil war and raising of private armies as recommended by Mr. Gandhi to Hindus of Sukkur when be said that they must defend themselves violently or non-violently, blow for blow, and if they could not they must emigrate.

Musalmans are not a minority as it is commonly known and understood. One has only got to look round. Even today according to the British map of India, out of 11 provinces 4 provinces, where the Muslims dominate more or less, are functioning notwithstanding the decision of the Hindu Congress High Command to non-co-operate and prepare for civil disobedince. Musalmans are a nation according to any definition of a nation and they must have their homelands, their territory and their state. We wish to live in peace and harmony with our neighbours as a free and independent people. We wish our people to develop to the fullest our spiritual, cultural, economic, social and political life in a way that we think best and in consonance with our own ideals and according to the genius of our people. Honestly demands and vital interest of millions of our people impose a sacred duty upon us to find an honourable and peaceful solution, which would be moved or diverted from our purpose and objective by threats or intimidations. We must be prepared to face all difficulties and consequences, make all the sacrifices that may be required of us to achieve the goal we have set in front of us…

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11.League Lahore [Pakistan] Resolution, 1940

While approving and endorsing the action taken by the Council and the Working Committee of the All-India Muslim League, as indicated in their resolutions dated the 27^th of August, 17^th and 18^th of September and 22^th of October 1939, and 3^rd of February 1940 on the constitutional issue, this Session of the All-India Muslim League emphatically reiterates that the scheme of Federation embodied in the Government of India Act, 1935, is totally unsuited to, and unworkable in the peculiar conditions of this counrty and is altogether unacceptable to Muslim India.

It further records its emphatic view that while the declaration dated the 18^th of October 1939, made by the Viceroy on behalf of His Majesty’s Government is reassuring in so far as it declares that the policy and plan on which the Government of India Act, 1935, is based will be reconsidered in consultation with the various parties, interests and communities in India, Muslim India will not be satisfied unless the whole constitutional plan is reconsidered de novo and that no revised plan would be acceptable to the Muslims unless it is framed with their approval and consent.

Resolved that it is the considered view of this Session of the All India Muslim League that no constitutional plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principle, viz. what geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the ares in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority as int the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute ‘Independent States’ in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.

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23 March 1940. Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in interpretation, Appendix 14, pp. 495-496.

That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in these units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them and in other parts of India where the Musalmans are in a minority adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them.

This Session further authorises the Working Committee to frame a scheme of constitution in accordance with these basic principles, providing for the assumption finally by the respective regions of all powers such as defence, external affairs, communications, customs and such other matters as may be necessary.

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The ambiguity created by the use of the word ‘Stats’ was removed by Jinnah in his letter dated 17 September 1944 to Gandhi; see Jinnah-Gandhi Talks, cit., pp. 21-25. It was further clarified in the resolution passed by the Muslim League Legislators Convention in Delhi, on 9 April 1946; see below, Appendix 12.

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The Constitution and Rules of the All-India Muslim League (February 1946)

NAME

The Association shall be called the All India Muslim League.

Aims and objects of the Leauge

The aims and objects of the All-India Muslim League shall be :

(i) The Establishment of completely Independent States formed by demarcating geographically contiguous units into regions which shall be so constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Musalmans are numerically in a majority, as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India, shall be grouped together to constitute Independent States as Muslim Free National Homelands in which the constituent, units shall be autonomous and sovereign :

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The Constitution and Rules of the All India Muslim League

(Delhi : Hon. Secretary, AIML, 1946).

(ii) That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in the above mentioned units and regions for the protection of their religions, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them;

(iii) That in other parts of India where the Musalmans are in a minority, adequate, effective, and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights, and interests in consultation with them;

to protect and advance the political, religious and other rights and interests of Indian Musalmans.

to promote friendly relations and unity between the Musalmans and other communities of India; and

to maintain and strengthen brotherly relations between the Musalmans of India and those of other countries.

Composition of the All India Muslmi League

The organization of the All-India Muslim League shall consist of :

The Annual and Special Sessions of the All India Muslim League.

(ii) The Council of the All-India Muslim League as constituted under section 11.

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(iii) The Working Committee of the All India Muslim League as provided for in Section 14.

(iv) The Provincial Muslim League as constituted and affiliated to the All India Muslim League under Section 40.

(v) District Muslim League and their branches as consitutued under Section 41.

(vi) Branches of the All India Muslim League, if any, outside India.

Membership of the League

Every candidate for membership of a primary branch of the All India Muslim League :

(a) must be a Musalman and a resident of British India.

(b) must not be less than 18 years of age.

Provided that a candidate may be exempted from all or any of the above conditions by Provincial League.

Every candidate shall become a member of a primary League on payment of an annual subscription of annas two in advance provided it is declared in writing that the candidate will abide by the objects and rules of the League mentioned herein.

Annual subscriptions of members shall expire on the 31^th day of December every year, irrespective of the date of their enrolment and a member shll cease to be a member unless he/she renews his/her membership by paying subscription for the next following year within three months.

The Working Committee may, however, in view of the local conditions in any Province, relax this rule and fix such other date, as it may consider proper.

Office-bearers of the All India Muslim League

There shall be the Office-bearers of the All India Muslim League as stated below :

a—President 1

b—Honorary Secretary 1

c—Honorary Treasurer 1

d—Honorary Joint Secretary 2

President of the All India Muslim League shall be elected every year by the Council from amongst those who have been nominated by different Provincial Muslim Leagues and he shall hold office untill the next Annual Session.

Secretary, Treasurer and Joint Secretaries shall be elected at the Annual Session of the League and shall hold offices for a period fo one year but shall be eligible for re-elections.

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No persons shall be ofiice-bearer of the All India Muslim League unless he is a member of some branch of the All India Muslim League.

The Council of the All India Muslim League

No persons shall be a Council of the All India Muslim League constituted under the following rules :

The Council shall consist of 475 members elected by the Provincial Leagues who shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election. Provincial Leagues shall elect their representives before the 15^th of November every year. Provided that in special cases and for good reasons the Honorary Secretary may, with the approval of the President, extend time mentioned herein for electing representatives by a Provincial League.

The total number of the members of the Council shall be allotted to the different Provinces as follows :

i—Delhi 15

ii—United Provinces 70

iii—Punjab 90

iv—Bombay 30

v—Sindh 25

vi—Madras 20

vii—N.W.F. 20

viii—British Baluchistan 10

ix—Bengal 100

x—Bihar 30

xi—Orissa 10

xii—Assam 25

xiii—Central Provinces and Berar 20

xiv—Ajmer 05

xv—Bangalore-Coorg 05

Total : 475

Over and above the number allotted above the President shall have the power to nominate upto the extent of twenty members to the Council from such province or provinces within such proportion as he may be consider necessary shall the elected members of the Central Legislature will be considered ex-officio members of the Council of the League, provided they are members of some branch of the All-India Muslim League and pay the annual subscription mentioned in Section 12. The President and the Secretary of every Provincial League will also be considered ex-officio members of the Council of the League.

In case a Provincial League or Leagues fail to elect representives within the prescribed time, the Council of the All India Muslim League shall have power to co-opt members from the defaulting province or provinces.

Every member of the Council shall pay in advance, an annual subscription of Rs. 6 and if he or she fails to pay his or her subscription within two months from the date of notice by the Central Office, he or she shall cease to be a member of the Council.

The office-bearers of the All India Muslim League shall be ex-officio members and office-

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bearers of the Council of the League.

The President and the Honorary Secretary of the of the All India Muslim League shall have the right to attend and address the meetings of the Provincial Councils and their Working Committees.

Working Committee of the All India Muslim League

There shall be a Working Committee of the All India Muslim League consisting of not more than 21 members (besides the President and the Secretary who shall be the ex-officio members and office-bearers of the Working Committee) to be nominated by the President at the time of the Annual Session from amongst the members of the Council.

Sessions of the All India Muslim League

An Annual Session of the All India Muslim League shall and s Special Session of the League may be held at such suitable time and place as the Council of the League may determine.

The quorum of the Annual Session of the League as well as of the Special Session shall be 100.

The delegates of all the affiliated Provincial Leagues and the members of the Council of the All India Muslim League shall be entitled to attend, take part, and vote at Annual or Special Session of the League on payment of a fee of Rs. 2 each.

The Council of the All India Muslim League shall act as a Subjects Committee to frame and adopt the resolutions to be plaecd before tha Annual or Special Sessions of the League with power to the President ot nominate additional members not exceeding 15 to act on the Subjects Committee who will be regarded as delegates.

Meetings of the Council

Meetings of the Council of the League shall be held from time to time at the discretion of the Honorary Secretary, with the approval of the President, but at least two meetings of the Council must be held during the course of a year. Special meetings of the Council shall be convened if 100 members of the Council send in written requisition to the Honorary Secretary stating therein the purpose for which the meeting is required to be convened.

Fifty members shall from the quorum of all meetings of the Council and all matters dealt with at such meetings shall be decided by votes, provided that the requirement of a quorum shall

not apply to adjourned meetings.

The Secretary shall be not less than 15 days previous to the ordinary meetings, and seven days previous to Special meetings, issue to each member a notice stating the time and place of the meeting. This notice shall be accompanied by an Agenda paper.

Meeting of the Working Committee

The Working Committee shall meet as often and as frequently as the President desirrs.

Five members excluding the office-bearers shall form the quorum of all meetings of the Working Committee of the League.

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All resoulutions passed by the Working Committee will be placed before the Council of the League for its information.

Functions of the Conucil

The Council shall exercise the under mentioned functions :

a—to conven meetings of the All-India Muslim League as provided in Sec. 15.

b—to elect a President for the Annual Sessions of the League as provided in Section 8;

c—to collect all information necessary and useful with reference to the objects of the League;

d—to consider and pass resolutions with regard to all matters arising from time to time relating to the objects of the League;

e—to take all necessary steps for giving effect to the resolutions passed at the Sessions of the All India Muslim League or at the meetings of the Council of the All-India Muslim League;

f—to control the expenditure of the funds and appoint auditors;

g—to appoint Sub-Committees for carrying out its duties and exercising its powers.

h—to affiliate and disaffiliate Muslim Leauges under these rules :

i—to frame bye-laws for :

(i) regulating the conduct of the Sessions of the All-India Muslim League and the meetings of Council :

(ii) regulating the conduct of the Sub-Committees appointed under clause (g) and

(iii) other and further matters necessary for carrying out the objects of the League.

Provided that no bye-laws framed by the Council shall be valid if it is inconsistent with the principles embodied herein.

j—to take disciplinary action against any member of the League who violates the decisions of the League and acts in contravention of its aims and objects; and

k—to disaffiliate Provincial Leagues if they refuse or neglect to give effect to or act in contravention of the policy, programme and directions of the All India Muslim League.

The Council may delegate any one or more of its powers to the Honorary Secretary of the All-India Muslim League with such limitations and conditions as it may deem fit to impose.

Functions and powers of the Working Committee

The Working Committee shall be the principal executive of the All India Muslim League and shall exercise the following functions :

to consider and pass resolutions and take necessary steps with regard to matters arising from time to time relating to the objects of the League not inconsistent or at variance with the creed or policy of the League or any resolution passed by the League or by the Council of the League;

to take all necessary steps for giving effect to resolutions passed at a Session of the All India Muslim League or at a meeting of the Council of the League;

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to appoint annually a Central Parliamentary Board to exercise ‘inter alia’ the functions specified in Section 29 of these Rules;

to frame, revise and amend rules and regulations for the constitution and working of Central and Provincial Parliamentary Boards;

to appoint or institute Sub-Committees for carrying out such duties and functions as may be entrusted to them;

to prepare the Annual Budget and to authorise payments in accordance with it;

to sanction all payments not included in the budget;

to employ and dismiss staff;

to collect all information necessary and useful with reference to the objects of the League; and

to perform such other functions as the all India Muslim Legaue or the Council may empower the Committee to perform.

The Working Committee of the All India Muslim League shall be empowered :

to control, direct and regulate all the activities of the various Provincial Leagues strictly in consonance with the aims, objects and rules of the All India Muslim League;

to take disciplinary action against any member of the All India Muslim League who violates the decisions of the League or acts in contravention of its aims and objects,

subject to a right of appeal to the Council of the All-India Muslim League;

to suspend, dissolve or disaffiliate any Provincial League which fails in its duties, infiringes or ignores the decisions or directions of the Working Committee or the Council of the All India Muslim League or binders the progress of the League in any manner whatsoever, subject to a right of appeal to the Council of the All India Muslim League.

to take disciplinary action against any Office-bearer of a Provincial League who fails in his duties, ignores the decisions or directions of the Working Commitee of the All India Muslim League or binders the progress of the League in any manner whatsoever, subject to a right of appeal to the Council of the All India Muslim League.

The Working Committee may delegate any or more of its powers to any Committee of its members or to the President or to the Secretary of the All India Muslim League with such limitations and conditions, if any, as it may deem fit to impose.

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Central Parliamentary Board

There shall be a Central Muslim League Parliamentary Board to be appointed annually by the Working Committee of the All India Muslim League, and it shall exercise the following funcitons :

to select, in consultation with the Provincial Parliamentary Boards, cadidates for the Central Legislture and to exercise general control over the Muslim League Party in the Central Leagisture;

to see that Provincial Parliamentary Boards are properly constituted in every provice;
to supervise and control the activities of the Provincial Parliamentary Boards;

to hear and decide finally all appeals against the decisions of the Provincial Parliamentary Boards;

to decide all disputes arising between a Provincial Parliamentary Board and a Provincial Muslim League or a Muslim League party in a Provincial Legislature; and
to see that Muslim League Legislative Parties are established in the various Legislatures of the country, and to keep a watch over their activities.

Funds of the League

A fund shall be raised and established called “Muslim National Fund” of the amount of five lacs of Rupees to be invested in authorised securities under the Indian Trust Act, the interest and not the corpus of which shall be utilitised for the objects of the League.

All fees received from delegates, Councilors and Office-bearers of the All India Muslim League and from visitors at the Annual and Special Sessions of the League, amounts received as provincial quotas under Section 40, and all donations, subscriptions of other contributions which the League or the Council may from time to time receive and collect, as well as the funds memtioned in Section 30 shall constitute the funds of the League.

The funds of the League other than the fund memtioned in Section 30 shall be deposited in the name of the All India Muslim League with the Imperial Bank of India; but in any place in which the Imperial Bank of India may not have a branch such funds may be deposited with any other Bank at the discretion of the Workin Committee.

Powers and duties of the Offic-bearers of the All India Muslim League

The President shall be the principal head of the whole organization, shall exercise all the powers inherent in his office and be responsible to see that all the authorities work in consonanace with the Constitution and Rules of the All India Muslim League.

The President shall have the power to nominate a member of the Council to act for him during hsi absence due to illness or any other cause.

The Honorary Secretary shall exercise all the powers delegated to him by the Council of the All India Muslim League under Section 25 or which may be entrusted to him by the Working Committee.

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The Honorary Secretary shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties laid down by and incidental to the enforcing of these rules and generally to his office.

The Honorary Secretary shall have the power to appoint, punish, dismiss or grant leave of absence with or without pay to the paid servants of the League in accordance with the bye-laws to be framed by the Working Committee in this behalf.

Th Honorary Secretary, in case of emergency and relating to matters not affecting the fundamental principles of the Constitution of the All India Muslim League, may with the approval of the President, take such action, on behalf of the Council, as he deems expedient. The action so taken shall be reported to the Council at its next meeting for confirmation.

The Honorary Treasurer shall be authoriesed to operate on the bank and shall make payments in accordance with the directions of the Working Committee.
The Honorary Joint Seceretary shall assist the Honorary Secretary and perform such duties under his guidence as may be entrusted to them.

General Provinsions

A Provincial League and a Provincial Parliamentary Board shall be formed and constituted in every Province of British India in such manner as the Working Committee may determine. A Provincial League so formed and affiliated by the All India Muslim League shall pay to the All India Muslim League, every year, ten per cent of its Annual Income than donations.

Every District or City Muslim League together with its branches, formed within British India, shall be deemed to be affiliated to the All India Muslim League provided it is affiliated to the League of its Province.

A Provincial League affiliated by the Council of the All India Muslim League may be disaffiliated after the expiration of one year if the Council is satisfied that it has failed to establish District League in the majority of the District in the Province.

All Provincial Leagues will be entitled to select delegates for tha Annual and Special Sessions of the League, and the number of such delegates shall not exceed three times the number fixed for the Council from a particular province. The Provincial Leagues shall distribute the numbers allotted to them among the District Leagues affiliated to them.

All the members of the Muslim League Parties in the Provincial Legislatures shall be ex-officio delegates at the annual or Special Sessions of the All India Muslim League on payment of Delegate’s fee.

All matters, including election of office-bearers, dealt with at the Sessions of the All India Muslim League and meetings of the Council and the Working Committee or any Sub-Committee appointed under these rules shall be decided by majority of votes, provided that if division is demanded at a Session of the League, the voting will be recorded in accordance with the number allotted to the Provinces in the Constitution of the Council laid down in Section 11 (ii).

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All casual vacancies arising in the ranks of the Office-bearers or members of the Council shall be filled up by the Council by election.

The Constitution of the All India Muslim League shall not be added to, amended, altered or cancelled except at the Annual Sessions of the Legue and by a majority of the votes of not less than two-thirds of the members present at the Sessions.

০০০

League Legislator’s Resolution, 1946

Whereas, in this vast sub-continent of India, a hundred milion Muslims are the adherents of a faith which regulates every depertment of their life (educational, social, economic and political), whose code is not confirmed merely to spiritual doctrines and tenets or rituals and ceremonies and which stands in sharp contrast to the exclusive nature of Hindu dharma and philosophy which has fostered and maintained for thousands of years a rigid caste system resulting in the degradation of 60 milion human beings to the position of untouchables, creation of unnatural barries between man and man and superimposition of social and economic inequalities of a lagre body of the people of this country, and which threatens to reduce Muslim, Christians and other minorities to the status of irredeemable holots, socially and economically;

Whereas the Hindu caste system is a direct negations, cultures, social and economic orders of the Hindus and Muslims have made impossible the evolutions and ideals and whereas after centuries they still remain two distinct major nations;

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9 April 1946. Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix, 15, pp. 497-99.

Whereas, soon after the introduction by the British of the policy of setting up political institutions in India on the lines of Western democracies based on majority rule, which meant that the majority of one nation or society could impose its will on the majority of the other nation or socieyt inspite of their opposition, as was amply demonstrated during the two and a half year’s regime of Congress Governments in the Hindu-majority provinces under the Government of India Act, 1935, when the Muslims where subjected to untold harassment and oppression as a result of which they were convinced of the futility and ineffectiveness of the Instrument of Instructions to the Governors and were driven to the irresistible conclusion that in a united Indian Federation, if established, the Muslims, even in majority provinces, would meet with no better fate and their rights and interests, could never be adequately protected against the perpetual Hindu majority at the Centre;

whereas the Muslims are convinced that with a view to save Muslim India from the domination of the Hindus and in order to afford them full scope to develop themselves according to their genius, it is necessary to constitute a sovereign independent State, comprising Bengal and Assam in the North-East zone and the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan in the North-West zone;

This Convention of the Muslim League Legislators of India, Central and Provincial, after careful consideration hereby declares that the Muslim Nation will naver submit to any Constitution for a United India and will never participate in any single constituttions-making machinery set up for the purpose, and that any formula devised by the British Government for transferring power from the British to the peoples of India, which does not conform to the following just and equitable principles calculated to maintain internal peace and tranquillity in the country, will not contribute to the solution of the Indian problem.

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That the zones comprising Bengal and Assam in the North-East and the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan in the North-West of India, namely, Pakistan zones, where the Muslims are in a dominant majority, be constituted into a sovereign independent State and that an unequivocal undertaking be given to implement the establishment of Pakistan without delay;

That two separate constitution-making bodies be set up by [the] peoples of Pakistan and Hindustan for the purpose of framing their respective constitutions :

That the minorities in Pakistan and Hindustan be provided with safeguards on the lines of the All-India Muslim League resolution passed on the 23^th Macrh 1940, at Lahore.

That the acceptance of the Muslim League demand of Pakistan and its implementation without delay are the sine qua non for the Muslim League co-operation and participation in the formation of an Interim Government at the Centre.

This Convention further emphatically declares that any attempt to impose a constitution on a united India basis or to force any interim arrangement at the Centre, contrary to the Muslim League demand, will leave the Muslims no alternative but to resist such imposition by all possible means for their survival and national existence.

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League on the Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946

League Council Resolution accepting the Cabinet Mission plan

This meeting of the Council of the All-India Muslim League, after having carefully considered the statement issued by the Cabinet Mission and His Excellency the Viceroy on the 16^th May 1946, and other relevant statements and documents officially issued in connection therewith, and after having examined the proposals set forth in the said statement in all their bearing and implications, places on record the following views for the guidance of the nation and direction of the Working Committee.

That the references made and the conclusions recorded in paragraphs 6,7, 8, 8, 10 and 11 of the Statement concerning the Muslim demand for the establishment of a fully sovereign Pakistan as the only solution of the Indian constitutional problem are unwarranted, unjustified, and unconvincing, and should not therefore have found a place in a state document issued on behalf and with the authority of the British Government.

These paragraphs are couched in such a language, and contain such multilations of the established facts, that th Cabinet Mission have clearly been prompted to include them in their Statement soly with the object of appeasing the Hindus, in utter disregard of Muslim sentiments. Further more,

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6 June 1946. Mujahid, Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appndix, 16, pp. 500-502

the contents of the aforesaid paragraphs are in conflict and inconsistent with the admissions made by the Mission themselves in paragraphs 5 and 12 of their Statement, which are to the following effect :

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First, the Mission “were greatly impressed by the very genuine and acute anxiety of the Muslims lest they should find themselves subjected to perpetual Hindu-majority rule.”

Secondly, “This feeling has become so strong and widespread amongst the Muslims that it cannot be allayed by mrer paper safeguards.”

Thirdly, “If there is to be internal peace in India it must be secured by measures which will assure to the Muslims a control in all matters vital to their culture, religion, economic or other interests.”

And Fourthly, “Very real Muslim apprehensions exist that their culture and political and social life might become submerged in a purely unitary India, in which Hindus, with their greatly superior numbers, must be the dominating elememt.”

In order that there may be no manner of doubt in any quarter, the Council of the All-India Muslim League reiterates that the attainment of the goal of a completely sovereign Pakistan still remains the unalterable objective of the Muslims of India, for the achievement of which they will, if necessay, employ every means in their power, and consider no sacrifice of suffering too great.

That, notwithstanding the affront offered to Muslim sentiments by the choice of injudicious words in the preamble of the Statement of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League, having regard to the grave issues involved, and prompted by its earnest desire for a peaceful solution, if possible of the Indian constitutional problem, and inasmuch as titled and the foundation of Pakistan are inherent in the Musalman by virtue of the compulsory grouping of the six Muslim Provinces in Sections B and C, is willing co-operate with the constitution-making machinery proposed in the scheme outlined by the Mission, in the hope that it would ultimately result in the establisment of the completely sovereign Pakistan, and in the consummation of a goal of independence for the major nations, Muslims and Hindus, and all the other people inhabiting this vast subcontinent.

It is for these reasons that the Muslim League is accepting the scheme and will join the constitution-making body, and it will keep in view the opportunity and the right of secession of Provinces or groups from the Union, which have been provided in the Mission’s Plan by implication. The ultimate attitude of the Muslim League will depend of the final outcome of the labours of the constitution-making body, and on the final shape of the constitution which may emerge from the deliberations of that body jointly and separately in its three Sections.

That with regard to [the] arrangement for the proposed Interim Government at the Centre, this Council authorise its President to negotiate with His Excellency the Viceroy and to take such decisions and actions as he seems [deem?] fit and proper.

League Council Resolutions Withdrawing Acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan

Resolution No.1

On the 6^th of June, 1946, the Council of the All-India Muslim League accepted the scheme embodied in the statement of the Cabinet Delegation and the Viceroy dated 16^th May, 1946 and explained by them in their statement dated 25^th May, 1946. The scheme of the Cabinet Delegation fell far establishment of an independent and fully sovereign State of Pakistan comprising the six Muslim Provinces, but the Council accepted a Union Centre for ten years strictly confined to three subjects, viz. Defence, Foreign Affairs and Communications, as the schem laid down certain fundamentals and safegards and provided for the grouping separately for the six Muslim Provinces in Section B and C for

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the purpose of framing their provincial and group constitutions unfettered by the Union in any way; and also with a view to end the Hindu-Muslim deadlock peacefully and accelerate the attainment of freedom of the peoplws of India. In arriving at this decision, the Council was also greatly influenced by the statement of the President which he made with the authority of the Viceroy that tha Interim Government, which was as integral part of the Mission’s scheme, was going to be formed on the basis of a formula, viz. 5 Muslim League, 5 Congress, 1 Sikh and 1 Indian Christian or Anglo-Indian stipulating that the most important portfolios would be distributed equally between the two major parties, the Muslim League and the Congress. The Council authorized the President to take such decision and action with regard to further details of setting up the Interim Government as he deemed fit and proper. In that very resolution the Council also reserved the right to modify and review policy, if the course of events so required.

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…..(Text not clear)….July 1946. Ibid., pp. 502-07.

The British Government committed a breach of faith with the Muslim League in that the Cabinet Delegtion and the Viceroy went back on the original formula of 5:5:2 for setting up of the Interim Government to placate the Congress.

Having gone back on the original formula upon the faith of which the Muslim League Council had come to their decision on the 6^th of June, the Viceroy suggested a new basis of 5:5:3 and, after carrying on considerable negotiations with the Congress and having failed to get the Congress to agree to it, intimated to the parties on the 15^th of June that he and the Cabinet Delegation would issue their final statement with regard to the setting up of the Interim Government.

Accordingly on the 16^th of June the President of the Muslim League received a statement embodying what was announced to be the final decision for setting up the Interim Government by the Viceroy, making it clear that if either of the two major parties refused to accept the statement of June 16, the Viceroy would proceed to form the Interim Government with the major party acceepting it and such other representatives as were willing to join. This was explicity laid down in paragraph 8 of the statement of June 16.

Even this final decision of the Cabinet Mission of the 16^th of June with regard to the formation of the Interim Government was rejected by the Congress, whereas the Muslim League definitely acceptet it. Though this proposal was different from the original formula of 5:5:2, the Muslim League accepted it because the Viceroy had provided safegards and given other satisfactory assurances which were contained in his letter deated the 20^th of June 1946, addressed to the President of the Muslim League.

The Viceroy, however, scrapped the proposal of the 16^th of June and postponed the formation of the Interim Government on the plea concocted by the ‘legalistic talents’ of the Cabinet Mission putting a most fantastic and dishonest construction upon paragraph 8 of the statement to the effect that as both the major parties i.e., the Muslim League and the Congress, had accepted the statement of May 16, the question of the Interim Government could only be taken up in consultation with the representatives of both parties de novo.

Even assuming that this construction was tenable, for which there is no warrant, the Congress, by their conditional acceptance with reservations and interpretations of their own as laid down in the letter of the President of the Congress dated the 25^th of June and the resolution of the Working Committee of the Congress passed at Delhi on the 26^th of June, repudiating the very fundamentals of the scheme had, in fact, rejected the statement of the 16^th of May and there was therefore no justification, whatsoever, for abandoning the final proposals of the 16^th of June.

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As regards the proposal embodied in the statements of the 16^th and 25^th of May of the Cabinet Delegation and the Viceory, the Muslim League alone of the two major parties has accepted it.

The Congress have not accepted in because their acceptance is conditional and subject to their own interpretation which is contrary to the authoriative statements of the Delegation and the Viceroy issued on the 16^th and the 25^th of May. The Congress have made it clear that they do not accept any of the terms or the fundamentals of the scheme but that they have agreed only to go into the Constituent Assembly and to nothing else; and that the Constituent Assembly is a sovereign body and can take such decisions as it may think proper in total disregard of the terms and the basis on which it was proposed to be set up. Subsequently this was made further clear and beyond any doubt in the speeches that were made at the meeting of the India Congress Committee in Bombay on the 6^th of July by prominent members of the Congress and in the statement of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the President of the Congress, to a press conference on the 10^th July in Bombay and then again even after the debate in the Parliament in a public speech by him at Delhi on the 22^th of July.

The result is, that of the two major parties, [the] Muslim League along has accepted the statements of May 16^th and 25^th according to the spirit and the letter of the proposals embodied therein and inspite of the attention of the Secretary of State for India having been drawn to this situation by the statement of the President of the Muslim League of 13^th July from Hyderabad, Deccan, neither Sir Stafford Cripps in the House of Commons, nor Lord Pethick Lawrence in the House of Lords, in the course of the recent debate, have provided or suggested any means or machinery to prevent the Constituent Assembly from taking decisions which would be ultra vires and not competent for the Assembly to do so. The only reference that the Secretary of State made to this serious situation was a mere expression of pious hope when he stated “that would not be fair to the other parties who go in.”

Once the Constituent Assembly was summoned and met, there was no provision or power that could prevent any decision from being taken by the Congress, with its overwhelming majority, which would not be competent for the Assembly to take or which would be ultra vires of it, and however repugnant it might be to the letter or the spirit of the scheme. It would rest entirely with the majority to take such decisions as they may think proper or suit them and the Congress have already secured by sheer numbers an overwhelming Hindu-Caste majority whereby they will be in a position to use the Assembly in the manner in which they have already declared, i.e. that they will wreck the basic form of the grouping of the provinces and extend the scope, powers and subjects of the Union Centre which is confined strictly to three specific subjects as laid down in paragraph 15 and provided for in paragraph 19 of the statement of 16^th May.

The Cabinet Delegation and the Viceroy collectively and individually have stated on more than one occasion that the basic principles were laid down to enable the major parties to join the Constituent Assembly and that the scheme cannot succeed unless it is worked in a spirit of co-operation. The attitude of the Congress clearly shows that these conditions precedent for the successful working of the constitution-making body do not exist. This fact, taken together with the policy of the British Government of sacrificing the interests of the Muslim nation and some other weaker sections of the peoples of India, particularly the Scheduled Castes, to appease the Congress and the way in which they have been going back on their oral and written solemn pledges and assurances given from time to time to the Muslims, leaves no doubt that in these circumstances the participation of the Muslims in the proposed constitution-making machinery is fraught with danger and the Council, therefore, hereby withdraws its acceptance of the Cabinet Mission’s proposals which was communicated to the Secretary of State for India by the President of the Muslim League on the 6^th of June 1946.

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Resolution No.2

Whereas the Council of the All-India Muslim League has resolved to reject the proposals embodied in the statement of the Cabinet Delegation and the Viceroy dated 16^th May 1946 due to the intransigence of the Congress on the one had and the breach of faith with the Muslims by the British Government on the other; and

whereas Muslim India has exhausted without success all effforts to find a peaceful solution of the Indian problem by compromise and constitutional means; and

whereas the Congress is bent upon setting up Caste-Hindu Rules India with the connivance of the British; and

whereas recent events have shown that power politics and not justice and fair play are the deciding factors in Indian affairs; and

whereas it has become aboundantly clear that the Muslims of India would not rest contented with anything less than the immediate establishment of an independent and fully sovereign State of Pakistan and would resist any attempt to impose any constitution-making machinery or any constitution, long-term or short-term, or the setting up of any Interim Government at the Centre without the approval and consent of the Muslim League;

the Council of the All-India Muslim League is convinced that now the time has come for the Muslim Nation to resort to Direct Action to achieve Pakistan to assert their just rights, to vindicate their honour and to get rid of the present British slavery and the contemplated future Caste-Hindu domination.

This Council calls upon the Muslim Nation to stand to a man behind their sole representative and authoritative organization, the All-India Muslim League, and to be ready for every sacrifice.

This Council directs the Working Committee to prepare forthwith a programme of Direct Action to carry out the policy enunciated above and to organize the Muslims for the coming struggle to be launched as and when necessary.

As a protest against and in token of their deep resentment of the attitude of the British, this Council calls upon the Musalmans to renounce forthwith the titles conferred upon them by the alien Government.

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League on the Interim Government

Text of the resolution passed by the Working Committee of the All India Muslim League at its meeting held in Delhi from 7^th to 14^th October 1946 under the Presidentship of Quaid-i-Azam M.A. Jinnah.

Resolution

The Working Committee of the All India Muslim League resolve that the following draft of the letter dated 13^th October 1946 to be sent to the H.E., the Viceroy by the President of the All India Muslim League be approved.

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Dear Lord Wavell,

The Working Committee of the All India Muslim League have considered the whole matter fully and I am now authorised to state that they do not approve of the basis and scheme of setting up the Interim Government which has been decided by you, presumably with the authority of His Majesty’s Government.

Therefore, the Committee do not and cannot agree with your decision already taken, nor with the arrangements you have already made.

We consider and maintain that the imposition of this decision is contrary to the Declaration of August 8, 1940, but since according to your decision, we have a right to nominate

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Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, (ed.), Foundations of Pakistan : All-India Muslim League Documents : 1906-1947 (Karachi : Royal Book Company, 1990), Vol. III, pp. 413-14.

five members of the Executive Council on behalf of the Muslim League my Committee have, for various reasons come to the conclusion that in the interests of Musalmans and other Communities it will be fatal to leave the entire field of administration of the Central Government in the hands of the Congress. Besides, you may be forced to have in your Interim Government Muslims who would not coammand the respect and confidence of Muslim India which would lead to very serious consequence : and, laslty, for other very weightly grounds and reasons, which are obvious and need not be mentioned, we have decided to nominate five on behalf of the Muslim League in terms of your broadcast dated August 24, 1946 and your two letters to me dated 4^th October, 1946 and 12^th October 1946, respectively, embodying clarifications and assurances.

Yours sincerely,

(Sd.) M.A. JINNAH

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Jinnah on the Partition Plan, 1947

The statement of His Majesty’s Government embodying in the plan for the transfer of power to the peoples of India has already been broadcast and will be released to the press to be published in India and abroad tomorrow morning. It gives the outlines of the Plan for us to give it our most earnest consideration. We have to examine it coolly and dispassionately. We must remember that we have to take momentous decisions and handle grave issues facing us in the solution of the complex political problem of this great sub-continent inhabited by 400 million people. The world has no parallel for the most onerous and difficult tasks which we have to perform.

Grave responsibilities lie particularly on the shoulders of Indian leaders. Therefore, we must galvanize and concentrate all our energies to see that the transfer of power is effected in a peaceful and orderly manner. I most earnestly appeal to every community and particularly to Muslim India to maintain peace and order.

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We must examine the Plan, its letter and spirit and come to your conclusions and take over decisions. I pray to God that at this critical moment He may guide us to discharge our responsibilities in a wise and statesmanlike manner having regard to the sum toto or the plan as a whole.

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3 June 1947, Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix 17, pp. 508-10.

It is clear that the Plan does not meet in some important respects our point of view; and we cannot say or feel that we are satisfied or that we agree with some of the matters dealt with by the Plan. It is for us now to consider whether the Plan as presented to us by His Majesty’s Government should be accepted by us a compromise or a settlement.

On this point I do not wish to pre-judge the decision of the Council of the All-India Muslim League which has been summoned to meet no Monday, 9^th of June; and the final decision can only be taken by that Council according to our constitution, precedents and practice. But so far as I have been able to gather on the whole the reaction in the Muslim League circles in Delhi has been hopeful. Of course, the Plan has got to be very carefully examined in its pros and cons before the final decision can be taken.

I must say that I feel that the Viceroy has battled against various forces very bravely and the impression that he has left in my mind impartiality, and it is up to us now to make his task less difficult and help him as far as it lies in our power in order that he may fulfil his mission of transferring power to the peoples of India in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Now, the plan that has been broadcast already makes it clear in paragraph 11 that a referendun will be made to the electorates of the present Legislative Assembly in the North-West Frontier Province who will choose which of the two alternatives in paragraph 4 they wish to adopt; and the referendum will be held under the aegis of the Governor-General in consultation with the Provincial Government. Hence it is clear that the verdict and the mandate of the people of the Frontier Province will be obtained as to whether they want to join the Pakistan Constituent Assembly or the Hindustan Constituent Assembly. In these circumstances, I request the provincial Muslim League of the Frontier to withdraw the movement of peaceful civil disobedience which they had perforce to resort to; and I call upon all the leaders of the Muslim League and Musalmans generally to organise our people to face this referendum with hope and courage and I feel confident that the people of the Frontier will give their verdict by a solid vote to join the Pakistan Constituent Assembly.

I cannot but express my appreciation of the sufferings and sacrifices made by all the classes of Musalmans and particularly the great part the women of the Frontier played in the fight for our civil liberties. Without apportioning blame, and this is hardly the moment to do so, I deeply sympathise with all those who have suffered, and those who died or whose properties were subjected to destruction, and I fervently hope that the Frontier will go through this referendum in a peaceful manner and it should be the anxiety of everyoine to obtain a fair, free and true verdict of the people of the Frontier. Onece again, I most earnestly appeal to all to maintain peace and order. Pakistan Zindabad.

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League on the Partition Plan, 1947

The Council of the All-India Muslim League, after full deliberation and consideration of the statement of His Majesty’s Government, dated June 3, 1947, laying down the plan of transfer of power to the peoples

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of India, notes with satisfaction that the Cabinet Mission’s Plan of May 16, 1946 will not be proceeded with and has been abandoned. The only course open is the partition of India as now proposed in HMG’s statement of June 3.

The Council of the All-India Muslim League is of the opinion that the only solution of India’s problem is to divide India into two—Pakistan and Hindustan. On that basis, the Council has given its most earnest attention and consideration to HMG’s statement. The Council is of the opinion that, although it cannot agree to the partition of Bengal and the Punjab, or give its consent to such partition, it has to consider HGM’s plan for the transfer of power as a whole.

The Council, therefore, hereby resolves to give fall authority to the President of the All-India Muslim League, Quaid-i-Azam M.A. Jinnah to accept the fundamental principles of the plan as a compromise and to leave it to him, with full authority to work out all the details of the plan in an equitable and just manner with regard to carrying out the complete division of India on the basis and fundamental

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10 June, 1947. Mujahid, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah : Studies in Interpretation, Appendix, 18, p. 511.

principles embodied in HMG’s plan, including Defence, Finance and Communications, etc.

The Council further empower the President, Quaid-i-Azam M.A. Jinnah to take all steps and decisions which may be necessary in connection with and relating to the plan.

০০০

Resolution on AIML’s Bifurcation

III. The Council of the All-India Muslim League views with great satisfaction the attainment of its main objective, namely the establishment of Pakistan, and congratulates the Musalmans of the Indian Subcontinent on the sacrifices they have made for the achievement of their national goal. The Council feels confident that the unique struggle of the Muslim League for the establishement of a fully independent sovereign State, under the superb leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and its ultimate triumph in the birht of the largest Muslim State and the fifth largest of all States in the world, will go down in history as the most calls upon the Musalmans of Pakistan and all other loyal citizens of the State to make the greatest possible contribution towards the building up of new-born State, so that in as short time as possible it can attain an honourable position in the comity of nations of the world as an ideal democratic state based on social justice as an upholder of human freedom and world peace, in which all its citizens will enjoy equal rights and be free from fear, want and ignorance.

Now that the main object of the All-India Muslim League has been fulfilled and India has been divided into two independent and sovereign States, certain changes are

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Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada (ed.), Foundations of Pakistan (Karachi : National Publishing House, 1970), Vol. II, pp. 575-76.

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inevitable in the structure, objectives and policies of the All-India Muslim League organization. It is obvious that the Musalmans of Pakistan and India can no longer have one and the same poitical organization.

The Council therefore resolves :

(i) That in place of the All-India Muslim League there shall be separate Muslim League organizaions for Pakistan and the Indian Union. (ii) That all members of the Council of the All-India Muslim League for the time being who have become ordinarily residents of the territories comprised by Pakistan, or have settled therein, and all Muslim members of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly who are primary members of the Muslim League do hereby constitute the Council of the Pakistan Muslim League. (iii) That all members of the Council of the All-India Muslim League who have become ordinarily residents of the territories comprised by the Indian Union, or have settled therein, and all Muslim members of the Indian Union Constituent Assembly who are primary members of the Muslim League do hereby constitute the Council of the Indian Union Muslim League. (iv) Than a convenor each be appointed for the Pakistan Muslim League and the Indian Union Muslim Leauge, with instructions to convene at very early dates meetings of the two respective Councils as defined above, for the purpose of electing office-bearers, framing the constitution and transacting such other business as arises by virtue of this decision. (v) That the following be elected the convenors respectively : for the Pakistan Muslim League, the Honourable Mr. Laiquat Ali Khan; for the Indian Union Muslim League, Mr. Mohammad Ismail, President, Madras Provincial Muslim League. (vi) That the meeting of the Council of the Pakistan Muslim League will be held at Karachi, and that of the Indian Union Muslim League at Madras.

(ii) That all primary members of the All-India Muslim League who are now ordinarily residents of Pakistan, or have settled therin, should be deemed ipso facto to have become primary members of the Pakistan Muslim League; and all members of the All-India Muslim League who are now ordinarily residents of the Indian Union, or have settled therein, be deemed to have become ipso facto primary members of the Indian Union Muslim League.

(iii) That when meetings of the respective Councils of the Pakistan Muslim League and the Indian Union Muslim League are convened, each Council shall elect its representatives, not exceeding three in each case, as members of a Joint Ad-hoc Committee for the purpose of deciding how the assets and liabilities of the All-India Muslim League are to be equitably divided as between the Pakistan Muslim League and the Indian Union Muslim League, In the event of a difference of opinion in the Ad-hoc Committee, the issues in dispute will be finally decided by the Quaid-i-Azam.

(iv) That in case of dispute regarding the membership of the Council, a written declaration by an existing member of the Council of the All-India Muslim League to the effect that he is ordinarily resident of, or has settled in, Pakistan or the Indian Union shall be conclusive.

(v) That the existing Central Parliamentary Board of the All-India Muslim League shall continue to function in accordance with the Constitution and Rules for the Muslim League organization in Pakistan till such time as the Council of the Pakistan Muslim League meets, and for the Muslim League organization in the Indian Union till such time as the Council of the Indian Union Muslim League meets.

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Muslim League Presidents and Secretaries

Presidents, All India Muslim League, 1906-47

1.	H.H. the Aga Khan (1877-1958)	1908-12
2.	Maharaja Sir Muhammad Ali Mohammad Khan of Mahmudabad (1877-1931)	1912-18
3.	Mr. M.A. Jinnah (1876-1948)	1919-30
4.	Sir Mian Mohammad Shafi (1869-1985)	15 March 1931-15 December 1931
5.	Sir Mohammad Zafrullah Khan (1893-1985)	1931-32
6.	Mian Abdul Aziz (d. 1946)	1932-33
7.	Khan Bahadur Hafiz Hidayat Hosain (1881-1936)	1933-34
8.	M.A. (1876-1948)	1934-47

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Waheed Ahmad, (ed.), Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah : The Nation’s Voice : Towards Consolidation : Speeches and Statements, March 1935-March 1940 (Karachi : Quaid-i-Azam Academy, 1992), Appendix XXIII (A) (a,b,c), pp. 846-49.

Presidents of Annual and other Sessions (All India Muslim League)

1.	Nawab Viqarul Mulk, Maulvi Mushtaq Hosain Bahadur (1841-1917)	Dacca	30 Dec. 1906 (Inaugural Session)
2.	Sir Adamji Peebhai	Karachi	29-30 Dec. 1907
3.	Syed Ali Imam (1869-1932)	Amritsar	30-31 Dec. 1908
4.	Sir Ghulam Mohammad Ali, Prince of Arcot (1882-1952)	Delhi	29-30 Jan. 1910
5.	Syea Nabiullah (d.1925)	Nagpur	28-30 Dec. 1910
6.	Nawab Khawaja Salimullah (1884-1915)	Calcutta	3-4 March 1912
7.	Mian Mohammad Shafi (1869-1932)	Lucknow	22-23 March 1913
8.	Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola (1862-1942)	Agra	30-31 Dec. 1913
9.	Mr. Mazharul Haq (1866-1930)	Bombay	30 Dec. 1915—1 January 1916
10.	Mr. M.A. Jinnah (1876-1948)	Lucknow	30-31 Dec. 1916
11.	Maulana Mohammad Ali (1878-1931) (President elect) Maharaja of Mahmudabad	Bombay	30 December 1917, 1 Janauary 1916, 31 August 1918, 1 September 1918 (special session

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12.	Mr. A.K. Fazlul Haq (1873-1962)	Delhi	30 Dec. 1918
13.	Hakim Ajmal Khan (1863-1927) M.A. Jinnah (1876-1948)	Amritsar Calcutta	29-31 Dec. 1919 7 September 1920 (Extraordinary Session)
14.	Dr. M.A. Ansari (1880-1936)	Nagpur	30-31 Dec. 1920
15.	Maulana Hasrat Mohani (1878-1951)	Ahmadabad	30 December 1921
16.	Ghulam Mohammad Bhurgri (1881-1924)	Lucknow	31 March 1 April 1923, (Session adjourned)
16.	Mr. M.A. Jinnah	Lahore	24-25 May 1924, (Session reconvened)
17.	Syed Raza Ali (1882-1947)	Bombay	30-31 Dec. 1924
18.	Sir Abdur Rahim (1867-1947)	Aligarh	30-31 Dec. 1925
19.	Sir Abdul Qadir (1874-1950)	Delhi	30-31 Dec. 1926
20.	Maulvi Sir M. Yakub (1879-1942)	Calcutta	30 December 1927 and 1 January 1928
20.	Sir Mohammad Shafi	Lahore	31 December 1927- 1 January 1928
21.	Maharaja Mohammad Ali Muhammad Khan of Mahmudabad (1877-1931	Calcutta	26-30 Dec. 1928
22.	Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal (1876-1938)	Allahabad	29-30 Dec. 1930
23.	Chaudhri Mohammad Zafrullah Khan (1893-1985)	Delhi	26-27 Dec. 1931
23.	Mian Abdul Aziz (d. 1946)	Howra	21 October 1933 (Azia Group)
24.	Hafiz Hidayat Hosain (1881-1936)	Delhi	25-26 Nov. 1933
25.	Syed Wazir Hasan (1874-1947)	Bombay	11-12 April 1936
26.	M.A. Jinnah (1876-1948)	Lucknow	15-18 October 1937
26.	M.A. Jinnah (1876-1948)	Calcutta	17-18 April 1938 (Special Session)
27.	M.A. Jinnah	Patna	26-29 Dec. 1938
28.	M.A. Jinnah	Lahore	22-24 March 1940
29.	M.A. Jinnah	Madras	12-15 April 1941
30.	M.A. Jinnah	Allahabad	3-6 April 1942
31.	M.A. Jinnah	Delhi	24-26 April 1943
32.	M.A. Jinnah	Karachi	24-26 Dec. 1943

Secretaries, All India Muslim League

1.	Nawab Mohsinul Mulk Mehdi Ali Khan (1837-1907) and Nawab Viqarul Mulk Maulvi Mushtaq Hosain	1907-1907
2.	Nawab Viqarul Mulk Maulvi Mushtaq Hosain (1841-1917)	1907-1908
3.	Major Syed Hasan Bilgrami (d. 1915)	1908-1910
4.	Maulvi Mohammad Aziz Mirza (1865-1912)	1910-1912
5.	Syed Wazir Hasan (1874-1947)	1912-1918
6.	Syed Wazir Hasan (b. 1870)	1919-1926
7.	Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew (1884-1963)	1926-1929
8.	Maulvi Sir Mohammad Yakub (1879-1942)	1930-1933
9.	Professor Mirza Mohammad Said (1886-1962)	1933
10.	Hafiz Hidayat Hosain (1881-1936)	1934-1935
11.	Maulvi Sir Mohammad Yakub (1879-1942)	1935-1936
12.	Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan (1895-1951)	1936-1947)

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