The Simla Deputation

Irfan Waheed Usmani

Outline
• Introduction
• The Factors Leading to the Formation of the Simla Deputation
• The Formation of Simla Deputation
• The Charter of Demands/ The Demands that the Deputation Made
• The Government’s Response
• The reaction on Simla Deputation and its Demands
• The Significance of the Simla Deputation
• Was Simla Deputation a “Command Performance”?
Introduction

Landmark in the Muslim ▫Marked the beginning of ▫it is considered a ▫It lifted/ brought the
politics in India in the Muslim political milestone in the history Hindu-Muslim conflict to
twentieth century movement in India of Muslim nationalism in the constitutional plane
South Asia
OR The Simla Deputation
and its demands provided
great impetus to Muslim
political movement…
The Factors Leading to the
Formation of the Simla Deputation
• The Death of Syed Ahmad Khan
• The Rise of Hindu/Indian Nationalism
• The Results of 1892 Elections
• The Second Phase of Urdu-Hindi Controversy
• The launching of the anti-partition movement against the partition of
Bengal
• The Coming of Liberal Party to Power in Britain– Morley’s budget
speech
The Death of Syed Ahmad Khan

Syed Ahmad Khan’s How and in what ways After his demise the
demise created a void in did Sir Syed protect Muslims were left with
Muslim politics Muslim interests? no other potion but to
enter into politics..
TNT
Opposition to Congress
Demanding quota system;
and reservation of seats
Platforms: names
Using his/ intellectual and
political clout
The Rise of Hindu/Indian
Nationalism
• Over time the extremists began to assert their dominating influence over the
INC
• The increasing popularity of extremist leaders like: Bal Ganga Dhar Tilak; Lala
Lajpat Rai and Bipan Chandra Pal was its obvious manifestation
• The INC came under dominating influence of Bal Ganga Dhar Tilak:
• (I) 1885—1904;(II) 1905—1920;and; (III) The Gandhian era
• (II) 1905—1920: the era characterized by tussle between moderates of Gokhale
and extremists of Tilak
• Over time the nationalism assumed anti-Muslim hues/ tinge: the leaders began
to deploy cultural symbols– they began to eulogize Shiva Jee as hero
• In Maharashtra they began to celebrate Ganpati festival..
The Results of 1892 Elections
1892 Why its How was the entire Sir Sayyed’s The apprehensions
introduction was exercise conducted? Reaction… the Muslims felt:
problematic for
Muslims?
Indian Council’s Act It was election only On the principle of 1883: he had
The system of in the name… joint electorates opposed the
elections was For all partial Eventual outcome: introduction of the
introduced at purposes it was not a single Muslim Western Electoral
Council’s level nomination or representative could system to the
selection get elected…. country as
Who were accorded detrimental to
representation? Muslim interests…
Interests…: 1893: what he
Chambers of pointed out in the
Commerce and memorandum he
Industry; Senate and submitted to the
Syndicates of government…
Universities
The Second Phase of Urdu-Hindi
Controversy
• 1867: its outcome
• 1900: 18 April 1900– Anthony McDonnell, the Governor of UP,
declared Hindi as the second official language.
• This development aroused Muslim concerns and apprehensions Now
they began to contemplate about entering into politics in an
organized…
• Refer to further developments:
The launching of the anti-partition movement against
the partition of Bengal

• The British decision to partition Bengal on administrative grounds:

• But it arouse violent reaction of nationalists…
• How its detractors began to construe it? As a conspiracy against
Indian nationalism…
• Overtime: the anti-partition movement took anti-Muslim tinge…
• They began a vilification campaign against the Muslim leaders of
Bengal: Nawab Salim ullah Khan and Nawab Ali Chaudhry
The Coming of Liberal Party to Power in Britain–
Morley’s budget speech

In 1905: the Liberal It appointed Lord The Indian nationalist Morley was not to He set up /created a
party came to power Minto II and John had great expectations disappoint Indians: committee of
in Britain Morley as Governor- of the change comprising members
general and Secretary of his executive
of State for India council and asked it
to submit a report on
the extension of
representative
elements in the
Council.
Have few words about He made a budget Arundel Committee
their ideological speech in House of
orientation: Commons on 20 July
Lord Minto was a 1906.
constitutionalist: The speech
John Morley was a foreshadowed the
radical: transplantation of
representative
institutions..
The Coming of Liberal Party to Power in Britain–
Morley’s budget speech(II): The kind of fears it
evoked among Muslims

The development Haji Muhammd Add Ahmed Saeed Mohsin ul Letter to

impelled Muslims Ismail Khan of Archbold:
to action Aligarh
Addressed The other Muslim 4 August 1906…
communication to leaders/ luminaries Archbold: principal
Mohsin ul Mulk who drew the of the MAO
from Nani Tal: what attention of Mohsin College.. Asked him
he suggested? ul Mulk to contact Dunlop
Smith
The Formation of Simla Deputation: The immediate
background

• 9 August 1906: Dunlop smith’s letter to Arch Bold: that Viceroy was
ready to see Muslim deputation..
• 13—14 September: Mohsin ul Mulk and Immad ul Mulk prepared/
drew up the draft of the petition/ memorandum
• The members of deputations..
• It met with Viceroy on 1 October 1906..
The Charter of Demands/ The Demands the Deputation Made
The The Response of Minto
reaction on
Simla Muslim Reaction
Deputation
and its Hindu reaction
Demands
The
Response of
Lord Minto
Hindu Reaction
Muslim Reaction( Ahmed saeed +
Razi wasti)
 • An important episode in the history of Hindu—
Muslim Conflict
The • Landmark in the history of Muslim nationalism
Significan • Served as prelude to the establishment of the
AIML
ce of the • It demands remained focal point of Muslim
Simla politics for almost two decades
• How Syed Ameer Ali acknowledged/
Deputatio emphasized the significance of the Deputation
n and its demands?
• Long term impact according to Abdul Hameed
and Razi Wasti
An important episode in the history of Hindu—Muslim
Conflict

• It was lifted to the constitutional plane..

Landmark in the history of Muslim Nationalism

• Demand of separate electorates meant/ implied the rise of Muslim

nationalism in an organized form..
• What the acceptance of the demand in the Minto Morley Reforms
1909 implied?
▫The British had accorded separate electorates to Muslims. It meant
that they had recognized the right of Muslim nationhood. They had
accorded constitutional recognition to Muslims as a separate nation.
Served as prelude to the establishment of the AIML

• Though Viceroy had assured Muslims sympathetic considerations of

their demands but there was no guarantee that that the Viceroy would
abide by his assurance/ commitment.
• Therefore, in order to put/ exert pressure on British for the acceptance
their demands they embarked upon the task of establishing their
political organization.
• Another reason: it not possible for Muslims to press/ put forward their
demands before British at the highest level by forming deputations to
see viceroys. Therefore, they deemed it necessary to establish a
political party of their own which could strive for protection of their
rights and interests.
It demands remained focal point of Muslim politics for
almost two decades : bottom line analysis of the long-
term significance of the demands of the deputation

Separate electorate 1920 The demand of the Constitutional

weightage rights to minorities
1909 The status of the The appointment of Muslim
1916 Aligarh College was Muslims to the transitio
elevated to that of higher judiciary. n from
University separate
electorat
e to
separate
state:
Ayesha
Jalal
analogiz
es it to
the
lengthen
ing
shadow
of Pak
How Syed Ameer Ali acknowledged/ emphasized the
significance of the Deputation and its demands?

• The twofold significance: turning point in Muslim politics and British

policy
• “ the first and concerted Muslim action conceived in the
constitutional spirit”,
Long term impact according to
Abdul Hameed and Razi Wasti
Abdul Hameed Razi Wasti
The Significance of that Aga Khan
highlighted
• Its final and inevitable consequence was partition of India and the
emergence of Pakistan.
Its significance according to Ahmed
Saeed
• The importance of Simla deputation lies in the fact that the Minto’s
acceptance of the demand of separate electorates was the foundation
of all future constitutional proposals made for India..
(II) Was Simla Deputation a
“Command Performance”?
• Introduction
• The Nature of allegations against Muslims/the Deputation
• The Implications of Allegations
• The Rebuttal of Allegations
• Summing Up
Introduction
The wild/ The implication of Maulana After describing /
damaging allegation the allegation for Mohammad Ali’s setting the context
levelled against the Muslims and their allusion/ reference highlight the point
Simla Deputation political movement. to Simla of view of Pakistani
was that it was not Deputation as “ Scholars… Razi
organized on the command Wasti; Abdul
initiative of performance” Hameed and
Muslims rather it speech at Cocanada Ahmed Saeed
was organized at Session of the INC
British behest. was depicted by the
Indian nationalist as
acceptance of “
Divine Truth”.
The Nature of allegations against Muslims/the
Deputation: context pp.80—81( Razi Wasti) …

Tufail Ahmed Mangalore Lal Bahadur

(I)Archbold’s presence in Simla , while the Aligarh
college was still in session was an “official conspiracy”.
(II) He referred to a certain letter of Archbold which he
wrote to an unknown person of Aligarh: In this letter
Archbold wrote:
Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar’s reference to “Command Performance” in his
speech at INC’s session at Cocanada provided further flip to allegations
 The Muslims did not put forward the demands made in the
deputation rather they were framed at the behest of British…
The
Arch Bold was the prime mover of the idea of Muslim
Implication deputation.

s of The Muslims were acting as “stooge of British”.

Allegations
The Muslim nationalism was destructive and their demand of
electorates was an attempt to breach the Indian nationalism.

The Muslim demand of separate electorates was part of

British strategy of “Divde and Rule”.
The Rebuttal of Allegations: Outline

• The initiative came from Muslims

• Lord Minto II was ready to receive a Congress Delegation
• Muslims acted or responded in view of their interests
• Lord Minto was not aware of the content of the Address
• Mohsin-ul-Mulk incurred the expenditure of the Deputation
• What does the latter of Mohammad Ali[1909], which Razi Wasti
found in the library of Scotland showed/ highlighted?
• Ahmed Saeed’s Analysis
• Abdul Hameed Analysis
The initiative came from Muslims

It was not Archbold Examples: the latter Ahmed saeed’s

who drew Muslim Haji Ismail wrote to book
attention. Rather Mohsin ul Mulk
Muslims
undertook/ started
the initiative
Lord Minto II was ready to receive a Congress
Delegation

• Razi Wasti: PP. 84--85.

Muslims acted or responded in view
of their interests
• They were not willing to accept the advice blindly the British gave to
them.
• (I) Hardcourt Butler’s advice: September 1906
• (II) Morley’s was in favour of joint electoral college scheme till 1908.
Lord Minto was not aware of the
content of the Address: p. 86 Razi
wasti
Mohsin-ul-Mulk incurred the
expenditure of the Deputation
• pp.110– 111: Razi Wasti
What does the letter of Mohammad Ali[1909], which Razi Wasti
found in the library of Scotland showed/ highlighted? Pp. 105—109

In 1909 he did not Rather he was quite The difference in

have negative views appreciative of the his position on
on deputation efforts of the deputation
depuatatinists
The context was
different;
In wave/ flood of
emotions he alleged
what he did not
believe..
Ahmed Saeed’s Analysis: pp. 75—
79..
Abdul Hameed: The document around which the whole legend is grown up?
(I)
Summing Up