Evolution of two nation theory
Introduction of two nation theory
The two-nation theory (Urdu: دو قومی نظریہdo qaumī nazariya) is the basis of the creation of
Pakistan. The two-nation theory in its simplest way means that cultural, political, religious,
economic and social dissimilarities between the two major communities, Hindus and
Muslims of the Subcontinent. These differences of outlook, in fact, were greatly instrumental
in giving rise to two distinct political ideologies which were responsible for the partition of
the sub-continent into two independent states. The two-nation theory was a founding
principle of the Pakistan Movement (i.e. the ideology of Pakistan as a Muslim nation-state
in South Asia), and the partition of India in 1947.
The two-nation theory means that the Hindus and the Muslims are two different nations. On
the basis of two-nation theory the Quaid-i-Azam demanded the partition of India into two
states, a Muslim state to be called Pakistan and the other Hindu India that is Bharat.
Islam and Two nation theory
Islam has different character and temperament. The concept of two nations was given by 14
hundred years ago. According to Islam there are only two nations in the world; believers and
non believers.
Evolution of two nation theory in India
The Muslim nationalism emerged with the advent of Islam that introduced new principles
pertinent to every sphere of life. It pledged the redemption of the humankind establishing
a society based on Quranic teachings.
Two nation theory had been formed in India when first Indian named Raja Samri
accepted Islam.
The Arab traders had introduced the new religion, Islam, in the Indian coastal areas.
Muhammad bin Qasim was the first Muslim invader who conquered some part of India
and after that, Mahmud of Ghazna launched 17 attacks and opened the gate to preach
Islam. The Muslim sufi (saints) like Ali Hejveri, Miran Hussain Zanjani etc. entered Sub-
Continent.
Qutub-ud-Din Aibuk permanently established Muslim dynasty in India that followed
Sultanate and Mughal dynasties. Thus a strong Muslim community had emerged in India
who had its own way of life, traditions, heroes, history and culture. Islam could not be
absorbed in Hinduism.
Urdu-Hindi Controversy (1867)
The merger of Arabic, Turkish and Persian give birth to a new language “Urdu” , meaning
the “language of the troops”. Since it was formed by the invaders of the Muslim world and
emerged during the rule of the Mughals (Mughal King Shahjahan) in India, it was termed as
the language of the Muslims and that is why initially it was called Musalmani.
Hindus were hatred and jealousy towards the muslims and their culture did not like Urdu
progress.
Urdu as an official language
Urdu was made an official language in 1825.
Movement against Urdu language
In 1867, some prominent hindus of Banaras started a movement for the replacement of Urdu
and to declare Sanskrit as the Indian official language.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Sir syed ahmed khan was in favour of Hindu Muslim Unity but on this occasion He expressed
his views in a painful manner to Mr. Shakespeare, the Governor of Banaras and said, “I am
convinced now that Hindu and Muslim could never become one nation as their religion and
way of life was quite distinct from each other”.
Outage of Urdu language
In 1900, the governor of UP, MacDonald who was famous for his hostile attitude towards
Muslims, ousted Urdu as an official language.
These orders shocked the Indian muslims. In that time Nawab muhsin ul mulk a close
companion of Sir syed was working as Secretary of Aligarh College, criticised the
Government decision but his aim could not flourish.
Impacts of Hindi-Urdu Controversy on Muslims
The Muslims realized the hostility of the Hindus towards Muslims.
Urdu opposition gave birth to Two Nation Theory.
Give birth to a new political awareness among the Muslims.
PARTITION OF BENGAL
1905-PARTITION OF BENGAL
The Bengal Presidency was partitioned by Lord Curzon on 16 October, 1905 and its
boundaries redrawn to create two provinces of manageable size. It was purely an
administrative measure. Partition of Bengal in 1905 creating two provinces, one with a
Muslim majority i.e East Bengal and the other with a Hindu majority i.e West Bengal, seems
to have been confirmed by Bangladesh's emergence as a Muslim state. The Hindus raised
great hue and cry and denounced it as an anti-Hindu measure aimed at breaking their
monopoly. It reflected the divergent attitude of the Hindus and the Muslims and thus the
Two-Nation Theory evolved.
SIMLA DEPUTATION 1906
When Lord Minto was appointed as the viceroy of India in 1905, new reforms were indicated
in which the elected principle would be extended. The anti-partition Bengal agitation had
convinced the Muslims of the uselessness of expecting any favour from the Hindu majority.
Therefore, to safeguard their interests, the Muslim leaders drew up a plan for separate
electorates for their community, and presented it to the viceroy lord Minto at Simla on 1
October, 1906. The community headed by sir Agha Khan who read the address. The address
contained the desires of the Muslims that Muslims based on their population within India
(numeral strength), should have the proportionate share of the vote and separate electorate,
supported by the idea that having been the rulers of India during the period of the Mughal
Empire.
The Simla deputation was given legal recognition and the Muslims were accorded not only
the right to representative by separate electorate, but also the right to vote in general
constituencies.
It created unity among Muslims. Hindu-Muslim conflicts rose to the constitutional level.
ALLAMA IQBAL PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS AT ALLAHABAD 1930
The Allahabad Address (Urdu: )خطبہ الہ آبادis a speech by Pakistani scholar Sir Muhammad
Iqbal. The speech was given on 29 December 1930, at Allahabad, British India. This was
during the 25th annual session of the All-India Muslim League.
In this address, Allama Iqbal gave the lucid explanation of the inner feeling of the Muslims of
India. He narrated the basic principles of the Islam and loyalties of the Muslims to their faith.
He gave the idea and concept about a separate homeland in this address because the Muslim
were a nation and had a right that they got the identification and passed their lives in order to
the Islamic principles. Due to these reasons, he expressed his thoughts in this address.
He defined the Muslims of India as a nation and suggested that there could be no possibility
of peace in the country unless and until they were recognized as a nation. He claimed that the
only way for the Muslims and Hindus to prosper in accordance with their respective cultural
values was under a federal system where Muslim majority units were given the same
privileges that were to be given to the Hindu majority units. In this section, Iqbal addressed
the idea the Islam and nationalism. Islam is a way of life in which the Muslims spend their
lives with peace and harmony.
CONGRESS MINISTRIES 1937
Provincial elections were held in British India in the winter of 1936-37 as mandated by the
Government of India Act 1935. Elections were held in eleven provinces - Madras, Central
Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, the United Provinces, the Bombay Presidency, Assam, the North-
West Frontier Province, Bengal, Punjab and Sind.
Out of 1771, total seats in the 11 provinces, Congress was only able to win slightly more than
750.it's success was mainly confined to the Hindu constituencies out of the 491 Muslims
seats, Congress only captured 26. Muslim league's condition was also bad as it could only
win 106 Muslim seats. The party managed to win two seats from the Muslim majority
province of Punjab.
The Congress was in power in nine out of eleven provinces.
Muslim league failed to form a government in any province. quaid-e-azam offered the
Congress to form a coalition government with the league but they rejected his offer.
After the British consented that the governor general would not use his powers in legislative
affairs Congress formed their ministries in July 1937.
After taking charge Congress declared Hindi as the national language and the Congress flag
was given the status of the national flag, slaughtering of the cow was prohibited and it was
made compulsory to the children to worship the picture of Gandhi at school.
The Congress ministries did their best to weaken the economy of the Muslims. When Hindu
Muslim riots broke out due to these biased policies of the Congress ministries, the
government pressured the judges to make decisions in favour of Hindus and Muslims were
sent behind bars.
After the outbreak of World War 2, the viceroy proclaimed India's involvement without prior
consultations with the main political parties. When Congress demanded an immediate
transfer of power in return for cooperation of the war efforts, the British government refused,
as a result Congress resigned from power. Quaid e Azam asked the Muslims to celebrate
December 22, 1939 as a day of deliverance in token of relief from the tyranny and oppression
of the Congress rule.
LAHORE RESOLUTION (1940)
With the introduction of political reforms in India by the British, the Muslims realized that
they would become a permanent minority in a democratic system and it would never be
possible for them to protect their fundamental rights. They only constituted one-fourth of the
total Indian population and were much lesser in number than the majority Hindu community.
To protect their political, social, and religious rights they first demanded separate electorates.
However, due to the political developments that took place in the country, they realized that
even the right of separate electorates would not be enough and they had to search for some
other long-term solution.
Though Jinnah was convinced by the late 1930s, being a realist he was not ready to announce
the new plan until he was confident that the vast majority of the Muslims were behind him.
The overwhelming support from the Muslim masses for his call to celebrate Day of
Deliverance on December 22, 1939, was a vote of confidence given by the Muslim
Community in the leadership of Jinnah, whom they by then had started considering as their
Quaid-i-Azam
Quaid-i-Azam called for the 27th annual session of the All India Muslim League to be held
from March 22 to 24, 1940 at Lahore. Sir Shah Nawaz Khan of Mamdot was made the head
of the reception committee and Main Bashir Ahmad was nominated as secretary of the
session
QUAID-I-AZAM’S ADDRESS
The venue of the session was Minto Park near Badshahi Masjid and Lahore Fort. The
inaugural session was planned at around three in the afternoon on March 22.
“Hindus and the Muslims belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs and
literature. They neither inter-marry nor inter-dine together, and, indeed, they belong to two
different civilizations that are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions. Their
concepts on life and of life are different. It is quite clear that Hindus and Muslims 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 discontent and final
destruction of any fabric that may be so built up for the government of such a state.” He
further claimed, “Musalmans are a nation according to any definition of a nationhood. We
wish our people to develop to the fullest 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”.
THE RESOLUTION
On March 23, A.K. Fazul Haq, the Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the historical Lahore
Resolution.
HINDU REACTION
The Hindu reaction was, of course, quick, bitter, and malicious. They called the “Pakistan”
demand “anti-national.”
BRITISH REACTION
The British were equally hostile to the Muslim demand
The All India Muslim League Resolution of March 1940, commonly known as the Pakistan
Resolution, is undoubtedly the most important event that changed the course of Indian history
and left deep marks on world history. With the passage of this Resolution, the Muslims of the
sub-continent changed their demand from “Separate Electorates” to a “Separate State.”
The dynamic leadership of the Quaid and the commitment and devotion of the followers
made it possible for them to achieve an independent state within seven years of their struggle,
and that too when the odds were against them.
