Context: On 30th December 1906, the All India Muslim League was founded in Dhaka, marking the inception of a political organization that played a pivotal role in India’s Partition.  

• Over the years, the League evolved from a group of elite Muslim men to a mass political party under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, advocating for the creation of Pakistan. 

About All India Muslim League (AIML)

• The Muslim League, established in December 1906, was initially led by Aga Khan and ultimately by Muhammed Ali Jinnah.

• It was instrumental in creating public opinion in favour of Muslim nationalism and finally in achieving Pakistan in 1947.

Founder of the All India Muslim League

• The foundation of the All India Muslim League (AIML) on 30 December 1906 in Dhaka can be traced to events following the establishment of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885.

• The INC, dominated by a Western-educated Hindu elite, aimed to share power with the British Raj and push for a representative government.

• However, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a prominent Muslim leader, advised the Muslim community against joining the Congress, believing Muslims would benefit more from loyalty to the British than opposition to them.

• This approach, focused on fostering English education for Muslims, laid the groundwork for the Aligarh Movement.

Early Muslim Organizations and the Aligarh Movement

• Muslim leaders such as Nawab Abdul Latif, Syed Amir Ali, and others founded cultural organisations like the Mohammedan Literary Society (1863), the Central National Muhamedan Association (1877), and Sir Syed’s United Indian Patriotic Association (1888).

• These groups concentrated on promoting English education and social regeneration rather than engaging in politics, addressing the educational and economic deprivation faced by Muslims under colonial rule.

Initial Conferences and Advocacy for Muslim Interests

• Muslim leaders held informal annual conferences to address community educational concerns and foster loyalty to the British.

• One such conference, the All India Muslim Education Conference, convened in Dhaka in 1906 amidst the Congress-backed agitation against the partition of Bengal and the Swadeshi movement.

• Previously, a Muslim delegation met with Governor-General Lord Minto in Simla to raise concerns unique to the Muslim community, leading to further advocacy efforts.

• By 1908, a London branch of the Muslim League had been established under Syed Amir Ali’s leadership.

Formation of All India Muslim League

• Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka, a strong advocate of the partition of Bengal, recognised the need for a political party to counter Congress-led anti-partition activities.

• He proposed creating a platform to protect Muslim interests, culminating in the establishment of the AIML.

• The League’s initial goals included safeguarding Muslim interests, promoting loyalty to the British, and encouraging peaceful relations between Muslims and other communities, particularly Hindus.

Early Criticism and Challenges of All India Muslim League

• Indian nationalist publications dismissed the Muslim League as a weak and unsustainable organisation.

• Initially, the League struggled as its founding leaders had historically discouraged political engagement among Muslims.

• For a year after its inception, the AIML remained inactive, needing a dynamic political agenda.

Shift in Muslim League’s Approach and Impact on Younger Leaders

• Within a few years, younger Muslim leaders with middle-class backgrounds and radical ideas began to join the League.

• They moved away from unqualified loyalty to the British, demanding self-government and challenging colonial rule.

• By the 1910s, the League’s goals aligned more closely with the Indian National Congress.

Communal Politics

• Communalism: It refers to strong attachment to one's own community, often religious, with a focus on unity within the group. 

• Positive aspects of Communalism include it can promote social and economic upliftment within the community. 

• Negative aspects of Communalism emphasize the group's superiority, leading to intolerance, division, and conflict with other communities.  

• It suppresses internal diversity and prioritizes its own interests, fostering societal division. 

• Communal Politics: It refers to the mobilization of a religious community for political power, often based on the belief that religious identities equate to shared economic, political, and social interests . 

Pre- Independence Period

• British Influence: Communal politics emerged as a tool under British colonial rule for bargaining privileges such as jobs, education, and political positions. 

• The British employed the “Divide and Rule” policy, fostering divisions between Hindus and Muslims to weaken nationalist unity. 

• The British supported communal forces through the Communal Award, 1932 which strengthened the Muslim League and deepened its differences with the Congress. 

• Initial Goals: Early communal politics, as championed by leaders like Syed Ahmad Khan, sought upward mobility for communities like Muslims. 

• Religious Mobilization: Anti-colonial agitations like the  Akali agitations (1919-1926), the Khilafat Movement (1920-21), contributed to deepening communal divisions. 

• INC and Communalism: While committed to Hindu-Muslim unity, Indian National Congress(INC) dominance, and its use of Hindu cultural symbols, sometimes alienated Muslims. 

• Communal tensions escalated with the Partition of Bengal (1905) and the establishment of separate electorates (1909). 

• Muslim League and  Communalism: The League portrayed Congress as a Hindu-dominated entity, intensifying Muslim fears of marginalization in a unified India. 

• Rise of Two-Nation Theory: Communal ideologies like Hindutva (Vinayak Damodar Savarkar) and the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan culminated in the Partition of India. 

Post-Independence Period

• Legitimacy and Openness: Communal politics gained mainstream acceptance, especially with the rise of religious identity-based ideologies in the 1980s. 

• It began to challenge secularism  and pluralism, advocating for a nation centered around a majority religious identity. 

• Use of Violence: Riots and pogroms are often planned and orchestrated to achieve electoral and economic objectives. 

• Social Media: Spread of hate speech, and fake news on social platforms, escalating communal tensions. 

• Caste and Communal Politics: Intersection of caste and religious identity politics, leading to further divisions. 

• Judiciary’s Role: Judicial interventions are slow, with selective justice in communal violence cases. 

• Note: Religiousness in India has always been rooted in spirituality and personal harmony, guiding social life, whereas communalism largely emerged due to British colonial policies.  

• While religiousness promotes inner peace and social harmony, communalism is often driven by politics, and grievances between communities. 

Conclusion

• The journey of the All India Muslim League from a dormant organisation to a powerful political movement underscores its changing dynamics and evolving vision. Initially focused on educational and social upliftment, the All India Muslim League gradually became a platform for asserting Muslim political identity and demanding autonomy. The All India Muslim League’s transition from loyalty to the British Raj to advocating self-government reflects its adaptation to the shifting aspirations of the Muslim community. Ultimately, under Jinnah’s leadership, the All India Muslim League became a catalyst for partition, culminating in the formation of Pakistan. This landmark event reshaped the political landscape of the Indian subcontinent.