The Morley Minto reforms were most important of the attempts by the Muslims, Hindus or the British government in seeking a solution to the problems in the subcontinent between 1906 and 1920. Do you agree? Give reason for your answer.

Question: The Morley Minto reforms were most important of the attempts by the Muslims, Hindus or the British government in seeking a solution to the problems in the subcontinent between 1906 and 1920. Do you agree? Give reason for your answer. [14]

In 1906, Lord Morley was the Secretary of state for Indian affairs, announced in the British parliament that this government wanted to introduce new reforms for India, in which the locals were to be given more power in Legislative affairs. The act of 1909 is commonly known as  the  Morley-Minto reforms in  which: The  number of  members of Legislative council at the center was increased from 16 to 60. The number of the members of the provincial legislatives was also increased. It was fixed 50 in the provinces of Bengal, Madras and Bombay and for the rest of provinces it was 30.Rights of separate electorate were given to Muslims. At the center, official members were to be form the majority but in provinces non-official members would be in majority.

The Morley Minto reforms became law in 1909 as the Indian councils act. The importance of the councils which were enlarged was to ensure that Indian Legislatures were given a chance to express their opinions. The British also accepted the right of Muslims to have a separate electorate while Congress criticized it because they wanted self-rule and they also did not accepted the right of Muslim separate electorate. These reforms seem important but  not  that  much.  However there  were  other  attempts to  solve  the  problems in  the subcontinent during these years.

In 1913 a new group of Muslim leaders entered the folds of Muslim League. The Muslim

League changed its major objectives and joined hands with congress. As a result of hard work  of  Muhammad Ali  Jinnah both  Muslim League and  Congress met  for  the  annual session of Bombay in December 1915. The leaders of both parties decided that they should cooperate with each other to bring the British government to accept their demands therefore in 1916 Muslim League and Congress held session at Luck now and draw a Pact known as Luck now Pact in which they reached to an agreement and it was gauntly forward for Muslim hope. Obviously there had to be compromise on both sides. The most important concession came when Congress agreed with the Muslim League that there should be separate electorate for each group. The All India legislature that they called for it was agreed that Muslim would have 1/3rd  of the seats and weightage to the minorities of the provinces were also agreed upon. Jinnah hoped that this agreement would lead to a united Indian nation. Both Congress and Muslim league hoped that the British would accept their joint call for self-government.

The British simply could not ignore the growing demand for self-government. Even during the war agitation continued. The unity of Muslim League and Congress could not be dismissed. They had to respond to the Luck now Pact, so in 1918 Edwin Montage secretary of state for India and lord Chelmsford Viceroy of India, put forward plans which became the Government  of  India  act  1919  also  known  as  Montage-Chelmsford reforms  in  which greater association of Indian in all branches of government were given. Greater provincial power was given along with the responsible government for the induction of Indians in the commission ranks; through these reforms they also  introduced the  diarchal system in which there was to be a division of power between the governors. The executive     and provincial  legislatures  and  the  final  decision  were  with  the  governor  general.  These reforms disappointed Muslim League and Congress  party as they had hoped for more substantial confession. Through these reforms the most infamous Rowlett Act was also passed which increased the resentment of the political parties by including the right of arrest without warrant, and detention without bail.

In my opinion, Luck now Pact of 1916 was only seen as the beacon for hope for both Hindus and Muslims unity between the years 1914 to 1920, whereas the British reforms in this period 1906 to 1920 were just another try to rule the subcontinent and were never been implemented.