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A Muslim Deputation with Aga Khan as their leader was received by Lord Minto on 1st October, 1906. In this context answer the following questions:

(a) What four major demands did the Address presented to the Viceroy contain?

(b) What assurance did the Deputation have from the Viceroy?

(c) What impact did Viceroy's promise have on Morley-Minto Reforms?

Muslim League

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Answer

(a) The Muslim leaders involved in the Muslim Deputation presented the following demands:

  1. Separate Electorates — The Muslims should be given the right of sending their representatives to the Provincial Councils and Imperial Legislative Council through separate communal electorates.
  2. Weightage in Representation — The representation to the Muslim Community should be determined not by their numerical strength. It should be in accordance with the position they occupied in India about a hundred years ago.
  3. Separate Representation in the Municipal and University Bodies — There should be some scheme for giving adequate representation to the Muslims in Municipal and District Boards and the Senates and Syndicates of Indian Universities.
  4. Greater Representation in Civil, Military and Judicial Services — There should be greater representation of the Muslims in all services—civil and military. Further, there should be Muslim judges in every High Court.

(b) Lord Minto gave an assurance to the Muslim Deputation that the political rights and interests of Muslims would be duly safeguarded.

(c) The Viceroy's promise had the following impact on Morley-Minto Reforms-

  1. Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 provided for separate representation of the Muslim Community in the Imperial Legislative Council as well as Provincial Councils.
  2. The system of separate representation implied that 'communities' should serve as the basis for representation.
  3. In other words, the Muslims would vote for Muslim candidates and the Hindus for the Hindu candidates.
  4. Separate Electorates struck a fatal blow at the Unity of India.
  5. Slowly but steadily they led to the Partition of India some forty years later.

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