The Lucknow Pact [1916]
|
|
|
Jinnah (center) was the principal architect of the Lucknow Pact, 1916 |
In the aftermath of World War I, Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy began to think out a scheme of post-war reforms and for this purpose, invited practical suggestions from the Indian politicians. In October, 1916 - nineteen elected members of the Imperial Legislative Council addressed a memorandum to the Viceroy on the subject of reforms. But their suggestions did not become news in the British circle but were discussed, amended and accepted at a subsequent meeting of the Congress and the Muslim League.
With the beginning of World War I and the previous fluid situation prevailing in India as annulment of partition of Bengal; merciless massacre in Kanpur; casualties in the Balkan war; growing anti-British thought continued unabated among Muslim orthodox religious circles which called for a shift in Muslim alliance with the Hindus rather than the British.
Finally, in December 1916, Congress and the Muslim League held a joint session at Lucknow in which a scheme of reforms was unanimously adapted as the irreducible minimum of political freedom for India. The Congress League scheme came to be known as the Lucknow Pact. Jinnah was the principal architect of the Lucknow Pact and was hailed as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity.
