The Lahore Resolution of 1940 established the Muslim League's demand for independent Muslim-majority states in British India. It called for the geographically contiguous Muslim-majority northern and eastern zones to each be independent states. It also demanded autonomy and safeguards for Muslim minorities in other parts of India. The resolution helped unite Muslims behind the idea of a separate Muslim homeland, but its vague language left room for different interpretations that complicated later negotiations. It marked a turning point in embracing a separate Muslim nation within the subcontinent.

1. Lahore Resolution
Sarmad Aftab Lashari

2. • Although both the congress and the Muslim league were critical of the
Government of India Act 1935, they decided to participate in the elections during
the first weeks of 1937. Their electoral programmes were similar and it was
expected that they would be able to co-operate in the provinces as they were
already doing in the central assembly. The results of the elections shattered all
such hopes. The Congress obtained outright majorities in five out of eleven
assemblies and was the largest party in two others. Congress Ministries were
formed in Bombay, Madras, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bihar, Orissa,
and the North West Frontier of Pakistan. In Bengal and the Punjab, coalition
governments were formed under the leadership of Muslims who were members
neither of the Congress nor of the League.
• The leaders of Congress, now drunk with victories, insisted that the Congress was
the sole national organization and denied the existence of any other party, This
was in effect to an attempt an claim the right to be recognized as the sole
inheritor of power from the British.

3. • J. Nehru declared in March 1937, ‘there are only two forces in India today, the
Imperialism and the Indian Nationalism as represented by the Congress”. Jinnah
reminded him immediately that there was a third party to be reckoned with, the
Muslims.
• On coming into power, Congress Ministries immediately ordered the hoisting of
the Congress flag on the government buildings. Singing Bande Matram was made
compulsory in the legislative assemblies and educational institutions. Hindi was
introduced in schools and colleges. Vidya Mandir Educational Scheme, which was
introduced to confuse the Muslims about Islamic ideology, was put into practice.
The congress imposed its will on the Muslim minorities.

4. Lahore Resolution
• What occurred between 1937 and 1940 was an eye opener for Muslims in India.
The way Congress ministries in various provinces treated Muslims convinced
them that they had to struggle for a separate homeland.
• One of the founders of Hindu Mahasabha, Lala Lajput Rai, suggested the partition
of India between the Hindus and Muslims as early as 1924, Sarvarkar, The
president of Mahasabha frequently referred to Hindus and Muslims as ‘two
nations’. Iqbal had placed the idea of Muslims state before the League in 1930.
Rehmat Ali had coined the name of ‘Pakistan’ in 1933 and campaigned
indefatigably for its creation since ever.

5. • Even though the Hindus and Muslims had lived together for centuries, they were
distinctly apart. Even within same village, they lived in different parts. A Muslim
didn’t eat with Hindu or marry into his family. When a Muslim died, he was
buried, while a Hindu was cremated.
• In the background, the All India Muslim League held its session in Lahore on 23rd
March 1940, in which the famous Lahore Resolution was adopted. The Resolution
runs as under:
• RESOLVED that it is the considered view of this session of the All India Muslim
League that no Constitutional Plan would be workable in the country or accepted
to Muslims, unless it is designed on the following basic principles, namely, the
geographically contagious units are demarcated into regions which should be
consisted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas
in which Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North Western and Eastern
Zones of India, should be grouped to constitute ‘independent states’ in which
constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.

6. • That adequate, effective, and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in
the constitution for minorities in these units and in these regions for the protection of
their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative, and other rights and
interests in consultation with them. And in other parts of India, where the Muslamans
are in minority, adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specially
provided in the constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their
religious , cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in
consultation with them.
• The session further authorizes the Working Committee to frame a scheme of
constitution in accordance with these basic principles providing for the assumptions
finally by the respective regions of all power such as defense, external affairs,
communications, customs and such other matters as may be necessary.
• This was the famous two-nation theory which aroused so much controversy but formed
the basis of Pakistan Resolution.

7. • No one can argue that the Lahore Resolution was a complete or coherent
statement of Muslim demands, it appears on the face of it as incomplete and
contradictory statement. Its flaws were eventually exploited by the Mountbatten
and the Congress to justify the partition of Bengal and the Punjab. It was also
used as the basis of the Six-point program spelled out by Mujib ur Rahman in
1966 which ultimately led to the breakup of Pakistan in 1971. It can, however, be
said in defense of resolution that perhaps, it was the only statement on which
Jinnah could get consensus of the Muslim community all over with India,

8. Reaction
• The Hindu reaction was quick, bitter and malicious. They called the
‘Pakistan’ demand ‘antinational’. They characterized it as ‘vivisections;
above all, it was inspire to obstruct India’s march to freedom’.
• Gandhi declared it a sin and moral illness of ML.
• They also failed to take cognizance of the fact that a hundred million
muslims were now supremely conscious of their distinct nationhood
and were prepared to stake everything to actualize their self
perceived destiny- the creation of an independent Muslim state in the
sub-continent.

9. Impacts on Politics
• Enhancement of prestige of ML
• Unity among Muslims
• Change of Govt attitude
• No change in constitution without Muslims' consent
• Equal representation of Muslims in executive council
• Muslim Nationalism
• Strengthen the concept of two different nations
• Gave impetus to freedom movements