The National Movement (During the First World War)

Lucknow Pact

Reason — The Lucknow Pact (1916) was regarded as a landmark because it brought the Congress and the Muslim League on a common platform. It also marked the reunion of the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists, strengthening the National Movement.

Lucknow Session of Congress, 1916

Reason — The Lucknow Session (1916) reunited the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists after the split at the Surat Session (1907). This reunion strengthened the Congress.

Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).

Explanation — The Lucknow Pact (1916) united the Early Nationalists, the Assertive Nationalists and the Muslim League. Therefore, it became a landmark in the history of the freedom movement.

(B) is the reason for (A)

Explanation — B.G. Tilak took the lead in bringing the Congress and the Muslim League together because he had realised that the success of the National Movement depended on Hindu-Muslim unity. Thus, (B) is the reason for (A).

P and Q

Reason — During the First World War, two Home Rule Leagues were started in 1916, and in the same year the Early and Assertive Nationalists reunited while the Congress and the Muslim League came together through the Lucknow Pact. The Civil Disobedience Movement began later in 1930, and India was not granted Dominion Status during this period.

1916

Reason — The Lucknow Pact was signed in 1916 at the Lucknow Session of the Congress, where the Congress and the Muslim League came together on a common platform.

The Congress and the Muslim League

Reason — The Lucknow Pact was signed between the Congress and the Muslim League in 1916, bringing them together on a common platform to present joint constitutional demands before the Government.

Two leaders linked with the Home Rule Leagues are Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant.

The Lucknow Pact of 1916 united the Assertive/Radical Nationalists and the Early Nationalists.

One drawback of the Lucknow Pact of 1916 is that it laid stress on the separate interests of the Hindus and the Muslims and their separate political existence, which led to feelings of communalism.

Two significant outcomes of the pact signed in 1916 (the Lucknow Pact) are:

1. It brought the Congress and the Muslim League together on a common platform to put forward joint constitutional demands before the Government.
2. It reunited the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists, strengthening the Congress.

Two points highlighting the significance of the Lucknow Pact are:

1. Hindu-Muslim Unity — It was a marvellous step in achieving Hindu-Muslim unity. The joint demands of the Congress and the Muslim League could now impress upon the Government the urgency of their demands.
2. Unity within the Congress — It brought about unity between the Assertive/Radical Nationalists and the Early Nationalists, who had been pursuing different paths since the Surat Session of 1907, thereby strengthening the Congress.

(a) The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was signed between the Congress and the Muslim League.

(b) Two provisions of the Lucknow Pact are given below:

1. Abolition of the Indian Council : The Council of the Secretary of State for India operating from England, shall be abolished.
2. Governor — General's Executive Council : One-half of the members of the Governor-General's Executive Council shall be Indians, elected by the elected members of the Imperial Legislative Council.

(c) The Lucknow Pact brought together the Congress and the Muslim League on a common platform. It also reunited the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists, enabling them to work together for a common cause.

(d) The Lucknow Pact (1916) was an important milestone because:

1. It reunited the Early Nationalists and Assertive Nationalists in the Congress.
2. It brought the Congress and the Muslim League together to present joint constitutional demands.
3. This growing unity strengthened the national movement and influenced the Montagu Declaration of 1917, which led to the Government of India Act, 1919.

(a) The lady in the given picture is Annie Besant. She originally hailed from Ireland and later settled in India.

(b) Annie Besant played an important role in the Indian freedom struggle. She set up a Home Rule League similar to that of Tilak, in September, 1916. Its aim was to attain Home Rule or self-government within the British Empire by all constitutional means and to educate and organise public opinion in the country towards the attainment of this goal.

(c) Two newspapers published by her were — New India and The Commonweal.

(a) The picture represents the inaugural proceedings of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan at Karachi in August 1947.

(b) The key figures connected with the event were:

1. Muhammad Ali Jinnah — Leader of the Muslim League and founder of Pakistan. He signed the Assembly roster and became the first President of Pakistan's Constituent Assembly.
2. Jogendra Nath Mandal — He served as the temporary Chairman of the Constituent Assembly during its inaugural proceedings.
3. Liaquat Ali Khan — A senior Muslim League leader who played an important role in establishing the new government and subsequently became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Note: The chapter incorrectly attributes this photograph to the signing of the Lucknow Pact. The Lucknow Pact was signed between the Congress and the Muslim League at Lucknow in 1916, whereas this photograph relates to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in Karachi in August 1947, more than thirty years later.