What is a All India Muslim League?

Muslim League was established in December 1906, initially led by Aga Khan and ultimately by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was instrumental in creating public opinion in favour of Muslim nationalism and finally in achieving Pakistan in 1947. Up to the end of nineteenth century, the Muslims had stayed away from organized polities. However, Hindu agitation against the partition of Bengal, and Hindu religious revivalism and hostility to the Muslims injected into the Congress by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a fundamentalist Hindu leader changed the situation. By 1906, Muslim leaders were convinced that they should form their own party to protect Muslim interests and speak for the community on all important occasions.

The Simla Deputation strengthened this belief by demonstrating the potency of united action. The background of the foundation of the Muslim League at Dhaka on 30 December 1906 may be traced back to the establishment of the Indian national congress in 1885. The Western educated Hindu elite with the objectives of sharing power with the raj and motivating it to establish representative government in India established the Congress. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the most, widely respected leader of the Muslim community, warned the Indian Muslims not to join the congress in the interest of the Muslim community. He started his movement by establishing ‘a college at Aligarh. Sir Syed and like him, many other Muslim leaders believed, that the Muslims as a downtrodden nation could ‘get more benefit from the loyalty to the British rather than from any opposition to them. He called upon his followers to devote their energy and attention to popularizing English education among the Muslims. This, perception and consequent activism has been known as the Aligarh Movement.

Following were the Objectives of the Muslim League:

• To inculcate among Muslims a feeling of loyalty to the government and to disabuse their minds of misunderstandings and misconceptions of its actions and intentions.
• To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Muslims of India and to represent their needs and aspirations to the government from time to time.
• To prevent ‘the growth of ill will between Muslims and other nationalities without compromising to its own purposes.

The headquarters of the All India Muslim League was established in Lucknow, and Sir Aga Khan was elected as its first president.’ Also elected were six vice presidents, a secretary and two joint secretaries for a term of three years. The initial membership was 400, with members hailing proportionately from all provinces. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jouhar wrote the constitution of the League, known as the “Green Book”. Branches were also setup in other provinces. Syed Ameer, Ali established a branch of the league in London in 1908, supporting the same objectives.