MORLEY MINTO REFORMS + OTHERS [14]

Question 1

What were the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, and why were they significant?

Answer 1

• The Morley-Minto Reforms were drafted by Viceroy Lord Minto and Secretary of State John Morley.
• They enlarged the size of the central and provincial legislative councils, with the Imperial Council expanding to 60 members.
• Muslims were given the right to separate electorates, a major step towards Muslim nationalism.
• Although more Indians could express their opinions, the councils had no power to amend or annul laws.
• The INC opposed the reforms, wanting more Indian participation and more authority for council members, and criticized separate electorates as undemocratic.

Question 2

What was the Lucknow Pact of 1916, and why was it important?

Answer 2

• The Lucknow Pact was an agreement between the Muslim League, led by Jinnah, and the INC, led by Ambika Charan Mahajan.
• Both parties demanded provincial autonomy and the enlargement of councils.
• The INC accepted separate electorates for Muslims and agreed that Muslims would have one-third of the seats in government.
• This was the first major display of unity between Hindus and Muslims, earning Jinnah the title “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity.”
• However, it also highlighted the deepening communal divide in India through formal recognition of distinct Muslim identity.

Question 3

What were the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act 1919) and their impact?

Answer 3

• Introduced by Secretary of State John Montagu and Viceroy Lord Chelmsford, these reforms were a response to Indian contributions in WW1.
• At the Centre, they created a bicameral system with the Council of States (upper house) and Legislative Assembly (lower house), where the Assembly had a majority of elected members.
• At the provincial level, a system called Diarchy transferred some reserved subjects from British governors to Indian ministers, appearing to move towards self-rule.
• Separate electorates were also extended to Sikhs. However, both the INC and ML opposed the reforms for offering too little.

Question 4

Why did the Rowlett Act and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre increase Indian anger after 1919?

Answer 4

• Knowing Indians would be disappointed by the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, the British introduced the Rowlett Act, allowing police to arrest anyone without a warrant and detain them indefinitely.
• This severely angered Indians.
• Jinnah and Gandhi strongly criticized the law.
• Indian outrage grew even more after British troops killed hundreds of peaceful protestors at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
• These events fueled deep resentment against British rule and intensified calls for independence.

Question 5

How important were the Morley-Minto Reforms compared to other political developments between 1909 and 1919?[CONCLUSION]

Answer 5

• If viewed objectively, it seems that all these political developments occurred because they eventually escalated to dissatisfaction among offered to them by the British.
• The political deadlock between the British and the Indians.