The Indian National Congress was established in AD 1885. Since then she had been leading the Hindus and Muslims jointly, but when the Viceroy Lord Minto organized a separate Simla-conference of Muslim leaders in AD 1906, giving them the mantra to fight separately from the Congress for their rights, since then The idea of forming a separate party for itself began to take shape among Indian Muslims.
Foundation of Muslim League
Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dhaka on 30 December 1906 Aligarh's Mohammedan Educational Conference in Dhaka, at the invitation of Annual meeting of the In this meeting, Salimulla presented the plan of separate political organization of the Muslims and said that its purpose is to support the British government, protect the rights and interests of the Muslims, check the growing influence of the Congress and provide a political platform to the Muslim youth. So that they can be kept away from the Indian Congress.
Salimullah named this organization Muslim All India Confederacy suggested. The proposal was accepted on the same day. Thus, on 30 December 1906, the All India Muslim Organization came into existence, which was named All India Muslim League Kept. Nawab Vikur-ul-Mulk was elected its chairman. A committee was formed to draft the constitution of the league, whose joint secretary Mohsin-ul-Mulk and Viqur-ul-Mulk were appointed.
In AD 1907, the annual session of the League was held in Karachi in which the constitution of the League was accepted. The following goals and objectives of the Muslim League were set in this constitution-
(a) To inculcate a sense of loyalty to the British Government among the Indian Muslims and to remove the misconceptions of the Government towards the Muslims regarding any scheme.
(b.) To protect the political and other rights of Indian Muslims and to place their needs and high aspirations before the Government in a moderate language.
(c) To create, as far as possible, a feeling of friendship among the Muslims and other societies of India, without harming the above objectives.
The constitution of the Muslim League provided for a permanent president and the religious leader of the Khoja sect Prince Aga Khan was made the chairman. The Aga Khan already had so many jobs that he did not have time to oversee the daily work of the office of the President of the League. Therefore an acting president was elected at each annual meeting of the league. The Legi leaders wanted to increase the feeling of loyalty among the Muslims of India not to their country, but to the British. They wanted to establish unity not with the other inhabitants of India but with the British.
The secretary of the League, Zakaulla, clearly said- 'Our unity with the Congress cannot be possible because the aims of us and the Congressmen are not the same. They want representative government, which for Muslims means death. They want competitive exams for appointment in government jobs and it will mean that Muslims will lose government jobs. That's why we don't need to approach political unity (with Hindus).'
In AD 1908, Sir Ali Imam became the working president of the league. Criticizing the Congress, he said- 'Till the Congress leaders do not adopt such a practical policy, the All India Muslim League has to fulfill its sacred duty. It's duty is to prevent the Muslim community from making a political mistake, that is, to prevent it from joining an organization that, in the words of Lord Marley, is shouting to capture the moon.'
Similarly, in a meeting of students in Aligarh, Nawab Vikur-ul-Mulk said- 'If the British rule ends in India, then Hindus will rule over it and then our life, property and honor will always be in danger. Will hover The only way for the Muslims to avoid this danger is - the British rule must remain. Muslims consider themselves to be British army and be ready to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives for the British crown
…….Your name will be written in golden letters in the history of British India. The coming generations will do your favour.'
These statements of Muslim League leaders gained immense popularity among the Muslim youth. In this way, the success that Sir Syed Ahmed could not achieve by trying throughout his life, the Muslim League achieved that success in the first attempt itself. The statements of the legi leaders were viewed with delight in the British and with concern among the Hindus. For the common Muslim deprived of education and employment, the statements of the legi leaders were to fill a new light of hope in the hearts of the Muslims. In the form of the Muslim League, several messiahs who brought back the Muslims to their old golden days had joined together.