Reasons for establishment of Muslim league are not simple. The Muslim league laid foundation of Pakistan.
The following events paved way for the establishment of the All India Muslim League:
Establishment of the British System of Government
The system introduced after the establishment of the British Government in the year 1858.
Hindu Extremism
We have already learnt about Urdu-Hindi Controversy spurred by the Hindus in 1867, the Hindus demanded replacement of Urdu by Hindi as official language.
Establishment of the Indian National Congress
A retired British Civil Servant. A.O. Hume established the Indian National Congress in the year 1885. The Hindus welcomed it enthusiastically and joined it in great numbers.
Demand for Separate Electorate
Sir Sayyid (RA) believed that he British system of elections, pure and simple, did not suit the Indian condition, because this will reduce the Muslims to a position of permanent slavery and subservience to the majority community.
Partition of Bengal and the Congress Attitude
In the year 1905, the British government divided the province of Bengal into two parts.
Change of Government in Britain:
Liberal Party returned to power in the 1905 elections held in Britain. Te party gave a programme of political reforms meant India.
The Simla Deputation
Thirty five top ranking Muslim leaders taken from all parts of the Sub-Continent called on the then Viceroy Lord Minto at Simla on Oct. 1,1906.
FOUNDATION OF THE ALL INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE
A session of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference was held under the chairmanship of Nawab Wiqar-ul-Mulk in December 1906 at Dacca. Resolution for the establishment of All India Muslim League was moved in this meeting by Nawab Salim-Ullah Khan and was seconded by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Hakeem Ajmal Khan and Maulana Muhammad Ali (Johar). Sir Agha Khan was made the first president.
Objectives of Muslim League
At the time of its formation the Muslim League had set a three point agenda:
· To safeguard and protect the interests of the Indian Muslims; to convey their demands to the British government in a peaceful manner and through constitutional means.
· To create feelings of respect and goodwill for the government amongst the Muslims and to remove any misunderstanding, they might have, regarding government’s policies and actions.
· To create feelings of brotherhood between the Muslims and other Indian communities.
Change of Objectives
In March 1913 changes in the objectives of the All India Muslim League were made in Quaid-e-Azam’s (RA) initiative. Policy of unconditional subservience was forsaken in the favour of “self-government suitable for Indian conditions”. This proved to be a turning point in the history of the Muslims of India.