Prelude to Partition: The Indian Muslims and the Imperial System of Control 1920-1932

Amongst the developments flowing from the electoral institutions introduced by the constitutional reforms of 1920 was a steady increase in the communal awareness of the Muslims of India. Before 1920, the Muslim League had worked with the Congress to further the cause of constitutional reforms, but by 1932, with the failure of the second round-table conference and the resumption of civil disobedience by the Congress, Muslim support had become vital for imperial control at the centre. Increased Muslim belligerence at this time forced the government to make the communal award, which in turn made Muslim Raj in Punjab and Bengal a real possibility and set the scene for the emergence of the Pakistan movement.