Which leader formalised a plea in 1941 for a loose confederation with autonomy for confederated units?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Sikandar Hayat Khan
Sikandar Hayat Khan, Punjab Premier and leader of the Unionist Party, who had drafted the League’s resolution of 1940, reiterated in a speech on 1 March 1941 his plea for a loose (united) confederation with considerable autonomy for the confederating units.
Note: This question is taken from the chapter ‘Understanding Partition’ which was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT and has been deleted from subsequent editions of NCERT, including the NCERT book (2026-27).
NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “3.3 The ‘Pakistan’ Resolution … The Pakistan demand was formalised gradually. On 23 March 1940, the League moved a resolution demanding a measure of autonomy for the Muslim-majority areas of the subcontinent. This ambiguous resolution never mentioned partition or Pakistan. In fact Sikandar Hayat Khan, Punjab Premier and leader of the Unionist Party, who had drafted the resolution, declared in a Punjab assembly speech on 1 March 1941 that he was opposed to a Pakistan that would mean ‘Muslim Raj here and Hindu Raj elsewhere ... If Pakistan means unalloyed Muslim Raj in the Punjab then I will have nothing to do with it.’ He reiterated his plea for a loose (united), confederation with considerable autonomy for the confederating units.…” |