Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Modern India: Understanding Partition

Question:

Read the statement carefully:

On his speech on 1 March 1941 he was opposed to a Pakistan that would mean “Muslim Raj here and Hindu Raj elsewhere ... If Pakistan means unalloyed Muslim Raj in 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.

Who is "He" in the above statement?

Options:

Sikandar Hayat Khan

Mohammad Ali Jinnah

Mohammad Iqbal

Khushwant Singh

Correct Answer:

Sikandar Hayat Khan

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option 1 - Sikandar Hayat Khan

On his speech on 1 March 1941 he was opposed to a Pakistan that would mean “Muslim Raj here and Hindu Raj elsewhere ... If Pakistan means unalloyed Muslim Raj in 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.

The "He" in the above statement is Sikandar Hayat Khan, Punjab Premier and leader of the Unionist Party.

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 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.