MUSLIMS VENTURE INTO POLITICS IN COLONIAL INDIA: A BRITISH PLOY OR AN INSTINCTIVE REACTION?

The formation of the All-India Muslim League, the first ever Muslim political party in British India to see the light of the day, represents a watershed in the political history of the Indian subcontinent. In fact, it was the outcome of a long historical process during which the Muslims of India faced challenges at different political, economic and socio-cultural levels. Yet, the origin of this political organisation has been a moot point among scholars. Did the British have a hand in its creation or was it a genuinely Muslim initiative? Therefore, the aim of this article is to investigate this issue as well as shed light on the circumstances that led to the birth of this party.