1941 Census of Lhore, Some facts to understand change in politics after 1920s in the Punjab

1941 Census of Lhore, Some facts to understand change in politics after 1920s in the Punjab

In modern scholarship everyone knew the importance of demography. So it has a major rule in analysis either at socio-economic level or political level. It was an assumption that before 1947, Hindu community was 2^nd largest after Muslim Punjabis at Lhore yet 1941 census shows that 2^nd largest community was Sikh Punjabis. Till 1931, there were only two Muslim majority provinces in India and those were Bengal 52% and the Punjab 56%. No doubt, Sindh, N.W.F.P (now KPK) and Kashmir had Muslim majorities yet   till early 1930s Sindh was under Bombay, N.W.F.P had limited provincial status and Kashmir was a State so unlike Bengal and the Punjab no one had enjoyed continuous election process on limited franchise which had started from 1921 under Chelmsford Reforms. One should remember that voting phenomenon is linked with demographic patrons even in limited franchise. Unlike Hindus, Muslim majority in Punjab was not a colonial phenomenon and Punjabi Muslims had large majority in Lhore Darbar in shape of Muslim Punjabis, Pukhtoons & Kashmiries including Gilgit Baltistan. According to historical record Muslims were included not only in Army, services but also had majority in courts as well as education in Lhore Darbar. Yet British scholarship and then Congress called Lhore Darbar a Sikh rule. Many Muslim and Sikh writers too buy that misleading thesis. It was a reality that Sikh Punjabis had 2^nd largest position with respect to Hindu Punjabis in pre-British Punjab. If we read demographic facts we can understand the politics of the Punjab.

Here I just used figures of 1941 census and its district record. In Lhore Muslim Punjabis were above 60%, Sikh Punjabis were 18.3% while Hindu Punjabis were less than 15%. When you gather Scheduled castes & Christian Punjabis there percentage was 7%, almost half in comparison with Punjabi Hindus. Hindus were in minority yet they, thanks to colonial rule, had control on business. Things started changing when Chelmsford introduced voting phenomenon at provincial level. Like Iqbal, Mian Sir Fazl e Husain & Mian Shafi , Laldin Qaiser, Ch Afzal Haq, Mollana Mazhar Ali were among those who had an eye on it. Congress was in alliance with Arya Smajis So Punjabi Muslims either formed their own parties or joined Unionist Party of the Punjab or then All India Muslim League. How demography influenced us is an example to understand politics. for the piece click here

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