(a) (i) After the revolt of 1857 and the partition of Bengal, the Britishers saw the unity between the Hindus and Muslims. To check the growth of nationalism, they encouraged the formation of Muslim League.
(ii) The working of Indian National Congress also gave a setback to the British government. They wanted to create an organisation which could check the popularity of the Congress.
(iii) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a great social reformer and an educationist. He worked as a guiding force for the Muslims to form a separate organisation.
(b) The Muslim leaders made the following demands:
1. Separate Electorates:
The Muslims should be given the right of sending their representatives to the Provincial Councils and Imperial Legislative Council through separate communal electorates.
2. Weightage in Representation: The representation to the Muslim Community should be determined not by their numerical strength. It should be in accordance with the position they occupied in India about a hundred years ago.
3. Greater Representation in Civil, Military and Judicial Services : There should be greater representation of the Muslims in all services-civil and military. Further, there should be Muslim judges in every High Court.
4. The Founding of a Muslim University: The Deputation asked for help in founding a Muslim University which would be a centre of religious, cultural and intellectual life. The Address concluded with the words that the bond of loyalty united the Muslims and the British in India. The promotion of Muslim interests would further strengthen this bond.
(c) The aims of the Muslim league were : 1. To promote feelings of loyalty among Indian Muslims towards the British Government.
2. To protect the political and other rights of the Muslims and present them before the Government in mild language.
3. To promote friendly feelings between Muslims and other communities of India without any harm to the objectives of the League.
4. One of the main objectives of the Muslim League was to keep the Muslim intelligensia away from the mainstream of National Movement.
