Till 1937 the communalists were liberal i.e. though they wanted safeguards for their religion they believed in a united country. But after 1937 it all changed extreme communalism which recognized that communities can’t live together had started. This form was becoming more popular at the lower classes of Hindus and Muslims. The extreme communalists had started mass movements to recognize their demands. They also targeted co-religionist in nationalist parties.
This extreme communalism was due to the popularity of the congress which gave it a majority in 1937 elections. The landlord and Zamindari population in provinces felt that the congress would protect the tenants and they would face an existential crisis. Hence the Hindu zamindars went towards the mahasabha and Muslim went to Muslim leagues. Both the parties for attracting the zamindars criticized the congress policies of tenant protection.
The
other reason for the growth of communalism was the support
given to it by colonial authorities. The British had
failed to stop the nationalists so far. All other
alternatives like right and left wings, linguistic and
cultural differences, provincial differences and even
landlords couldn’t prove too effective against the
congress.
So reluctantly they backed the Muslim league even though they hated its leader Jinnah. The WW-II also inflamed communalism as Muslim leagues role became more important. The British refused to accept congress's demands for freedom saying it didn’t represent Muslims. The league was treated as the sole spokesperson of the Muslims and given veto power over demands. The Hindu and Sikh communalists didn’t get any concessions from the British.
In the 1937 elections Muslim league and mahasabha led campaigns on communal lines but both fared poorly. They realized that either they had to move towards mass based programs or give up politics. The very logic of communal politics leads to a progression towards more and more communal outlook. The constant demands and more and more concessions are needed to remain relevant. Hence liberal communalism turns to extreme form. The Muslim communalists took advantage of the congress's limited contact with the Muslim masses for its purpose.
M A Jinnah was initially secular and nationalist. He was influenced by Dadabhai Nauroji and acted as his secretary. He was opposed to Muslim league when it was formed. He wanted joint electorates and advocated for them. He was called as the Ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity by Sarojini Naidu. He later became progressively communal and joined the league. He moved towards extreme communalism to save himself from oblivion when the congress won elections in 1937. He first put forth the two nation theory in 1940 at Lahore session of the league.
The same trajectory was followed by Hindu mahasabha and they too descended into extreme form of communalism after 1937. Gowalkar who was the head of the RSS also blamed congress for turning Hindus as servants of Muslims in India. He said that India couldn’t have Hindu Muslim unity and Hindus had to be dominant. This wasn’t condemned by congress leaders some of whom were succumbing to communalist pressure. Muslim riots and hate mongering by Jinnah and other leaders led to similar response from Hindu communalists.
The
fault for communalisms rise had to be up to some extent
of congress leaders too. They had dealt with communal
leaders treating them as representatives of their
communities. When these leaders went on to become
extreme communalist the congress couldn’t stop them
effectively. Attempts made by the left and congress
to wean the liberals in the communalists and pit them
against the extreme elements had failed.
However as it turned out ideologies have future repercussions. The damage of Jinnah’s communal politics is faced even today by Pakistani Muslims. On the other hand the secular ideology of congress has created harmonious conditions in India.
The 'Pakistan Resolution' was passed at the Lahore session of the Muslim League calling for "grouping of all geographically contiguous Muslim majority areas (mainly north-western and eastern India) into independent states in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.