After the 'War of Independence' in 1857, the Muslims in the subcontinent were not only dominated by the Hindus in various walks of life, their religious, cultural and economic progress were also put to great stake. The Hindu majority wanted them to live under their influence and follow their dictates. Thus, the future of the Muslims looked very bleak. At this stage, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan emerged as the first Muslim leader to propound the 'Two-Nation-Theory' demanding a separate homeland for the Muslims of India, where they could live in peace and according to their religious and cultural background.
Sir Syed also started educational programmes to spread education among the Muslims. Poets like Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali and Allama Iqbal tried to awaken the dormant souls of the Muslims to recall their glorious past. The All India Muslim League was ultimately founded by the Muslims in 1906 to provide them with a stronger political platform, wherefrom they could carry on their freedom struggle aimed at a separate homeland.
On his completion of the education in England, the Quaid-i-Azam returned to India and at first he joined the All India National Congress and continued his efforts for Hindu-Muslim Unity. But on being disillusioned, he resigned from the Congress for their prejudice and non-co-operation with him. He joined the All India Muslim League on December 30, 1912.
Thus the Muslim League got a dynamic leader in Quaid-i-Azam, who travelled far and wide in the country and spelled out the meaning of Pakistan.
He said, "Pakistan would be a State free of all exploitation and the Hindu domination." The Muslim League, which was hitherto weak and disorganised, got the support of all the Muslims, and the Quaid-i-Azam emerged as the undisputed leader to articulate their demand for a separate homeland in a more convincing way.
March 23, 1940 is, therefore, a turning point in the political history of the Indian subcontinent. At the 29th session of the All Indian Muslim League, held at the Iqbal Park, Lahore, the session was presided over by Jinnah. Maulvi Fazl-ul-Haq, the then Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the resolution for a separate homeland for the Muslims, which was seconded by a League stalwart, Chudhry Khaliq-uz-Zaman.
The mammoth gather at the Iqbal Park, where the 'Minar-i-Pakistan' has been built commemorates the Lahore Resolution now called the Pakistan Resolution, was attended by hundreds of Muslims from every walk of life. The demand for Pakistan echoed throughout the country against all opposition of the Hindu majority.
THE LAHORE RESOLUTION WAS AS FOLLOWS:
" No constitution plan would work in this country or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principles, namely, that the geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such terrestrial adjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are in a majority as in the north-western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute independent States in which the constituted units shall be autonomous and sovereign. Adequate, effective and mandatory safe-guards should specifically be provided in the constitution for the minorities for the protection of their religious, economic, political, administrative and other rights."
It would thus be seen that March 03, 1940 was the biggest day in the history of the All India Muslim League, when the Lahore Resolution was unanimously passed by the Muslim leaders. Pakistan became the household word among the Muslims throughout the country, which was opposed by the Hindus, as they did not like the Mother India to be partioned as demanded by the Muslim leaders of the day.
But the Quaid-i-Azam and his associates admirably succeeded in convincing the Congress and the British rulers of the reality of the Two-Nation Theory and the urgent need of a separate homeland for the Muslims. March 23 is, therefore, celebrated each year to commemorate the historic decision, when all the Muslims were united in their demand for Pakistan.
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