The revolt of 1857 left a deep mark on the history of Modern India. British policy changed after the rebellion of 1857. The uprising of 1857 played a crucial role in shaping the Indian Empire during the early nineteenth century. The display of unity among the masses and revolting led the British to rethink their existence in India and their way of working.

Indian National Congress (INC) 

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded by members of the Theosophical Society on 28 December 1885. Scotsman Allan Octavian Hume, a retired ICS officer, and a notable ornithologist were instrumental in its formation — in fact, an Indian would not have been permitted to form such an organization.

Its first session was held between 28-31 December 1885 at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay. It was attended by 72 delegates representing various provinces and comprising, among other things, 54 Hindus and 2 Muslims. Woomesh Chandra Banerjee presided over it. Hume was elected as the first general secretary.

‘Safety Valve Theory’: The purpose behind the formation of the Congress was to provide a safety valve to the Indian nationalists to vent their grievances and frustration and avoid another situation like the First Indian War of Independence of 1857. In other words, Congress was meant to prolong and not curtail British rule. The creation of INC was actually a part of the British government policy, secretly pre-arranged with the Viceroy, for safeguarding the British Raj from the rising anti-British forces and widespread unrest.

Of the first 25 sessions of the Congress, 5 were presided by Europeans. 

As late as 1914, 1915, and 1916 the Congress sessions were briefly attended by Madras Governor Lord Pentland, Bombay Governor Lord Willingdon, and United Provinces Governor Sir James Meston.

Only later did the British's initial patronage of the Congress turn into hostility and suspicion. Due to the Hindu dominance, many Muslim community leaders like Syed Ahmed Khan viewed the Congress negatively.

The revolt of 1857 had made an enormous impact on the Britishers, leading to the following outcomes:

The British crown took over as the rule of East India company ended: The revolt of 1857 caused the transfer of powers from the hands of the East India Company to the crown of England. This was achieved under the better government of India act of 1858. Under this act, India came into direct control under the crown, which started acting through a state secretary. The secretary was directly responsible to the British crown. An Indian council consisting of 15 members was created, out of which nine should have served India for at least ten years. The state secretary presided over this council. However, the central administration remained in the governor-general's hands. The governor-general also became the Viceroy to the queen of England.

Indian army reconstruction: The 1857 revolt instilled fear in the minds of the British government. They no longer assumed that Indian people would stand by the British government when needed. The British elements in the Indian army were improvised to ensure loyalty and support from the military. Hence, the number of Indian soldiers in the Indian army was drastically reduced from a total of 2,38,000 in 1857 to a total of 1,40,000 in 1863. Simultaneously, the number of England soldiers increased from 45,000 to 65,000.

The policy of annexation ended: The revolt of 1857 made the British government realize the importance of the princely states and hence wanted to gain their support. Also, the British were suspicious of the Russian invasion of India under the ongoing circumstances. They felt the need to unite the princely states and use them during times of need. Hence, the policy of annexation of the princely states was given up. 

Beginning of the divide and rule policy: After the revolt of 1857, the British realized that the unity amongst the Indians could be dangerous for their existence and hence started the policy of divide and rule between different castes and classes. The Muslims were made to fight against the Hindus, and the upper caste Hindus were made to fight with the lower caste Hindus. This led to a division of the country’s people and deteriorated unity.

All India Muslim League (AIML)

All India Muslim League (AIML) was founded at a conference of 3000 delegates in Dhaka in December 1906. It was fuelled by the Bengal partition of 1905. AIML was a product of the divide-and-rule policy of the British.

Political formations to counter the growing nationalism and the Congress were actively encouraged by the British Raj. The name ‘All-India Muslim League’ was proposed by its co-founder Sir Aga Khan III. Aga Khan pleaded with the British Raj to consider Muslims a separate nation. 

The formation of the Muslim League in 1906 and the putting forth of its demands to the Raj like “separate and privileged representation in any electoral system that might be set up” were actually encouraged, facilitated, and stage-managed by Viceroy Lord Minto and the British officials. Upon the success of their efforts in ensuring that the Muslim League was formed, a British official sent this effusive message to Viceroy Minto: “I must send your excellency a line to say that a very, very big thing has happened today. A work of statesmanship [on the part of the British Raj] that will affect India and Indian history for many a long year. It is nothing less than pulling back 62 million people (Muslims) from joining the ranks of the seditious opposition (Congress).”

Expressing his loyalty to the British, the AIML’s first President Nawab Viqar-ul-Mulk Mustaq Hussain stated at its opening session: “…the political rights of a subject race thrive best in the soil of loyalty, and consequently the Mussalmans should prove themselves loyal to their Government before they can ask for any of their rights…”

AIML was almost moribund during the 1920s and early 1930s. It was revived by Jinnah in 1934. Only after AILM’s (Jinnah’s) overtures were rebuffed by the Congress (Nehru, in particular) following the 1936-37 elections (please see detailed elsewhere in this book) that the AIML adopted a vigorous and militant anti-Congress line that culminated in its Lahore Resolution of 26 March 1940 indirectly hinting about Pakistan.

Pakistan became a reality not so much by the efforts of Jinnah or the Muslim League (Even the crease of the suites of Jinnah and other Muslim League leaders never got crumpled in any agitation.) as by the machinations of the British, particularly Churchill and other like-minded politicians, as it was in the vested interests of the British and the West to have Pakistan to protect their oil interests in the Middle-East, and to have a useful ally in their cold-war.

References:

unacademy.com
archive.org