Thus the idea of the separateness of Muslims in India was built into the electoral process of India. Muslim leaders led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah felt that the Hindus, by dominating the Indian National Congress, were beginning to dictate decision making in British India.
The policies and interests of the British in India were determined by the industrialists, the most powerful section in British society. Their policy for India aimed at leading to an early realization of full self-government, "to lead the peoples of India to a condition in which they would be able to govern themselves and grow out of imperial tutelage."3 It was proclaimed by the Secretary of State for India that paramountcy was to lapse after India had achieved independence and that the future relationship of the states with the rest of India was to be decided by the parties themselves through consultations and negotiations. The problem of India was essential one of imperialism and nationalism, not of race or color.
However religious conflicts between the Muslims and Hindus were used as reasons not to grant democracy or independence to India. Before the British, India had been ruled for 300 years under the Mughal Empire. The British were still fearful of the potential threat from the Muslims. So Britain's borders were drawn based on religious differences and was influenced by the campaign of the Muslim League calling on Britain to "divide and quit" (in contrast to the call of Gandhi and the Indian National Congress to simply "quit India"). Rather than settling conflicts, however, these borders only served to ignite them, leading to years of bloodshed and deep divides that continue to take civilian lives. Gandhi and some Muslim and Hindu members of the Congress party were opposed to partition because they didn't want to lose the territory or divide the people.
On August 16, 1946, in its demand for a separate Pakistan, the Muslim League called for " Direct Action" day.
