Rajaji, Madras Congress Legislators Favoured Two-Nation Theory in 1942, Controversial Resolutions Fail
On April 23, 1942, amid the turbulence of the Second World War, the Congress Legislature Party of the Madras Presidency, led by C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji), passed two resolutions that sparked controversy. Convened at Rajaji’s behest, the meeting urged the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to recognize the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan and to permit the formation of a government in the Presidency in collaboration with the League.
The resolutions reflected Rajaji’s pragmatic approach toward communal harmony and political negotiations during a period of growing communal tension. However, both measures proved highly contentious within the Congress and among the public, ultimately failing to gain traction at the national level.
Historians note that this episode highlights a rare instance when senior Congress leaders, under extraordinary circumstances, showed sympathy toward the two-nation theory, despite the party’s official stance against partition. The events remain a significant, though controversial, chapter in pre-independence political history in southern India.
