United Provinces' Politics, 1939: The End of the First Congress Ministry: Governors' Fortnightly Reports and other Key Documents

This is the third volume in a series that provides the texts of the Fortnightly Reports sent by the governors of the United Provinces to the viceroy—110 documents printed in total, including other key pieces sent by the governors or their secretaries. This installment covers the last 10 months of the first Congress Ministry in the U.P. and the last 11 months of Sir Harry Haig’s term as governor. 1939 was a very disturbed year in the U.P., with a marked increase in communal tension and violence. The Muslim League was growing in strength as well as bodies like the Mahasabha, Youth League, and Forward Bloc. The Ministry itself was destabilized as a result of pressure from the left-wing elements within Congress and the dissatisfaction of the wider electorate. In September, war broke out between Britain and Germany. Negotiations were unsuccessful, and in November the Ministry resigned and the governor took charge of the province. The book documents how the negotiations to try to secure Congress cooperation were viewed from the U.P.