The day of destiny By Mohammad Qasim Background: The All India Muslim League played a vital role in the creation of Pakistan in the year 1940. Muslim league had become a stronger political party for the Muslims of Indo-Pak Subcontinent, under which the Muslims were struggling for a separate homeland for them. The great leader of the Muslims, Mohammad Ali Jinnah by the time had become the lining symbol of Muslim unity and Muslim politics and the Muslims had so completely centred on him that he had become almost an institution in himself.___ During the session: In the year 1940, the annual session of the Muslim league opened at Lahore, on the 22nd of March amidst scenes of great enthusiasm. Thousands met in the League Pandal which was tastefully decorated. This was a great moment and thousands of lovers of Mohammad Ali Jinnah were waiting for the historical speech. Mohammad Ali Jinnah arrived in the afternoon and was led directly to the Pandal. Nawab of Mamdot, welcomed the participants and pointed that the greatest achievement of the League was the suspension of the Federal part of the Government of India Act of 1935. In the presidential address delivered by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, he explained the position of the Muslims and the criticized the Hindus and the Britishers and their diplomacy role against Muslims. He observed thus: As soon as circumstances permit or immediately after the war at the latest, the whole problem of India as future constitution must be examined de novo and the Act of 1935 must go once for all. We do not believe in asking the British Government to make declarations. These declarations are really of no use. You cannot passably succeed in getting the British Government out of this country by asking them to make declarations. Jinnah also criticised the attitude of the Congress towards the constitutional problem and various Hindus suggestions for the establishment of a Constituent Assembly. Finally, he outlined the Muslim demand in most emphatic terms. The problem in India is not of an inter-communal but manifestly of an international character and it must be treated as such. So long as this basic and fundamental truth is not realised, any constitution that may be built will result in disaster and will prove destructive and harmful, not only to Muslims but the British and the Hindus also. If the British Government is really in earnest and sincere to secure peace and happiness of the people of this subcontinent, the only course open to us all is to allow the major nations separate homelands by dividing India into Autonomous National States. There is no reason, as to why these states should be antagonistic to each other. On the other hand, the rivalry and the natural desire and efforts on the part of one to dominate the social order and establish political supremacy over the other in the government of the country will disappear. It will lead more towards natural goodwill by international pacts between them, and they can live in complete harmony. This will lead further to a friendly settlement all the more easily with regard to minorities by reciprocal arrangement and adjustments between Muslim India and Hindu India, which will far more adequately and effectively safeguard the rights and interests of the Muslims and various minorities.___ On 23rd March 1940, the Chief Minister of Bengal, Moulvi Fazalul -Haque moved the following Resolution: Resolved that It is the considered view of this session of the All India Muslim League that no Constitutional Plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims, unless it is designed on the following basic principle, namely that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North Western and Eastern Zones of India would be grouped to constitute Independent States in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign. ___ The Impact: The Lahore Resolution was indeed a landmark in the history of India and of the Muslims. Before this, the Muslims of India had no goal and no future in view and Muslim politics remained in the hands of the individuals with conflicting interests and inclinations. As soon as Lahore Resolution was passed by the Muslim League, the Hindu press started criticising the Muslim League and declared this resolution as Pakistan Resolution. The personality of Mohammad Ali Jinnah was also criticised by the Hindus and their prominent leaders. Mohammad Ali Jinnah got nationwide popularity after Lahore Resolution, because the Muslims of India had a lot of expectations from him and he was the only source of inspiration for the Muslims.___ Conclusion: Slowly and gradually, Muslim were moving towards their goal and in a short span of seven years of their struggle, the Muslims of Indo-Pak Subcontinent finally succeeded in getting Pakistan, on 14th of August, 1947. The dream of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and thousands of other Muslim workers came true on this day. Every year on 23rd of March, the country celebrates this day with great joy and enthusiasm.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:21:10 +0000
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