M. A. JINNAH’S SPEECH AT LUCKNOW October 15, 1937

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09415777229, 094055338

E-mail- [e-mail];[e-mail]

 

 

M. A. JINNAH’S SPEECH AT LUCKNOW October 15, 1937

 

 

The Muslim League stands for full national democratic self-government for India. A great deal of capital is made as to phrases, more for the consumption of the ignorant and illiterate masses. Various phrases are used such as purna swaraj, self-government, complete independence, responsible government, substance of independence and dominion status. There are some who talk of complete independence. But it is no use having complete independence on your lips and the Government of India Act, 1935, in your hands. Those who talk of complete independence the most mean the least what it means. Was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact in consonance with complete independence? Were the assurances that were required before the offices would be accepted and the provincial constitutions could be worked consistent with purna swaraj, and was the resolution, after the assurances were refused, accepting offices and working the Constitution enacted by the British Parliament and forced upon the people of India by the imperialistic power, in keeping with the policy and programme and the declarations of the Congress Party? Does wrecking mean working? The present leadership of the Congress, especially during the last ten years, has been responsible for alienating the Mussalmans of India more and more by pursuing a policy which is exclusively Hindu, and since they have formed the governments in six provinces where they are in majority they have by their words, deeds and programmes shown more that the Mussalmans cannot expect any justice or fair play at their hands. Wherever they are in a majority and wherever it suited them, they refused to co-operate with the Muslim League Parties and demanded unconditional surrender and signing of their pledges. Hindi is to be the national language of India and Vandemataram is to be the national song and is to be forced upon all. The Congress flag is to be obeyed and revered by all and sundry. On the very threshold of what little power and responsibility is given, the majority community have clearly shown their hand that Hindustan is for the Hindus; only, the Congress masquerades under the name of nationalism whereas the Hindu Mahasabha does not mince words. Here it will not be out of place to state that the responsibility of the British Government is no less in the disastrous consequences which may issue. It has been clearly demonstrated that the Governor and Governor-General who have been given the special powers and special responsibility to safeguard and protect the minorities under the Constitution which was made so much of by . . . the Secretary of State for India . . . have failed to use them and have thereby been a party to the flagrant breach of the spirit of the Constitution and the instrument of instructions in the matter of appointment of Muslim Ministers. On the contrary they have been a party to passing off men as Muslim Ministers by appointing them as such, though they know fully well that they do not command the confidence of the Muslim representatives or the public outside. . . . The Congress High Command speaks in different voices. One opinion is that there is no such thing as Hindu-Muslim question and there is no such thing as minorities’ question in the country. The other High Command opinion is that if a few crumbs are thrown to the Mussalmans in their present disorganized and helpless state you can manage them. . . . The All-India Muslim League certainly and definitely stands to safeguard the rights and interests of the Mussalmans and other minorities effectively. That is its basic and conditional principle. The Congress attempt under the guise of establishing mass contact with the Mussalmans is calculated to divide and weaken and break the Mussalmans and is an effort to detach them from their accredited leaders. It is a dangerous move and it cannot mislead anyone. All such man oeuvres will not succeed notwithstanding the various blandishments, catchwords and slogans. . . . Then he warned the Congress against the inadvisability of asking for a Constituent Assembly and admonished them to see that the All-India Federation Scheme embodied in the 1935 Act was not brought into being. He also warned the British Empire against their attitude regarding Palestine and concluded by exhorting Mussalmans to fear nothing and to be true and loyal to stand by their decisions as one man.