Friday, August 17, 2012

Jinnah's bitterness : Kanji Dwarkadas

In "Ten Years to Freedom" (p 34-35),  Kanji Dwarkadas narrates this story, from 1938 or 1939:

"In order to find out exactly what was passing in Jinnah's mind I went to meet him and asked him what he thought of the political situation.

His answer was amazing.   He said, "What do you mean?  How can you ask me such a question? Do you mean to say that when the British Prime Minister is sitting in his room a French man or a German or a Russian could just walk in and ask him, "What do you think of the political situation?", and do you mean to say the British Prime Minister would reply to that question?"

I told Jinnah that I had not come as a leader or representative of the Hindus or even as a Hindu.  I was just talking to him informally as an old friend and saw no harm in both of us thinking aloud.

To this Jinnah said that he refused to discuss the political situation with any Hindu.

I suggested his talking to Sir Purushottamdas.  He said he would not, because Sir Purushottamdas had no influence on the Hindu opinion.  He said that neither Jawaharlal nor Subhas Bose had any influence but that Gandhiji and Vallabhbhai had a negative influence in the sense that they could do harm and could not and would not do any good.

Evidently all was not well with Jinnah and I told him that bitterness would not help anybody or any cause.  The Congress had rubbed him the wrong way and he would never forgive them for this.   I felt very sorry for Jinnah.  He was a sick and unhappy man, completely isolated and friendless.

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