08-22-2009, 07:14 AM
The reality is that the intransigent attitude of the majority Congress party led by Gandhi and Nehru caused Jinnah to finally settle for an "independent" Pakistan. The March 23, 1940 resolution was deliberately vaguely worded regarding the status of a separate homeland for the Muslims of India; this meant that there was still time for a united India, provided various safeguards were provided to protect the minority Muslims in a democratic India sure to be run by the majority caste Hindus.
Jinnah remained tightly lipped about his idea of a "Pakistan" till the Jinnah Gandhi talks in September, 1944. After the unsuccessful Jinnah-Gandhi talks, Jinnah was convinced that the "Pakistan" scheme was the only way to successfully protect the Muslim minority in India - yet he was still willing to give a united India a try but Nehru and other Congress leaders forced his hand to change his demand for an independent "Pakistan" outside the Indian union.
In Jinnah's own words, "One India is an impossible realization - it will inevitably mean that the Muslim will be transferred from the domination of the British to the caste Hindu rule.... Freedom must mean freedom both from British exploitation and Hindu domination. 100 millions Muslims will never agree merely to the change of the masters." Over sixty years on, it is a matter of opinion and conjecture.
Regardless, Jinnah's scheme still wished for a relationship between India and Pakistan similar to that of the USA and Canada - something both sides have failed to achieve.
Jinnah remained tightly lipped about his idea of a "Pakistan" till the Jinnah Gandhi talks in September, 1944. After the unsuccessful Jinnah-Gandhi talks, Jinnah was convinced that the "Pakistan" scheme was the only way to successfully protect the Muslim minority in India - yet he was still willing to give a united India a try but Nehru and other Congress leaders forced his hand to change his demand for an independent "Pakistan" outside the Indian union.
In Jinnah's own words, "One India is an impossible realization - it will inevitably mean that the Muslim will be transferred from the domination of the British to the caste Hindu rule.... Freedom must mean freedom both from British exploitation and Hindu domination. 100 millions Muslims will never agree merely to the change of the masters." Over sixty years on, it is a matter of opinion and conjecture.
Regardless, Jinnah's scheme still wished for a relationship between India and Pakistan similar to that of the USA and Canada - something both sides have failed to achieve.