FREEDOM MOVEMENT

Indian National Congress: Working Committee's Resolution, 15 September, 1945

As some misapprehensions have arisen in regard to certain resolutions of the AICC and of the Working Committee passed in 1942 relating to the future Constitution of India, the Working Committee states the position as follows: "In accordance with the August 1942resolution of the AICC it will be for democratically elected Constituent Assembly to prepare a constitution for the Government of India, acceptable to all sections of the people. The Constitution, according to the Congress view, should be a federal one with the residuary powers vesting in the units. The fundamental rights as laid down by the Karachi Congress and subsequently added to must form an integral part of this Constitution. Further, as declared by the AICC at its meeting held in Allahabad in May 1942 the Congress cannot agree to any proposal to disintegrate India by giving liberty to any component State or territorial unit to secede from the Indian Union or federation.

The Congress, as its Working Committee declared in April 1942 has been wedded to Indian freedom and unity, and any break in that unity, especially in the modern world when, people's minds inevitably think in terms of ever-larger federations, would be injurious to all concerned and exceedingly painful to contemplate. Nevertheless, the Committee declared, it cannot think in terms of compelling the people in any territorial unit to remain in an Indian Union against their declared and established will. While recognising this principle, every effort should be made to create conditions which would help the different units in developing a common and cooperative national life. The acceptance of the principle inevitably involved that no changes should be made which result in fresh problems being created and compulsion being exercised on other substantial groups within that area. Each territorial unit should have the fullest autonomy within the Union consistently with a strong national state."

Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of India's Independence:

Muslim Members of National Committee Cabinet Ministers:

1.      C.M. Ibrahim, Member

Minister of Civil Aviation with additional charge of the Ministry

of Information and Broadcasting

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha:

2.      Sikander Bakht, Member

Chief Ministers:

3.      Farooq Abdullah, J&K Member

Ministers of State (Independent Charge):

4.      Saleem Iqbal Shervani Member

MOS of Health and Family Welfare

Leaders of Political Parties in Lok Sabha

5.      G.M. Banatwalla Member

Leaders of Political Parties in Rajya Sabha

 6. Sikander Bakht, Member

 7. B.V. Abdulla Koya Member

Leader of Muslim League

Writers & Artists

 8. M.F. Hussain Member

 9.Habib Tanvir Member

Media and Cinema

10. Dilip Kumar Member

11. (Smt.) Shabana Azmi Member

Science and Technology

12. A. Abdul Kalam Member

Traditional Scholars

13. Rafiq Zakaria Member

Other Eminent Persons

14. (Air Marshal) I.H. Latif Member

15. Syed Shahabuddin Member

Muslim Masses, Jinnah and Ulema

Non-Muslims normally think that the Muslims are generally orthodox and follow their Mullahs and Ulema. Then how did they accept a Westernised person as their leader? When eminent Ulema were there, Ulema's organisations were there, how did a majority of Muslims in united India prefer Jinnah to Azad?

The answer is not very complicated, provided the Indian Freedom Movement, the attitude of various groups and their thought-processes are examined in depth. The Ulema and their Jamaats had no idea of the rampant narrow-mindedness and its consequences. The Muslim League gathered strength when a great Muslim nationalist who, unhappy with the Congress, had gone away to London, was recalled and. made the Leader. This westernised nationalist Muslim had understood the narrow-mindedness and the shape of things to come in independent India. His voice touched the heart of many Muslims. He raised the slogan of Pakistan only to exert political pressure to strengthen the position of Muslims in independent India. But the Congress leadership proved to be more intelligent and thrust Pakistan on Jinnah, which he was obliged to accept. Thus he was checkmated by a more intelligent leadership. Pakistan Movement was never an Islamic movement.

So Jinnah became the Leader only because this barrister had seen the shape of the future events, which the traditional religious leadership had failed to see.