“I have felt the pulse of the Muslim masses living in the Indian Union and know that they have now come to realize that the path which they had been following was wrong and that the two-nation theory of the Muslim League was misleading,” declared Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Education Minister, addressing a public meeting in Urdu Park yesterday.
Maulana Azad pointed out that in free India no one could claim special rights or privileges because of his religion or community “If in the Indian Union there is a single Muslim or group of Muslims who think that Muslims should have a separate political organization it would be better for them to go to Pakistan. Here in India we all sail in one boat and sink or swim together.”
Referring to the recent Conference of Indian Muslims at Lucknow, Maulana Azad said that it was a landmark in the political life of the Muslims. For the past ten years Muslims had not been given a right lead. The Conference had come to the conclusion that the two-nation theory of the Muslim League was wrong as it was neither based on historical factors nor on the day-to-day life of the people. As a matter of fact, the social and economic life of Hindus and Muslims was closely linked together.
In India from olden days many races and religions came but there was only one nation. By propagating the two-nation theory Muslims became like Jews of Palestine demanding their homeland. The League leaders thought that Pakistan was the only way out and misled the masses into thinking that it was so. But from the recent events, particularly after the Lucknow Conference, it could be said that they had rid themselves of their past influences. They had now to change their mental outlook. Most of the Muslim League leaders had gone to Pakistan and those who still remained in India had to adopt a new outlook. If they still felt that Muslims were ready to answer their call on religious grounds they were grossly mistaken.
{{/usCountry}}In India from olden days many races and religions came but there was only one nation. By propagating the two-nation theory Muslims became like Jews of Palestine demanding their homeland. The League leaders thought that Pakistan was the only way out and misled the masses into thinking that it was so. But from the recent events, particularly after the Lucknow Conference, it could be said that they had rid themselves of their past influences. They had now to change their mental outlook. Most of the Muslim League leaders had gone to Pakistan and those who still remained in India had to adopt a new outlook. If they still felt that Muslims were ready to answer their call on religious grounds they were grossly mistaken.
{{/usCountry}}The Muslim League should be wound up for all times and a new path should be carved, Maulana Azad said. It would take some time, say a year, to wash away the poisonous effect of the Muslim League’s two nation theory. The Union and the Progress Committee set up by the Lucknow Conference would take up the work of bringing Muslims to the right path.
The Education Minister said: “From my study of the existing situation in the country it seems that there are not many people who sincerely think that any organization can work on communal basis. It is a welcome development and should be used to the best advantage. We now need a band of workers who are willing to work among Muslims and bring them away from the path of communalism to that of nationalism. It has also been decided to publish two papers, one in Urdu and the other in English, in order to help in this work.”
Lucknow Conference
Maulana Azad explained that the Lucknow Conference had been called with only one specific object in view namely, that the Muslims should liquidate communal organizations and did not consider other matters as these were beyond the scope of the Conference. When he reached Lucknow a deputation on behalf of the U.P. Provincial - Muslim League met him to discuss the question of the Leaguers’ participation in the Conference. They said that they could not say anything on the specific issue before the Conference but they were willing to join the Conference to discuss the hardships and difficulties facing Muslims in the Union. He told them that while Muslims had a perfect right to draw the Government’s attention to their difficulties the Conference had been called with one object only, namely, to ratify the decisions which had been taken at a representative gathering of Muslims in New Delhi some time ago.
The Leaguers carried on a propaganda that the Lucknow Conference had refused to consider the difficulties felt by Muslims of the Indian Union. They wanted to create ill feeling among the Muslim masses against the Conference by stating that it would not consider their grievances.
Refugee Relief
Referring to the situation in Delhi, Maulana Azad said that the two important tasks before the Government were to give relief to sufferers from Pakistan and to protect the interests of Muslims. Some of the sufferers had occupied the vacant houses of Muslims but still there were thousands of them without any home. It was the duty of the Government to provide, them accommodation. But rehabilitation of large masses of people was bound to take time. The administration was spending Rs. 30 lakhs daily over their food and clothing.
So far as protection of Muslims was concerned, the Government was determined to suppress any disturbance of peace. They would protect Muslims and also rehabilitate the refugees. A sub-committee of the Cabinet had been set up to take stock of the situation from day to day and to take effective action on the issues that arose.
People should have patience and should know that their Government was not deaf to the exigencies of the situation, Maulana Azad said. During the past fortnight, many deputations of Muslims had come to him and requested him to give them a chance to serve the riot-stricken from Pakistan and they were prepared to work for the refugees day and night. It was nearly a month that the Government had prepared a housing scheme for the refugees but a number of difficulties remained to be surmounted before it could be put into effect. They had also prepared a scheme for establishment of townships near about Delhi for the refugees.
So far as Muslims were concerned, they should rest assured that the Government of India wanted them to live in peace and would protect them.
Maulana Habibur Rahman, an Ahrar leader, said that in spite of his personal sufferings in East Punjab, he was still as much loyal to India as before. “I cannot follow the Muslim League and Pakistan,” he added. When Maulana Habibur Rahman was speaking, some Sikh members of the audience heckled him and the meeting was terminated on conclusion of his speech.