Why NO JINNAH’S Portrait !
By: Prof. Dhirendra Sharma
It is not the question of Majoritarian state versus Minority rights but what iconic
leader’s portrait you keep in academic institutions. What are your ideals
and the model for the national political development ?
I suggest to replacing Jinnah’s portrait with a portrait of The Bharat Ratna, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan.. The Frontier Gandhi Gaffar Khan had joined Gandhiji and endured 8 years’ imprisonment during the British Raj. But, the Frontier Gandhi was imprisoned for 18 years in Pakistan. He had Willed not to be buried “in the Naa-Pak soil” .
During the Partition years he led Peace and Unity marches, assured no violence took place against the minority Hindus.
But Jinnah did not participate in Quit Indian movement. In fact, he opposed Gandhiji, and commanded violent Direct Action leading to the massacre and rape of thousands unarmed ( Hindu) citizens.
Jinnah – living in England, divided the South Asian communities -caused unprecedented deaths and destruction to millions of Indians – Hindu, Muslims,Sikhs and Buddhists, who for thousand years lived as brothers in Hindustan.
Today, in 21st century, when secular-democratic politics is our national commitment, keeping the Jinnah portrait in an educational institution would send the opposite message to the coming generations.
Attalji had visited Jinnah’s musolium inside Pakistan. But a visit to Gandhi Samadhi, or a Portrait of Karl Marx in any muslim establishment will be a rare occurrence.
Narendra Modi says: THE WORLD IS ONE FAMILY. But the Jinnah’s portrait would not
support Modi’s mantra – Sabka saath, sabaka vikas..
Nation is above politics. Let us create History – NOT repeat the past.
Dhirendra Sharma
(Garhwal Post, English Daily Dehradun 18 May, 2018.)