History: Let's judge Jinnah by his own words

The following are speeches/statements made by Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah. It would be interesting to go through them when we get ���versions��� of history from politicians and ���pundits��� every now and then:

Countering Congress demand for freedom for a united India, Jinnah incited a crowd at meeting in Madras: ���In this sub continent, you have two different societies, the Muslim society and the Hindu society, and particularly in this land, there is another nation, that is the Dravidian. The land is really Dravidistan, and imagine its 3% of Brahmin high castes, by skillful manoeuvring and by skillful methods of electioneering, 3% of them should secure a majority! Is this democracy or is this a farce?...I have every sympathy and shall do all help to establish a Dravidistan where the 7% Muslims will stretch their hands of friendship.���

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Attacking Mahatma Gandhi for his refusal to accept Muslim League as sole representative of Indian Muslims, Jinnah said: ���Why should not Mr Gandhi be proud to say, ���I am a Hindu, the Congress has a solid Hindu backing. I am not ashamed of saying that I am a Musalman. I am right, I hope, and I think even a blind man must have been convinced by now, that the Muslim League has the solid backing of the Musalmans of India. Why then all this camouflage? Why all these machinations? Why not (Gandhiji) come as a Hindu leader, proudly representing your people and let me meet you proudly representing the Musalmans���.

Attacking Muslim Congressmen as ���dupes���, ���betrayers, traitors and cranks���, Jinnah said: ���The conduct of these dupes of the Congress and these betrayers well nigh disheartens me and I some times ask myself if a community which can still produce so many foolish or treacherous men is worth carrying for, praying for and weeping for. Yet, gentlemen, we must not, we cannot, and we will not yield to despair.���

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On a Constitution for a united India and democracy, Jinnah said: ���Democracy means, to begin with, majority rule. Majority rule in a single society is understandable. Representative government in a single nation, harmonious and homogenous, is understandable. But can such a system ever succeed when you have two different nations?���

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Demanding Pakistan, Jinnah told League legislators in Delhi: ���I have explained in great detail the fundamental and vital differences between Hindus and Muslims. There never has been, for all these centuries, either social or political unity between these two major nations. The Indian unity that we talk of up to today is held by the British, and they by their ultimate sanction of the police and army maintained peace and law and order.���

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Jinnah���s reply to Congress��� opposition to Pakistan: ���The Musalmans are not a minority, as is commonly known and understood...Musalmans are a nation according to any definition of a nation, and they must have their homelands, their territory and their state.���


(Sources: Religion in Politics by Arun Shourie and Foundations of Pakistan)