Iqbal, Jinnah, Gandhi & failed Civil
disobedience Movement: A rejoinder for IK
Ik is among the
important political actors in Pakistan and His party got 3rd
position in 2013 elections which he snatched from MQM. Last day he did a speech
which raised some questions. His speech was in frustration or in search of
finding respectable retreat or a calculated move, but it is not the subject
here. Before this speech we have no example in recent past except Altaf Hussein’s
abrupt speeches. May be both have same advisors. Here I need to deconstruct
myth of disobedience movement, a metaphor used by Ik recently in his 17 August
speech. What was the stand of numerous important leaders
like Allama Iqbal, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Moti lal Nehru, C R Das, Mahatma
Gandhi, Aine Besant etc regarding Satya Garah (disobedience movement). I am reproducing
my article published in Express (Karachi edition only) at 14 August 2014.
Muslim league and
congress had created two Nation States with a political cum constitutional struggle in 1947. Right from early 20th century
we have two mindsets in our political history. One mindset was ready to use even minimum democratic
spaces available in given circumstances and the other mindset wanted to use
unconstitutional methods as a weapon against rulers as well as State. There are very sacred names in it but in analysis we have to show little cruelty.Those who boycott
elections during 1920s either ruined themselves in history or later on they had to join both parties as
subservient players.
In August, 67 years back, after an agreement at 3rd June 1947 British parliament passed a law, Act of independence 1947 and created two new Nation States, Pakistan and India. At that point Congress demanded division of the Punjab and Bengal on religious basis. Just imagine, the demand came from secular Congress and it was passed by a parliament who claimed that it was mother of democracy. The world witnessed not only unprecedented killings and rioting but also migration of 20 million Muslim, Hindus & Sikhs. It was Quid e Azam Muhammad Ali jinnah who remained reluctant on the issue of division of Bengal and the Punjab.Why British parliament failed to access fatal impacts of partition of Bengal & the Punjab is still haunting all rational beings especially people of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
In the first half of 20th century numerous parties were in struggle. Some
were active at provincial level and few at federal level. From Act of
India 1919 British Indian administration introduced selective system of
elections at provincial level. Franchise was limited and less than 16% population had right to vote. At that particular moment, Mohan Das Gandhi in 1920 launched Satya garah (Disobedience movement). Jinnah was, at that time member of All India Congress and all India Muslim league. In that period numerous people could join more than one party. In 1920, K M Minshi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and two dozen people left Congress when under the pressure of Mahatma Gandhi Congress adopted unconstitutional methods on the name of boycott of British. in early 1920s, under Act of 1919 an election process had been started. There were two mindsets regarding participation in provincial
elections. one was in favour of boycott and other wanted to join it with reservations. In 1922, when
Khilafat, Hijrat, Non-cooperation movements failed than Congress split again
and Motilal Nehru, C R das like people made Swaraj Party. That party
participated in elections instead of opposition of Mahatma. Interestingly All
India Central Khilafat committee also followed Gandhi ji yet numerous provincial
khilafat committees esp. Punjab Khilafat committee did not follow Delhi and
their leaders participated in provincial elections throughout 1920s. In
the final decades Muslim League & Congress played their cards smartly by
participating in elections yet those who boycott assemblies either rejected in politics or later on they had to join both parties. Allama Iqbal & Jinnah was among those who
participated in elections while Mahatma Gandhi boycotts elections. Congress did Stya Garah 3 times and it proved continuous failures. Due to satya Garah of early 1920s Congress was divided in two sections. In 1930 Mahatma again did salt march. Also that Salt march was a failure (read patrick French Partition of India:Liberty or death) yet the movement finished at notorious Gandhi-Irun Packt of 1931. 3rd Satya Garah was Quit India movement which fesseled out in less than three weeks. That Movement created ample space for Muslim league.
Read
the complete article here
For complete unpublished version u can click here
http://punjabpunch.blogspot.com/2014/08/constitution-law-democracy-and-august.html
http://punjabpunch.blogspot.com/2014/08/constitution-law-democracy-and-august.html
No comments:
Post a Comment