Address to the Students of Ismail College, Bombay, February 1, 1943: Quaid

Address to the Students of Ismail College, Bombay, February 1, 1943

It was a matter of common sense that if the two parties in the country made combined efforts then the British Government would yield. So far the position of the British Government was that they wanted to stabilize and consolidate the deadlock, They proclaimed that they were only too ready to transfer power, provided there was unity. Some asked whether they were sincere, and his reply was: Why not disarm the British Government of an argument which they advanced both at home and abroad? Tell them that we are agreed. Hand over the power. Then will be our time for a struggle which will be of one voice, under one authority and united command of all the people of the country. Why not create that situation?”
The rule of parliamentary democracy was not suited to the genius of this land and was alien to the Hindu philosophy. Now the Hindus had suddenly fallen in love with democracy because they could dominate over the Muslims. The result of this unlimited ambition, obsession and dream is this. At the most critical juncture in the history of this sub-continent there is a deadlock. We are constantly told that this must be solved. It can be solved only by knocking out this dream of the Hindu leadership. Then there is the mass movement, the campaign of sabotage, destruction of lives and property in which innocent people lost their lives.
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No people can ever succeed in a political struggle by resorting to mass movement when in our own country there are large sections of people and the hundred million Muslims who consider this not merelyas a domestic difference but that this is a war declared against them.
The religious rights of the Mussalmans were embedded in their soul and body and none could take them away.
Which government claimthg to be a civilized government can demolish our mosque, or which government is going to interfere with religion which is strictly a matter between God and man? The question is that the Mussalmans are a nation, distinct from the Hindus.
The Muslims ruled over this country for nearly 800 years, and for the past two centuries both the Hindus and Muslims were ruled by the British. During the last half a century. people have begun to think and strive that any government must be responsible ultimately to the people.
It is a historical fact that the Mussalmans are a separate nation and, hence, we must have our own States.
The sooner Hindu leadership appreciated the Muslim point of view the sooner would be the salvation for both. It was the best thing for the Hindus to seize three-fourths of India with its teeming population, and to establish their own homeland, and to live according to their social life and to treat the minorities under them just as any civilized government should treat.
As far as we are concerned we make this solemn declaration and give this solemn assurance, that we will treat your minorities not only in a manner that a civilized government should treat them but better because it is an injunction in the Quran to treat the minorities so.