Hundred Great Muslims

348 Hundred Great Muslims
which had begun to exercise greater hold over the policies of the All India
National Congress and to some extent changed the outlook of even the great
'Mahatma'. This resulted in a wave of communal riots which swept over the
entire country, undoing all work of Hindu-Muslim unity. In 1924, Jinnah called
a general meeting of the Muslim League at Lahore and tried to repeat his
performance of the Lucknow Pact. He had a great hand in formulating the Delhi
proposals which were opposed by the Punjab Muslim League but endorsed by
the All India Muslim League. His efforts for bringing the two major communities
closer did not receive the support it deserved as the two communities had a
bitter experience of Hindu-Muslim riots all over India.
The issue of the boycott of the Simon Commission caused a split in the
ranks of Muslim League-Sir Muhammad Shafi and his Punjab followers
cooperated with the Commission, while Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Maulana
Muhammad Ali with rest of the Muslim League members, co-operated with the
Congress in the boycott of the Simon Commission. Shortly after, Muhammad
Ali Jinnah went to England and during his absence the Nehru Report was
published which was severely criticised by all sections of Muslim opinion except
the Nationalists. This further widened the branch between the two major Indian
communities and one last effort to narrow down the differences was made when
a National Convention was called at Calcutta in December 1928 to consider the
Report. The Convention turned down the amendment moved by Muhammad Ali
Jinnah both in the subject committee and the open session. The so-called
Congress Nationalists exhibited no desire for a compromise and Jinnah left a
sadder but a wiser man. According to Kanji Dwarakadass, "The resolution on
adult franchise and joint electorate and weightage was about to be passed when
Jayaker sprang a surprise, made a strong anti-Muslim speech and the resolution
could not be passed. lt is essential that I should say this because it was not
Jinnah who took up an impossible and obstinate communal attitude to prevent
the settlement of Hindu-Muslim problem". (Article-'Jinnah--A Great Political
Leader and a Great Fighter'). This impossible and extremely communal attitude
of the Hindu leaders of the Congresscaused him disillusionment that the Muslims
could not expect a fair deal at the hands of Hindus in united India. This brought
about his final parting of ways with the Congress and other Hindu organisations.
Being a realist, he found no reason in running after a futile and impractical ideal
of one and a united nationality for India.
As a parliamentarian and debater, Mr. Jinnah outshone all his contemporaries
in India. During his long record as the member of the Central Legislative
Assembly of India, starting as early as 1910 and lasting up to 1947, there was
hardly any important enactment of the Legislature in the shaping of which he
had not a share.
Mr. Jinnah was more of a debater than an orator. His great power as a
debater earned for him the nickname of Parliamentary Juggler. According to
Mr. O. N. Nambiyar, "it is in debates that Mr. Jinnah creates a great impression.
Ask him to reply on or to take part in a debate on a highly controversial question: