"Few individuals alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three."
-Stanley Wolpert, Jinnah of Pakistan
-Stanley Wolpert, Jinnah of Pakistan
Until 1913 Jinnah had steered well clear of the main Muslim political organization, the Muslim League. This had been founded in 1906 in order to safeguard Muslim political rights. Its outlook was conservative and loyal to the British and it reflected in the main the priorities of the Muslim educated elite of the United Provinces, from where it drew its leaders and its greatest support. Elsewhere in India it had little influence. In April 1913 Jinnah agreed to lead the Muslim League in the hope of bringing its views into line with the Congress. He arranged its 1915 session to coincide with the Congress' and played a leading role in the negotiations which took place between the two parties. |
The Historic Fourteen Points
Jinnah's Fourteen Points was a constitutional reform plan presented to the Indian National Congress in response to the Nehru report and stated the bare minimum requirements of Muslim representation in a self-governing India. Jinnah hoped to avoid partition by reforming Nehru's constitution so ideas from both the Indian National Congress and All-India Muslim League would be compromised, and build toward peaceful relations.
|