By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam
15 November 2021
Cheap
Polarizing Speeches Do Not Have the Sympathy of Muslims
Main
Points:
1. What Akhilesh said was
technically correct but what was the need to say so in the midst of a polarizing
election campaign?
2. Jinnah was an advocate of
two-nation theory and never cared about the fate of Muslim minority in India.
3. Indian Muslims have no love
lost for Jinnah, they have other important considerations like education,
employment and security on their minds.
4. Muslims can see through
this game that politicians play in their name; their sagely patience needs to
be saluted.
-----
One doesn’t really know why Akhilesh Yadav,
the Samajwadi Party chief had to make the statement on Jinnah which has made
the ruling party accuse him of minority appeasement. But first things first.
Akhilesh in his hour long Hardoi speech said that Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah and
Patel all studied at the same institution and were involved in India’s freedom
struggle. On bare facts, Akhilesh is right. All of them, at various times, did
study at the University College, London and all of them were involved in the
independence movement. We all know that Jinnah was one of the leading lights of
the Congress before Gandhi was declared the undisputed leader of the party.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah — Dawn archives
-----
But it is also a fact that later in his
political career, Jinnah became the ardent advocate of two nation theory and is
on record to state that he alone, along with his typewriter, created Pakistan
for Muslims. There can be endless debate on what led Jinnah on this path;
historians have offered different explanations. Some, like Ayesha Jalal have
argued that he never really believed in the idea of Pakistan; that he was using
it to gain more favours from the Congress for Muslims; that the Congress left
him with no option which ultimately led to the creation of a new Muslim state.
Recent writings like that of Ishtiaq Ahmad have debunked this thesis and have
argued that ever since Jinnah became convinced of the idea of Pakistan, he
never dithered; his every move was to achieve this goal; and this goal was
largely inspired by the lure of political Islam.
These debates would continue. But it is
much better if the debate does not leave the realm of scholarship. In the hands
of politicians like Akhilesh, this debate becomes the very reason for
polarization. The Hindu right wing in India and the secular nationalist
historians are almost in unison that Jinnah and his Muslim League were alone
responsible for the partition of the country. The BJP even punished two of its
stalwarts, LK Advani and Jaswant Singh, for crossing the line and praising
Jinnah. Both became non-entities after their controversial statements and
writings. So, it makes perfect sense for the BJP to exploit the situation
created by Akhilesh’s speech. This is not to suggest that what Akhilesh spoke
was factually incorrect; far from it. But in a country where the very name of
Jinnah is akin to sedition, why would an astute politician like Akhilesh make
the mistake of taking this name along with the likes of Gandhi and Patel?
When politicians speak, they have important
electoral considerations in mind. From the recent poll surveys, it is becoming
clear that the Samajwadi Party will do better in the upcoming UP assembly
elections. The Muslim vote is going to be crucial if Akhilesh is looking at a
comeback, especially in a context where Asaduddin Owaisi is threatening to
nibble away some of it.
If the Jinnah statement was made to
consolidate this Muslim vote, then Akhilesh is deeply mistaken in his belief
that Indian Muslims are still enamoured by this historical personality. Far
from it, todays Muslims have nothing to do with the likes of Jinnah; their
ancestors have already jettisoned his two-nation policy by adopting India as
their country of choice.
Contemporary Muslims are typically
concerned more about the lack of employment and their dismal representation in
government services. They are concerned about their educational futures which
might give them a life of dignity. If Akhilesh had promised or said anything
about these aspects which blight the Muslim existence in India, then he would
have the ears of Muslims.
But talking about Jinnah neither helps
Muslims nor are they fond of him as a community. After all, it was the same
Jinnah who gave two hoots about the fate of Muslim minority in India, then why
should Indian Muslims remember him at all?
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath (L) and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav (R)
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It is this cheap appeasement tactics which
has informed much of the so-called secular politics in this country. The same
Akhilesh Yadav never visited the many Muslims of his state who have been
falsely accused under various charges. We do not see Akhilesh speak about
Muslims who have been lynched in his state due to their religious identity. His
government was clearly involved in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots which drove
Muslims out of their homes; but one never sees Akhilesh demanding any kind of
justice for them. If Akhilesh really has the interests of Muslims at heart, why
is it that he doesn’t come out with a blueprint of Muslim empowerment?
Rather than talking about such positive
steps, all we get from him is some pointless speech about Jinnah which has the
potential to further vitiate the atmosphere in the state. The ruling BJP was
quick to exploit the situation but it could only do so because the issue came
on its platter. People might blame the BJP for polarization politics but what
about the SP which is doing the same by raking such divisive issues?
In all this, Muslims have shown remarkable
patience and haven’t reacted as was expected of them in some quarters. Despite
provocation from both the camps, the sagacity and conduct of Muslims is indeed
praiseworthy.
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Arshad Alam is a NewAgeIslam.com columnist.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/akhilesh-adityanath-muslim-jinnah/d/125769
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