Monday, August 31, 2009

Jinnah to Gandhi - IIPM News History Mail

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari had proposed a 'formula' for the solution of the Hindu-Muslim issue in India in 1944. He had informed Jinnah that the plan was acceptable to Gandhi. It provided for a homeland for the Muslims in the six provinces with Muslim majority, except that the bordering districts will have a vote on whether to be a part of Pakistan or India. Jinnah was not convinced that Gandhi had consented to the plan. Following letter was written to discuss these details. It was followed by the famous Gandhi-Jinnah talks that were held at latter’s bungalow in the then Bombay.

25th September 1944, Mumbai

Dear Mister Gandhi ,

You have already rejected the basis and fundamental principles of the Lahore Resolution. You do not accept that the Mussulmans of India are a nation. You do not accept that the Mussulmans have an inherent right of self-determination. You do not accept that they alone are entitled to exercise this right of theirs for self-determination.

You do not accept that Pakistan is composed of two zones, north-west and north-east comprising six Provinces, namely Sind, Baluchistan, North-West Frontier Province, the Punjab, Bengal,and Assam, subject to territorial adjustments, that may be agreed upon, as indicated in the Lahore Resolution.

The matter of demarcating and defining the territories can be taken up after the fundamentals above-mentioned are accepted, and for that purpose machinery may be set up by agreement.

As a result of our correspondence and discussions, I find that the question of India as Pakistan and Hindustan is only on your lips and it does not come from your heart. Now, let me take your main terms:

(a) 'I proceed on the assumption that India is not to be regarded as two or more nations but as one family consisting of many members, of whom the Muslims living in the north-west zone, i.e., Baluchistan, Sind, North-West Frontier Province and that part of the Punjab where they are in absolute majority, desire to live in separation from the rest of India.'

If this term were accepted and given effect to, the present boundaries of these Provinces would be maimed and mutilated beyond redemption and leave us only with the husk, and it is opposed to the Lahore Resolution.

(b) That even those mutilated areas so defined, the right of self-determination will not be exercised by the Muslims, but by the inhabitants of those areas so demarcated. This again is opposed to the fundamentals of the Lahore Resolution.

(c) That if the vote is in favour of separation, they shall be allowed to 'form a separate State a soon as possible after India is free from foreign domination', Whereas we propose that we should come to a complete settlement of our own immediately, and by our united front and efforts do everything in our power to secure the freedom and independence of the peoples of India on the basis of Pakistan and Hindustan.

(d) Next, you say: 'There shall be a Treaty of Separation which should also provide for the efficient and satisfactory administration of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Internal Communications, Customs, Commerce, and the like, which must necessarily continue to be matters of common interest between the contracting parties.'

If these vital matters are to be administered by some Central authority, you do not indicate what sort of authority or machinery will be set up to administer these matters, and how and to whom again that authority will be responsible.

According to the Lahore Resolution, as I have already explained to you, all these matters, which are the life-blood of any State, cannot be delegated to any Central authority or Government. The matter of security of the two States and the natural and mutual obligations that may arise out of physical contiguity will be for the constitution-making body of Pakistan and that of Hindustan, or other party concerned, to deal with on the footing of their being two independent States.

As regards the safeguarding the rights of Minorities, I have already explained that this question of safeguarding the Minorities is fully stated in the Lahore Resolution. You will, therefore see that the entire basis of your new proposal is fundamentally opposed to the Lahore Resolution.

M A Jinnah

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

IIPM NEWS - Theater of the tangential

A dark and comic brew that turns a familiar plot on its head

Chaotic. Convoluted. Crazy. “Kaminey” makes no bones about being all three at the same time. At times darkly comic, and comically dark in others Vishal Bharadwaj will force you to think through his thriller which deals with the most clichéd of Hindi film plot devices – the twins. Vishal’s unconventional interpretation of Bollywood’s favourite plot trick (twins), its most popular villains (corrupt cops and drug smugglers) and an evergreen romance angle (an impossible love, a pregnancy and eloping) bursts on to the screen in a smattering of amazing camera angles (never mind the shakiness, but you’ll love the urgency and energy), witty dialogue, well-crafted music and twists and turns that you’d need a rewind of, if you’re not paying attention.

Charlie (Shahid Kapur) dreams of being a big shot in the world of horse racing and bookmaking, but a fixed race sees his dream go sour. While in pursuit of the people who fixed the race, Charlie stumbles on to some cocaine and sees it as his ticket to get back what he lost. Meanwhile, his twin, Guddu, has impregnated Sweety (Priyanka Chopra), the sister of a goon cum wannabe politician Bhope (Amol Gupte) and the couple have decided to elope. The paths of the two brothers cross, and inevitably their pursuers’ as well and of course, all hell breaks loose. Vishal revels in bringing the ironic situations to life on the screen (check out the scene where there’s a fight going on with ‘Do Lafzon Ki’ from ‘‘The Great Gambler’’ playing in the background) and almost all of them find the mark of shaking you out of your comfort zone. How many times have you heard the heroine shout to the hero ‘Toh kya rape kiya hai maine tumhara?’ (Have I raped you, then?) before?

Shahid Kapur does a great balancing job of portraying two contrasting twins, and his stammer and lisps make for some of the best lines in the film. After writing “Taare Zameen Par”, Amol Gupte makes a credible screen debut with the right mix of quirkiness and menace for his character. And finally, the scene stealer is Priyanka Chopra as the aggressive, assertive and purposefully hammy Marathi ‘mulgi’ puts in a heartfelt performance. “Kaminey” is not a linear watch, and hence may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those looking to take the tangential road less traveled, watch it, and don’t leave your brains back home.