Communalism and greed for political power are like iron and magnet. Mohammed Ali Jinnah is a good case study. Jinnah returned to India in 1906 having become a Barrister. He was a secular, liberal nationalist then, a follower of Dadabhai Naoroji. He joined the Congress and opposed the Muslim League staunchly. Aga Khan, the first president of Muslim League, called Jinnah “our toughest opponent” and Sarojini Naidu gave him the title “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity.” When he entered the Central Legislative Council from Bombay as a Muslim member under the system of separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims, Jinnah became what historian Bipan Chandra calls “a communal nationalist.” Jinnah was still a member of the Congress but had stepped on to the slide of communalism. Once you are on the slide of communalism, the downward motion is quick and natural. Yet as late as 1925, Jinnah could tell a young Muslim who claimed he was ...
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