Since his entry into politics in 1906, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, diligently worked for unity of people in general and for Hindu-Muslim unity in particular.
Gopal Krishna Gokhle (1866-1915), the foremost Hindu leader before Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), said of Jinnah: “He has true stuff in him and that freedom from all sectarian prejudices which will make him the best ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity.”
As such, he became the architect of the Hindu-Muslim unity. He was responsible for the Congress-Muslim League Pact of 1916. And by 1917 Jinnah came to be recognized among both Hindus and Muslims as one of India’s most outstanding political leaders.
August 14th is a day of remembrance. A day to recall the vision and dream of Iqbal who, as far back as 1930, spelt out the “destiny of Muslims at least of North-West India.” Said Iqbal: “I, therefore, demand the formation of a consolidated Muslim State in the best interests of India and Islam. For India it means security and peace resulting from an internal balance of power; for Islam an opportunity to rid itself of the stamp that Arabian Imperialism was forced to give it, to mobilise its laws, its education, its culture and to bring them into close contact with its own original spirit and with the spirit of modern times.”