Sunday, April 14, 2002		Feedback

The truth about Partition politics

THIS refers to "The ugly truth about Partition politics", (March 24), by V.N. Datta. I agree with the author that Jinnah knew that Punjab was the key to the solution of the Muslim issue, but I feel pained to say that not a single historian in India has honestly cared to write this history of Partition with Punjab at its epicenter, rather, I find a deliberate attempt on the part of historians to suppress the material facts of history. For example, while writing on the Lahore Resolution the writer should have quoted from the Jinnah’s long article published in the, Modern Review, under the title, Lahore Resolution And The Sikhs, immediately after the passing of the resolution, in order to pacify the Sikh’s opposition to the resolution. This article was later published in a booklet form along with other articles on a constitutional solution to communal problem in India and I had studied it in S.O.A.S. Centre Library of London University. In this article, Jinnah had assured the Sikhs that they would play the same important role as a community which they had played during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

During my research in London, I found important omissions in Indian publications particularly about the Cabinet Mission Plan, specially Cripps’ speech in British Parliament assuring the Sikhs of a just future. The British Foreign Ministry’s report on referring the Sikhs’ case to the U.N.O. is still unpublished. Let us not leave a distorted version of history for the future generations.

GURMIT SINGH
SAS Nagar

The writer seems to have erred in giving March 24, 1940 as the date on which the Pakistan Resolution was passed. Actually, the said resolution was carried through on March 23, which is celebrated as Pakistan Day.

K.J.S. AHLUWALIA
Amritsar

The writer has given a concrete evidence of the involvement of the Congress and the Muslim League Party in the making of Pakistan. It was the role of both parties that led to the Partition. Both were responsible for the division of the country.

SHIPRA SABHERWAL
Kapurthala

Apropos of Taru Bahl’s "Guilty of being talented" (March 24). It is not very uncommon that the really talented people are not only misunderstood but are also maltreated and are often forced to immerse themselves in the world of make-believe and lose touch with the harsh reality around them. While some people are intelligent enough to divert their talent to creative arts, others grope and get lost in the dreamy world of their own creation.

No doubt the society often fails to appreciate genuine talent but a part of blame also lies with the genius who makes no attempt to make his ideas understood in a given social context. Social living is not a one-sided affair, but consists of mutual understanding and adjustment. Grief, desolation and aloofness come only when one fails to adjust in the system. Real talent lies not just in making utopian plans but in being pragmatic. No one would understand one’s pain and hopelessness, not to talk of offering a genuine word of comfort or assurance, if one’s ideas and plans are not related to the well-being of the society. Such a person is bound to be alone and unloved, left to grapple with his own ideas and plans in isolation and vacuum.

VED GULIANI
Hisar