M A I L B A G

Retreat from Karachi

THIS has reference to H.K. Dua’s front-page editorial “Retreat from Karachi” (June 12). Jinnah was not a true Muslim. He guzzled liquor, ate pork and never performed namaz. He succumbed to the British policy of divide and rule and demanded a separate homeland for Indian Muslims. This resulted in the creation of Pakistan.

At his mausoleum in Karachi, not realising as to how votaries of different faiths could be equal citizens of a theocratic Islamic state, L.K. Advani eulogised Jinnah as a great secularist on the basis of his speech in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. For his remarks, he has undergone humiliation at the hands of his rivals in the Sangh Parivar. Chira kaarey kunad aaqil ke ba’ad aayad pishemanni? (Why should a wise man do such thing as may bring disgrace on him?).

He must be crooning in solitude Ghalib’s verse: Bak gaya hoon junoon mein kya kya kuchh/ Kuchh na samjhey Khuda karey koi.

BHAGWAN SINGH, Qadian

II

It is not correct to call Jinnah secular now as he propounded the two-nation theory which caused Partition. Similarly, Mr Advani cannot now suddenly wear secular mask after he had ridden rough shod over communal passions. One can easily see through his statement abandoning Akhand Bharat issue as this is against the RSS ideology.

Mr Advani may have cheered his NDA partners which obviously was his aim, but not the Pakistanis or the minorities. Though the BJP has wriggled out of the mess created by Mr Advani, he had to withdraw his resignation under RSS pressure. The BJP’s broader aim in the whole exercise is to earn acceptability and space but without in any way surrendering the RSS ideology, the use of which it zealously reserves for opportunistic political game. All in all, having won two rounds against the marginalised secularists, the BJP now finds itself in a tight spot.

CHANAN SINGH DHILLON, Ludhiana

III

There was nothing wrong in Mr L.K. Advani describing Jinnah as secular.  It is generally believed that he never directly referred to Jinnah as a secularist. He quoted Jinnah’s speech of Aug 11, 1947 to establish that Pakistan should accordingly be a secular state.

I feel even though Mr Advani withdrew his resignation as the BJP President, his decision to quit the party post soon after his return from Pakistan was a delayed outcome of the RSS Sarsanghchalak, K.S. Sudarshan’s statement that Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mr Advani should make way for the younger generation. Had Mr Advani stuck to his resignation, it would have created a vacuum in the BJP.

V. KRISHNAKUMAR, New Delhi

IV

It is sad that Mr Advani is being criticised by Hindu organisations for his statement in Karachi. Jinnah was an ardent believer of secularism and was very keen on making Pakistan a secular and democratic state. But he did not live long enough to ensure this. He created a ruse of the two-nation theory to achieve his aim, but he was not the only culprit to divide India and create Pakistan.

The Congress leaders who call themselves secular are the biggest culprits. Partition was not forced on India but accepted by Jawaharlal Nehru for personal reasons. If Mr Karunanidhi wants Tamil Nadu or Mr Chandrababu Naidu his Telugu Desam, are they unpatriotic? The VHP and the RSS should concentrate on social issues rather than fritter away their energies in unnecessary issues.

Lt-Col S. K. CHIBBER (retd), Dalhousie

V

When Mr Advani called Jinnah secular, he perhaps had pseudo-secularists in mind. If Jinnah cannot be called secular, so are our own secularists. By exposing Jinnah’s hypocrisy, he exposed our own hypocrites. Jinnah is held responsible for the country’s Partition. But not a word is sad about the role of our own secularists. If Jinnah was communal, what were they?

I.M. SONI, Chandigarh

Punjab PMT

The entrance test for admission to private dental colleges in Himachal Pradesh will be held on June 26, 2005. The Punjab PMT should not be held on the same day. Otherwise, the careers of thousands of students will be in jeopardy.

VAIBHAV VERMA,  Jagraon (Ludhiana)