Lahore
20th March 1937
20th March 1937
My dear Mr. Jinnah
I suppose you have read Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s address to the
All-India National Convention and that you fully realise the policy
under-lying it in so far as Indian Muslims are concerned. I believe you
are also aware that the new constitution has at least bought a unique
opportunity Indian Muslims for self-organisation in view of the future
political developments both in India and Muslim Asia. While we re ready
to co-operate with other Progressive Parties in the country, we must not
ignore the fact that the whole future of Islam as a moral and political
force in Asia rests very largely on a complete organisation of Indian
Muslims. I therefore suggest that an effective reply should be given to
the All-India National Convention. You should immediately hold an
All-India Muslim Convention in Delhi to which you should invite members
of the new Provincial Assemblies as well as other prominent Muslim
leaders. To this convention you must restate as clearly and as strongly
as possible the political objective of the Indian Muslims as a distinct
political unit in the country. It is absolutely necessary to tell the
world both inside and outside India that the economic problem is not the
only problem in the country. From the Muslim point of view the cultural
problem is of much greater consequence to most Indian Muslims. At any
rate it is not less important than the economic problem. If you could
hold this Convention, it would test the credentials of those Muslim
Legislators who have formed parties contrary to the aims and aspirations
of Indian Muslims. It would farther make it clear to the Hindus that no
political device, however subtle can make the Indian Muslim lose sight
of his cultural enilty. I am coming to Delhi in a few days time and hope
to have a talk with you on this important matter. I shall be staying in
the Afghan Consulate. If you could spare a few moments we should meet
there. Please drop a line in reply to this letter a early as possible.
Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) Mohammad Iqbal
Bar-at-Law
p. s. Please excuse me. I have got this letter written by a friend as my eyesight is getting bad.
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