Punjabi Christians took part in the Pakistan movement wholeheartedly alongside the Muslims and hence proved their recognition in the movement of Pakistan.
The annual meeting of the Muslim League was held at Manto Park Lahore on 23rd March 1940 in which the resolution of Pakistan was passed. Great Christian leaders like Seeta Parkash Singha (aka S. P. Singha), C.E Gaban, R. A Gomner, Chaudhary Sundar Singh Albert, Raliah Ram, Brothers of Mrs. Singha, Josho Afzal Din, A. D. Joseph, Dr. James C. Paul, Fazal Elahi, Dr. John Methai, Alfred Pershaad, F. E. Chaudhary, Rajkumari Amrat Kor and Chaudhary Chandu Lal along with millions of Christians from the entire subcontinent of India participated in this meeting.
On 25th July great Christian leader S. P. Singha, representing the entire Christian community, recorded his statement that “at the time of participation of the sub-continent of India, in the entire country, the Christians should be counted with Muslims”. On 17th August 1947, when the Boundary Commission, under a conspiracy, decided to allocate many of the parts, which were supposed to be in Pakistan, were included in Hindustan, S. P. Singha criticized the decision severely and declared the Red Cliff Award one-sided and injustice with Pakistan. When the Tahseel (District) Shakargarh of Sialkot and Tahseel (District) Chunniah of Lahore was mapped in Hindustan, the Christians of these Tahseels (Districts) protested against this decision and afterward both Tahseels (Districts) were re-mapped and included in Pakistan.
When Akalidal Leader Master Tara Singh pronounced the slogan, standing at the gates of joint Punjab Assembly and waiving Karpan (the sword) in the air, that, “anyone who will demand Pakistan will be killed”. Then, the great Christian leader S. P. Singha, who was at that time, the Speaker of the joint Punjab Assembly, answered the Akalidal leader Master Tara Singh with these words, that, “we will die but will not stop demanding Pakistan”.
According to unofficial resources, the British government, at the time of patrician, offered Christians a separate state, constituted of the Christian majority Tahseels (Districts) but Christian leaders trampled upon the proposal and announced to support Quaid-e-Azam. They acknowledged Quaid-e-Azam to be the right protector of their rights.
On 28th August 1928, All Parties Conference (APC) was held in Lakhnow, whose report was entitled as Nehru Report. When Quaid-e-Azam kicked against this report, the Christian leader Raliah Ram also denied signing the report, which is the evident example of displeasure towards Hindu leadership and eternal friendship toward Quaid-e-Azam.
At the time of partition many Muslim Parties like Majlis-e-Harar, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, Jamat-e-Islami, Surakhposh khudai Khidmatguzar, Khaksaar Tahreek, were not in favor of the partition of the country but Christian leaders and Christians fully supported the birth of Pakistan which was testified by Dr. Mubeedkar and K.K Aziz.
When, on 18th November when Quaid-e-Azam, went to Lailpur (Faisalabad), in a laudatory address of All India Christian Association meeting, S.P. Singha assured Quaid-e-Azam of the full support of Christians. The minutes of the meeting were published in Daily Inqilab and other leading newspapers of that time.
On 20th November 1946, Quaid-e-Azam was given a reception at Larand Hotel by Christian Members of United Punjab Assembly and in that historical reception, Quaid-e-Azam was assured of the complete support and cooperation of Christians. When the S. P. Singha raises his voice saying, “from today Jinnah is our leader”, all the participants corroborated the voice. At that reception, Quaid-e-Azam repeatedly said, “we will never forget the favors and sacrifices of Christian”. The elections of 1945-46 were conducted on the basis of the partition of the country, in which two Christian parties, All India Christian Association and All India Christian League raised the slogan, for the first time, “Livelong Pakistan”.
Quaid-e-Azam was little concerned taking the West Punjab because there was tie between the members of the Muslim League and the supporters of Hindustan (for both parties contained 88 seats each). While there were four Christian members and the fortune of West Punjab was in the hands of Christians members. S. P. Singha, who was the speaker of United Punjab Assembly at that time, invited Quaid-e-Azam, along with the mother of the nation and Nawab Khan Mamdut at his residence situated at 3 David Road Lahore. On this occasion, Quad-e-Azam was re-assured of the complete and fully support of Christians, and despite of the influences and powers of Nehru, Gandhi and Patel, three Christian members, S. P. Singha, Fazal Elahi and C. E Gahan voted, in the meeting of United Punjab on 23rd June 1947, to the Boundary Commission in favor of Pakistan. S. P. Singha who was the Speaker of that time stood up from his seat and vote in favor of Pakistan, the fourth Christian leader was absent at that time and hence West Punjab became the part of Pakistan. 89 votes were cast in favor of Pakistan and 88 votes in favor of Hindustan. Christians should be proud of that.
The sayings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah Presidential address at constituent assembly 11th August 1947
“Do not be mistaken, Pakistan is not theocratic state or something like that. Islam demands that we welcome all people of other regions, no matter what religion or sect of the group they belong to. No matter what religion you belong to or what creeds you follow, the state affairs have nothing to do with them. We are starting with the basic rule that we are the citizens of one state and have equal rights. So we should all abide by this model of perfection. You will see with the passage of time that neither Muslim will remain a Muslim anymore nor Hindu will remain a Hindu anymore. Not in terms of religion because this is every individual’s personal matter, but in terms of politics by which all citizens are equal for the state.
No comments:
Post a Comment