Today October 2 2019 is 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
कै श्री म माटे , वाङ्मय शोभा, सप्टेंबर १९४४
Jad Adams:
Jad Adams:
"...While Wavell thought both leaders were ‘obstinate,
intransigent, crafty old men,’ he at least felt they could achieve something.
But his conclusion was: ‘The two great mountains have met and not even a mouse
has emerged.’ Wavell analysed the differences between them: Jinnah wanted
Pakistan first and independence afterwards, ‘while Gandhi wants independence
first with some kind of self-determination for Muslims to be granted by a
provisional government which would be predominantly Hindu.’ Jinnah simply did
not believe that a Hindu-majority government would grant any significant level
of Muslim self-determination. He was betting on getting Pakistan from the
British before they left.
They were unable to continue their meetings, which had
anyway become less than cordial, in January 1945 because both were ill, Jinnah
with pleurisy. If Gandhi was often distinguished by putting this whole body
into the national struggle, Jinnah was no less so: he maintained a glassy
outward persona while his body was racked with disease; every public appearance
took an effort of will.
Jinnah unwound enough to mention to Gandhi that he was
troubled by a nervous rash on one foot. Gandhi knelt on the floor and insisted
he remove Jinnah’s shoes and socks, then held the affected part, saying: ‘I
know what will heal you. I will send it tomorrow morning.’ He sent a box of
healing earth, which Jinnah accepted with his usual good manners, declaring he
had already seen improvement, but in fact he made no more use of that than of
anything else Gandhi had to offer...."
('Gandhi: The True Man Behind Modern India', 2011)
I came across the following well known picture dated 1939, capturing a moment as Gandhi was leaving Jinnah's house.
Instead if we were to imagine it dated 1944- 1945, considering what Mr. Mate and Mr. Adams are saying in the quotes above....
"Jinnahji, my brother: don't be shy, let me check your rash...."