Gandhiji and Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the same page
The row over Jinnah’s portrait hanging at AMU student union hall has raked-up a bitter memory from my child hood. On one republic day I came back from prabhat pheri spirited and in festive mood, asked my father who was still in bed; Abba, why do not we chant Muhammed Ali Jinnah ki Jai as we do Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai, Jawaharlal Nehru ki Jai, Maulana Abul kalam Azad ki Jai? My father got astounded and furiously screamed at me. He was about to slap me that I ran away to join the celebration at village school. A teacher asked me to sing a patriotic song and I sang Kesariya bal bharne wala Saada hai sachchai Hara rang hai hari hamari dharti ki angdaai Aur kahta hai yeh chakra hamara Qadam kabhi na rukega Hind desh ka pyara jhanda Uncha sada rahega Though a loving and caring father, the reaction of my father that morning scared me from history, particularly the part of history which has Gandhiji and Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the same page. Years later as a student I encount...