New Delhi: Javed Akhtar on Tuesday took a jibe at freedom fighter and founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah claiming that the latter had very poor understanding of Islam. "Wine in one hand and pork in the other, Jinnah used to say 'La ilaha illallah' (there's no God but Allah) and that's all he knew about Islam,” Akhtar said.
Akhtar was speaking at the book release of Rajeev Bhargava’s 'Between Hope and Despair:100 Ethical reflections on Contemporary India' at India International Centre, New Delhi, when he made these remarks on the founder of Pakistan, while faulting him for the two nation theory.
Akhtar expressed his displeasure over Jinnah, a figure celebrated in Pakistan, for promoting the two nation theory. Talking about partition and how it changed the history of the continent, Akhtar said, "In the last 100 years, our secularism has taken the biggest hit. Ironically, religious institutions including the Jamiat and others were against the idea of partition."
Jinnah connived with the British and brought this up. If we look at the events in the history, though several invasions have had happened on the name of religion, even Jihad, the Crusades... But I don't believe that these invasions were carried out only for the sake of religion but rather they must have had a motive, a motive for territorial gains and expansion, Akhtar observed.
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Religion and secularism are two different things. Religion carries certain prejudices, Akhtar said. He earlier kicked up quite a storm during his recent visit to Pakistan for the Faiz Festival with his comments on the 26/11 perpetrators still roaming free there also opposed Hijab, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.
Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Madan Lokur spoke on the light of recent cases of rift between the elected governments and the governors and the controversy that erupted over the role of the Speaker. Madan said the recent incidence of Governor of Punjab not calling the session, the role of Speaker in Maharashtra while dealing with the issue of Anti-Defection law seems extremely concerning.
We talk about freedom of speech, freedom to protest but today some of these rights are getting disappeared, Madan added. He said the basic structure of the Constitution is under an attack. We've been seeing the recent statements and if it happens, then the Parliament could amend any of the Article as per their own wish. But can we let them wash away our rights? Basic structure of the Constitution cannot be changed, Madan said, on a firm note.
Prof Romila Thapar, Senior journalist Seema Chisti, Sudheendra Kulkarni, Rajeev Bhargava, former Vice President Hamid Ansari and senior Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar were present on the occasion.
