“IF the Cabinet Ministers’ Mission is coming to India with an open mind and if they want to seek a just and honourable solution, then we shall be able to make them understand what is justice,” declared Mr. M.A. Jinnah at a meeting organised by the All-India Muslim Students’ League in Calcutta on Tuesday [Feb 26] afternoon.

“But if the Mission has its mind already made up to form a new Viceroy’s Executive Council, and a single Constituent Assembly, then there will be no room left for us to talk to them or do anything... .”

… No sane man really wanted them to settle down and work the 1935 constitution, continued Mr. Jinnah. …Hindus were saying that Assam was gone from the Pakistan plans. Sind was tottering and in the North-West Frontier Province the League had had its reverses. Therefore where was Pakistan? To such persons, he would say that Pakistan had behind it the 100 million Muslims of India, which was the greatest strength of Pakistan. Under the 1935 constitution, in provinces where Muslims were in a majority, they were in a minority in the legislatures. Even if they scored 100 per cent success they could not form ministries without entering a coalition… .”

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2021