THE Quaid-i-Azam mostly travelled by train with a full compartment reserved for him. This practice was sometimes interpreted as a lavish lifestyle by his critics. They boasted that Mahatama Gandhi travelled in third class as a public-friendly gesture.

In December 1940, the Quaid visited Kathiyawar. He stayed with Hussain Qasim Dada in Bantwa where Wali Bhai asked him as to why he travelled all alone in a bogie exclusively booked for him.

Mr Jinnah smiled and said: “It is useless to compare me with Gandhi. We have totally different modes of decorum, living style and eating habits. He has a bevy of social workers with him but I have to work single-handedly for even trivial issues.

I have to come here for press fund. First of all, I make it clear that I travel at my own expenses, so no one should object over it. Travelling in the first class reserved bogie has a different story. When Gandhi travels in a third class compartment, the place is filled with his social workers so that the whole compartment is automatically reserved, but I have to take some precautionary measures also.

“Once I had to attend a parliament session. I was going from Bombay to Delhi through Punjab Mail. I was alone in the first class compartment. The train was about to leave the platform when suddenly a woman entered the compartment. She just had a small handbag and no other luggage. She was young and beautiful. She sat in front of me. When the train started and picked up speed, I relaxed on my seat and started reading. After sometime she said to me: ‘Give me 1,000 rupees or I will pull the emergency chain and cry against you.’ I remained silent.

“The situation was quite embarrassing, and the journey was long. She repeated her demand two to three times but I remained silent as if I had heard nothing. At this, the woman got very excited; she held my arm and said, ‘Don’t you hear me? Would you like to put your honour to dust?’

I put my hand on my ears and signalled her that I am deaf. I gave her a pencil and paper to write what she had said. Being overexcited, the lady snatched the paper and pencil from my hand and hurriedly wrote, ‘Give me 1,000 rupees, lest you will be disgraced’.  I took the paper from her, put it in my pocket, and pulled the emergency chain. The train stopped and the guard arrived in a few minutes, I gave him the chit, the lady was arrested and the train moved on. After this incident, I decided not to travel in train except in a fully-reserved compartment.

“In public life, character is everything. The leader’s life is like a mirror, if character is marred, nothing is left behind. The Congress knows this and I have to be extra vigilant.” (Source: Biweekly Aatish Fishan, Lahore, Quaid-i-Azam Number 10 to 24, December 1976)

IFTIKHAR SHAHEEN MIRZAIslamabad