Partition would not have happened had Jinnah become India PM: Dalai Lama

Exiled Tibetan leader says Jawaharlal Nehru coveted top post


News Desk August 08, 2018
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Dalai Lama. PHOTOS: FILE

Exiled Tibetan leader Dalai Lama said on Wednesday that Partition  would have been averted had Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah become the first prime minister of India, according to Hindustan Times.

Relevance of Jinnah

The Dalai Lama made the comments while speaking at a Goa educational institute. He made the remarks while responding to a student's query on taking right decisions.

“Now look at India. I think Mahatma Gandhi was very much willing to give the prime ministership to Jinnah. But Pandit Nehru refused,” he said.

BJP minister refers to Quaid-e-Azam as 'mahapurush'

The exiled Tibetan leader went on to add how he thought it was a bit self-centered on part of Jawaharlal Nehru to covet the top post.

“I think it was a little bit self-centred attitude of Pandit Nehru that he should be the prime minister. India and Pakistan would have remained united had Mahatma Gandhi's thinking materialised," he said. "Pandit Nehru, I know very well, (was a) very experienced person, very wise but sometimes mistakes also happen.”

Jaswant praises Advani, stands by book on Jinnah

Earlier in May, Uttar Pradesh Minister Swami Prasad Maurya eulogised Jinnah as a "mahapurush" or great man. The minister made the remarks while admonishing a Bharatiya Janata Party MP for criticising Aligarh Muslim University for displaying a photo of Jinnah at the varsity. "It is shameful for anyone to point a finger on great leaders who contributed towards the country's formation," he had then said.



This story originally appeared in Hindustan Times.

COMMENTS (8)

Jan | 6 years ago | Reply It was better both for Hindu and Muslim to separate. But now let pakistan a small part live. Indian bullying always made pakistan to defend. Let both to solve Kashmir once and live always good neighbours.
Proud Pakistani | 6 years ago | Reply Jinnahs decision to make Pakistan has got to be the best and the bravest decision of the 19th century across the political landscape. In todays day and age of transparency one can easily see the hatred that is spread by an average indian on social media (specifically from the hindu majority). Jinnah obviouly was a farsighted and saw this coming and blessed us with Pakistan. Thank you Jinnah
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