The Quit India Movement (1942-1945), initiated by Mahatma Gandhi, proved to be the greatest political blunder, said Ishtiaq Ahmed, Swedish professor of political science and chronicler of the 1947 Partition of Punjab and Bengal.

He was speaking at a function organised at Chandigarh. Ahmed, who is of Pakistani descent, has been in India since he was invited to deliver a lecture at the Vasant Vyakhyanmala annual public meeting in Nashik on May 9.

A celebrated author with path-breaking work on Partition, especially in his two books “Punjab: Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed” and “Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role in History” has been touring the country as a peacenik on invitations, and this was his first lecture in Chandigarh organised for readers and book lovers by Bir Davinder Singh, a veteran politician, Gurpreet Singh of the Kendri Singh Sabha and others at the Rotary Hall on Saturday. Writer-activist Ranjit Powar was in conversation with the author.

Speaking to a house full of eager listeners, Ahmed elaborated that following the violent incidents to the Mahatma’s call for “Quit India”, the entire Congress leadership was imprisoned for long years: “This gave the opportunity to Jinnah to pursue his Pakistan plan without any hindrance.” 

Ahmed went on to describe how Jinnah persisted with his crusade for Pakistan and finally achieved it. Answering questions on how the two countries could relate, Ahmed said the two nations should improve their relations, open trade routes and make efforts to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future, and not waste time, assets and energy on wars.

Ahmed added, “While it is often said that India was partitioned, yet the truth is that Punjab and Bengal had to bear the brunt of the great divide.”

The author will be also be speaking at the People’s Convention Centre, Sector 36, on Sunday on the invitation of the Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh, Punjab.

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