The Great Discloures -- Secrets Unmasked

By Hilal Ahmad War 

Chairman, People’s Political Party ( PPP)

Manas Publications Rs 595

Manas Publications is well known for giving unknown and bold authors free rein to vent their outpourings, and in the past had published many provocative and thought provoking titles by various authors. The list includes Mr Vithal former CVC, former Intelligence organisation heads, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat on why he was sacked and  stripped of his rank, which had all proved to be best sellers. Their books have told readers of the other side of ‘the untold story’. They were written mostly in a blunt style, which the publisher relishes and is acknowledged for. He is also ready to face the consequences of his publishing and has a large readership in Pakistan too! The publisher sets the manuscripts to print with speed and the books’ covers are inviting and provocately designed.

Now comes yet another book, launched in mid November at the Foreign Correspondents Club, New Delhi, by an angry middle aged Kashmiri, with connections on both sides of the LOC –– Hilal Ahmad War. Tempers ran high that evening as the subject was Hindu vs Muslim in the main, and theories on the Partition of India and the two nation theory being given a new and interesting twist.

Some journalists and TV stations covering the event admitted it was too explosive to cover and the Q and A after the launch was equally explosive. The author who graduated in Engineering from Bangalore just 20 years ago. The author had cleverly used every controversial historical event in India’s recent history to spell out what he saw as a new disclosure, and many of his premises hold water and deserve attention for the future, if India and Pakistan are to live harmoniously. Without such an arrangement India is unlikely to reach a position of eminence in the region in the world’s pecking order, which is being predicted by most economists and strategists. The author acknowledged that the Kashmir issue had impeded growth on both sides of the LOC. 

The two nation theory and the political machinations that led to India’s challenges post Independence and those that had bled India’s Army for five decades especially in Kashmir, have been explained by the author his way, and readers need to judge his premises. The reading is extremely racy and includes the historical fallouts of Jinnah’s famous saying to Mahatma Gandhi that ‘the Muslims eat the Cow while Hindus worship it’, hence no meeting ground for a single nation could be possible. This outburst was after Jinnah was let down twice by a dominating Nehru and Congress party in the formation of the Cabinet, long before partition. Nehru it is well known was never in favour of Jinnah becoming Prime Minister, as Mahatma Gandhi suggested and favoured partition of the sub continent. The author then tries to prove fairly convincingly that Jinnah was not the author of the two nation theory, but that Veer Sarvarkar and Lala Lajpat Rai were its architects.

This reviewer has since interviewed luminaries who agree in the main and the Hindu BJP and the RSS were very chary if this is mentioned to them, as Mani Shankar Iyer said when he alluded to this in Mumbai some months ago. In historic perspective the author begins by writing of the 1957 mutiny. He is correct that the mutiny was triggered by Muslim soldiers as it was pork tallow (not beef tallow) that was used in the cartridges issued to the troops by the British, but goes on to say that the majority of Hindu soldiers sided with the British and had they too mutinied whole heartedly, India would have received Independence much earlier. Very plausible as Mangal Pandey was made a hero and the movie ‘The Rising’ has itself led to so many controversies. The author adds another twist by bluntly naming Vajpayee and Advani as young RSS activists who were aware of the conspiracy, that goaded Nathuram Godse to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi. The author claims the Mahatma had planned to go to Pakistan after partition to soothe relations and bring about rapprochement between the two countries –– he even goes on to state that Nehru quashed the evidence against Vajpayee but Advani spent a few weeks in Jail. This needs verification and rebuttal if it is not true. When this reviewer challenged the author he stood by his research. 

The main premise of the author, which is thought provoking and startling, is based on the fact that the Muslims ruled India for 700 years from the twelfth century to the sixteenth, and then the British for 200 years. He then goes on and concludes that Hindus were never masters of their country for 1000 years before partition. At the time of partition the population of the Muslims was some 28% of undivided India. Hence the Hindu leaders were scared according to the author, that if the one nation theory was enacted and if there were multi party elections, the Muslims may vote en bloc as they do now, as Jinnah was a father figure to them and they would capture power. This phenomenon is seen in the UP and Bihar elections these days. Hence if the strongest Muslim party, possibly the powerful Muslim League, led by Jinnah won majority they would have dominated undivided India’s politics. This according to the author was anathema to die hard Hindus, Nehru and Sardar Patel and claims they were mortally scared of Muslim rule all over again. This is an interesting theory worth research in hindsight.

On assassinations the author has gone to town. He has attributed Netaji Subhash’s mysterious death to the fact that he was a thorn in Nehru’s side, and hints at Nehru’s tacit involvement in his disappearance, which is still a mystery. Had there been more support for Netaji the author is convinced India’s fate would have been different. He claims Jinnah was slow poisoned in Pakistan and on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination by the LTTE suicide bomber in 1991 he points fingers at Mufti Mohamed Sayeed. He claims the Mufti as Home Minister reduced Rajiv’s security and took no steps to take heed of Intelligence inputs that are now clear, indicated that the young leader was a target when he was campaigning in the South.

The author states Anglo American machinations always exist in plots and Indian politics and after reading the Mitrokyn files and books on CIA/MI 6 one cannot rule that out. Veer Sarvarkar’s uttering against Muslims and such sensitive issues make provocative readings. The author is looking for a fair settlement of the Kashmir problem for the Kashmiris on both sides of the dividing line and he makes some very interesting propositions, which deserve reading. He has tried hard to convince readers with his explanations that political leaders have acted as political merchants in Kashmir. He wishes to enlighten his readers of how they have connived with activists and various Agencies including Intelligence on both sides of the border to mercilessly exploit the masses of the sub continent for their personal interests and benefit, without caring for the life and aspirations of the people. The contents of the book are worth reading, if for nothing but to gauge how history may be distorted by the one writing it!  

(The reviewer Ranjit B Rai is author of the book 'Indians –– Why We Are What We Are?' (Manas Publications) and may be contacted at C-443 Defence Colony, New Delhi - 110024 Tel: 24330087 Mobile: 9810066172)