Jaswant Singh's Book Review Page 147

Book Reference: Page 147 Line 15-16

Author’s Views: The author narrating the events leading to the 'parting of the way' in the previous pages concludes that the rejection of Jinnah’s offer by the All Party Convention was the reason for Jinnah to part ways and narrates an anecdote of 1927 of Hector Bolitho that the rejection of his demands by the Congress Session in Calcutta  was the "parting of the ways."

Comments: There is nothing on the records to show that Jinnah’s offer (or were they demands of his party as the author quotes Hector Bolitho- page 148)  were rejected during the session of the Congress in Calcutta in 1927. Gandhi attended only the open session but did not attend the Working Committee meetings. The Congress accepted the proposals submitted by Mr. Jinnah and laid down certain rules dealing with the religious and the social aspects of the problem. It recommended arbitration and abandonment of all forceful means. One of the main clauses of unity resolution was on cow and the music before the masques. These are on record.

But some of the demands(increased from earlier four to seven)  of Jinnah were opposed by Hindu Mahasabha, the Sikhs and the Liberal Federation on various issues as the author himself says (Page 146) during the All Parties Convention in 1928. Gandhi supported even the demand for 33% representation in the Centre.

Therefore the ‘parting of ways’ refers to whom? With the Congress or with all other parties. It is to be noted, that in the year 1928, Muslim league itself parted ways, one meeting under Sir Mohamed Shafi at Lahore and another under Mr.Jinnah at Calcutta; one welcoming the Simon Commission and the other deciding to boycott it. Moreover, it is on record that the session held at Calcutta in 1928 under Mr. Jinnah decided to appoint a committee to take up with Congress and other political organizations the work of drafting the constitution and suggesting necessary safe guards. If that was the case where was ‘the parting of ways’in 1927 as narrated by Jamshed Nusserwanjee( page 148) or were there ‘too many parting of ways’ or is the anecdote concocted?