M.A. Jinnah's Correspondence on Preserving the "Star of India" Newspaper (1941)

Sub title : Efforts to Sustain a Muslim Voice in the English Press

Subject: Muslim Media and Politics in India | M.A. Jinnah's Strategic Leadership

Date of publication: 1941

Language: English

Page: 2 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27575

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah — Star of India — Muslim Press — Sir Adamjee Hajee Davood | M.A.H. Ispahani — Muslim League — Media Strategy — Indian Journalism | Muslim Identity — Political Communication —Bengal Politics.

Abstract: M.A. Jinnah to Sir Adamjee Hajee Davood, passionately arguing for the financial and institutional support needed to save the "Star of India," the only English-language daily newspaper owned by Muslims in India. Jinnah emphasizes the paper's critical role as a mouthpiece for Muslim India, detailing his personal negotiations with figures like M.A.H. Ispahani and the editor, Mr. Joseph, to secure its immediate future. He frames the survival of the newspaper not just as a business concern, but as a vital political necessity for countering the dominant Hindu press and projecting Muslim opinion nationally and internationally.

Description: Letters from November 1941 reveal a crucial but often overlooked aspect of M.A. Jinnah's leadership: his hands-on involvement in building and sustaining the institutional infrastructure for the Muslim political movement. Writing from New Delhi, Jinnah acts as a strategic mediator and motivator, persuading wealthy patrons and associates to prevent the closure of the "Star of India." He articulates a clear vision of the press as a "powerful instrument" for shaping public opinion, highlighting the severe disparity between the numerous Hindu-owned papers and the solitary Muslim-owned English daily. The correspondence underscores Jinnah's deep understanding of the link between media representation and political power, showcasing his relentless efforts to ensure that the voice of Muslim India was not silenced. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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