Correspondence from S. Amir Hasan Meerza to M.A. Jinnah on Sikh-Muslim Relations

Sub title : A Warning on the Strategic Importance of the Sikh Community

Subject: Sikh-Muslim Relations | All India Muslim League Strategy | World War II -- India

Date of publication: 1940

Language: English

Page: 1 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27691

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- S. Amir Hasan Meerza -- Sikh-Muslim Relations -- Akali Party -- All India Muslim League | World War II -- Political Strategy -- Minorities -- Amritsar

Abstract: This is a letter from S. Amir Hasan Meerza, a self-described military man from Amritsar, to M.A. Jinnah, written during World War II. The author urgently advises Jinnah to bring the Sikh Akali leadership into his confidence, arguing that any political strategy regarding the war would fail otherwise. He criticizes the Muslim League for previously inviting leaders of other minorities while leaving out the Sikhs, which he states insulted them. Asserting his understanding of the Sikh mentality, Meerza concludes that the politician who can unite Sikhs and Muslims would be the "greater politician of India."

Description: This is a letter providing a unique perspective on the critical and often tense relationship between the Muslim League and the Sikh community during the early 1940s. The letter, from an individual claiming military experience, offers strategic advice to Jinnah, emphasizing the pivotal role of the Sikhs in Indian politics, especially in the context of the war effort. It reflects the complex political calculations of the time and the recognition by some of the need for broader alliances beyond the Hindu-Muslim binary. The postscript, which includes a Spanish phrase and a request to pass regards to Maulana Azad, adds a personal touch to the communication. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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