Interview: Nikkhil Advani (on the sets of ‘Freedom at Midnight’, coming on SonyLIV)

“the book says Gandhi was dead against partition”: Indeed he was in his public speeches but ironically on two most important days, he remained silent. He vociferously opposed the partition theory before June 3, 1947 (or June 4, I don’t remember the date exactly) and after the the date. Many believe that Patel convinced him for the partition which led to friction between Patel and Maulana Azad as well.. However ironic it may sound but Gandhi’s last Anshan was not against the partition but was for wealth distribution after the partition.
It’s interesting that both, Jinnah- who was labelled as the next heir of Congress in Lucknow conference and Nehru-who wanted religion not be mixed with politics, had such a turn of sensibilities that later Jinnah front led the partition and Nehru led the foundation of Personal Law Boards.. The glorious past of our freedom fighters was chequered when they become political strategist. No one remained what they were pre 1920s.
Savarkar who dedicated pages to the valour of Maulavi Ahmed Shah was no more the same. Jinnah- the epitome of rationality was no more the same, Nehru- the mind who put the science before religion- was no more the same, Gandhi- the fearless who mobilised the young minds with some revolutionary non-violent ideas- did not have the same pull and charisma anymore. Thus, we- who were a united subcontinent- were not the integrated nation anymore.
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