Date: 23(?) December 1910
Location: Bombay
Speaker: Aga Khan III
Source: Speeches of Aga Khan III – K K Aziz
Full Text
Why Hindu-Muslim unity is essential-ways of achieving it-Muslim sphere of work broad and catholic – the mosque in London forthcoming visit by the King to India – an opportunity to create a Muslim university.
His Highness the Aga Khan, who arrived in Bombay by the mail ss. Salsette today, was interviewed by a Times of India representative in regard to the proposal to hold a Hindu-Moslem Conference.
His Highness said he welcomed the movement most sincerely.
He considered no catastrophe so great as disunion and rupture between the two great communities. He had been insisting for years on the necessity of establishing harmonious relations between them by relegating to the background all racial religious questions. They were all partners in the mightiest and most glorious empire the world had ever seen, they were component parts of a body politic, and creatures of one God. Hindus and Mahomedans were like two arms of a nation – they could not sacrifice nor injure one without weakening the other. Their united efforts were necessary for the good of the country, for its peaceful and orderly development under the aegis of the Crown; and it was the sacred duty of both sides to work whole heartedly, and with single devotion, for promoting measures that would secure the lasting welfare of the country. He considered no sacrifice too great, no efforts too arduous to secure friendliness between the sister communities. This was a momentous period of great awakening in both the races, and formed a grand oppor tunity for bringing the two races into closer and more friendly union. They required each other’s co-operation, goodwill and practical help in promoting social and industrial measures. The proposed conference must be made a permanent annual insti tution; they must establish “vigilance committees” in different centres, and establish a common meeting ground for the rep resentatives of both communities. They must work to find out causes of irritation, and take prompt measures to remove them as soon as the least sign of unpleasantness manifested itself.
He believed the recent riots at Calcutta could have been easily prevented if the leaders of both sides had taken up .the matters in dispute in advance, and taken steps to remove any misunder standing. Such deplorable occurrences did good to nobody, they retarded peaceful progress, and added to the difficulties of the rulers. The Moslem sphere of work was not confined to the narrow limits of political activity, nor to the attainment of merely selfish ends but it embraced catholic interests in the broadest sense of the term. He was very anxious to see Sir William Wedder burn succeed in his noble mission.
The Aga Khan proceeded to assure his interviewer that if it did not succeed as it ought to it would be through no lack of support or sympathy from himself or his Moslem friends. He would do what lay in his power to advance the noble mission of conciliation; for India could not develop to its full, legitimate, and natural dimensions until all forces worked harm?niously as a whole, and until all warring elements were set at rest once and for all. This was necessary to strengthen the hands of the administrators. He was hopeful of the future and was sure the lustrum of the present Viceroy of India would make for a vast and rapid advance in social and material welfare, the pro motion of which was the solemn duty laid on all patriotic citizens.
Referring to the proposal for the establishment of a Moslem mosque in England, the Aga Khan said Moslems had rightly decided to commemorate the brilliant rule of the greatest monarch of the present, or, for that matter of any age, by the construction of a great mosque in London. Lord Ronaldshay and Lord Lamington had already signified their intention to associate themselves in promoting the movement, and Lord Minto would be requested to be president of a committee which was composed of very influential persons.
His Highness next spoke in most sanguine tones as to the enormous possibilities of a great future that lay before the present King Emperor [George V], who, His Highness said, had already made a glorious beginning by efforts for securing unity in his domains with a view to stirring and leading them in the path of moral and material welfare. The announcement of His Majesty’s , .. intention to visit India, said His Highness, must stir every Indian to the deepest depth of his heart. The King had already con quered their imagination and their affection by his call for deeper sympathy with his MG9esty’s Indian subjects, and his famous speech at the Guildhall, after his return from India was still ringing in their ears. Here was an opportunity for Moslems to commemorate the visit of His Majesty to India by raising a suitable memorial. He could conceive no better memorial than the foundation of the Moslem University at Aligarh. By visiting Aligarh College on the occasion of his Indian tour as the Prince of Wales, His Majesty had demonstrated his deep interest in the institution and in the community; consequently it would be the more fitting and appropriate if they took this opportunity of His Majesty’s visit to India to create a Moslem University compar able to the great universities of Berlin, Paris, or Oxford. His Highness said that he had unfolded his views about the University on the occasion of the last Coronation Durbar at Delhi, and he had emphasised them last year at the sessions of the Moslem League, and when he proceeded to Nagpur this week he pro posed again to bring the proposal before the conference. He was sure the Moslem princes, its great merchants, captains of industry, and rich zemindars would come forward to help them in launching the scheme into existence under the auspices of His Majesty. His Highness thought a beginning could be made if twenty lakhs of rupees were forthcoming to start with, and he announced his intention of giving one lakh of rupees as his share towards the creation of model University bearing the name of King George V. His Highness said that it being a national insti tution public opinion should be created in its favour, so as to appeal and give an opportunity even to the masses to contribute their mite to it.
Source: The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, 25 December 1910.