Read the following excerpts and answer the questions that follow:

“A voice in the wilderness:
Mahatma Gandhi knew that his was a voice in the wilderness but he nevertheless continued to oppose the idea of Partition:

But what a tragic change we see today. I wish the day may come again when Hindus and Muslims will do nothing without mutual consultation. I am day and night tormented by the question what I can do to hasten the coming of that day. I appeal to the League not to regard any Indian as its enemy... Hindus and Muslims are born of the same soil. They have the same blood, eat the same food, drink the same water and speak the same language.

But I am firmly convinced that the Pakistan demand as put forward by the Muslim League is un-Islamic and I have not hesitated to call it sinful. Islam stands for the unity and brotherhood of mankind, not for disrupting the oneness of the human family. Therefore, those who want to divide India into possible warring groups are enemies alike of Islam and India. They may cut me to pieces but they cannot make me subscribe to something which I consider to be wrong.

(i) Explain what did Gandhiji wish to see again.

(ii) Explain how the demand for Pakistan was un-Islamic.

(iii) Why did Mahatma Gandhi say that his voice was a voice in the wilderness? Explain.

Answer

(i) Mahatma Gandhi wished to see that day again when Hindus and Muslims would not take any decision without consulting each other.

(ii) According to Gandhi, the demand for partition is un-Islamic because Islam stands for the unity and brotherhood of mankind. People who wanted to divide India into warring groups were actually the enemy of Islam and India.

(iii) Mahatma Gandhi said that his voice was in the wilderness because at this time the entire country was caught in communal frenzy, but Gandhi was against communal hatred and the partition of the country.