JINNAH’S FIRST POLITICAL PHASE: FROM NATIONALISM IDEALISM TO COMMUNAL REALISM (1906-1920)

Abstract

This paper traces the first phase of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s political career, highlighting his evolution from a committed Indian nationalist to a disappointed realist disillusioned by Congress politics. It explores his early education, legal and political influences in England, and his initial involvement with the Indian National Congress in 1906. Jinnah emerged as a strong advocate of Hindu-Muslim unity, earning the title “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity,” and played a crucial role in achieving the Lucknow Pact of 1916. However, from 1917 to 1920, a series of political setbacks, including the Rowlatt Act, the rise of communalism, and Gandhi’s use of religion in politics, gradually alienated Jinnah. His resignation from the Congress in 1920 marked the end of this phase and the beginning of his transformation. The paper underscores the shift in Jinnah’s political ideology, shaped by constitutional method and moderate nationalism, ultimately paving the way for his later leadership of the Muslim League. 

Key words: Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Hindu-Muslim Unity, Communal Politics, Indian National Congress, Gandhi-Jinnah Divide.