Gauree Malkarnekar  

Gandhi Was Willing To Let Jinnah Be PM.  India and Pakistan would have remained united as a nation today but for the “self-centred attitude” of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said here on Wednesday. He said Nehru was adamant on the post of Prime Minister for himself during the time of Independence.

“When you look back in India, I think Mahatma Gandhiji was very much willing to give prime ministership to (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah, but Pandit Nehru refused. I think Pandit Nehru had a little bit of selfcentred attitude, ‘I should be the Prime Minister’. If Mahatma Gandhiji’s thinking had materialised, then India and Pakistan would have remained united,” he said.

The Dalai Lama was responding to questions from Goa Institute of Management students at Sakhali, 30km from Panaji, and he said this in reply to a query as to how one can avoid taking wrong decisions, keeping emotions out of the decision-making process.

“I knew Nehru very well personally and he was a very well-experienced person otherwise. But sometimes mistakes also happen. So, ultimately responsibility is on your own shoulders. Analyse, analyse. Then take decision,” the Dalai Lama told the student with Nehru’s example.

Nehru was the Prime Minister in 1959 when the Dalai Lama along with a few compatriots escaped from Tibet and was given asylum in India. Hundreds of Tibetans then followed him. They have been fighting in exile for greater sovereignty for Tibet from China.

The Dalai Lama also said that unlike the modern democratic system, it was a feudal mindset in the past. “Then, the power of decision-making was in the hands of a few people, which was more dangerous,” he said. The spiritual leader also hinted at a European Uniontype arrangement for China and Tibet to co-exist. He said getting independence for Tibet “will be difficult”. Even if freedom was achieved, only a part of Central Tibet would be free, which would be meaningless, he added.

“I am one of the admirers of the European Union. It is wonderful that they consider that common interest is more important than national sovereignty. The world is becoming smaller and smaller. So, there is a big question whether independent Tibet is in our interest or to remain within the People’s Republic of China with all the rights mentioned in the Chinese constitution is. That is practical and realistic,” the Dalai Lama said.

When you look back in India, I think Mahatma Gandhiji was very much willing to give prime ministership to (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah, but Pandit Nehru refused. I think Pandit Nehru had a little bit of self-centred attitude

Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader