At a spot far removed from the bustle of city life, the youngest student of the Jamia Millia Islamia laid the foundation stone of the Jamia Millia buildings this afternoon at Okhla. So small was the child that he had to be carried up in arms to satisfy the curiosity of the audience, when Dr. Ansari, the Chancellor, declared amidst applause, that the family of the child had been serving the Jamia for three generations.
Huge Gathering
About a thousand persons, leaders of political thought, men of letters, and past students of the Jamia were present at the ceremony. Amongst those present were Babu Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Mr. Bhulabhai Desai, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Mr. Satyamurti, Khawaia Hasan Nizami, Halide Edib Hanum, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu, Mr. and Mrs. Asaf Ali, Principal Shahani, Hafiz Mohd. Sadiq Multani, Mr. and Mrs J. N. Sahni, Mr. and Mrs. Devadas Gandhi, Dr. Mohd. Ashraf, and Khan Sahib Hail Rashid Ahmed.
Dr. M. A. Ansari presided over the meeting which was held under a shamiana.
Narrating the difficulties which the Jamia Millia had to encounter with during the last fourteen years of its career. Dr. Zakir Hussain said that the Jamia had now a school and a college, where students were imparted national education. The Jamia had made considerable progress during the period and had published many books. Its Urdu Academy was doing useful work.
Ideals of the Jamia
Continuing he said that they should make true Muslims and full-fledged Indians. To be a true Muslim was to be a real patriot. They would not establish equality among mankind, unless they were true Muslims having the interests of the country at heart. He declared that if the Jamia departed from its ideals at any stage of its career, the public would have a right to torn it out from the new buildings and if the teachers felt themselves that they were unable to keep up to the ideals due to the changed environment, they would have no hesitation to return to the camps, where the Jamia was first started.
Dr. Ansari’s Speech
Addressing the gathering Dr. M. – A. Ansari said:
“By God’s grace and blessings, we are here in your presence laying the foundation-stone of the permanent buildings of the Jamia Millia. For the last fifteen years we have been struggling hard, labouring and sacrificing and putting continuous efforts to give our ideals of national education a concrete shape. Sometimes we have cherished high hopes and at others we have had to suffer serious disappointments. But it is indeed, a real satisfaction to feel that the nation has at last realised the necessity and importance of our mission.
Islamic and National
“The ideals of the Jamia Millia are well known. We desire to build an institution which while Islamic in its traditions, will also be national in its outlook. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my belief that the future of this country is bound up with the development of such educational institutions which, while rooted in the glorious traditions of their past, will yet strive for the welfare and amelioration of their country. Only such educational centres can prove a panacea for all our national troubles.
“I am glad to announce. that the appeal which I had made for the Jamia has received an enthusiastic response and we hope that we will be able to collect the proposed amount of Rs. 21 lakhs very soon.
“I shall be failing in my duties if I were not to praise Dr. Zakir Hussain and his colleagues who have kept their faith under heavy adds and serious disappointments and nave continued to carry on the work with perseverance and bull-dog tenacity. It is they who deserve all honour.
“In the end I have to thank you all for taking the trouble of coming to this distant place and gracing the function by your presence. I pray to God that our happy meeting here may augur a bright future for the Jamia and the nation.”
Mahatma’s Message
Messages received from Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Mohd. Iqbal, Sir Abdul Qayyum, Mr. Iqbal Narayan Gurtu of the University of Allahabad, and Maulana Sayyed Sulaiman Nadvi were read at the meeting.
Mahatma Gandhi in his message said.
“It is a great idea to have the foundation-stone of the Jamia laid by its youngest child. My congratulations on the originality of the conception. I know that the Jamia has a great future. Through it I expect the seed of Hindu-Muslim union to grow into a majestic tree. I, therefore, wish every success to the enterprise. I hope that the appeal for funds made by Dr. Ansari will meet with the success it deserves.”
Dr. Iqbal says: “It is a great Measure to me that the foundation-stone of the Jamia is being laid. From the very beginning have I associated myself with the Jamia. The solid work it has done in spite of the dearth of the resources is sure proof that when it has its own buildings and enough resources, it would be able to infuse the right spirit in Indian education and reconstruct the life of the Muslims of India “
A Source of Inspiration
Sir Abdul Qayyum writes: -”I hope the Jamia will prove, in the future, as it has proved in the past a source of inspiration to Muslims.”
Dr. Bhagwan Das, M.L.A., in his message wished that the Jamia Millia would keep up to its high ideals.
Life-giving Force
Dr. Zakir Hosain in a brief speech indicated the nature and extent of the work the Jamia had performed during the last fourteen years and the position it had secured for itself in the educational life of the country. “We stand for bringing up good Muslims and good Indians,” he said, “and we see no reason why the two should be considered incompatible. The aspiration and the outlook on things which religion gives can be a life-giving force only if applied to the service of our surroundings in which we are placed.” The audience were visibly moved when he mentioned the ideals which the late Sheikhul Hind, Maulana Mohamed Ali and Hakim Ajmal Khan had before them in founding the Jamia and as he said, “We hope and pray that these buildings of which we are laying the foundation-stone will prove to be a humble instrument of realising those ideals and not their gorgeous tomb. We hope that it ever we tend to turn this colony into a graveyard of our present aspirations, you shall have the strength to drive us out. And if they become a mile-stone round our necks, as many a material acquisition tend to become. We shall have the strength to throw it away and go again into the wilderness and build again on better and surer foundation.”
Donations to Fund
Dr. Zakir Hussain then announced various donations received by the Jamia Millia for the building fund from people all over India: Halide Edib Hanum, Rs. 1,000; Seth Jumna Lal Baja, Rs. 16,000; Mr. Bhulabhai Desai, Rs. 1,000; and Mr. Abdul Hamid, Rs. 3,000. There were several other donations as well.
Not to India Alone
Halide Edid Hanum in her speech said, “An institution of learning must work out its destiny, but it works with its heritage. This institution belongs to India and it is out to contribute to the principles of Islam. The buildings are in Delhi, but it does not belong to India alone; it belongs to the East, to the Muslims and non-Muslims. Time will come when it will also belong to the West.
“We expect from its inspiration in life. May it give inspiration to the future generations of India and knowledge of strength that can break the shackles of ignorance.”
She became passionate and in sparkling words said “Child India. You are being delegated to lay the foundation-stone, because the future belongs to you, and because you have the longest time to illuminate the path. Forget not to give the message, which the builders of the Jamia are giving you to-day.”
The guests were then entertained at a tea party.