Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 261
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 261 lend their full co-operation to the Committee. In answer to this Sir Muhammad Iqbal pointed out that the Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement had at his disposal a strong organiza- tion and plenty of workers and resources of every type and tha t unless he assumed the responsibilities of President of the Committee its purpose would not be achieved. The Khalifa- tul Masih was most reluctant to assume a position which in several respects would be inconsistent with his position as Spiritual Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement, but in view of the insistence of the members of the Committee and the strong urge towards going to the rescue of a people held in bondage, he overcame his reluctance and signified his assent to the proposal of Sir Muhammad Iqbal. With the setting up of the All India Kashmir Committee a clamour was raised in Hindu circles that the Committee was a political organizatioh that had been set up for the purpose of securing the removal of His Highness the Maharaja and that in effect it constituted a challenge to the Hindus on the part of the Muslims. In answer to this the Committee announced that the agitation in the State was in no sense directed against His Highness the Maharaja and that its purpose was the removal of the valid grievances of the Muslims of Kashmir and to reform the tyrannical form of the administration which had prevailed in Kashmir for a very long time. It was stressed that the Committee would strive to achieve its pur- pose through strictly constitutional methods and would not have recourse to unlawful activities. It is difficult at this distance of time, and having regard to the changes that have taken place in the meantime, to attempt an accurate estimate of the tremendous, complicated and multifaceted responsibilities that the Khalifatul Masih under- took to discharge by assuming the position of the President of the All India Kashmir Committee. Judged by the almost revolutionary results that were achieved by the committee and its devoted workers over the short period of two years its performance was nothing short of miraculous, the greater part of the credit for which must go to the Khalifatul Masih.