About the historical speech of Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, in All India Muslim League Session 1930, the pertinant part the learned writer has already cited in the arrticle. However, there is a critical controversy lurking among scholars. First, Allama Iqbal forgot all about Bengal, a large muslim dominated state of undivided India. Second, (as per scholar analyses) Allam Iqbal did not demand partition of India (as muslim and Hindu countries) but he talked about merger of NWFP, Punjab, Sind and Baluchistan on “Self Government” basis. Wikipedia quotes:

“Sir Muammad Iqbal did not use the word “Pakistan” in his address. According to some scholars, that Iqbal had not presented the idea of an autonomous Muslim State; rather he wanted a large Muslim province by amalgamating Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan into a big North-Western province within India.[4] They argued that “Iqbal never pleaded for any kind of partition of the country. Rather he was an ardent proponent of a ‘true’ federal setup for India…. And wanted a consolidated Muslim majority within the Indian Federation”.[5]

Another Indian historian Tara Chand also held that Iqbal was not thinking in terms of partition of India but in terms of a federation of autonomous states within India.[6] Dr. Safdar Mehmood also fell a prey to the same misconception and in a series of articles he asserted that in Allahabad address Iqbal proposed a Muslim majority province within the Indian federation and not an independent state outside the Indian Federation.[7]“.

I want a befitting reply that contradicts this controversial critic.