MAJYD AZIZ
Bantva is a small town in Kathiawar, India, the birthplace
of many a prominent Memon personality. This town has produced the largest
number of millionaires and eminent persons. Sattar Edhi, the social worker par
excellence, Abdul Razzak Dawood, a former Federal Commerce & Industries
Minister, Kassim Parekh, past Governor of State Bank of Pakistan, Haji Hanif
Tayyab, a former Federal Labor Minister, Ahmed Dawood, the epitome of Pakistany
entrepreneurs, Ilyas Shakir, a noted journalist and Editor of Quomi Akhbar,
Kassam Dada, the most well-known Pakistany Rotarian, Arif Habib, alongwith five
other ex-Chairmen of Karachi Stock Exchange, and so many others were all born
in Bantva.
January 24,
1940 was a red-letter day in the history of this town. It
was on that day that Bantva's Muslim denizens festooned the place with buntings
and flags to welcome Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was making his first
ever trip to this village. 25 gateways were set up all over the place, and on
his arrival, he was greeted with a 21-gun salute. The grand old man of Bantva
and the paterfamilias of the Dada family, Seth Hussein Kassam Dada, very
graciously offered his bungalow at his farm for the comfort and convenience of
the undisputed leader of the Indian Muslims.
The Memon community organized a sumptuous lunch where
the high and mighty of the Bantva Memons plus representatives of various
princely states were invited. A public meeting was arranged in the evening at
the Madrasa-e-Islamia where the Quaid addressed the gathering in Urdu. He made
a clarion call for donations to the "Press Fund" so that an
independent newspaper for the Muslims could be published. The next day
witnessed an interesting situation that was very much appreciated by the Quaid.
The Memon community was in full swing with each person coming up on the dais
and announcing his own contribution to the fund. Jinnah was overwhelmed at this
show of altruism and frequently commended the Bantva Memons for their
generosity.
After sometime, the Quaid inquired in somewhat a
lighter mood whether all the Memons had made their pledges. He was informed
that one stalwart of the community had not attended any of the programs and the
reason being that he was not feeling well and seldom left his house. Inspite of
being a blind person, he did business worth millions. In fact, he managed more
than forty branches all over India
and regularly communicated with the resident managers by telegram and mail from
his house-cum-office and ruled over his business empire from that place. His
name was Muhammad Haji Gani, and he was my paternal great-grand father.
Seth Haji Adam Haji Peermuhammad, the business tycoon
and father-in-law of Mr. Abdul Razzak Dawood, suggested to Mr. Jinnah that he
should visit Muhammad Seth at his abode. The Quaid remained quiet for a few
moments and then in a serious tone remarked that "In my life, I have never
gone to anyone uninvited, not even the Viceroy." He then stood up, walked
over to his car, and announced that he would like to visit the Balagamwala (our
family name) residence. There was a big roar of approval from the crowd present
there. Lo and behold, a procession commenced. The Quaid was in the lead car and
one by one people followed in their cars, in their horse-drawn buggies, or by
racing alongside. After arriving at the house, the Quaid and others waited in
the verandah while Haji Adam went inside. Muhammad Seth was sleeping soundly
and no one had given him advance information that the Quaid was on his way to
the house.
The Quaid witnessed a scene that could only happen in
a Memon house. He saw Adam waking his friend by shouting, "Look Muhammad,
a great man like Jinnah is waiting for you in your verandah." The other
friend woke up in a startled manner and tried to sit on his bed. Adam sat on
the floor holding Muhammad's feet and said, "Muhammad, announce your
donation for the Press Fund." Muhammad replied, "Adam, don’t sit on
the floor holding my legs. Get up on the bed." Adam remarked,
"Muhammad, you are a noble man and this is my privilege to sit on the
floor." The Quaid watched with amusement the animated conversation and the
simple style of two of India's
business tycoons and started laughing in a loud voice. He was soon joined by a
rapturous laughter from all those present there.
Muhammad invited the Quaid to his office and while
announcing his generous donation stated that one of his dreams that of meeting
the Great Leader has been fulfilled. The Quaid talked in English while Muhammad
replied in Memoni. The interpretation was done by Seth Suleman Diwan, a Memon
businessman. The Quaid also stated that the contribution of the Memon community
for the cause of the Mussalmans of India would be enshrined for
generations to come. Muhammad could not see the Quaid thru his eyes, but his
heart proclaimed vociferously that with Jinnah as the leader, a separate land
for the Muslims would soon be a reality. After Independence, like millions of
Indian Muslims, Muhammad Haji Gani, alongwith his extended family, left
everything in India and migrated to Karachi to live and to establish business
as patriotic and proud citizens of Pakistan.
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