Muslim leader from Bengal and former Member of Parliament, Badrudduja, his life and times

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Freedom fighter and prominent leader late Badrudduja is recalled for his politics as well as his firm stand on issues and oratory.

He was active during freedom struggle and participated in almost all the movements.

Even in pre-partition era, he was Mayor of Calcutta.

After 1947, his role in West Bengal politics became important. 

Badrudduja was never hesitant to speak on Muslim issues and took up the issue of injustice and atrocities with Muslims. Blitz and other newspapers termed him a 'reactionary'. However, he was unmoved and undeterred. He fearless intervened and took up the causes of the citizens. 

When he was targeted by the then State law minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray, he responded to the personal attack in a manner that the former had to apologize. Badrudduja said, 'If my loyalty to my religion and culture is used to brand me, then I'm proud of it'.

In 1967, he was elected MP as IDP candidate. In Assembly & Parliament, he was vocal & hence faced consequences. Also, with Krishak Praja Party (KPP) and then IDP.  In his political life, he remained a man firm on principles and never compromised.

For example, he refused to accept that just Muslim lawmakers will have to sign a document on Kashmir. Objecting, he said that it was wrong to just ask Muslim members to sign it. Often in conflict with governments, he was imprisoned time and again.

Syed Badrudduja was born in Murshidabad, Bengal in 1900. He studied law and was Mayor of Kolkata in 1943-44. He had participated in movements during freedom struggle. later, he went on to become the  member of legislative council of West Bengal after independence.

He was elected MLA several times. Besides, he contested and won in Lok Sabha elections too. One must remember than Bengal and Punjab were most affected by partition. West Bengal was left with few influential politicians from the Muslim community, after 1947.

Both these states were cut from the middle and divided among separate countries. Badrudduja didn't move and remained in India. It was a time when Muslims of Bengal and even North India, needed political voice. 

He showed that politics was possible without joining INC or Communists, took an independent line. He fearlessly spoke and raised the issues concerning Muslims. Either it is about lack of institutions or education, he was actively taking them up in Assembly as well as Parliament. 

As far as eloquence is concerned, Tagore was fulsome in praise when he saw him speak in 1938 and termed it a 'Gift of God'. When Badrudduja was moved by the complement, Tagore said that he was a writer and oratory was a totally different skill. His English speech had cast a spell on none other than CV Raman. Similarly, he could keep audience spellbound with his Urdu speeches.

Link and Link.

Aasim Bihari: Freedom fighter who led movements, battled for downtrodden all his life

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Ali Husain Aasim Bihari who was a freedom fighter, big leader, organised workers in Bihar & Bengal, brought out newspapers, formed multiple organisations.

He, led Momin Ansari community, and all his life fought for workers' rights. Suffered a lot in process and his family also lived in challenging circumstances.

Hailing from Bihar Sharif, Nalanda, he had to shift to Kolkata to earn a living and it was here that he began involved in freedom movement and started an unprecedented political and social journey despite financial constraints.

Aasim Bihari left a huge legacy but led a tough life. His family bore consequences of his immense passion for awakening the masses, at the cost of his own health and finances. He opposed partition of India and worked for uplift of downtrodden. He passed away in independent India and was buried in Allahabad.

I don't think it is easy to write about his missionary zeal and his sacrifices without getting tears in eyes. He faced personal tragedies, the death of his brother, the lack of money that caused hardships to his daughter, the suffering of his wife and entire family. 

He was ailing and couldn't be treated. He had declined the post of minister, also refused to take a princely sum, luring offer from a major political party, and his integrity for the cause was unquestionable.

In a life of constant struggle. Aasim Bihari formed organisations, led agitations, ran campaign to release nationalist leaders from jails after Jallianwalabagh massacre by sending letters from people of all parts of country to Queen & Viceroy. Brought out journals, weavers were organised amd turned into a political force.

Born in 1889 [1890*], he passed away in 1953. From Jamiatul Momineen, his lifelong fight for rights, awareness, awakening and education among masses, continued. CM recently released book on him and it has been decided to add a chapter on his life in school textbook.

[There is slight variation in references about his year of birth. However, the date of birth is April 15.]

Indian History: Battles were not fought due to religion or communal factor, stop distorting medieval India's history

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Raja Man Singh led the Mughal army and fought the Mewar army, nearly 445 years ago.

Man Singh's army had Hindus and Muslims. Mewar army too had both Hindus and Muslims.

In fact, Hakim Khan Sur fought against the Mughal army. In medieval era, people fought for power or prestige but were not as petty to look at everything from a religious lens.

The battle of Haldighati was not the sole such battle. All attempts to communalize, fall flat. Was Raja Man Singh good? 

Were all the North Indian or even South Indian rulers who never opposed Delhi or later allied with British rule, bad? And the lone man who died fighting, is termed villain!

Respect courage, then praise everyone's valour or condemn the cowards too. Medieval era was different. They had their culture, traditions and alliances as per need of the hour. Read with open mind, without bias and taking sides.

It was on June 18, 1576 that the battle of Haldighati was fought.

The battle like many others were not about Hinduism or Islam. Almost all the other Rajput states' rulers were with the Mughal kingdom. Similarly, Muslim soldiers were part of Mewar army too.

Now let's go to another century. Or see the case of Deccan or other parts. Shivaji's army had a large number of Muslims. He had Muslim generals and confidantes.

Unfortunately, after independence people who were in search for hetoes of their communities, in order to connect self with them and boost own ego, started looking for personalities from religious and other angles, like kinship. Communalism was injected and battles, petsonalities were chosen as 'our' or 'their' in this race.

[Shams Ur Rehman Alavi]

#History #India #Mughal #Rajput #Hindu #Muslim #IndianHistory #Communalism

Ilyas Azmi: A Muslim politician who raised voice courageously over issues pertaining Indian Muslims

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

It's time to talk about late Ilyas Azmi. He was politically active till the end of his life. 

There are many things to remember about him. He was among those who kept talking about Dr Abdul Jaleel Faridi, unlike other leaders of his generation.

But the most important was his role after the Batla House incident in 2008, when TV channels had targeted youth of Azamgarh & East UP, Ilyas Azmi raised voice.

Cops made youth drape keffiyeh before media to stereotype the community youth. Azmi protested wore the same keffiyeh and entered parliament.

Raising copies of Mail Today that had its cover page about the police bias. He and Akbar Ahmad Dumpy strongly raised the issue when most community scholars and leaders were mum. 

There were different phases in his career but this one act of resistance was important and unforgettable. He roared and raised slogans in the house, and it had impact.

In those days, TV channels even used the term 'aatank garh' for Azamgarh. Newsrooms were not much different from today, even if people have forgotten the era. Many of the anchors who are today considered torch bearers of secularism had shown their Islamophobic side and the readiness to fall for any thing claimed by cops.

Azmi broke the psychological barrier then. This is another aspect that they were later taken to task by Mayawati who was angry that he and Dumpy raised slogans on the issue in front of speaker. 

Indian Muslims are a forward community, ahead on social indicators: Exposing media's false propaganda regarding 'backwardness'

 

The Indian Muslims are a forward looking community. 

There is no doubt about it that despite challenges, Indian Muslims have moved ahead and progressed. 

Less in government jobs and lacking in resources, yet, Indian Muslims have established themselves in all spheres and all the fields. 

Quite often, we hear the term 'backward' linked to Muslims without any statistics or documentary proof.

In fact, on social indicators and as far as social evils and other regressive practices in society are concerned, these are less prevalent in Muslim community. Of course, community has less representation in government service [jobs] and politics.

But, Indian Muslims, especially, Muslim women have also been stepping forward in education. Definitely, there was lack of resources and financially issues but Muslims still managed to stand up and today they are doing their best to move ahead. 

From Child marriages to Female Foeticide, there are so many indicators on which Indian Muslims fare better. Female Feticide is a major issue in India. Similarly, when it comes to sex ratio, Indian Muslims fare better. 

READ: Indian Muslims a forward community: Journos' conditioning that never lets them go beyond 'backwardness' narrative