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.

Mulla Jan Mohammad: Prominent Muslim leader who played important role in post-independent era

 

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Mulla Jan Mohammad was among the leaders who played a vital role in post-partition era in India.

He was a known personality earlier too. But post-independence, it was a critical period.

Muslim masses who were looking for leaders, as top brass had left them and migrated across the border, found in him a man who was able to pick up pieces, help community pass through the troubled times. 

Calcutta was not just the former capital of British Empire in India, but also, it was a prominent centre of Muslims. Though the top leaders had migrated, shifted to Dhaka, millions of Muslims remained in West Bengal.

The city had been rocked by riots before partition. After partition too, there were riots and killings. In this situation, leadership was needed. There was communalism apart from anxiety, apprehensions, institutions were facing several serious issues. 

Among prominent leaders, Badrudduja Sb decided to remain in India. It was only until 1955 that the situation improved, well. So either the 1950 situation, that had once again heightened fears of Muslims in Kolkata, or the later disturbances in 1960s, Calcutta had the figure of Mulla Jan Mohammad, who became a symbol of hope and reassurance for Muslims. 

Mulla Jan Mohammad had seen Ali brothers, the rise of Muslim politics and its fall, the consequences. He was a strong man, known for principles, steadfast, honest and self-less. Hence, he was termed Khadim-e-Qaum.

In 1961, Jabalpur riots shook the nation. The series of riots in cities in Eastern India, Kolkata, Rourkela, Jamshedpur, again hit the region. In these circumstances, just like in 1950, he remained active and also  oversaw relief and rehab measures.

Either the 1963 and 1965 riots in Kolkata or the Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Rourkela incidents, that were clearly planned riots, horrific killings and large-scale destruction took place. He was instrumental in taking the politicians head on over the riots.

Calcutta Khilafat Committee (CKC) is one the most well-known institutions of Muslims. Mulla Jan Mohammad was its president. Also, his association with Islamia Hospital and serving the institution must be written with golden letters. 

Following any riot in Kolkata, he would hit the street, take the lead, go out in the city, meet authorities, would also ensure rehab and relief. Disturbed by the series of major communal riots, Syed Mahmud took the lead and meetings of Muslim leaders, scholars, clerics were held.

Once again Mulla Jan Mohammad played a key role in formation of the All India Muslim Majlis Mashawrat. Apart from Syed Mahmud, Maulana Abulhasan Nadvi alias Ali Miyan, Mufti Atiqur Rahman Usmani, Ebrahim Suleiman Sait, Maulana Manzoor Nomani and veteran leaders were present.

The need for social, intellectual, community leadership is always needed. More so, in desperate times. Later too,Mulla Jan Mohammad mooted idea that there must be tours to riot-affected cities and areas.This was accepted and hence leading Ulema planned the tour. 

The visit to Ranchi was a major success. Individuals who can unite, bring others on one platform, have community's trust, show way, keep others motivated and can act, are required in every society. Interestingly, the Peshawar-born Mulla Jan Muhammad, became 'Mulla' because Maulana Azad a regular visitor used to call him 'Mulla' lovingly.

"Ever since I can remember, from the time I was a student, I saw Mulla Jan Mohammad was always involved in community issues, redressing them and doing social leadership. He dedicated himself to serving the community", writes Abdul Aziz, in a column in Halaat-E-Bengal. 

"The relationship was mutual, as top Muslim leaders of the country too kept him close. Despite his relations, he never let politics and politicians enter the institutions and damage them, and this is true for all these institutions viz. Islamia Hospital, Calcutta Khilafat Committee and Mohammedan Sporting Club", he further writes. 

"The Calcutta Khilafat Committee came into existence around 1919. The Islamia Hospital was built a few years later. All his life, he remained attached to the hospital and rendered yeoman's service", writes Maulana Talha Bin Abu Salma Nadwi, in an article.

"In 1967, Mulla Jan Mohammed went for Haj. When he returned and came to know that hospital authorities had fixed 'aath annah' fee for outdoor patients, he was so angry, sat at the gate of the hospital, with this stick and returned the amount to each person who had come to the hospital and paid it", he mentions in the article. 

[There was another person Khan Bahadur Sheikh Mohammad Jan, who was a different person though he also lived in the same period. He was a businessman, Congress leader and owned two newspapers. Some people get confused and a separate post would be written about him, later]