Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) president Ghulam Mohammed Banatwala, 74, the national face of the minority community and a seven-time Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, died in Mumbai on Wednesday after a brief illness.
A gifted parliamentarian and orator, Banatwala espoused the cause of Muslims in Parliament on crucial issues like the Shah Bano case, demolition of the Babri Masjid and minority rights, including the personal law.
Ismail Banatwala, his nephew, said the Muslim League leader lived with his brothers after the death of his wife. They had no children. He had attended the platinum jubilee celebrations of IUML in Chennai last Saturday. “When he returned home early this week, he felt uneasy, restless and feverish. This morning he had breakfast with all of us.
At about 2.30pm he experienced uneasiness and breathed his last on the way to hospital,” Ismail said. The mortal remains of Banatwala is to be brought to his Agripada home in south Mumbai. Several of his colleagues from Kerala are expected to attend the funeral.
Born in Mumbai, Banatwala was returned to Parliament with very high margins reflecting the trust people in the north Kerala area, dominated by Mappila Muslims, reposed in him.
That this scholar who served one term in Maharashtra assembly and never spoke in Malayalam in his Ponnani constituency in Kerala did not dilute his charisma. People used to listen to him with rapt attention when he addressed them in English.
Despite these constraints, he struck a chord with the common man as he was always at the forefront of taking up their problems, both in Parliament and outside. Banatwala was the national face of IUML, especially after Ibrahim Suleiman Sait left the League and floated Indian National League (INL) following differences with a section in the party over continuance of ties with the Congress after the Babri Masjid incident.
Banatwala was one of the Muslim leaders who vociferously argued for implementation of the Sachar Committee report for social and educational support to the Muslim community. IUML state president Panakkad Muhammadali Shihab Thangal, state general secretary P K Kunhalikitty and other leaders expressed sorrow at the passing away of Banatwala. Black flags were put up in Muslim League offices across Kerala as the news of Banatwala’s death spread.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> India / PTI / June 26th, 2008