Tag Archives: Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

Ex-VP Hamid Ansari’s ‘Challenges to a liberal polity’ book review: The politics of being Indian

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kolkata, WEST BENGAL / NEW DELHI :

A collection of speeches and articles by former vice-president Hamid Ansari, offering engaging insights into our democracy.

Challenges to A Liberal Polity: Buy Challenges to A Liberal Polity by Ansari M. Hamid at Low Price in India | Flipkart.com
Challenges to a Liberal Polity: Human Rights, Citizenship & Identity / by M Hamid Ansari / Publisher Penguin / Pages 277 /Price 799 INR

For the past decade, public discourse in India has remained sharply focused on challenges to the liberal polity and the threats that have grown to human rights. Issues of citizenship and identity are entwined inextricably in this. It is in this context that Challenges to a Liberal Polity: Human Rights, Citizenship & Identity assumes not only topicality but also a significance that can be overlooked only at the readers’ own peril.

Hamid Ansari is a distinguished diplomat, academic, statesman and also, the often misused word, a public intellectual. He has, in his long career, worn many hats. He has served as the Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Chairman of the Minorities Commission and the Vice President of India. Throughout his life, Ansari has never shied away from speaking his mind—bluntly if need be.

The author has, at times, been exposed to unfair criticism and deliberately humiliated by persons in high office who should have known better. When bidding him farewell, PM Narendra Modi was unnecessarily sarcastic—some thought gracelessly—by mentioning that Ansari had spent most of his diplomatic career in Islamic countries and perhaps he would be more comfortable now that he was relieved of the burden of the constitutional position to freely voice criticism of whatever he didn’t agree with. The PM conveniently forgot that the former vice-president served with distinction as India’s permanent representative in the United Nations and as Chief of Protocol when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister in an era of dynamic Indian diplomacy. But, let us not digress.

This volume is a collection of speeches, forewords and articles contributed by the author on subjects that overlap and cover a vast time span from the turn of the century to the present day. The introduction is stimulating and thought-provoking. It presents a distilled essence of state-of-the-art research in political science and Indian society. This prepares the readers for what is to follow.

The book is divided into three sections. The first section deals with human rights and group rights. The subsections or mini-chapters can be read profitably as independent essays. Of particular interest are the ones titled––‘India and the Contemporary International Norms on Group Rights’, ‘Minorities and the Modern State’ and ‘Majorities and Minorities in Secular India: Sensitivity and Responsibility’.

The second section is titled ‘Indian Polity, Identity, Diversity and Citizenship’. This is more substantial than the preceding segment and covers a range of topics that should engage readers with different interests and ideological orientations. Examples include ‘Identity and Citizenship: An Indian Perspective’, ‘Religion, Religiosity and World Order’, ‘Two Obligatory -isms: Why Pluralism and Secularism is Essential to our Democracy’. There are shorter pieces like ‘The Ethics of Gandhi’ and ‘The Dead Weight of State Craft’, ‘India’s Plural Diversity is Under Threat: Some Thoughts on Contemporary Challenges in the Realm of Culture’. How one wishes that these themes had been explored in greater detail.

To some it may appear that this is nitpicking, but this is the hazard of compiling a collection of comments and observations made on commemorative occasions such as inaugurating or concluding a seminar, a workshop or writing a short preface. Ansari is primarily a scholar, who is deeply distraught by the happenings around him and is restless to share his constructive thoughts and not just the distress and despair. The tone is always cautiously optimistic.

The concluding section deals with ‘Indian-Muslim Perception and Indian Contribution to Culture of Islam’. The essays on ‘Militant Islam’, ‘Islam and Democratic Principle’ and ‘India and Islamic Civilisation: Contributions and Challenges’ deserve to be read by all Indians, particularly the young. One may disagree with the author, but it is impossible to imagine that any meaningful dialogue can take place between the majorities and minorities in India without an understanding of how the ‘other’ thinks and perceives the world.

His convocation addresses delivered at Jamia Millia Islamia (where he taught) and the AMU (his alma mater) have a different flavour. The tone is personal and evokes shared nostalgia. The final essay is a review of India and muslim world.

The book has substantial end-notes that provide useful bibliographical information. One can flip through these pages to pursue the themes dealt in the book according to one’s own inclination and at leisure.


This book is for all. The general reader, who has no scholarly pretensions, too can turn the pages of this book with great pleasure. Many a time, the author peppers the prose with Urdu couplets that hook the reader to his line of arguments. One such piece is his Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial lecture. Most people remember this vice-president as the supine individual who signed on the dotted line with dimmer when Indira Gandhi declared Emergency at midnight. Ansari, however,  has used the book brilliantly to make some hard- hitting comments that are im- possible not to take on the chin.

The chapter begins with: Yaad-e-maazi azaab hai yaa rab/ Chheen le mujhse hafiza mera (The memory of the past is torturous, O God/Take away my memory from me), and concludes with: “Can the amnesia, the compromises and the misconceptions of recent and not-so-recent past be overcome?” Yes, only if meaningful alternative is offered. We do stand at the crossroads.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Lifestyle> Books / by Pushpesh Pant / Express News Service / November 06th, 2022

Assam’s legal luminary Abdul Muhib Mazumder dies at 89

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hailakandi / Guwahati, ASSAM :

Abdul Muhib Mazumder

Guwahati :

Abdul Muhib Mazumder, former Law Minister of Assam, breathed his last at the wee hours of Wednesday. He was suffering from old age ailments. Mazumder was born in Hailakandi town of Assam on August 20, 1932. His father, Abdul Matlib Mazumder, was a leading freedom fighter and a Cabinet Minister of Assam during 1946-1970.

After studying at Government Victoria Memorial High School in Hailakandi he obtained his B Sc (Hons) degree from Cotton College, Guwahati, and his MA and LLB from Aligarh Muslim University. While in college and university, he was an outstanding debater and won many awards in debating competitions. He married Alamara Mazumder on June 3, 1962 and had three daughters.

Mazumder was a Senior Advocate of Gauhati High Court as well as the Supreme Court of India. He initially worked with Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, former President of India and a senior lawyer of Gauhati High Court, and Jagadish Medhi, a leading legal authority. He was Senior Government Advocate for several years. He was also a Lecturer in Economics and Political Science at Pragjyotish College, Guwahati (1956-1961) and at Gauhati University Law College (1961-1980).

He became Advocate General of Assam in 1980 and served in that capacity up to 1983. Later, he also served as the Advocate General of Arunachal Pradesh (1991-1996).

Mazumder entered politics in 1970s and represented LA-6 Hailakandi four times as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), during 1983-1991, 1996-2001 and 2011-2016. Incidentally, the same constituency had been represented by his father from 1946 to 1972. He became a Cabinet Minister of Assam in 1983 in the Congress Ministry headed by Hiteswar Saikia looking after law, power and municipal administration departments till 1985.

Abdul Muhib Mazumder (3rd from left) at the launch of his autobiography in Guwahati on July 29, 2016. Harsh Mander, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, and Justice Aftab Hussain Saikia are 4th, 5th, and 7th from left in the photograph. (File Photo)

In 1990s, Mazumder formed a new party called UPPA (United Peoples Party of Assam) and again became a Cabinet Minister of Assam in 1996 in the AGP-led coalition ministry headed by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, looking after irrigation department till 2001. Subsequently he disbanded UPPA and became the President of Samajwadi Party in Assam. Later he came back to Congress. Mazumder was Deputy Leader of Opposition (1986-1991) and formerly Vice Chairman, State Planning Board of Assam. Other posts held by him were Member, State Security Commission; Member, AICC; Vice President APCC; Chairman APCC Minority Cell; and Adviser Minority Department of APCC among others.

Among his landmark cases was his defence of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi against her prosecution by the Tirkha Commission in 1977-78 in the High Court. Two other landmarks in his career were drafting of the IMDT Act (Illegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal Act) 1983 and Assam Accord 1985 as the then Law Minister of Assam.

Mazumder’s autobiography, Down the memory Lane, was published in four volumes. At one of the launches of the autobiography in Guwahati on July 29, 2016, Harsh Mander, then Director of Centre for Equity Studies & Special Commissioner to the Supreme Court of India in the Right to Food Case, was the chief guest. Interestingly, all the legal stalwarts on the dais that day including Justice Aftab Hussain Saikia, former Chief Justice of the J&K High Court, happened to be all his students at one time or the other.

Commenting on the demise of Mazumder, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, Chairman of the Bar Council of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, & Sikkim, said, “Many successful lawyers of today learnt their ABCD of law under the guidance of Abdul Muhib Mazumder. Whenever any lawyer went to him for guidance, he was always ready to help them. His absence will be felt by everyone connected in any way with the legal process in the region.”

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Nurul Islam Laskar / November 03rd, 2021

Assam epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity: CM Sonowal on new book ‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, , , , , , ,

ASSAM / NEW DELHI :

CM Sarbananda Sonowal calls Zafri Mudasser Nofil’s new book, The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims, an informing and inspiring read as it significantly highlights the Assamese Muslims and their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region

Assam epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity: CM Sonowal on new book 'The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims' | Hindustan Times
Assam epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity: CM Sonowal in foreword of Zafri’s new book(Twitter/zafrimn/sarbanandsonwal)

Assam has over the years set a perfect example of harmonious coexistence and is an “epitome of unity” between Hindus and Muslims, which is reflected in the Zikir devotional songs popularised by Muslim mystic Azan Pir and inspired by Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankaradeva, says Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

He makes these remarks in the foreword to a new book “The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims” written by journalist Zafri Mudasser Nofil and brought out by Har-Anand Publications.

“Assam has over the years set a perfect example of harmonious coexistence of Hindus and Muslims. The state has been an epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity which becomes evident from the symbiosis of Hindu-Muslim friendship,” Sonowal says.

“The Zikir and Zari of Azan Pir inspired by Srimanta Sankaradeva essentially preach the secular message, the same way as to how Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s songs reverberate the message of equality, peace and unity between religions and humanism,” he adds.

The Zikirs and Zaris are Muslim devotional songs in Assamese ascribed to Azan Pir who has become a spiritual icon of Assam exemplifying universal brotherhood. He was inspired by Srimanta Sankaradeva and was successful in building a bridge of unity.

The chief minister notes that the book significantly highlights the Assamese Muslims and their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region. Nofil, himself an Assamese Muslim, covered Assam for ‘The Sentinel’ newspaper in Guwahati before moving to New Delhi where he is now working as a Senior News Editor for Press Trust of India (PTI) on its national desk. “I am happy with the book which encapsulates vignettes of the contributions of the Muslims of the state, their customs, traditions and their unique cuisines. With its uniqueness of being a narrative non-fiction with vivid quotes from historical texts, I am sure the book will be read and appreciated by all. I hope the book informs and inspires many,” Sonowal says.

In the book, Nofil traces the history of Muslims in Assam in the medieval era, their amalgamation with the locals and discusses their contribution to the state up to the present day, when talks of a controversial citizenship law and national register of citizens (NRC) have caused tension among the community “This book tells how Muslims of Assam are different from the rest of the country. They take pride in calling themselves Assamese first and never consider themselves to be lesser Assamese than Assamese Hindus,” Nofil writes. The book draws information from multitudes of credible historical documents and archives, interactions with litterateurs, scholars and artistes.

The contribution of Assamese Muslims has been multifaceted, diverse and immense. Be it politics, civil services, literature, art, education, law, sports, music, films and entertainment, they have excelled in every other field, Nofil says in the book.

It profiles several achievers, who have made a mark in their respective fields. They include former president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to actor Adil Hussain and classical singer Begum Parveen Sultana, to several people from the community who have many firsts to their names.

But of late, he says, the indigenous Muslims have been “suffering the ignominy” of being bracketed with illegal immigrants as ‘Miya’, an Urdu word meaning gentleman, which is, however, used in Assam for Bangladeshi-origin Muslims who mostly live in ‘char’ areas or floating river islands.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lifestyle / by Press Trust of India / posted by Zafarshan Shiraz,New Delhi / December 14th, 2020

Forgotten histories: A library in a Guwahati mosque shares the fate of an old Assamese community

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Travel & Tourism, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Guwahati,  ASSAM  : 

Sirat Library finds few mentions in recorded history and it is even fading from the personal histories of the Khilonjia Muslims who live around it.

Image credit: Shaheen Ahmed
Image credit: Shaheen Ahmed

Every time Assam heads into an election, the political discourse in the state invariably veers towards the issue of indigeniety. Who is an original inhabitant (and who is not) becomes a central question, with all the political parties nudging the electorate’s collective memory to recall real and imagined injustices.

With elections having kicked off in Assam again, my thoughts returned to something else, to my childhood when I would accompany my parents to a concrete structure in Guwahati’s Lakhtokia area. The structure was architecturally nondescript, but the images and the experiences of it still coalesced to form fragments of my memory. Known locally as Sirat Library – although the Assamese pronunciation Sirot often rendered the name incomprehensible – it was located within the precincts of a mosque called Lakhtokia Masjid No. 1.

I vaguely recall public meetings being held in the small library. And till the early 2000s, it moonlighted as a voting booth. For a child, it was an unusual sight to see so many people of different religions line up to cast their votes and even more unusual to see them do so in a library inside a mosque.

The structure still stands today. But the only sight that greets a visitor is of a small room bereft of books or readers. Its holdings are restricted to a small glass cupboard and a few Islamic texts in it.

Legacy of the past

The history of the library is really important to the Khilonjia Muslims or ethnic Assamese Muslims living in Guwahati. Khilonjia Muslims have been in Assam since before the Ahom invasion in the 13th century and they have always been known to relate to their ethnic, rather than their religious, identity.

Shehabuddin Talish, the official scribe of Mir Jumlah, the Nawab of Bengal who invaded Assam in 1662, described their encounter with the Muslims in Assam: “The Muslims whom we met in Assam are Assamese in their habits, and Muhammadans but in name.”

The famous colonial historian Sir Edward Gait, in his monumental work A History of Assam published in 1905, extensively employed Talish’s descriptions to map out a definitive chart of Assam’s history. Nevertheless, historical narratives of Khilonjia Muslims remain sketchy. The same fate is shared by the library in Lakhtokia.

There are no written records of when or who constructed the library. It is, however, believed that the structure is among of the oldest libraries in Guwahati, and the mosque it is a part of is among the three oldest mosques constructed in the colonial period.

The mosque finds a mention in an article in 1885 in the journal Assam Bandhu, which was edited by the Assamese intellectual Gunabhiram Barua. The land for the mosque was donated by Col. Jalnur Ali Ahmed, the father of the fifth President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. Col. Ahmed was a distinguished Assamese of his time: he was the second Assamese associated with the Imperial Medical Services and the first Assamese to receive an M.D. degree from London.

Personal histories

Writer-lawyer Akdas Ali Mir, one of the inhabitants of the locality, points to a letter written in 1915 by AHW Benting, the then Commissioner of Assam, which is probably one of the earliest and only clues to tracing the history of the library. “Benting had issued directions in an Order Letter to shift the Makhtab (primary Islamic school) established by the British from the mosque to the present location, where the Junior Madrassa High School is in Guwahati.”

Mir continued: “We can surmise that Sirat Library is the spot where the Makhtab was and then got converted into a library.” This may be true as Sirat is an Arabic word meaning a “way of life”.

As with all public libraries in the state, Sirat Library too was awarded a monthly grant from the government for its upkeep. But the actual running was done by the area’s Assamese Muslims, with people taking turns as librarians. Renowned Assamese filmmaker Altaf Majid remembers his childhood days spent in the library reading in the quiet. “My uncle used to be the librarian for many years. Every Friday afternoon he would take me to the iconic Lawyers’ Book Stall in nearby Pan Bazaar to buy books. In fact I read the Mahabharata in Bengali in Sirat Library in the 1960s.”

Majid continued: “This library was also a repository of well-known pulp fiction of the period. They were in English, Assamese and Bengali. In fact, I also read my first English novel in this library as well as the famous Bengali Mohan Detective Series and the Assamese adventure series Pa-Phu.”

Credit: Shaheen Ahmed
Credit: Shaheen Ahmed

Mukimuddin Ahmed, another resident, talks of the days in the late 1950s when he would act as the librarian in the evenings. “I was paid Rs 5 every month as the librarian and I worked for a year. Every afternoon after school I would go to the residences to collect the newspapers for the library. In the evenings after the readers had finished reading them I would then return them to the respective households.”

Assamese Muslim women had a strong role to play in the library’s upkeep. In the late 1960s, the only Assamese Muslim women’s social organisation, Anjumaan-E-Khawaateenein Islam, contributed Rs 10,000 to construct the new building for the library from the earlier Assam-type house construction. Noted Assamese woman writer Alimun Nessa Piyar donated furniture to the library in 1960.

As Helena Barranha and Susana S. Martins poignantly observed , “Memory has become both an intellectual challenge and a commodity for easy consumption.” This is true for contemporary India in general, and Sirat Library epitomises the trend. The erasure of the library from popular memory testifies to the erasure of cultural traditions that were once so integral to the Assamese society.

source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Memory Lane / by Shaheen Ahmed / April 05th, 2016