Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi Takes Charge as AIMiM Party President


All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen Party President and Hyderabad MP Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi Speaking to Media after taking Charge as MiM Party President in Darrusalam MiM Headquarters in Hyderabad.

MiM Party Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi addressing Party Workers in MiM Party Headquarters Darrusalam in Hyderabad

Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi Takes Charge as AIMiM Party President

Hyderabad : A week after the death of Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, his elder son Asaduddin Owaisi, a London trained Barrister today formally took charge as the president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a Muslim political party in Andhra Pradesh.

40 year old Asad, who represents Hyderabad in Lok Sabha and has served two terms in the state assembly, took the charge as the party president before the gathering of senior party leaders, legislators, and the presidents and secretaries of MIM units in Hyderabad and other districts.

Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, in a meeting with the party legislators including his younger brother Akbaruddin Owaisi, and district unit presidents at Darussalam, the party headquarter

Earlier his election as the successor to "Salar", as the elderly Owaisi was known was confirmed by the Majlis-e-Shoora (Consultative committee) of the party.

Speaking on the occasion an emotional Asaduddin vowed to dedicate his life to strengthen the MIM, carry forward the mission of his father to unite the Muslim community and uplift it educationally and economically.

"No body can fill the vacuum left behind by Salar but we will try to follow in his foot steps. We will start a new era and work to strengthen Majlis", he said.

"Our real tributes to him to strengthen the party, take it to new heights and increase the strength of our party in the assembly", he said. MIM has five members in the state legislative assembly at present and many believe that it will go up to ten after the re-constitution of the constituencies.

Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, today formally took charge as the president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) after the death of his father last week addressing on this occassion

"The leadership is a burden and a crown of thorns but with the grace of Allah I will do my best to serve the people. The poorest and the weakest among the people should not feel that there is no body to care for him. We will work for such people as Salar had done", he said.

Asad's younger brother and MIM Floor leader in the state assembly Akbaruddin dismissed the rumors that there were differences among brothers over the issue of party leadership. "The world will see the unity of the two brothers. Earlier on the command of Salar we would have laid down our lives. Now I assure the MIM president that we will lay down our lives on his command. He is not only the party president but he is our Ameer (religious head) and obeying Ameer is a religious duty", he said.

Akbaruddin Owaisi, in an emotion speech on the occassion vowed to work under the leadershipof his elder brother to take forward the work of his father late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi

Comparing the work of his father in the field of education, including setting up professional institutions, with Sir Syed Ahmad Khan setting up Aligarh Muslim university, Akbar said that Salahuddin Owaisi had brought an educational renaissance in Hyderabad."

There was a time when Muslim students will not get a seat in medical and engineering colleges. Today there are more engineering seats than there are Muslim candidates. He brought such a change", Asad said.He vowed to widen the area of MIM's work to north India to politically unite the Muslim in other states.

RS 3.5 LAKH ASSISTANCE Meanwhile in a related development the MIM today presented a cheque of Rs 3.5 lakh to Abdul Quadeer, the dismissed police constable who is serving life imprisonment for killing an assistant commissioner of police Sattaiah in Hyderabad during the communal riots of December 1990.

A delegation comprising of three MIM legislators Akbaruddin Owaisi, Ahmad Pasha Quadri and Mumtaz Ahmad Khan met Abdul Quadeer at his residence and gave him the cheque for repairing his dilapidated home in old city. Abdul Quadeer is presently visiting the family on Parole.

A MIM delegation comprising of MiM Party Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, Ahmad Pasha Quadri and Mumtaz Ahmad Khan met former police constable Abdul Quadeer and presented him a cheque of Rs 3.5 lakh for the constructon of his house. Abdul Quadeer who continues to serve life imprisonment for killing his senior officer ACP Sattaiah during the riots of December 1990. He is currently visiting his family on parole

As he has spent nearly 18 years in jail since the incident, MIM has made several representations to the government to release him. Abdul Quadeer had defended his act of shooting his senior dead saying he was acting in a biased manner and targeting the Muslim community during the riots giving free hand to the rioters of other community in burning shops and attacking houses. A local court had later convicted him for murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Lakhs bid tearful adieu to MIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi (Salar e Millat)



Praja Rajyam Party President Actor Chiranjeevi with AIMIM President & MP Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi.
Second Pic Lakhs of People at the Funeral Procession of the Late AIMIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi (Salar e Millat) in Hyderabad.
Lakhs bid tearful adieu to AIMIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi (Salar E Millat) .

Hyderabad: Senior Muslim leader, veteran Parliamentarian and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi (Salar e Millat) was bid a tearful adieu by lakhs of his supporters on Tuesday when he was laid to rest at the Dargah Agha Dawood in Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy led his cabinet colleagues in paying respect to 76 year old Mr. Owaisi, who expired on Monday after prolonged illness. Dr. Reddy, who cut short his visit to Delhi and returned Hyderabad today to attend the funeral, described Mr. Owaisi's death as a big loss to the state. "He was a very experienced politician and a man of masses who always fought for the welfare of the people", he said.

Politicians cutting across the party lines converged at the Darussalam, the headquarters of MIM to bid farewell to the leader who had dominated the politics of Hyderabad for almost fifty years. The AICC general secretary Veerappa Moily laid the wreath on behalf of the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. He conveyed the condolence message to Asaduddin Owaisi, MIM's MP from Hyderabad and the new president of MIM.

Mufti Khaleel Ahmad, the head of Jamia Nizamia led the Namaz-e-Janaza, attended by more than lakh of mourners. Later he was laid to rest with full state honors.

Body of Salahuddin Owaisi was brought from his residence to MIM headquarters in a massive procession of thousands of supporters who were raising slogans of "Allah-o-Akbar" (God is Great). Owaisi's three sons Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, Akbaruddin Owaisi, MLA, and Burhanuddin Owaisi Chief Editor Etemaad Urdu Daily were among the pall bearers.

Such was the surge of the people to have the last glimpse of "Salar" as Owaisi was popularly known that the police had a very tough time in holding them back. Many old timers and personal acquaintances of Owaisi broke down.
The United State Consul General in Hyderabad Cornelis M Keur and the Iranian Consul General were among the dignitaries who attended the funeral. Earlier in the day the state director general of police SSP Yadav and Hyderabad police commissioner B Prasad Rao laid wreath on the body at Owaisi's residence and paid their respects.

Speaker K R Suresh Reddy, state Congress president D Srinivas, the state Home Minister K Jana Reddy, the secretaries of CPIM and CPI BV Raghavulu and K Narayana, Nava Telangana Praja Party president T Devender Goud, senior leaders of Telugu Desam and K Chandrashekar Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samiti were among those who attended the funeral. Film star turned politician and Praja Rajyam party president Chiranjeevi visited Owaisi's residence this morning and paid his respects.

"Mr. Owaisi was a powerful and a strong leader who strived to protect the culture and identity of Hyderabad and to solve the problems of Muslim minority. It is very difficult to find another leaders like him", Chiranjeevi said. However the leaders of the state BJP were conspicuous by their absence.Delegations of various Muslim organizations including Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiatul Ulema, Jamiatul Mashaiq also attended the funeral.

The state government had declared a State holiday to the educational institutions and the government offices today as a mark of respect to Owaisi. Salahuddin Owaisi's political career spanning over half a century was extraordinary in the sense that he had started his career as a member of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in 1958 and went on to become the member of Parliament. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Hyderabad for five straight terms. He also served as MLA for 23 years representing different constituencies of the city.

AIMIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi ( Salar e Millat) Passes Away



The Late All India Majlis e Ittheadul Muslimeen President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi (Salar e Millat) in a file Photo after winning the election in 1989.
Second Pic the Body of Late AIMIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi kept in Party Headqaurters in Darrusalam for Last Respects in Hyderabad

AIMIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi ( Salar e Millat) Passes Away Sep 29th, 2008

Hyderabad, Sep 29 (IANS) All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President and former MP Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi ( Salar e Millat) died here Monday night, his family said. He was 76. He was hospitalised about 10 days ago with breathing problems.

Owaisi, who dominated Hyderabad politics for four decades, is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.

He breathed his last around 9 p.m. at his residence in Hyderguda. The end came a few hours after he was shifted from hospital, his son and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said.

His body will be kept at Darussalam, the MIM headquarters, Tuesday morning to enable people to pay their last respects. The burial will take place at the Dargah Hazrat Mohammed Hasan graveyard near the party office.

‘Salar’, as he was popularly known, represented the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency for two decades. He was first elected to parliament in 1984 and re-elected in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998 and 1999.

Owaisi began his political career in his youth and was first elected to the state legislative assembly in 1962. He continued to be a state legislator till he was elected to parliament.As the news of his death spread, shopkeepers in Hyderabad downed shutters and black flags were flown in mourning. Police beefed up security as a precautionary measure.
MIM has one MP and five state legislators from the cityof Hyderabad, where Muslims are an overwhelming majority.

Mr Owaisi headed the AIMIM since 1975 and was Member of Parliament from Hyderabad for six terms from 1984 to 2004. Now, his eldest son Mr Asaduddin Owaisi represents Hyderabad in Parliament. His second son Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi is the floor leader of the five-member MIM group in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

In the post-Independence era, the MIM was revived in 1958 when Mr Salahuddin Owaisi¢s father and eminent lawyer Moulana Abdul Wahed Owaisi was elected its president. Mr Wahed Owaisi, known as Fakhr-e-Millat, held the post till his death in 1975. Mr Salahuddin Owaisi was elected to succeed him as party chief. He was re-elected for six consecutive terms and held the post till his death.
In March 2004, Mr Salahuddin Owaisi opted out of electoral politics and did not contest the Lok Sabha elections, after being elected to the Parliament from Hyderabad for six consecutive terms during two decades (1984-2004). The party fielded his eldest son and two-term legislator Mr Asaduddin Owaisi from Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, who is now serving his maiden term in Parliament.
In his political career spanning 50 years, Mr Salahuddin Owaisi held elective posts for 44 years. He was first elected to the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad as a councilor in 1960. As MIM floor leader, he was the leader of the opposition in MCH for two terms (1960-69). He made into the Assembly in the 1962 polls by trouncing the then Congress minister Mrs Masooma Begum from a city constituency. Again, in 1967, he defeated another Congress minister Mir Ahmed Ali Khan by contesting against him. He was elected to the Assembly for five terms between 1962-1984.

A veteran of electoral battles all through his long political career, Mr Salahuddin Owaisi successfully contested elections 13 times and lost only once in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections. He has steered the party through turbulent times during the last 33 years. The party has grown from strength to strength under his leadership. The MIM currently has five MLAs, one Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and one MP, besides a number of councilors and corporators in municipalities and municipal corporations in the state.
Thanks to his efforts, the MIM, through the Dar-us-Salam Educational Trust, established an Engineering College, a Medical College, a Degree College, and Colleges for MBA, MCA, Pharmacy and Nursing, and an Industrial Training Institute. The MIM also runs a Cooperative Urban Bank, besides two major hospitals in the city. Besides fighting for the rights of the Muslim minority, the party has been espousing the cause of Urdu language, literature and culture.