Indian expats recall Owaisi’s contribution

Jeddah, Feb 9: The Jeddah-based Bazm-e-Ittehad organized a grand poetry evening on Thursday to pay respects to a popular Indian Muslim politician from Hyderabad.

“The late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi gave voice to a people who found themselves with no voice, and leadership to a people who were rudderless in the aftermath of the country’s partition in 1947,” said Ahmeduddin Owaisi, the president of Bazm-e-Ittehad, and the leader’s brother.

“Those were difficult times and no one was ready to don the mantle of the community,” he said in his presidential address. “My father Abdul Wahed Owaisi and brother, who later came to be known as Salar-e-Millat (leader of the community), had immense organizational skills and set up dozens of institutions providing succor to the needy members of the community.”

He said Salahuddin Owaisi led from the front and never hesitated to speak the truth. “There was no one to come forward, there was this all-pervading fear, but he managed to salvage the pride of the community by contesting and winning with huge margins municipal, assembly and parliamentary elections from Hyderabad, a predominantly Muslim metropolis in south India.”

The city is still represented in the Indian Parliament by the politician’s charismatic eldest son Asaduddin Owaisi while his youngest son leads Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) in the assembly with seven members.

The patron of Bazm-e-Ittehad, Dr. Syed Ali Mahmood, highlighted the many activities carried out by the Owaisi family, including setting up various educational and medical institutions.

“We cannot imagine what it was like in the late 1940s in Hyderabad. It was a period of untold misery for Muslims. It needed leaders like Abdul Wahed Owaisi and Salahuddin Owaisi to restore the confidence of the community. They did so and taught their people to hold their heads high. It is because of that dedication that Hyderabadis flourished in all walks of life, including here in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Mahmood said the late leader would frequently visit Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and pray at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. “Whenever Salar-e-Millat would come to Jeddah, we would organize grand events in his honor, and today’s poetry evening is to remember him, his service, his dedication to scale new heights under the dynamic leadership of his able sons,” he said.

Indian Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai was the chief guest at the event. He praised the contribution of the Owaisi family to the community and the nation’s development. “If we can only do 10 percent of the social work that Salahuddin Owaisi has done, then we will see rapid strides in the community’s development,” he said.

He praised Bazm-e-Ittehad and its office-bearers for many social and educational activities and wished them good luck in their future endeavors. “They deserve congratulations,” he said.

A prominent longtime Jeddah-based community elder Sharief Aslam was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the community. “It gives the Bazm-e-Ittehad great privilege to honor Sharief who has behind him 50 years of service as a journalist and writer,” said Ahmeduddin Owaisi.

An anthology of Urdu poems by prominent Jeddah poet Mahtab Qadr, called “Chaaon Sahra Ki,” was released at the event. Qadr’s poems have received critical acclaim.

The mushaira was a big a hit with Indian and Pakistani poets regaling the capacity crowd until 3 a.m.

The pick of the poets were Mohammad Ali Wafa (Kuwait), Sardar Saleem (Hyderabad), Aslam Farshori (Hyderabad), Rabab Rashidi (Lucknow), Naeem Bazidpuri (Jeddah), Ahmed Rais Nizami (Ujjain), Anwar Ansari (Jeddah), Qamar Haider Qamar (Jeddah), Muhammad Mujahid Syed (Jeddah), Nasser Barni (Jeddah), Iqbal Belan (Nizamabad), Shiraz Mahdi (Dammam) and Kareem Beebani (Jeddah).

The Kingdom’s first officially recognized Urdu poet, Dr. Naeem Hamid Ali Al-Hamid, provided the mushaira with the much-needed depth.

Wafa delighted the audience with some exquisite couplets and was continually asked to deliver more. He obliged every time with memorable couplets in his rich baritone voice.

Sardar Asar, from Hyderabad, garnered a great deal of appreciation with his humorous couplets and repartee. He brought the house down with his rib-tickling compositions delivered in his trademark Deccani style.

Bazm-e-Ittehad Vice President Mohammad Ubaidur Rehman introduced the guests; General Secretary Mohammad Abdul Qayyum anchored the first session and adviser Mazher Ali Baig delivered the vote of thanks.