Muhammed Ahmed a tailor by profession and social activist by passion has received an award on Republic Day from Unnao Police administration for his social services and peace efforts. Muhammed Ahmed a member of Unnao Peace Committee, president of Unnao Qabristan Committee and president of Lawaris Lash Committee earn his livelihood from his tailoring shop in Unnao but he is very much engaged with social problems also. “This award will only reactivate my zeal to stay with society and its problems. This award is for my peace efforts which mean Muslims in Unnao are peace loving and that we will not allow any disturbance from any side. If police is alert on communal forces, there is no problem for peace.” Muhammed Ahmed says after receiving the award. Vice president of Uttar Pradesh Women Commission Namrata Pathak was chief guest of the award ceremony who wished Muhammed Ahmed and gave the award. SP Unnao AK Shukla congratulated Muhammed Ahmed in his letter of appreciation which says that his responsible role as social activist has helped Unnao Police to maintain law and order and he wishes all the best for his future endeavors. Former MP Anwar Ahmed, former MLA Sundar Lal, Former Unnao CO Dinesh Singh are among who congratulated Muhammed Ahmed for this award. Supporters and local people gathered at his shop after the news spread about the award and people felt proud that a person among them has been awarded.
Although Muhammed Ahmed couldn’t receive any formal education, today he raises daily issues of Muslims in Unnao to local administration and to the state government. More than 3 hundred RTI applications, two hundred letters to Human Right Commission, Minority Commission, Prime Minister’s office, Chief Minister’s office and all major political offices in the country, hundreds of memorandums to local and state administration and uncounted demonstrations, protests and meetings to draw issues of poor, unemployed, and underprivileged people in the district. His office is covered with old files of memorandums submitted by him, press clippings of important local and national news, and five files full of his own activities published in Unnao’s news papers. Nearly 200 unattended Muslim bodies have been handed over to him by local administration to take care their last rites according to Islam. Muhammed Ahmed says “I am doing what I consider best for people around me. There is lot of pain and problems in daily life of poor. They are kicked out of offices for ration cards, pension cards, widow pension cards etc. Poor’s life is full of struggle and I prefer to be part of their daily struggle for life.”
Muhammed Ahmed started his life as a simple tailoring worker. His father Abdul Latif was president of Jamat Islami Hind for which he was grilled and detained by local police in 1992 after demolition of Babri Masjid. During curfew when his father was thrown in jail, he struggled for his own family as well as all people of his locality to get them supply of daily commodities, milk and water and medicine. The 1992 incidents transformed him from only young tailor to socially concerned person. Today he not only leads local groups, he is also district president of Indian Union Muslim League and State Committee member of the Muslim League. He also unsuccessfully contested assembly election in 2002 from Unnao constituency.
In a district where Muslims constitute only 11% with little political and social clout, Muslims in small villages are often targeted by communal forces and sometimes social and economic boycott has been imposed on him. In 2009, Muhammed Ahmed assembled with his 50 workers at magistrate office late in night of Ramazan when Muslims of Sikandarpur village near Unnao were not allowed to pray Tarawih and local shopkeepers were asked not to sell anything to Muslims. After realizing seriousness of boycott, police acted early in the morning and clamped down against communal forces in Sikandarpur. His struggle and works has attracted many educated youths to support him and they are writing drafts and letters for Muhammed Ahmed. Dharmendra Singh Chauhan a local advocates who look after legal issues of Muhammed Ahmed’s works, explains that his sincerity and simplicity is most attractive value for me which forced me to assist him.
0 टिप्पणियाँ:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें