2-day exhibition on ‘Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters’ to begin on June 30

Hyderabad: For the first time in the city, the exhaustive works of historian Syed Naseer Ahamed on ‘Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters’ along with 155 of their portraits will be exhibited in the heart of the city. The tech-savvy youth who have taken the responsibility of hosting the two-day event hopes to break the myths over contributions of Muslims in the freedom struggle.

The event which will be organised at Bookworms Reading Room in Red Hills on June 30 and July 1 is expected to inaugurate by renowned personalities from the city, while the author, Syed Naseer who will be available at the exhibition will clarify any doubts about the personalities whose portraits will be showcased. “To break the myth of every person who believes Muslims have given no contribution to India’s freedom struggle, we wish to highlight the works of this historian from Nellore. It’s probably only Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s name which comes to our mind if asked about Muslims who fought for India’s freedom.

Alas, the modern Indian history books or syllabus has no space for many other brave souls who lived, fought and died to see our country, India, free of foreign powers. Hence, we have decided to organise this exhibition,” said Dr Syed Faheem, one of the organisers. For instance, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar was an Indian Muslim leader, activist, scholar, journalist and a poet, and was among the leading figures of the Khilafat Movement, which was supported by Mahatma Gandhi then. Faheem reminds that Jauhar had proclaimed ‘I will step on my mother land only when the proclamation declaring freedom to my country reaches my hands. They should give either Independence to my country or two yards of land for my grave’.

Another freedom fighter. a woman, Abadi Bano Begum (1850–1924) was one of the first Muslim women to actively take part in politics and was part of the movement to free India from the British Raj. He cites that this great lady declared that ‘even dogs and cats of my country should not be in the slavery of the British’, who later became the source of inspiration to the women of India to fight against British rule.

“Ironically, in present day India, even a freedom fighter is judged on the basis of their religion”, says another organiser Karishma, a Chartered Accountant and adds, “many a people believe Muslims did not contribute to India’s Independence from the British rule”. Karishma has taken this initiative of showcasing the ‘positive side’ of the contribution of Muslims in building this ‘great nation’.

BY Md Nizamuddin