An initiative by a former AMU Vice-Chancellor General Zameeruddin Shah to follow the steps of his predecessors like Saiyid Hamid, Col. Basheer Husain Zaidi and Badruddin Tyabji to Withdraw the Muslim Claim to Babri Masjid
(Ather Farouqui is an eminent writer and translator who has published eight books in Urdu and two books in English, and is also the author of Islamic Banking in India at the service of Pan-Islamists which forced the UPA-II to reverse the decision to allow Islamic banking, and of Marx My Word, a unique play of Marxist dichotomy. He has a PhD degree from JNU. For long, he has been arguing that instead of modernizing Deeni Madrasas, the government should provide Urdu education as part of the secular curriculum at the school level itself. A Sahitya Akademi awardee, he is the editor of Muslims and Media Images (2010), and Redefining Urdu Politics in India (2005) published by the Oxford University Press. Both books have still been surviving in bookshops Presently, he is the General Secretary of Urdu Ghar and lives in New Delhi. His translation of the 1964 biography of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor, based on archival sources entitled The Life and Poetry of Bahadur Shah Zafar, (2017) has been well-received. Views expressed here are personal)
Not only has General Zameeruddin Shah, former deputy chief of army staff, a well-respected and decorated soldier and former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University AMU, given a statement to advise Muslims to withdraw their claim to the Babri Masjid but the statement has also been given maximum publicity his family especially his daughter Saira Shah Halim. Without going into the subtle wordplay of his statement, its crux is that Muslims should be generous and withdraw their claim to the disputed site which has great sanctity for the Hindus. General Shah is the FOURTH Vice-Chancellor of AMU who has enjoined this course upon Indian Muslims. General Shah is a straightforward soldier, true to the reputation of an Indian army man. I can say, based on my personal experience, that he has the innocence of a true pathan, a compliment indeed as Pathans are not hypocrites but the tribe has been diminishing fast. The statement from him has come at a time when the date of the Supreme Court is quite close (in less than) to deliver its judgment on the issue. If all goes according to schedule, and Indian political will doesn’t undergo a radical change in the meantime, it will be delivered in approximately a month’s time. I only hope that my saying that the Muslim chances of winning the case are almost nil, will not attract contempt of court simply because it is the opinion of a common man who has been following the politics and court proceedings on the matter—including poor advocacy by third rate lawyers when the case was pending at the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad bench—since the day when the gate of the mosque had opened under mysterious circumstances. Besides even if Muslims win the case, given the nature of Indian polity and the general atmosphere, they will never be able to build a mosque in Ayodhya. If Hindus win the case, it is the end of the story like many other stories of Muslim struggle which have exhausted them but made no sense in the first place, in post-partition India. Cynics may say what they like, but the General’s statement is apparently not at the behest of the government of the day or concerned Hindu parties. The only logic behind it is to get some publicity or, in all likelihood, garner some post from the government of the day for a retired General. The irony is that the General does not really know how to grab public attention so this ploy is also bound to fail like his earlier one in which he had tried to sell the story of the Gujarat riots for selling the book which too did not work particularly well.
Irrespective of General Shah’s motives, the important thing is the continuity in the views or at least declared public views of the former Vice Chancellors. All of them predating the General were shrewder than him and their initiative was clearly at the political behest of the Congress as they were all staunch and open loyalists of Congress, and got maximum benefits from Nehru family. General Shah has been unlucky on this count. Though appointed Vice-Chancellor by the Congress, most parts of his tenure was in BJP’s time when he made a number of faux pas to the extent of becoming a laughing stock and his Gujarat story could not bear fruit as Modi did not lose in 2019!!!
At the hearing of the Babri Masjid case in the Supreme Court, the relevant bench on 26 February 2019 decided to explore the possibility of a negotiated settlement and pronounced that it would pass orders on a court-appointed mediation process on 6 March, the next date of hearing. According to media reports, the court has inherent powers to do so in accordance with provisions under Section 89 of the Civil Procedure Code. Moreover, as the reports suggested, parties claiming to be fighting the case for the Mandir on behalf of the Hindus were not willing to do so in the beginning. Ultimately the mediation failed and the case is now in the last leg of hearing.
It is also relevant to say that most of the parties fighting for the cause of Babri Masjid are self-appointed guardians of Islam and, as a result, Indian Muslims are, in no way, being properly represented in this case.
The collective public memory of Indians is short. Sooner or later this case too will be a part of history. It is appropriate to mention that at one point in time, a section of Muslim elite was willing to go in for reconciliation; however, it was not reciprocated by the then leader of the Ram Mandir Movement, Mr L.K. Advani. The initiator, the late Saiyid Hamid, former Vice-Chancellor of AMU (1980-85), who was well regarded among Indian Muslims—after relinquishing the charge of the Vice Chancellorship when he was considered as Yazid by an emotionally charged community whose perplexity cannot be diagnosed by a psychiatrist—and a blue-eyed boy of Ms Indira Gandhi, was of the opinion: ‘The fact that the Babri Masjid should be made to stand in its original place is not based on consideration of ground realities. What purpose does it serve in any case?’
Mr Saiyid Hamid argued that even a strong Prime Minister would neither be able to remove the idols nor reconstruct the Masjid. Knowing Muslims to be a very sentimental and fragile natured community, I will not quote what Hamid Sahab has written in favour of the proposal. It can be found, by those who are interested, in Saiyid Hamid’s book, Azmayish ki Ghari (Test of Time), published by Maktaba Jamia Limited, New Delhi in April 1993.
Thus, let me put on record the facts of the initiative under the leadership of Saiyid Hamid to withdraw the Muslim claim to the Mosque. According to Mr Hamid, three former Vice-Chancellors (all now deceased), Col Bashirul Husain Zaid, Badruddin Tyyabji and Saiyid Hamid himself, had written to Mr L.K. Advani on 23 August 1990, seeking time in regard to the latter’s offer in August 1990. The offer mentioned that if Muslims were willing to shift the Basbri Masjid with dignity, Hindus could be persuaded to withdraw their claims to other mosques. According to the late Saiyid Hamid, Mr Advani was asked by his advisors not to go ahead with this offer. Hence, he chose not to even acknowledge the letter.
That a section of Muslims (not representing all Muslims and without being able to say how many) could have supported the move and the initiative of the former Vice-Chancellors of the AMU which was not entertained by Mr Advani, today may seem surprising. This is just for posterity’s sake as I have, by chance, laid my hands on Saiyid Hamid’s book at the time of General Zameeruddin Shah’s statement and thought of putting the record straight. The Urdu translation of the letter written to Mr L.K. Advani in English is included in the book. Saiyid Hamid was such a rare master of languages that neither could his English be translated into Urdu nor his Urdu into English; hence, I am unable to put the English translations on record. To understand Saiyid Hamid’s Urdu was quite a task!!!
A note on General Zameeruddin Shah
What I have written in my previous post today in regard to General Zameeruddin Shah’s proposal to withdraw the claim by Muslims from the disputed site of Babri Masjid/Ram Janmabhoomi may give currency to a number misunderstandings, I thought it would be best to express my impressions about him to clear the air. In fact, I have written an article on my perception of and interactions with the Vice-Chancellors of the AMU from A.M. Khusro to the predecessor of General Shah. The present piece will be an addition to the first publication. It is in the fitness of things to clarify that I was never a student of the AMU. I visited the University for seeking admission as a post-graduate student but could found it difficult to stay there even for a day. Only my temperament can be blamed for it.
After the Congress lost power in 2014, Professor Abul Hasan Siddiqui, a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor (who, as far as I remember, bears the credit for bringing considerable donations to the University for the first time in the 1990s. it was his old student Mr Nadeem Tarin sahib. Initially Mr Tarin agreed for a donation of two crore rupees to construct a hostel but after the completion the cost was more than double of the initial estimate which was borne by Mr Tarin only), was keen to celebrate Duty Society (an organization which was established as part of the Sir Syed movement to undertake the duty of helping needy children, hence the name) centenary in the presence of the President of India. Unfortunately, the President’s office did not respond to the invitation by the Vice-Chancellor as well as the head of the Duty Society, Professor Siddiqui. Professor Siddiqui had asked me to involve a particular gentleman, one of the finest statesmen of India, to request the President’s office. The gentleman—a real gentleman whom I’m designating so not out of irony but only to conceal his identity—agreed. It was felt that the then President Mr Pranab Mukherjee would not turn down his request to open the celebrations. The gentleman asked for an appointment with the president, rather than directly seeking his presence to inaugurate the centenary as he felt it would be more polite to invite him in person.
The President’s office did not confirm an appointment for many months as the letter candidly and with dignity disclosed the purpose of the requested meeting. In the meantime, perhaps the UGC had mooted a proposal for one all India entrance for admission in all central universities and minority sensibilities perceived it as a major threat to the minority status of institutions like the AMU.
It so happened that around that time, I was made a member of a selection committee at the AMU for a post which required the knowledge of libraries and archives, both of which Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Hind) has. It was somewhat strange as I had never been to the AMU but without thinking about it too much, I reached there. The General, I mean Zameeruddin Shah Sahib, did not extend the usual courtesy of meeting the members of the selection committee who were made to sit in the registrar’s office and not even in a visitors’ room.
A little later, we proceeded to the large room where the interviews were to be conducted. General sahib appeared with an aura around him and he introduced himself as General Shah without him being bothered with our names; his clothing from the standard of the AMU was strange but pleasant. He did not speak a word of Hindustani during, before or after the interview. A professor of the history department, maybe the then head, was also a part of the selection committee and, as we realized later, was pre-determined to select his favourite following the tradition in every university and every selection committee. No sooner did the interviews conclude, the professor started to announce the verdict even though courtesy demands that the VC initiate the discussion to ask the opinions of the external experts. But the local professor authoritatively declared the selection. Maybe he was close to the Vice-Chancellor.
The VC too seemed convinced. When he looked around to seek the counsel of the external experts, he started with me as I was sitting right next to him. I mentioned that I would be left with no other option but to write a note of dissent if the VC chose to go ahead with the professor’s choice that had been announced like a diktat. My intervention forced General Sahib to take another external expert’s opinion, who, while he did not say that he would go to the extent of writing a note of dissent, clearly stated that he did not agree with the professor.
A note of dissent is an exceptional occurrence and is difficult to defend in the court if the selection is challenged, but experts generally avoid it due to their vested interests. General Sahib put on a brave face and asked my opinion about whom he should select; I gave it. The other experts too agreed with my choice, and, like an army General with absolute authority, he ignored the history professor’s choice. He then completed the rest of the formalities of the selection himself. Happily, General Sahib appointed the candidate of our choice, attested by our signatures. Then, without any parting exchange, he left the room.
Coincidentally the very next day, the President of India gave an appointment for the day after the next and all the members decided to meet at the IIC annexe lounge. I reached a little early. To my surprise, General Sahib genuinely did not recognize me. We spoke for a few minutes, and I found that he was a man full only of himself. Although, I did not mind it much. Maybe we can accept arrogant superstar behavior from a Vice-Chancellor with over 30,000 students respecting him and incompetent teachers and other incapable staff with no choice for survival but to please the boss. Moreover, he became, like every other Vice-Chancellor of the AMU, much adulated in the Muslim community during his tenure.
We met the President of India along with the then Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, another character. As we were about to sit, in his enthusiasm, General Sahib grabbed the chair next to the President, designated for the first lady who was not present at that meeting. The President had to request him to take another seat politely. My apologies for the fact that I will not be able to disclose the conversation we had there, but I can share that the meeting was useless, and a waste of time for the President. The gentleman made a very good opening to the meeting by elaborating about the Duty Society and outlining the harm a common entrance would do to the AMU and Jamia Millia Islamia. One could not tell what was in President’s mind but he listened carefully and promised to talk to the MHRD in this regard. After that, we did not hear about the proposal. All this happened in first the ten minutes as the gentleman is a master of the art of conversation and protocol. In the meantime, tea arrived and the discussion became free and candid. I cannot disclose anymore.
When the meeting concluded, General Sahib requested the President if he could speak privately with him. I will not term this action as a breach of protocol, impropriety or impoliteness as the President himself allowed his request. But I will say that it seemed out of place in a space where protocol is well defined. The meeting took longer than we expected, and we waited in the visitors’ room.
Thereafter the President did not respond in regard to the Duty Society centenary. There was a lot of gossips that General Sahib did not want the President to open the celebrations, and in the private conversation, he must have indicated so. I am not privy to any information in this regard and in no position to offer an opinion.
While we waited for our cars, the gentleman offered us some coffee in his nearby office, but, just as before, General Sahib did not pay attention to him. He left without thanking the gentleman for his help, seemingly puffed up with his private meeting. The other members were ashamed and Professor Siddiqui and Nadeem Tarin sahib did try their best to manage the ugly situation. Nadeem Sahib had agreed to bear all the expenses of the Centenary celebrations to the tune of 50 lakhs!!! Then they all went to the gentleman’s place for coffee. Nadeem Sahib in his usual humble manner even tried to cover up for the VC, saying that he had to rush for another meeting.
Last year, an exceptionally kind gentleman of old values, a hardcore left-winger if not a communist, met General Sahib somewhere and thought of inviting him for dinner. I was also around at that time met him and he invited me too. The evening was perfect, and General Sahib, accompanied by his gracious wife, was in a very mellow mood after his retirement. He had a long conversation with me, enquiring about the Anjuman and promising to visit Urdu Ghar. Even though I knew it was impolite, considering the sophistication of the host and General Sahib’s unusually generous mood, I asked General Shah if I could ask him a question. He readily agreed.
I shall not repeat the question, but it must have come as a rude shock to him as it was about his most controversial appointment of a dubious character directly as a professor at the AMU. The person was considered most dangerous even by the ulema in 1990s. Our host was surprised when I had disclosed the candidate’s credentials, and General Sahib verified the facts. To his credit, General Zameeruddin Shah bluntly told the truth which, of course, cannot be disclosed on social media and is quite ugly.
I have tried to be honest in stating the facts without any dramatic additions. After his statement on Babri Masjid, I think people outside the AMU fraternity, for whom he had already become completely worthless, including the alumni abroad, will be much interested in his persona.
(PLEASE WRITE TO ME: farouqui@yahoo.com AS THIS IS THE ONLY DIRECT EMAIL ID WHICH IS OPERATED BY ME ONLY)
اطہر فاروقی