By Mohd. Ismail Khan and Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles.net,
Bengaluru: At Fazer town anybody you ask knows the way to Roashan Baig’s house, as Mr. Baig puts sarcastically on call, ‘koi bhi badnaam zamana is na-cheez ka pata batla dega,’ ground floor of his virtual compound bungalow has a nice decorated visitors office, where many Congress party workers were already waiting for him to arrive.
Baig, clad in traditional political white formals appeared and is in hurry to attend Congress legislative party meeting. He goes to his private room and gets ready for the interview. First thing before starting the interview he showed was Laurent Gayer and Christophe Jaffrelot major work ‘Muslims in Indian cities – Trajectories of Marginalization’ lying on his table.
‘Have you read this book, very good analysis, this book has praised my efforts in Shivaji Nagar’, tells ever fervent Roshan Baig swinging the book in air. A whole chapter on Shivaji Nagar is dedicated in the book to give a glance to the general situation of Bengaluru Muslims.
Shivaji Nagar is a constituency which is represented by Roshan Baig for five consecutive terms, even from the period when major part of it was in the Jayamahal constituency. The book describes Shivaji Nagar due to its unhygienic conditions as virtual slum, but it has some praises for communal harmony, and some considerable work done by Roshan Baig.
Shivaji Nagar has large Muslim population, and considerable Tamil population, and Roshan Baig is popular among both the communities, even in the places with all the garbage heaps and potholes he is popular due to his constant interaction with the people. In last assembly elections he secured 43,103 votes and defeated his nearest BJP rival with 11,000 votes.
R. Roshan Baig, a LLB dropout, entered into politics since his student days and he contested his first election in RC college for the post of General Secretary and won. He has been General Secretary of All India National Students Union before becoming MLA in 1984 at Janta Party’s ticket. After the split of JP he jumped in the wagon of Congress and since then there was no looking back for Roshan Baig.
He has been five time member of Karnataka Assembly, handled some crucial posts as minister including the Karnataka state home ministry. He is well known local political figure in the state and arguably the most powerful Muslim Congress leader in Karnataka after CK Jaffer Shariff’s retirement.
Roshan Biag with Ghulam Nabi Azad campaigning at Shivaji Nagar
I am not a typical Muslim politician:
Roshan Baig believes his major achievement in his four decade political career is being successful in marinating communal harmony particular in the city of Bangalore and Karnataka in general.
“I am not one of those leaders who will appeal for Shanti (peace) sitting in the A/C room, I believe in working on ground level. Nor I am like that typical Muslim leader who gives rabble rousing speeches; my Hindu brothers in my constituency adores me and always votes for me,” said Baig.
But like a typical Congressi politician he doesn’t forget to add that he joined politics after getting inspired by Indra Gandhi’s leadership.
Indicates long list of achievements but still feel couldn’t do much due to ‘horrible’ Government:
Baig seems to be the man with passion for health care, as in his own words after delimitation of Jayamahal and then getting elected to Shivaji Nagar he made developing hospitals the first priority. Baig said he provided more than 250 beds and ventilators for Bowring and Lady Curzon hospital one of the oldest in Bangalore. He developed Gosha hospital for women with the help of Ghulam Nabi Azad which was originally built by Haji Ismail Sait’s son. Now Baig claims it is a world class hospital for women. Apart from this he said he started a cardiac hospital for Shivaji Nagar residents.
Apart from hospitals, Baig also added that he worked for better housing for slum dwellers. He claims he shifted one slum near CSI hospital to Shantinagar housing society, saying ‘I can pat my own back for my efforts for slum dwellers’. He continued talking about providing housing facilities to Rasool area dwellers, by building Nehrupura housing society, or Rehabilitation of dhobis, or building of housing society near Madrasa Usman from his MLA funds, or his latest effort of building 50 houses at Ramasawamy Palika.
Every time he narrates his achievement, he asks in an assertive manner to cross check it, making sure to get it straight that he is not making false statements on his development work.
But all this apart, Roshan Baig frankly accepted that he couldn’t do much. He said, ‘Personally I am not satisfied with my work’, but he doesn’t totally blame himself for it, he added, ‘due to this present ‘horrible’ Government I couldn’t do much’.
Roshan Baig on inspection tour of his Constituency.
Muslims don’t have civic sense should come out of their ghetto mentality and develop like American Jews:
Although Shivaji Nagar has been a commercial center but most part of the area, especially the Muslim dominated one gave an appearance of urban slum. When confronted on the reason behind this situation local MLA, Roshan Baig said nothing much could be done without the cooperation of local people. ‘They do not have any civic sense, I even asked our Moulanas to give Friday sermons on the importance of keeping localities clean.’
‘I am doing the best I can do,’ adds Roshan Baig saying that he built water pipelines and made safe drinking water accessible. But he adds that like any other old part of the city with congested lines its gets difficult to carry out development work, especially when ‘people don’t want to cooperate with civic authorities, government officials and state itself.’
Roshan Baig said he wants Muslims to leave their ghetto mentality and should come out of their isles to mingle with other communities. He gave the example of American Jews and he wants his community members to be like them. ‘Look at Jews in America how they developed, because they concentrated more on education, not on religious showoff,’ he added.
Roshan Baig along with his faimly and film star Divya Sapandana campigning in Shivaji Nagar
Not a bonded labor of any political party, never felt shy of raising Muslim issues
Roshan baig claims that he stood up for Muslims and never felt shy or embarrassed in rising Muslim issues. ‘I can proudly say so, that many times I raised Muslim issues on the floor of the house,’ even if you have to cross the party line? ‘I was not a bonded labor when I was in Janta Party, when I started my political career with Congress I maintained it, I always maintained my independent identity,’ said he tapping his own hand as manner of self-esteem on every stroke of answer.
Muslim political ‘outfits’ will end up dividing Muslim votes:
There has been a rise of Muslim centric political parties in Karnataka, motivated with the feeling that big time politicians like Roshan Baig was unable to deliver on Muslim expectations, asked if those parties can be of any good to Muslim community, Baig responds in a reserved manner ‘let them try, they will end up dividing Muslim community votes.’
Baig then added, “I am not saying Congress is an angel, nor any other political party which claims to be the champion of minorities, but we have experience of Uttar Pradesh where what Muslim political parties (he snapped for a second than said), Muslim outfits like Peace Party were able to achieve.”
Speaking about WPI and SDPI Baig said he has respect and regards for Jamat-e-Islami’s WPI and wish SDPI all the very best but he doesn’t think both the parties will be able to make any difference as he believes, ‘You need to take all the sections of the society along with, days are gone when Muslims can win on their own, being with national political party is in the larger interest of the community.’
A filthy street in the Muslim dominated Shivaji Nagar.
Muslim should abandon laid back attitude and fight Sangh Parivar:
On the rising communal forces in the region and the growing attack on Muslims especially in the coastal belt, Baig commented that he always raised these issues on the floor of the House and making his best efforts to make a split in Sangh Parivar. Then with smirk on his face he added ‘I cannot go on record on every strategy we adapt to contain them’.
Roshan Baig said he himself has been a victim of Sangh Parivar attacks and reminded the incident at Kollar district where he was badly injured. He said since his student days he is fighting with ABVP and other RSS outfits.
But Baig felt the laid back attitude of Muslim community is encouraging Sangh Parivar. ‘Get up agitate, organize,’ Baig said tightening his fists, ‘If Roshan Baig is at fault make an agitation in front of my house, question me on my works, I want more RTI activists in our community, so that administration will be alert, we have to fight with this elements within the legal frame work.’
Muslim dominated belt of Shivaji Nagar appears to be more of an urban slum.
I don’t believe in political party manifesto:
When Baig was asked what will his party do for oppressed communities in Karnataka if voted to power, his sharp and candid response was, ‘honestly speaking I don’t believe in the manifesto of political parties.’ He declined to speak on his party’s promises but he gave a perspective of what he wants to do for the community.
“I want to provide my community Aehsaas-e-Tahafuz (feeling of security), it is the major problem facing by Muslims especially in Karnataka. I have been Home Minister so I know the pulse of the people. I want to strive for providing a safe life for the community without the fear of bogus terror arrests or the assault of right wing organizations,” Roshan Baig said.
Than like new age Muslim politician who now doesn’t restrict poll plank on security issues, he adds some more development promises. ‘I want to provide basic amenities to the Muslim localities, better infrastructure facilities, and proper housing to help them come out of their ghettos,’ he then adds his most ambitious plan, ‘I am working hard to make health facilities available to poor, I am trying to make generic drugs accessible to not only poor Muslims, but also poor from other communities.’
It is widely believed that Baig will retain his seat easily, as both the opponents of JDU and BJP are outsiders. Seeing Shivaji Nagar one can easily make out that there is an urgent need of maintenance. Roshan Baig has all the major plans and promises for his voters in Shivaji Nagar constituency, residents just hope that it does not remain just poll promises. One can only expect that a situation won’t arise (as Roshan baig himself asked for) of a dharna outside his house, and poll promises are kept.
Related:
Karnataka Assembly Elections