By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: On his 84th birth anniversary, observed as Yaum-e-Urdu (Urdu Day), politicians and community leaders lined up to shower praise on late freedom fighter, politician and leader of Urdu movement, Ghulam Sarwar, in a program on 10th January in Patna.
Ghulam Sarwar Memorial Society headed by Ghulam Ghose, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Council, organized the memorial program at Shri Krishna Memorial Hall in Bihar’s capital to remember the contributions and services of Ghulam Sarwar (10th Jan. 1926-17th Oct. 2004) for the community and Urdu and also to boost the movement for Urdu.
It was the magic of Ghulam Sarwar’s impressive personality that despite very cold temperature, a large number of people from across the state came to attend the program.
Addressing the gathering, Lok Janshakti Party chief Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan said: “There are many netas (leaders) and neeties (policies) but most of them do not have good niyat (intention). Ghulam Sarwar was a man of good intention. He had wide heart and superb mind which helped him to serve the downtrodden people throughout his life.”
He also expressed his anguish over the program of RSS in Gandhi Maidan, Patna. “After 25 years RSS was allowed to hold an open program where they spread poison of hatred and Nitish Kumar went to Rajgir for picnic and to tell RSS workers to do whatever they wanted.”
“These RSS people are coward as they are attacking those minorities who are protecting the borders of the country — in Kashmir Muslims, in Himachal Pradesh Christians, in Punjab Sikhs, in Ladakh Buddhists,” he added.
In his speech, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Mr. Lalu Prasad recalled his strong relation with late Ghulam Sarwar.
“I had always called Ghulam Sarwar ji uncle and consulted to him in every matter. He was sincere leader who did not do anything for his self but did a lot for deprived people. He had been distributing even his salary among needy people. Today, as we are here to remember him, we should promise to make his vision true by our sincere efforts that will be the real homage to him” he urged.
“Ghulam Sarwar went village to village and street to street for Urdu Movement and sat on hunger strike with his supporters and at last Urdu was granted the status of second official language in Bihar” said Masoom Ashrafi, one of the colleagues of Ghulam Sarwar.
Speaking on the occasion, former chairman of Bihar Madarsa Board Professor Abdul Hakeem said that Ghulam Sarwar was endowed with all good qualities. On whichever post he was he served that in unique way. “Whenever Urdu will be talked about in Bihar, Ghulam Sarwar will be remembered. Today we are remembering him, but true homage to him is to forward the struggle for Urdu in united way” he added.
Editor of Sangam daily, Advocate Mazahiruddin said: “Ghulam Sarwar was the first person who made Urdu an election issue in 1967 assembly election. He announced that Muslims and Urdu-loving people will vote for those who will promise in written that after winning, they will make efforts for Urdu. So, whoever signed that agreement, he campaigned for them irrespective of their parties. His whole life is full of struggle for Urdu.”
“Ghulam Sarwar spent his life in fighting for oppressed and backward people. He wanted to see Muslims united because they are already lagging behind in every field and if they shatter, they will devastate. Today when we are facing discrimination, we need to follow his footsteps” opined RJD senior leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan.
“It is Urdu which gave slogan of Inqilab Zindabad which played a vital role to wake Indians for freedom struggle. But after partition when Urdu was accepted as official language of Pakistan, communalist extremists targeted Urdu. Ghulam Sarwar raised the voice for due right of Urdu language” said Ilyas Hussain ex-Minister of Bihar.
“Earlier 30-33 percent Urdu knowing students were selected in BPSC examination and many minority students got chance to be collector, SP etc. but recently BPSC exam retuned only two Urdu students. Did number of Urdu students reduce or were they sidelined according to plan?” he asked.
Recalling Ghulam Sarwar’s speaking quality former HRD Minister for state, Mr Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi said: “In 1975 which was the period of Emergency and I was student in Aligarh Muslim University, I invited Ghulam Sarwar sahib to address the student union meeting. We were afraid that he might say anything against government and be arrested. He spoke more than one hour against Emergency but so nicely and using good language that police administration did not find anything wrong.”
He also said that Urdu is not the language of any particular community but it is a language of affection, harmony and sympathy.
Mr. Ghulam Sarwar was an influential speaker, fearless journalist, flourishing politician, unique social leader and a successful educationist.
Though he was LLB degree holder but he was extraordinary fond of Urdu language. He started many newspapers to convey his message and also to reform the community. Samaj, Naujwan, Siyasat and Sangam dailies are some of them that were published under the editorship of Ghulam Sarwar.
He became education Minister of Bihar in 1977 and was given responsibility of Speaker of Bihar Assembly in 1990. In 1995 he was made agriculture minister of Bihar – the post he had till his death in 2004.
The program was started with the recitation of the Qur’an and presided over by RJD state president Mr. Abdul Bari Siddiqi while it was inaugurated by Lalu Prasad Yadav. Others prominent personalities who were present at the occasion are RJD leader Ram Kirpal Yadav, Shakuni Chowdhry, deputy speaker of Bihar Assembly, former Minister of Bihar Jai Prakash and many others.