But the JDU-BJP government of Nitish Kumar has not included Younus in the state government’s official list of chief ministers of Bihar since 1937. The list recently uploaded on the website of Bihar Assembly starts with the name of Shri Krishna Singh.
By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: When on Sunday Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar was lamenting that people do not know about the first chief minister of Bihar Mohammad Younus, he perhaps had no idea that his own government has forgotten the man – deliberately or whatever. Barrister Mohammad Younus took oath as first chief minister (then called premier) of Bihar on 1st April 1937 after the first assembly polls in which his Muslim Independent Party had emerged second largest party. He led the minority government of his party for about four months till the Congress, the first largest party, decided to form the government. Younus resigned and Shri Krishna Singh of Congress became chief minister on 20th July 1937. But a list of chief ministers of Bihar (since 1937 till now) recently uploaded on the official website of Bihar Assembly has not included Mohammad Younus. The list starts with the name of Shri Krishna Singh.
L-R: Prof. Alimullah Hali, Nitish Kumar, Dr Imtiyaz Ahmed and Mohammad Kashif Yunus
Speaking at the program organized by Younus’s grandson Adv. Kashif Younus in Patna on the occasion of 60th death anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Nitish Kumar said: “All people do not know that Mohammad Younus was the first chief minister (premier) of Bihar in 1937. He was made chief minister of an interim government as Congress declined to form the government citing some discretionary powers of the governor. Younus remained CM for first four months.”
At the conference, Nitish announced that from next year the state government will celebrate the birth anniversary of first chief minister of Bihar Mohammad Younus on 4th May. But the first thing Nitish should do now is to ask his officials as to how the name of Mohammad Younus was not included in the official list of chief ministers of Bihar since 1937.
Chief Ministers since 1937
[Source: http://vidhansabha.bih.nic.in/pdf/Chief_Ministers_since_1937.pdf]
In his speech Nitish heaped praise on Bihar’s first CM Mohammad Younus and counted his excellent work he did as CM just within four months. “He did great work for urban local bodies, Urdu language and income tax relief for waqf properties. He set up Bihar Young Men’s Institute. Most importantly, he vowed he won’t allow any communal violence during his government. And when a communal incident happened in Aurangabad, he immediately visited the place and himself controlled the situation. You can imagine the hard work as there was not much means of communication and transportation. Even telephone connections were not there.”
Addressing the gathering, Maulana Anisur Rahman Qasmi, Nazim, Imarat Shariah (Bihar, Jharkhand & Orissa), also counted the good work of Mohammad Younus. “Generally, not many good words are said about politics, but we have not heard any using bad words about Younus sahib,” said Maulana Qasmi. He also informed that Mohammad Younus had been part of Imarat Shariah.
Younus formed Independent Party in 1936 with the help of Maulana Abul Mohasin Sajjad (Founder of Imarat-e-Shariah) and became its Founder President. It is said Mohammad Ali Jinnah persuaded him to merge his party with Muslim League before 1937 election. But Younus rejected the offer and contested the polls in alliance with Congress. His Independent Party emerged second largest party after Congress in the House. He took oath as first Premier (now chief minister) of Bihar province on 1st April 1937. He remained on the post for about 4 months.
Audience
Mohammad Younus was born on 4th May 1884 at Panehara village in Masaurhi area of Patna. Younus was born in a family of lawyers and jurists. His father Maulvi Ali Hassan Mukhtar was advocate. His grandfather Maulvi Mohammad Azam retired as District Judge of Munger in Bihar. And now his grandson Kashif Younus is also practicing law in Supreme Court of India.
Mohammad Younus died on 13th May 1952 of heart attack in London. He was buried in London.