By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi : Writers and journalists have
severely condemned an attempt to tarnish the image of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in
Safdar Imam Qadri’s article "Sir Syed aur Inquilab-e-Satawan" (Sir Syed and ’57
Revolution) published in a renowned government Urdu monthly Aaj Kal‘s special issue on 1857.
In a letter addressed to Union Minister for
Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Das Munshi, the concerned writers
demanded the sacking of the Ministry’s Director Publication Division Veena Jain
and Editor of the magazine Khursheed Akram for publishing such an article aimed
at character assassination of a great personality of the stature of Sir Syed.
They included Professor Aslam Azad (MLC
Patna), Dr Maula Bakhsh of Dayal Singh College, poet and journalist Dr Mushtaque Sadaf, Dr Kausar Mazhari of Jamia
Millia Islamia and others.
They also warned of a countrywide agitation
if the Ministry fails to meet their demands immediately.
Professor Azad said the publication of the
article which presents Sir Syed as anti-secular, supporter of the British,
anti-freedom struggle, and enemy to the poor and downtrodden is a highly
irresponsible act on the part of both the Editor and the Director Publication
Division of the Ministry.
"Publication of such a defamatory article
against Sir Syed, whose services to the nation as well as the community have
been recognised by people like Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru, might be part of
a conspiracy and product of an immature mind," he said.
Dr Maula Bakhsh said that the fans of Sir
Syed would take to streets and go on hunger strike if the government failed to
take action against the two.
Considering Sir Syed as a national hero, he
said that the lovers of language and literature would not tolerate such defamation
against him.
Dr Mushtaque Sadaf said Aaj Kal is a government magazine and
publication of such defamatory articles therein would strengthen anti-nation
elements.