By TCN News
Aligarh: “Notwithstanding Sir Syed’s intent on education and social reforms, his movement is basically braced for bringing about equality and this is the legacy that must be continuing”, said K Rahman Khan, Member of Parliament and Former Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
He was inaugurating a one-day national Seminar on ‘Relevance of Sir Syed in the Contemporary World’, organized by the Karnataka Urdu Academy in Bengluru on Thrusday.
Paying rich tributes to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, K Rahman Khan said that Sir Syed relentlessly fought for the rights of Indians and his movement was completely devoid of parochial approach.
Roshan Baig, Minister for Infrastructure, Urban Development, Information and Haj, Government of Karnataka, said that Indians owe a lasting debt to Sir Syed and the Karnataka Government intends to produce a film on him to spread his message.
Delivering the welcome address, Azizullah Baig, Chairman, Karnataka Urdu Academy said that Sir Syed’s movement got widespread popularity and the educational revolution of Muslims in South owe much to the awareness created by Sir Syed.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Shafey Kidwai, Department of Mass Communication, AMU said that Sir Syed was first public Muslim intellectual of 19th century who wrote extensively on the topics that have bearing on day to day life of the people and his views are still relevant. He referred to Sir Syed’s views on blasphemy, jihad, gender equality, tolerance, freedom of expression and liberal values.
Sir Syed’s multi-faceted personality and his seminal contribution to literature, journalism, politics and collective life of India were highlighted in the seminar, and Prof. Anis Ashfaque (Lucknow), Prof. Ali Ahmad fatmi (Allahabad), Prof. Maula Bakhsh (Aligarh), Prof. Zafaruddin (Hyderabad) and Dr. Zehra presented papers in the seminar, under the moderation by Milansar Ahmad.