Tuesday 10 January 2012

Guest Article: The dirty ad campaign to take credit for AMU Kishanganj

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By: Mumtaz A Falahi, TCN

Patna: The AMU Kishanganj centre has got just land, and it will take it years to take full shape in terms of buildings, courses and students, but a sort of war – mostly one-sided – has begun in the form of newspaper advertisements to take credit for the upcoming special centre of the central university. Far far ahead in the race of taking credit, people say undeservingly, is Mufti Mahfoozur Rahman.



Mufti Mahfoozur Rahman is founder and director of Jamia Al-Qasim, Darul Uloom Al-Islamia, Supaul, Bihar. He is also chairman of Seemanchal Development Front. Just a couple of days after the land was officially handed by Kishanganj DM to AMU VC, Mufti’s Seemanchal Development Front published a front-page ad in leading Urdu daily Roznama Rashtriya Sahara on 2nd January 2012. The ad had a picture showing Mufti whispering something to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar at a program held in Patna on 13th November 2011. The photo had an interesting caption saying Mufti sahib was demanding land for AMU.

The ad caused a furore in Urdu/Muslim circle. Because, it is said that at that program none raised issue of AMU except Katihar Medical College founder Ahmed Ashfaque Kareem. So how can the Mufti claim he was whispering about AMU. To defend his 2nd Jan. ad, the Mufti came up with a half page backpage ad in the same daily on 5th January. It was an ad in the form of article which besides text carried Mufti’s three photos with Nitish Kumar shot at different programs.

He was not content. On 8th Jan., Roznama Rashtriya Sahara carried a quarter page ad on the back page. The ad was from Mazahirul Uloom, Saharanpur. The seminary was praying for health and safety of CM Nitish for allocating land to AMU. The ad also carried a photo of the Mufti with Nitish.

On 9th Jan. the same daily had a quarter page ad from one Mohd Shahabuddin who was claiming he is Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Shaikh Zayad bin Sultan, UAE. This ad counted the great contribution of Mufti Mahfoozur Rahman for AMU Kishanganj centre.

Meanwhile, on 5th Jan, Qaumi Tanzeem, another Urdu daily from Patna, published a full back page ad highlighting the contribution of Kishanganj MP Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi for the AMU Kishanganj movement. Besides a big photo of Maulana Qasmi, the ad also had photos of eight individuals. It is believed that the ad was joint effort of these eight persons. This ad has no photo or mention of the CM Nitish Kumar while all ads by Mufti Mahfoozur Rahman praised Nitish and carried his photo.

How did common Muslims/Urdu readers take this ad campaign? TCN talked to some people to get their views. All said this is just to appease government of Bihar and chief minister Nitish Kumar. And all counted the role of Kishanganj MP Asrar Qasmi.

“This is nothing but appeasement. He wants to be in good book of the chief minister,” said Tauqeer Akhtar, who teaches Chemistry at a coaching institute in Patna. He also said that the Mufti hardly gave any statement in support of AMU Kishanganj but soon after the land was allotted he is taking credit.

On who played important role for the centre, Akhtar said: “Kishanganj MP Asrar Qasmi and RJD MLA Akhtarul Iman played great role. They mobilized people and held massive protests. SIO was also holding demonstrations demanding land for AMU centre.”

On the ad war, Pervez Ahmed, a retailer of cement, says: “Everyone wants to cash on it. But no doubt the role of Kishanganj MP Asrarul Haque Qasmi is great. He mobilized people and local politicians including some from neighboring districts of West Bengal and organized a massive agitation.”

Social activist Shaukat Ali echoes Akhtar. Commenting on Mufti Mahfoozur Rahman’s ad campaign, he said: “This all is appeasement of the government. Only land has been given, lots of work are yet to be done like buildings, courses and students and people have started to take credit for it.” I have never seen any statement of the Mufti sahib for the land of AMU, he added.
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