Government compiles list of national icons from Muslim communities to commemorate their deeds

NEW DELHI: In an effort to burnish its secular credentials, the government has compiled a list of national icons from the Muslim and Christian communities whose deeds will be commemorated. The government plans to name schemes targetted at minorities after these individuals, who include eminent names from the freedom struggle as well as historical figures from the Mughal era.

The list includes revolutionary Ashfaqulla Khan, leader of Salt Satyagraha Abbas Tyabji, Quit India movement leader from Kerala Vakkom Abdul Khadir and political activist and freedom fighter Ubaidullah Sindhi. Muslim women such as Bi Amma (Abadi Begum) and Begum Hazrat Mahal, who rebelled against British rule, are also part of the list, along with Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, seen as a proponent of Hindu-Muslim unity. Others include poet Iqbal, who penned the song ‘Saare jahan se achha’ and scholar of Indian Unani medicine system Hakim Ajmal Khan.

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told ET that schemes named after these personalities will soon be rolled out. Their deeds will also be propagated through commemorative events.

The attempt is to “build confidence in Muslims by celebrating people of the community who believed in Indian nationalism and fought for it”, he said. “During Congress rule, there has been ignoring of Muslim nationalists as all schemes were centred around one family. It is sad that because of this, people tend to associate Indian Muslims with gangsters or crime. The Modi government wants to break that stereotype and wants everyone to know that minority communities have played a significant role in the national struggle,” he added. The list also has names of Christians such as TM Varghese and George Joseph and leaders of the Parsi community — Pherozeshah Mehta and Bhikaji Cama who participated in the freedom struggle. The list is to be finalised by the end of this month. More names could be added after consultation with community leaders, said officials. In the search for minority icons, the government’s intention has been to look beyond leaders such as Abul Kalam Azad or those closely aligned with Congress.