Former IFS, MP Syed Shahabuddin passes away
Q. Which former IFS officer and MP formed the Insaf Party in 1989?- Published on 06 Mar 17a. Syed Akbaruddin
b. Syed Shahabuddin
c. Vikram Swarup
d. None of the above
ANSWER: Syed Shahabuddin
Former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and MP Syed Shahabuddin, who was suffering from prolonged illness, died on March 4th 2017. He was 82.
Born on Nov 4, 1935 in Ranchi, now in Jharkhand, he joined the IFS in 1958 but took premature retirement in the 1970s to delve into politics.
As a diplomat, he lobbied for the creation of Bangladesh and rallied support in Latin America - where he was posted at that time - for Indian intervention in the affair.
With the death of Mohammad Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri title suit, who passed away in Ayodhya on July 20 last year and now Shahabuddin, an era in UP politics came to an end.
Known for his strong and articulated stand on the Babri Masjid demolition, he wrote extensively on the matter.
Shahabuddin became president of the AIMMM ( All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat) thrice between the years of 2000-2010.
AIMMM, a joint forum of muslim organisations and national institutions was founded in 1964.
Formed in 1986, the Babri Masjid Acyion Committee underwent a split in a few years with the other faction led by then Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid Imam Abdullah Bukhari.
Shahabuddin worked to resolve differences between the two.
He founded the Insaf Party in 1989 (dissolved in 1990 and later revived).
He was involved with many Muslim institutions and organizations including the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, of which he was the President between 2004 and 2007.
Shahabuddin edited the research monthly journal Muslim India between 1983 and 2002 and again from July 2006.
He was a regular contributor to TV discussions relating to current affairs.
He has written many articles about topics ranging from Pakistan to the status of Urdu for the Saudi Arabian newspaper Arab News.
Syed Shahabuddin: Outstanding Voice of Muslim India was his biography was compiled by Mushtaque Madni and published by P.A. Inamdar. It was released on 21 April 2013.
