GreggNfb8421: adding first stub initial version - done

2024-11-10T05:03:09Z

adding first stub initial version - done

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|Indian politician (1920–1997)}}
'''Muqimuddin Farooqui''' (25 March 1920 – 3 September 1997) was an Indian politician. He was a key leader of the students movement during the [[Indian independence movement|Indian independence struggle]]. As a leader of the [[Communist Party of India]] he headed the Delhi unit of the party 1944-1971, and from 1971 onwards he was a national-level leader of the party.

==Student movement==

Muqimuddin Farooqui was born on 15 March 1920 in [[Ambehta]], [[Saharanpur district]] into a modest [[Islam in India|Muslim family]].<ref name=red>Rediff On The Net. ''[http://www.rediff.com/news/sep/03farooq.htm CPI leader Farooqui dead]''</ref><ref name=con/><ref name=inde/> He hailed from a lineage of ''[[Pir (Sufism)|pirs]]'' who used to serve as tutors for the [[Mughal emperors]].<ref name=bslg/> His ancestor Hasan Askari, an advisor to [[Bahadur Shah Zafar]], was hanged by the British for his involvement in the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]].<ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997">{{cite book | date = 1997 | title = Freedom Fighters Remember | publisher = Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India | pages = 87–88 | isbn = 9788123005751 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3ghuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA87}}</ref>

He moved to Delhi in 1930 to attend school there.<ref name=red/> His elder brother took part in the [[Indian independence movement]], and was twice jailed by the [[British Raj|British colonial authorities]].<ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/> In 1936, whilst a student at [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St. Stephen's College]], Farooqui too became involved in the independence movement.<ref name=red/><ref name=con/><ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/> Farooqui attended the first meeting of the [[All India Students Federation]] (AISF), along with [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] and [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]].<ref name=con/> During his student days he came in contact with Bahal Singh, under whose influence Farooqui became a Marxist.<ref name=bslg/> He joined the [[Communist Party of India]] in 1940.<ref name=bslg/> In 1940 he organized a strike at St. Stephen's College in protest against the arrest of Nehru.<ref name=red/> Following the strike he was expelled from the College by [[Delhi University]] Vice-Chancellor [[Maurice Gwyer]].<ref name=red/><ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/><ref name=bslg>''Business Standard''. ''[https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/last-of-the-gandhians-197090601194_1.html Last Of The Gandhians]''</ref> He would be later be issued a ''[[tamrapatra|Tamra Patra]]'' award for his role in the independence movement.<ref name=red/> His Delhi University Master's Degree was restored to him in 1989 at a special convocation chaired by [[Shankar Dayal Sharma]].<ref name=con/><ref name=inde/>

Farooqui was elected general secretary of AISF in 1941.<ref name=red/> In 1941 he was arrested for the first time, for a speech he had given in [[Calcutta]].<ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/> He was arrested again during the [[Quit India movement]]:<ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/> In 1946 he was arrested for having called for a boycott of the Victory Parade (held to celebrate [[Allies (World War II)|Allied]] victory in [[World War II]]).<ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/>

==Communist Party leader==
The first CPI Delhi party conference held in 1944 elected Farooqui as the secretary of the Delhi party unit.<ref name=mw>''Mainstream Weekly''. ''[https://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article1036.html Birth and Growth of Communist Party in Delhi]''</ref> He served in this position until 1971, when he switched to work at the national CPI Party Centre.<ref name=mw/> He was elected to the CPI National Council in 1958.<ref name=inde>''The Independent''. ''[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-muqimuddin-farooqi-1235268.html Obituary: Muqimuddin Farooqi]''</ref> He joined the CPI National Executive in 1974, and the CPI National Secretariat in 1982.<ref name=mw/>

He became a member of the interim Metropolitan Council of Delhi in 1966. In 1990 he was included in the National Integration Council of the Government of India.<ref name="Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India1997"/>

==Family and friendships==

Married to Vimla Kapoor (who took the name Vimla Farooqui), a fellow activist in AISF and who later became a leader of the [[National Federation of Indian Women]] (NFIW).<ref name=inde/><ref>Ajīta Kaura, Arpana Caur. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=PAkuAAAAYAAJ Directory of Indian Women Today, 1976]''. India International Publications, 1976. p. 587</ref> The couple had one son.<ref name=inde/> Farooqui was noted for humble life-style, living in a one-room apartment near [[Jama Masjid, Delhi|Jama Masjid]] from 1952 onwards and travelling to work by public transport until 1988.<ref name=bslg/> He would always dress in simple garb (white homespun pyjama, kurta).<ref name=inde/> In early 1997 Prime Minister [[H. D. Dewe Gowda]] offered him to become Governor of an Indian state of his choosing, but M. Farooqui declined the offer.<ref name=bslg/>

As an AISF leader he befriended [[I. K. Gujral]], who led the AISF Punjab unit, and the two would form a life-long friendship.<ref name=con/> Farooqui was noted for fostering strong relations with a wide array of political leaders; such as [[V.P. Singh]], [[G.K. Moopanar]], [[Farooq Abdullah]], [[Madan Lal Khurana]] and [[Murli Manohar Joshi]].<ref name=bslg/> He was the political mentor of future Afghan President [[Mohammad Najibullah]], during the latter's stay for medical studies in India.<ref name=bslg/>

==Death==
On 3 September 1997 he suffered a heart attack whilst delivering a speech at a seminar of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in Delhi.<ref name=red/><ref name=con>''Business Standard''. ''[https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/farooqui-remained-a-critic-of-congress-till-the-last-197090401244_1.html Farooqui Remained A Critic Of Congress Till The Last]''</ref> He died shortly thereafter at the [[Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital]].<ref name=red/>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farooqui, Muqimuddin}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:Communist Party of India politicians from Delhi]]
[[Category:Delhi University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists]]
[[Category:People from Saharanpur district]]

M. Farooqui - Revision history

GreggNfb8421: adding first stub initial version - done