“Rights of all minorities need to be protected” says Mahatma Gandhi’s Grandson at Jamia Millia Islamia

Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy inaugurated a series of annual lectures named after freedom fighter and peace-maker, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan which will now take place every year on 21st of February as a day for ‘University Memorial Lecture.’

On this occasion, an introductory talk on Badshah Khan by Author-Scholar Rajmohan Gandhi was organised chaired by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Prof. Talat Ahmad along with faculty members, Rahul Ramagundhan, Director, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Prof. Sabiha Hussain, Director, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies and Prof. Mohammed Shafiq, Dean of Faculty of Social Science graced the occasion.

Rajmohan Gandhi at the opening of exbition on life and times of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan at JMI

Rajmohan Gandhi recalled his first meet with Badshah Khan at the age of ten years when both Badshah and his brother stayed in their house for some days before partition. He tells about Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan’s wish to be buried in Jalalabad after his death and when this freedom fighter died in 1988 at Peshawar during Afghan war, all stopped the war and people marched from Pasto Pass in Pakistan to Afghanistan without Passports. While describing his persona, Rajmohan Gandhi called him a blunt orator, a strong believer of non-violence and patience, who excused and reconciled his enemies and quoted, “Love can succeed where bombs have failed.” Like Gandhiji, he also fasted for peace amidst the communal riots. On his first visit to India after partition in 1969, he addressed the both houses of parliament and thanked for the hospitality he got. With reference to his book, Rajmohan comments that although his contribution in freedom struggle was equally important but he didn’t get that respect by Pakistan’s administration after it came into existence as a nation but admired by the people of Pakistan and India.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Talat Ahmad congratulated Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy for starting such a memorial lecture and named after this sub-continental freedom fighter recognised by the Indian Government conferring him ‘Bharat Ratna,’ India’s highest civilian honour in 1987.

 

(By: SHUBHAM PANDEY)

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