Speaking at a packed Al-Hayat Continental Hotel on Wednesday, Akbaruddin Owaisi, whose Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party shares power with the centrist Congress Party in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, said when MIM was launched more that 50 years ago, there were many skeptics who rejected the idea of a separate Muslim political party.
"When my grandfather and father went about the task of reviving the MIM, the odds were heavily stacked against them," he said.
"It was not easy to organize the Muslims of Hyderabad on a political platform after what had happened in 1948," Owaisi said. "There were many Muslims who thought the creation or revival of a separate Muslim party would be counterproductive and disastrous."
Fifty years later everyone is trying to emulate the MIM example in the rest of the country, he said.
"Look at Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, the Muslims of all these states have finally realized that political empowerment is possible only through the creation of their own parties," he said. "Assam followed our example recently and the only Muslim party there succeeded in winning a number of assembly and parliamentary seats."
The MIM is now a force to reckon with in Andhra Pradesh politics, and because of its robust electoral strength is constantly wooed by mainstream political parties at the time of government formations. The party has a major presence in the AP Assembly and the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, and is represented in the Parliament by its charismatic leader Asaduddin Owaisi.
Akbaruddin Owaisi says the success did not come easy. "We worked for the people of Hyderabad on multiple fronts; we worked at the grassroots level for political empowerment, educational empowerment, financial empowerment, and the protection of Muslim endowments; winning the hearts and minds of the people wasn't easy; it took time and real hard work," he said. "Now that we have the people behind us we consider it our sacred responsibility to honor the trust they have reposed in us."
The success of his party, Owaisi said, was a result of the unity of Hyderabadi Muslims. "If Muslims of other states want to succeed, they need to unite behind one party like the Muslims in Hyderabad did," he said. "Nothing is possible without unity."
He admitted that MIM has its fair share of critics. "Critics are important, they should continue to criticize us because that keeps us challenged and focused. However, criticism should not be just for the sake of criticism, it should be for the good of the community. Let them continue with what they have been doing and we will continue to do what we know best, that is to serve the people."
Expatriates from Hyderabad turned out in large numbers at the event organized by a host of Indian organizations, including Bazm-e-Ittehad. Among the audience were prominent members of the Indian community. One particular reason for the fairly large turnout was the brutal attack on Akbaruddin Owaisi sometime back by goons backed by a very active land grabbing mafia. Not only did he survive the grisly assassination attempt, he made it a point to perform Haj at the first opportunity.
"His supporters have come here in large numbers to catch a glimpse of their favorite leader," said prominent Indian expatriate Dr. Syed Ali Mahmood. "This young man's survival, despite receiving multiple stab wounds and four bullets, and coming to this holy land six months later, is nothing short of a miracle," he said.
Prominent Saudi national Dr. Faiz Al-Abideen acknowledged the contribution of Indian Muslims to the development of Saudi Arabia and conveyed Eid greetings on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Naif. "We wish the Indian community and its leadership well," he said in a speech that was full of warmth for the Indian expatriate community.