A glance at the collection of selected political columns of Safdar Imam Qadri
Introduction and Review: Shakeel Rashid
Urdu newspaper columns have a rich tradition. If one takes a cursory glance at the history of Urdu journalism, a list of columnists will emerge, featuring names that have consistently shone on the horizon of Urdu journalism. From the past, figures like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Pandit Ratan Nath Sarshar, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Zafarullah Khan, and Maulana Hasrat Mohani, to the recent past, with names like Zaheen Ansari, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and contemporary writers like Masoom Moradabadi, Suhail Anjum, and Wadood Sajid, among many others, have been widely read and appreciated across countries. One such name is Safdar Imam Qadri. Safdar Imam Qadri has three facets to his identity: he is a litterateur, an educator, and a journalist, and people recognize and appreciate him in all these capacities.
Although he has been active in the field of journalism for a long time, he formally began writing columns in 2013. Even in this short span, he has carved out a distinct niche for himself as a columnist. Such is his reputation that two books comprising his selected columns have been published, one after the other. The first book, "Arz Dasht," was compiled by renowned journalist Sabir Raza Rehbar and features 117 selected columns. The latest book, "Jamhuri Idaron Ka Zawal," compiled by Qamar Zaman Chhaparwani, includes 101 selected columns. The compiler has focused on selecting political columns, but these columns, while being political, also encapsulate the history of contemporary India or, rather, the history of today's India. Alongside politics, these columns also highlight aspects of civilization and society that reveal the true colors of India, which were previously invisible or barely visible. One such color is that of hatred.
The columns are divided into 13 chapters. Preceding these chapters are Safdar Imam Qadri's "Mauroozat" and the compiler's "Arze Munazzam." In "Mauroozat," Safdar Imam Qadri, while discussing the elements of his columns, writes:
"It should be remembered that if the poetry, literature, or journalism of any era is the voice of conscience, then it is also essential to note that without filling words with the fire of protest, you cannot successfully navigate many situations. I have tried to pour my heart's fire and the flames of my tongue into words in many of my columns. At this stage, a severe wave of grief and anger often sweeps through. As a columnist is also a citizen and, as an ordinary person, has to witness life and circumstances, I have written many of my political columns in a state of intense anger and have dealt with those in power or related individuals or parties in a protesting manner. At this stage, I have also remembered the objectivity of a journalist and the commitment of a teacher and commentator."
It is clear that expressing grief and anger in columns is the right of a columnist, but it is essential that this expression be objective and backed by solid arguments. Upon reading these columns, the reader can sense that the expression of grief and anger, wherever it occurs, is entirely justified.
Why did the compiler, Qamar Zaman Chhaparwani, choose only the political columns of Safdar Imam Qadri, and why did he title the collection "Jamhuri Idaron Ka Zawal"? The answer to this question can be found in Chhaparwani's lengthy and valuable "Arze Munazzam," where he writes:
"I have tried to focus on that aspect of Safdar Imam Qadri's intellectual personality, which is particularly concerned with his concern for politics and the integrity of democratic institutions. With this in mind, I have presented about a hundred of his columns, which are entirely political and have emerged as an attempt to create an environment for contemplation on those institutions that were established by the architects of our country and the new world after the freedom struggle, with a sense of longing. That's why the title of this collection has been chosen as 'Jamhuri Idaron Ka Zawal'."
The compiler has termed these columns as a "lamentation for the decline of democratic institutions." He writes:
"Some columns are very poignant and sorrowful. Alongside these, dozens of columns are of a nature that makes one feel that the writer is overwhelmed with grief and anger and is raising his voice in a state of discontent. In many columns, a reflection of human helplessness emerges, making one feel that the intellectual of today is not in a position to do anything."
Indeed, this is true. Today, a large section of the public, along with a majority of intellectuals, is plagued by feelings of restlessness, discontent, and helplessness. The columnist is also part of this group, and his columns fully express this sentiment.
The book has 13 chapters: "Babri Mosque: The Last Verdict," "Congress: The Beginning of a New Era," "Opposition: Away from the Real Target," "The Gambits of Sectarian Politics," "The Intoxication of Power," "The Rights of the Deprived Classes," "The Absolutism of Power," "The Democratic Process is the Only Means," "The Government and Politics of Bihar," "New Political Fronts," "The Imarat-e-Sharia: A Century Later," "The Minority Population: National and Global Perspective," and "Global Politics and Society." As the topics suggest, they are political, but as mentioned earlier, despite being political, these columns have woven the history of contemporary circumstances into them.
A few quotes are presented below to give an idea of the texture of the columns and the grief and anger that permeate them:
"Today, we are faced with a leadership that is ineffective, lacking in confidence, corrupt, ignorant, and foolish, expert in changing colors like a chameleon, and more interested in competing with friends than opponents. The president, general secretary, secretary, minister, former and current members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, lawmakers, and book writers and readers, all are in a state where one cannot confidently say that if given a chance, they will not take any wrong step. The situation is such that everyone is ready to sell out, waiting for a buyer."
Another quote is presented below:
"The tragedy of the Congress is that in the past seventy years, and particularly in the half-century since Jawaharlal Nehru's death, it has never realized the need to understand and interpret the true spirit of the country through a large number of intellectuals and experts in various fields. The Congress has benefited greatly from the support of nationalist intellectuals and, later, communist ideologues, but it has failed to envision the next milestone, and now, when the caravan has moved on, and sectarian individuals have taken center stage, we are forced to worry."
This is a collection that deserves to be read, both to recognize our flaws and mistakes and to understand where the country is headed and what citizens need to do at this time. This collection has been published by "Arshiyah Publications, New Delhi." The book has 512 pages and is priced at 1100 rupees. It can be obtained by contacting the mobile number 7256001663. The book is dedicated to "the light that emerges from the darkness."
