Shabbir Ali calls for renewed commitment to Azad’s ideals of education and equality
Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader and Telangana Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir urged the nation to recommit to Moulana Abul Kalam Azad’s vision of education, unity, and empowerment. He made the appeal during National Education Day and Minorities Welfare Day celebrations on Tuesday at Ravindra Bharathi, held to mark the 137th birth anniversary of India’s first Education Minister.
Azad’s leadership and legacy recalled
Shabbir described Moulana Azad as a leader ahead of his time. He noted that Azad became Congress President at 35 and led it through the Quit India Movement. He spent ten years in British jails, using that time to write “Ghubar-e-Khatir,” a work of deep thought and faith.
Shabbir sharply criticized the BJP and RSS, questioning the role of their leaders in India’s freedom struggle. “Can they name one leader who spent even a month in jail for the country?” he asked.
Focus on education and Muslim representation
He praised Azad’s role in building India’s education system, citing the creation of the UGC and IITs, and his call for free education for all children up to 14.
Shabbir linked Azad’s vision to the 4% Muslim reservation introduced by the Congress government in 2004–05. “That decision opened doors for over 22 lakh poor Muslim students in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” he said. This year, 1,245 Muslim students entered medical courses under the policy, including 868 in free quota seats.
He also highlighted new institutions created under the Congress regime medical, law, and engineering colleges that expanded access to professional education.
Recent employment progress for Muslims
Shabbir shared recruitment data under the current Congress government, noting significant gains for the Muslim community. “In the past year, 2,282 government jobs went to Muslim candidates,” he said. These included police roles, teaching posts, and appointments in the health sector. In Group-I services alone, 37 Muslims were selected, marking a clear shift, he added.
Call to community and praise for state reforms
He urged Muslim families to focus on education and avoid distractions. “We should ask why our children aren’t in school, not spend our nights debating global conflicts,” he said. He asked teachers and parents to collaborate with the state to reduce school dropouts.
Praising Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Shabbir welcomed the ‘Integrated Young India’ plan. This initiative will create campuses with separate schools for Muslims, SCs, STs, and BCs—each on a five-acre plot within a shared 25-acre campus. “This model, with 76 campuses approved and 121 more to follow, promotes equality and inclusion,” he said.
He ended by congratulating award winners and emphasizing that real progress begins with education. “The best way to honour Azad is to educate every child and empower every family,” he said.