Ex-diplomat Syed Shahabuddin passes away
PATNA: Former diplomat turned politician, Syed Shahabuddin died in New Delhi on Saturday after a prolonged illness due to respiratory problems. He was 82.
The three-time MP, Shahabuddin also served as a member of Rajya Sabha for several terms.
He was born in Ranchi, Jharkhand in 1935 and joined the IFS in 1958. He is survived by his wife, five daughters, including former Bihar minister Parveen Amanullah. Vice-president Hamid Ansari, besides several other leaders attended the last rites of Shahabuddin, who was buried in the Nizammuddin graveyard on Saturday. Chief minister Nitish Kumar also condoled the death of Shahabuddin by describing him as an able administrator, politician and eminent social activist.
“It is a personal loss for me as I shared a long relationship with him. He was a firm believer in the federal structure of the country and strived hard for bigger participation of masses in governance. His death is an irreparable loss for the political and social fraternity,” Kumar said.
Well known for his opposition to the demolition of Babri Masjid and strong views on the Shah Bano case—a landmark case related to payment of alimony to Muslim women after divorce— Shahabuddin also edited ‘Muslim India’, a monthly research journal on Muslim issues. He also wrote for leading newspapers, magazines and other literary journals. One of the best known Muslim leader’s in the 80s, Shahabuddin quit the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1978 and joined politics in 1979 by contesting from Kishanganj parliamentary seat and represented the seat three times. In his long political career, Shahabuddin was also the president of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawara, member, Muslim Personal Law Board and several other organisations dedicated to the cause of uplift of Muslims.