The history of MIM
The idea of creating a common political platform for different Muslim communities during the Nizam’s rule in Hyderabad was first conceived by Moulvi Mahmood Nawaz Khan
As a historian, I am surprised by the fact that every year on June 25, the two political parties representing the Muslim community in Hyderabad, observe the death anniversary of Bahadur Yar Jung and pay eulogies to him, terming him the founder of the original Majlis. Bahadur Yar Jung is also referred to as ‘ Quaid-e-Millat’ by the Majlis leadership.
Contrary to popular belief, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was not founded by Bahadur Yar Jung.
The idea to bring together Muslims living in the Nizam’s dominion on a common political platform was first conceived by one Moulvi Mahmood Nawaz Khan.
Sometime in late October 1927, Mahmood Nawaz Khan invited Muslim religious leaders like Moulvi Pasha Hussaini and Moulvi Hussamuddin Fazil, along with Muslim intellectuals of the time to his residence Touheed Manzil, and broached the topic of a cultural and religious platform for the community.
In early November 1927, he released pamphlets calling for the first public meeting of the new outfit.
The first meeting was held on Friday, November 12, 1927.
The history behind the origins of the MIM has also been well documented in Bahadur Yar Jung’s
It is commonly believed that Bahadur Yar Jung was the founder of the MIM and he is respectfully referred to as ‘Quaid-e-Millat’
biography written by Nazeer Ahmed. Details of the first public meeting of the MIM, in which Bahadur Yar Jung was only invited as a representative of the Mehdavi community are mentioned in the first of the three volumes of his biography. (Page No. 103).
In 1938, Bahadur Yar Jung was elected president of the MIM. His oatorical prowess drew masses to the cultural and religious outfit. He soon rose to become the supreme and unquestioned leader of the MIM.
Bahadur Yar Jung was an inspirational speaker, and this resulted in him being banned from making public speeches for some time.
This was because many people complained to the Nizam that more and more youths were turning towards the Majlis and that its socio-political activities could undermine his rule. The Majlis had, by then, become quite powerful, to the extent that when the Nizam constituted an interim Cabinet, four members of the Majlis were on it.
At the time of Police Action, Khasim Razvi was the Majlis president. He was the last president of the original Majlis, the socio-political organisation that it was, before and after Police Action.
Khasim Razvi was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in the Bibinagar dacoity case.
After his release from jail, Khasim Razvi, Abul Khair Siddiqui, Nawab Mir Khader Ali Khan Abul-Ulai and others met at the residence of a lawyer. Abdul Wahed Owaisi wasn’t even associated with the Majlis at that time and was just there out of curiosity. He was the youngest among those present at that meeting.
Khasim Razvi told the gathering that he was leaving for Pakistan and asked if anyone was interested in taking over the reins of the Majlis. Everyone present there said that they were getting on in age and wanted someone younger to take over. It was then Abdul Wahed Owaisi stepped forward and said he was willing to head the organisation.
Following this, Nawab Mir Khader Ali Khan Abul-Ulai proposed Abdul Wahed Owaisi’s name and Khasim Razvi seconded it.
The writer is a city-based historian.