Dejected, descendants of nawabs mull using the NOTA option
The descendants of nawabs, who once made news because of their royal lifestyle, are a dejected lot.
Upset with the successive government’s apathy, thousands of Luck nowities with nawabi lineage are mulling over using the ‘none of the above’ (NOTA) option during the polling.
Having been forced to depend on the government for was iqa (pension) ranging between Rs 35 to Rs 3000 a month, the nawabs’ list of grievances include royal pension that come in ‘peanuts’ and the nearly lost identity of their forefathers.
The descendants living in penury here are also upset with successive governments apathy towards heritage monuments. While new life size memorials have been raised in posh parts of the city, those which bring with them the rich history of the land, have been ignored, they alleged.
“No political party has paid heed towards the poor condition of monuments in old city that reflect the rich history of Awadh established by our forefathers. We have no option but to use NOTA during the polls,” said Begum Naseema Raza while demanding the administrative powers for the Archaeological Survey of India.
Naseema is one of the proud recipients of the royal endowment (wasiqa)- a fixed share in the interest earned by the loans given by the rulers of Awadh to the East India Company. For thousands of wasiqa-holders, like Naseema, the value of the endowment is much more than the money it brings. So what if she gets just Rs 200.
“The glorious past is our sole possession,” she said.
At present, about 3000 individuals draw wasiqa from the state government and Hussainabad and Allied Trusts. Besides, nearly 600 people draw interest from promissory notes of money deposited with the British by their royal ancestors in the 19th century.
Most of these descendants inhabit in delightfully named old city localities like Sheeshmahal, Kashmiri Mohalla, Wazirganj, Nakkhas, Raees Manzil, Sharif Manzil, to name a few. Others have moved to modern colonies in town and beyond to keep pace with their career and lifestyle.
“Ironically, nawabs are losing identity in the city they lived in. Why can’t we have all the metro stations named after the Nawabs,” asked Syed Masoom Raza whose wife draws the royal endowment.
The Royal Family of Awadh, an organisation of nawabi descendents will take a call with regards to election on April 20. “We will raise our issues publicly on the day,” said Shikoh Azad, the secretary of the organisation.