Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader Shabbir Ali reaffirmed Moulana Abul Kalam Azad’s vision of education and equality during the National Education Day and Minorities Welfare Day celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi. The event marked the 137th birth anniversary of India’s first Education Minister.
Minorities Welfare Minister Md Azharuddin, Urdu Academy Chairman Taher Bin Hamdan, and several educationists attended the programme. Awards, including the Moulana Abul Kalam Azad National Award and the Makhdoom Award, went to contributors in education and social welfare.
Azad’s ideals remain a guide for modern India
Shabbir Ali described Azad as a visionary who shaped India’s freedom struggle and built the foundation of modern education. He recalled that Azad served as Congress President twice and spent nearly a decade in British prisons. During that period, he wrote Ghubar-e-Khatir, a work reflecting on faith and intellect.
Criticising attempts by the RSS and BJP to rewrite history, Shabbir Ali said their leaders had no role in the freedom movement. “It is wrong for those who did not fight for independence to question those who did,” he remarked.
He added that Azad’s leadership as Education Minister led to the creation of key institutions such as the University Grants Commission and the IITs. “Azad’s dream of free and compulsory education is still unfinished. We must continue working to realise it,” he said.
Linking Azad’s legacy to present-day welfare
Drawing a connection between Azad’s principles and present-day reforms, Shabbir Ali cited the 4% Muslim reservation introduced under the Congress government in 2004–05. The policy, he said, helped more than 22 lakh students in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh secure educational and job opportunities.
He mentioned that 1,245 Muslim students gained admission to medical courses this year alone. Between 2004 and 2014, several new colleges opened, expanding access to technical and professional education.
According to Shabbir Ali, the Congress government since 2023 created over 2,200 jobs for minorities, including posts in education, health, and police departments. He described this as a significant step toward empowerment.
Focus on equality and inclusive education
Shabbir Ali praised Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s ‘Integrated Young India’ initiative, which promotes shared school campuses to foster equality among all communities. He also expressed confidence in Minorities Welfare Minister Md Azharuddin’s efforts to expand welfare schemes and improve access to education.
“The best tribute to Moulana Azad is to ensure that every child receives an education,” Shabbir Ali concluded, urging community leaders to prioritise learning as the foundation of lasting progress.
