Fayaz Ahmad Munshi

05/12/2025

05/12/2025

05/12/2025

05/12/2025

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference rank and file today paid profound and heartfelt tributes to Qaid-e-Azam, Baba-e-Qoum Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah on his 120th birth anniversary recalling his towering contributions to the political, social, and cultural identity of Jammu & Kashmir.

On this historic day, party leaders, workers, and well-wishers reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the ideals, values, and legacy of the tallest leader the region has ever produced.

In their messages, senior party functionaries described Sher-e-Kashmir as a visionary statesman, fearless mass leader, and champion of the rights and dignity of the people. They said that Sheikh Sahib’s life was a relentless struggle for justice, empowerment, and the assertion of the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. His unwavering belief in communal harmony, social equality, and democratic values continues to inspire generations.

Leaders highlighted that Sheikh Abdullah was not only the architect of modern Jammu & Kashmir but also the voice of its oppressed and marginalized segments. His grassroots connect, progressive reforms, and historic initiatives such as land-to-tiller legislation transformed the socio-economic landscape of the region, uplifting countless families from poverty and exploitation. His politics, rooted firmly in people’s welfare, remains unmatched in its moral and ideological depth.

Party leaders recalled his sacrifices and the courage with which he confronted adversities. They asserted that the best way to honour Sher-e-Kashmir’s legacy is to remain steadfast to the principles he cherished: unity, secularism, justice, and the empowerment of every citizen, irrespective of region, religion, or caste.

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference reiterated that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah’s vision continues to guide the party in its ongoing struggle to protect the rights, identity, and democratic aspirations of the people. At a time of political uncertainty, his teachings serve as a beacon of hope, reminding the cadre of the importance of resilience, truth, and collective strength.

On his 120th birth anniversary, the party leadership, all the administrative wings, legislatures, office bearers, functionaries and workers pledged to rededicate themselves to fulfilling Sher-e-Kashmir’s unfinished mission and carrying forward his message of peace, dignity, and inclusive progress for all the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

03/12/2025

03/12/2025

When a Dervish Spoke, a Lion Awoke: The Making of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah

On His 120th Birth Anniversary, a Tribute to the Lion Whose Roar Continues to Echo Through Time

Abdullah Hajam, the wandering dervish with dust on his feet and God on his tongue, stepped quietly into the lamplit room where the Secret Committee deliberated in hushed urgency. His eyes fell upon the young schoolmaster: tall, intense, restless with purpose and as though seized by revelation, he declared, “Master Abdullah, you move forward; Allah will help you.” In that single moment, a destiny stirred. The others fell silent; the dervish departed; and a spark, long smouldering, caught fire in the heart of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

To understand the weight of those words, one must return to Soura, the quiet village on the outskirts of the City of Seven Bridges, where Abdullah was born in December 1905,five centuries after the legend of Zainulabidin’s canal first promised a jewel to Kashmir. He grew up among merchants descended from god fearing forebears, guided by a devout mother of steel-like resolve and an elder brother whose gentleness shaped his early world. Yet even as a child he saw what his faith could not reconcile: poverty crushing the many, arrogance shielding the few, and injustice meted out with a casual hand.

Two incidents seared themselves into his young mind. At the octroi post near his home, he watched a naked peasant robbed and beaten by an official for a few pieces of firewood; when Abdullah protested, he was summoned and scolded, though he had spoken only truth. Days later, he saw his dignified brother slapped by a ration official the humiliation falling on the family like winter frost. His mother whispered that “the government belongs to God,” but the boy could not accept that God sanctioned such cruelty.

Education carried him from Srinagar to Lahore and Aligarh, where the verses of Iqbal carved his political awakening. Returning home with degrees but no prospects. Govt services had no room for a Muslim of merit; he resigned his teaching post and turned instead to the suffering of the masses. With a resonant voice, a clear mind, and a heart attuned to justice, he rose like a storm over the Valley, shaking a people long bowed by feudal fear.

When Sheikh Abdullah spoke, the Kashmiris like their counter parts across India under Gandhi felt the chains around their spirit loosen. And so the dervish’s prophecy proved true: he stepped forward, and history moved with him.

03/12/2025