“It is not easy to stand by ground against the regime of the day. You see the biggest political stalwarts of India are on the back foot, but Nizami shows courage, positivity and defends his ideology very articulately,” says Ishfaq Ahmad, a post-graduate student at Aligarh Muslim University.
Asem Mohiuddin
When there is adversity, there is an opportunity. So is the Covid-19 and its fallout in India for a young Congress leader Salman Nizami. Hailing from a small mountainous town of Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir, Nizami manages to hog the headlines not only in national media, however, he is predominantly appearing in international media and debates for his outstanding role in defending undefendable.
Be it Tablighi Jamaat, accused of spreading the coronavirus in India by some media outlets and rightwing supporters or Safora Zargar of JNU-one of the young woman who was leading protests against CAA at Jama Milia, Nizami stood by all.
While Nizami has become an eyesore for the rightwing supporters and is trolled for his position on many issues, he, however, is winning millions of hearts who are fighting expansionists of right-wing ideology in the country.
His posts and videos get thousands of shares and views on his social media accounts and is believed to be one of the crusaders in fighting prevailing Islamophobia in India. Formerly, a journalist, Nizami joined Indian National Congress several years back and has been vocally defending not only India’s minorities but India’s oldest political dispensation-Indian National Congress.
Given his access to power corridors and many parts of the country, Nizami knows well to use this power in serving people especially youth. He first shot to fame in 2018, February when hundreds if not thousands of Kashmiris faced harassment in various parts of the country for a suicide attack on Paramilitary CRPF in South Kashmir, killing nearly fifty of its men. With the proper consultation with local governments and social activists, he coordinated their safe return without allowing them to spend a single penny. The distressed students while reaching home had all their praises for his efforts.
This was rather the beginning of his pro-people endeavors. Following the Lockdown on March 24 by prime minister Narender Modi to stop the spread of deadly Coronavirus, hundreds of Kashmiris were left stranded in various north Indian states and sought the help for their return to home. Nizami explored his good offices with the local governments and managed the return of hundreds of students and laborers until recently when the state government officials made the services available.
“It is not easy to stand by ground against the regime of the day. You see the biggest political stalwarts of India are on the back foot, but Nizami shows courage, positivity and defends his ideology very articulately,” says Ishfaq Ahmad, a post-graduate student at Aligarh Muslim University.
“He is a foot soldier, social media warrior, and an intellectual debating on national Television channels. He inspired me to follow his footsteps,” says Hibbat Nazeer, a young female pursuing PG in political science.
After switching over to politics from journalism, Nizami began his political career with Pradesh Congress in Jammu and Kashmir. But when in 2017, Prime Minister Narender Modi attacked him twice during the political rallies in Gujurat, he found no one at his back from the Pradesh Congress. Rather some senior party leaders, under duress officially disowned him.
Dejected, angry, and disappointed Nizami decided to carve his own space at the national platform. Till now there is no looking back. He is the core leader of INC now and in the last several years’ addresses dozens of political rallies of the party in various states including Bihar, Kerela, Gujarat, Utter Pradesh, West Bengal, etc.
“Congress is lacking a Muslim face in Kashmir and after Ghulam Nabi Azad, will he fill the space, it is premature to say,” says. Khursheed Ahmad, a professor of political science in North Kashmir.
“But Nizami as of now gives that hope to the people of Jammu Kashmir in general and Congress in special since he closely follows the footsteps of Azad.”
