Abdul Latheef Farooqui

ABDUL LATHEEF FHAROQUI

Date of Birth: 1893 and Date of Death: 1982

            Abdul Latheef Farooqui, who marched ahead with the action plan aimed at intensifying people’s desire to become free, providing publicity to anti-British struggle and giving active support to activists of Indian National Movement, was born in family of Nawaba’s in Chennai of present Tamilnadu state in 1893.  He studied in Madras University and acquired proficiency in Arabic and Hindustani besides Urdu, Tamil and English.  Having been critical of the misrule of the British right from his student days, he took a plunge into National Movement by joining Khilafat and Non Cooperation movement which started in 1920.  He actively but non-violently took part in the movement as a true follower of Ghandhiji, to the much chagrin of British authorities in Chennai.  As Farooqui did not care their anger, the British Government stopped the hereditary pension he was getting by virtue of his being a family member of Nawabs.  Even while facing financial trouble, he started a Hindustani Daily ‘Azad Hind’ to spread the news about the misdeeds of the British Government.  Being intolerant of the anti-British stance of the daily, the government banned ‘Azad Hind’ and confiscated its office.  Later Abdul Latheef was elected to Madras Assembly as Swarja Party candidate in 1926.  He actively participated in all the agitations organised by Indian National Congress.  He opposed the Pakistan Resolution of Muslim League and warned that partition of India on the lines of religion would harm Hindu-Muslim unity.  He rendered service as a member of Governing council of the prestigious Madras University from 1942 to 1945.  When he was elected to the Madras Legislative Council from Madras North constituency, he became the leader of opposition in the Upper House of Madras state.  In the post Independence India, he worked for the welfare of the people and strove untiringly for the protection of Wakf properties as a member of the Wakf Board.  Government of India recognised great services, he rendered as an activist of the Indian National Movement, as the owner of a news paper and as a peoples representative.  And he was honoured in a grand felicitation programme in 1972.  Abdul Latheef Farooqui, who was in direct contact with the people till his last breath, passed away in 1982.