New Delhi: Maulana Mohibbullah Nadvi, Imam of Parliament Street Jama Masjid in Delhi, has made history by becoming the first alumnus of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow, to enter the Indian Parliament. Nadvi triumphed over BJP’s sitting MP, Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi, by more than 87,000 votes to win the Rampur parliamentary seat, despite the ruling party’s intense anti-Muslim campaign.
Nadvi, 48, emerged victorious in a three-cornered contest, securing 49.74% of the votes, while Lodhi garnered 40.71%, and BSP’s Zeeshan Khan received 8.23%. His unexpected victory has garnered significant media attention.
Originally from Razanagar in Rampur, Nadvi pursued his early education at a madrasa in Sambhal, followed by studies at Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow. He briefly attended Aligarh Muslim University but left due to the campus’s political environment, later completing his education at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi with an honors degree in Arabic and an MA in Islamic Studies. He also holds a B.Ed. from Al-Falah University. Since 2005, he has served as the imam of Parliament Street Jama Masjid.
Nadvi is one of five Muslims elected to Parliament from Uttar Pradesh in this election. The state saw six Muslim candidates contesting from the Samajwadi Party and Congress, while the Bahujan Samaj Party fielded 22 Muslim candidates, none of whom won.
Nadvi’s victory in Rampur breaks the trend of Darul Uloom Deoband alumni dominating political positions. He attributed his success to his community’s acceptance and his role as an imam and Islamic scholar. Despite initial challenges, including opposition from within his party and local SP units, he secured his nomination and ultimately his seat.
Nadvi highlighted the need for quality political representation over quantity and emphasized the importance of raising issues pertinent to the Muslim community. He pledged to address community concerns, including security issues, in the new parliamentary session.
COMMENTS