Lucknow: She is a young Muslim woman from Lucknow's lower middle class community, whose reason to fame is that she has been a Municipal Corporator from Kashmiri Mohalla in Lucknow on Samajwadi Party's ticket. But this is not all! Subi Kazmi is perpetually blind since birth, now married to an able-eyed religious preacher who married her in hope that Allah will reward him for this sacrificial act, in the next life. The former Corporator, now mother of a 5-year old child as well, has resigned herself to cooking, cleaning, washing and similar household chores, which she does with considerable fineness, despite her challenges that have always been with her since birth.
Subi Kazmi has seen no light, no colour, not even the face of her caring husband or the naughty son. But she still cherishes all the hopes and aspirations that an able-bodied young woman is supposed to have. One of these aspirations is to make a comeback in politics, the field that she left upon taking the marital vows. For this reason, Subi has approached Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party president, with a request to become active in regional politics yet again.
"Mulayam ji has been my mentor even during the old days," says Subi. "He always encouraged me, even to the extent that several established leaders in SP considered that Mulayam ji listened to me more than anybody else. Senior politicians of today like Ahmad Hasan used to come to my house because he knew of my proximity to Mulayam ji. I had always been an errant child, he an accomplished politicians. Even then he used to push me forward, always! He used to tell me what to do, what not to do. But time and experience has matured me, so much so that I now realize the faults of yesteryears."
Now that she has made up her mind, she knows that she is going to return, even after about a decade of hibernation. Says Subi: "I had never thought of marriage while I was in politics. I knew and understood fully my physical incapability. During my 5 years as Municipal Corporator, others benefited far more than I myself. I only concentrated on work in the constituency while those around me sought advantages wherever they could. I couldn't have asked for more when Syed Shadab Husain came forward with an offer to marry. My life was destined to change completely as I could think of nothing during those days but marriage and family. Politics gradually receded in the background till there was a time when I was least bothered about what was happening in the world around. During the next few years, particularly after the birth of my son, I became increasingly involved with my family."
Adds Subi further: "But times have changed now. My son is grown up now and going to school. I have decided that I will return to politics once again. This is the field that gave me recognition and it is through this that I can give back something to the society which has been so kind to me, despite all my handicaps. I look forward to a full-fledged return to politics now."
As regards to Mulayam, he has always banked on the minority vote to form governments in Uttar Pradesh. But these are hard times for the SP supremo. Senior Muslim leaders like Mohammad Khan and Kamal Faruqi are no longer satisfied with SP's working. SP Government is already under fire from all quarters for failing to do anything for the minority community. More recently, the Muslims who are major constituents of the constituency that Mulayam has nurtured during last 25 years of his political career are forsaking him in the wake of rumours alleging UP government's tacit support to rioters or, if not, mishandling of the West UP riots by the State Government. In such times, people like Subi could prove to be a succour for SP, and help reinstate the much needed prestige that the party has lost among the Muslims.
Subi Kazmi represents all that Mulayam stands for or rather aspires to stand for. She is partially veiled. She is a young Muslim woman from a predominantly Muslim area. The fact that she is blind brings the sympathy factor as well in her favour. It remains to be seen what Mulayam does to fulfil her wish of making a comeback in party politics.
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