Mrs. Badar Sayeed: A fearless leader
Politics is not a dirty word for her. In fact she enjoys being a politician. Mrs. Badar Sayeed, who represents Triplicane constituency in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assemby, always wanted to be part of the decision making process of the country and politics gives her that opportunity.
She credits Jayalalitha, her schoolmate and leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for her entering the electoral politics. But it was not just the friendship that got her the ticket to the seat, Sayeed had worked hard to earn the respect that she gets now.
After finishing her BA in Economics from University of Madras in 1966, she lived in the USA and Canada for few years then returned to India and decided to hit the books. In 1982, she got a degree in Law and started practicing.
She is a practicing senior lawyer and her legal career has coincided with her activism and she has used her training in law to champion the causes that are dear to her. A fearless leader, she is not scared to speak her mind on controversial topics. When the Indian Muslim community were up in arms against Supreme Court judgment on Shahbano and forced the government to enact a law that will eventually overturn the judgement, Badar Sayeed organized a signature campaign against the bill.
Over the years, she has argued against polygamy, triple-talaq, and asked for increased access of women to the mosques. She takes social work very seriously and helped establish ROSHINI, an NGO devoted to women issues and children. She is also a founder member of Movement for Empowerment of Muslim Indians (MOEMIN) and a patron of SAAYA which is a network of Muslim Women’s Association.
Her formal entry to the politics came as a result of her being made the Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission. In 2002, she was made the Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board, first woman to hold that position. There she computerized the wakf board record, launched their website and improved many schemes of the Board.
In 2004, she contested Lok Sabha election on AIADMK from Chennai South seat. Though she won the largest number of votes by any AIADMK candidate but she still lost the election. But her excellent performance convinced the party to put her as the candidate for the assembly election and this time she won from Triplicane, a first for her party from that constituency.
Though she loves being in politics, she acknowledges that politics is tough for women and especially a Muslim woman. But she is a fighter and has achieved success though her hard work and determination.
But her success has not let her forget her Muslim roots. Though she represent all the people of her constituency but she takes every opportunity to help Muslims. To those Muslims in the position of authority reluctant to help fellow Muslims for the fear that they will be called communal, she says, if you don't help your own community, who will?
She has no sympathy for Muslims who have victimhood mentality. She has simple message for the Muslims of India- “get up from your slumber.” She acknowledges that there is some discrimination in the system but still if the community is determined there is no one that can stop them for getting their due rights.
Published: TwoCircles.net, 28 Aug 2009
She credits Jayalalitha, her schoolmate and leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for her entering the electoral politics. But it was not just the friendship that got her the ticket to the seat, Sayeed had worked hard to earn the respect that she gets now.
After finishing her BA in Economics from University of Madras in 1966, she lived in the USA and Canada for few years then returned to India and decided to hit the books. In 1982, she got a degree in Law and started practicing.
She is a practicing senior lawyer and her legal career has coincided with her activism and she has used her training in law to champion the causes that are dear to her. A fearless leader, she is not scared to speak her mind on controversial topics. When the Indian Muslim community were up in arms against Supreme Court judgment on Shahbano and forced the government to enact a law that will eventually overturn the judgement, Badar Sayeed organized a signature campaign against the bill.
Over the years, she has argued against polygamy, triple-talaq, and asked for increased access of women to the mosques. She takes social work very seriously and helped establish ROSHINI, an NGO devoted to women issues and children. She is also a founder member of Movement for Empowerment of Muslim Indians (MOEMIN) and a patron of SAAYA which is a network of Muslim Women’s Association.
Her formal entry to the politics came as a result of her being made the Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission. In 2002, she was made the Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board, first woman to hold that position. There she computerized the wakf board record, launched their website and improved many schemes of the Board.
In 2004, she contested Lok Sabha election on AIADMK from Chennai South seat. Though she won the largest number of votes by any AIADMK candidate but she still lost the election. But her excellent performance convinced the party to put her as the candidate for the assembly election and this time she won from Triplicane, a first for her party from that constituency.
Though she loves being in politics, she acknowledges that politics is tough for women and especially a Muslim woman. But she is a fighter and has achieved success though her hard work and determination.
But her success has not let her forget her Muslim roots. Though she represent all the people of her constituency but she takes every opportunity to help Muslims. To those Muslims in the position of authority reluctant to help fellow Muslims for the fear that they will be called communal, she says, if you don't help your own community, who will?
She has no sympathy for Muslims who have victimhood mentality. She has simple message for the Muslims of India- “get up from your slumber.” She acknowledges that there is some discrimination in the system but still if the community is determined there is no one that can stop them for getting their due rights.
Published: TwoCircles.net, 28 Aug 2009
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