Shafiqur Rahman Barq, the nonagenarian Member of Parliament representing the Samajwadi Party, has passed away. He had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Muradabad for an extended period. Ziaur Rahman Barq, the MP's grandson, revealed that his 93-year-old grandfather's health suddenly deteriorated, leading to his admission to the hospital. Despite initial concerns, there was some improvement in his condition.
The oldest MP of India was transferred to the ICU on Tuesday morning, where he eventually breathed his last. Shafiqur Rahman Barq, who served as a legislator and parliamentarian four times each, secured his fifth term as an MP in 2019. He held the distinction of being the most senior politician in the region in terms of both age and experience, and he was recognised for his unwavering political stance.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of Shafiqur Rahman Barq.
Akhilesh, in a post on X, said, “The demise of the senior leader of the Samajwadi Party, the honorable Shafiqur Rahman Barq sahib, who served as a Member of Parliament several times, is extremely saddening. May his soul rest in peace. May the grieving family members find the strength to bear this immense sorrow. Heartfelt condolences!"
He had previously served as the coordinator of the Babri Masjid Action Committee and was known for his advocacy on issues concerning Muslims and his stance on "Vande Mataram." Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Barq's reemergence as a prominent figure in Samajwadi Party politics was attributed to his political demeanor.
Political career
His political career spanned over 60 years. He contested his initial legislative assembly elections from the Sambhal constituency in 1967, albeit unsuccessfully. His breakthrough came in the state legislative assembly elections in 1974, where he was elected as an MLA representing the BSP. Subsequently, he held positions as an MLA from the Janata Party in 1977, Lok Dal in 1985, and Janata Dal in 1989.
He also served as the Minister of Homeguards Department in Mulayam Singh Yadav's administration. Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Barq ventured into parliamentary politics in 1996 as a candidate of the Janata Dal, securing victory as an MP from the Muradabad Lok Sabha constituency. He continued to represent the Muradabad parliamentary seat as a Samajwadi Party MP in 1998 and 2004.
In 2009, he contested elections from the Sambhal Lok Sabha constituency on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket, securing his fourth term as an MP. Despite facing a setback in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as a candidate of the Samajwadi Party, he emerged victorious in 2019 through the SP-BSP-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance, securing his fifth term as an MP.
Samajwadi Party announced Barq's name from the Sambhal seat in its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Controversies:
Barq had been in the headlines for his controversial statements on 'Vande Mataram' and Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.
After he won from Sambhal Lok Sabha contituency in 2019, Burq had refused to chant "Vande Mataram", saying "it's against Islam."
After taking the oath, Burq had said, "Jahan tak Vande Mataram ka taaluq hai, it is against Islam we cannot follow it (as far as Vande Mataram is concerned, it is against Islam, we cannot follow it."
In August 2021, The Samajwadi party MP was booked for comparing the 'Taliban terrorists to India's freedom fighters'.
In 2021, Shafiqur Rahman Barq expressed support for the Taliban, stating they fight for Afghan freedom.
