Syed Bashir Ahmad
{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Syed Bashir Ahmad
{{Nastaliq|سید بشیر احمد}}
| image = Syed_Bashir_Ahmad.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date ={{Birth date and age|1952|1|2|df=y}}
| birth_place =Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| residence = Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| constituency = Rajpora (Assembly)
| office = Member of Legislative Assembly
| term = 2002 - January 2015
| party =JKPDP (1999 - 2014)
(August 2024 - Present)
| children = Four sons and one daughter
}}
Syed Bashir Ahmad ({{langx|ur|سید بشیر احمد}}) (born 2 January 1952 in Sheikhar, Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir){{Cite web |url=http://www.jammulinks.com/completedetail.php?tablename=MLA&namefield=Mr.%20Syed%20Bashir%20Ahmad%20Shah |title=Jammu Links - the Virtual search engine for Jammu & kashmir, J&K, India |access-date=23 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023155744/http://www.jammulinks.com/completedetail.php?tablename=MLA&namefield=Mr.%20Syed%20Bashir%20Ahmad%20Shah |archive-date=23 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.kashmirlife.net/syed-bashir-ahmad-55788/|title=Syed Bashir Ahmad|date=24 February 2014|website=Jammulinks.com|accessdate=8 August 2018}} is a Kashmiri politician. He has worked for the social upliftment of people living in rural areas and has championed the cause of weaker sections. He was the Member of Legislative Assembly from Rajpora Constituency{{cite news|title=List of Honorable Members of J&K Legislative Assembly - 5. Ahmad, Shri Syed Bashir|url=http://jklegislativeassembly.nic.in/website%20material/alphabeticallist.htm}} and Chairman of Petitions Committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.{{cite web|url=http://jkdirinf.in/NewsDescription.aspx?ID=7666|title=Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir, Director Of Information & Public Relations :: News Description|website=Jkdirinf.in|accessdate=8 August 2018}}
Political career
He was associated with politics from a very young age and remained associated with Janata Dal, Indian National Congress and Jan Morcha. When elections for the state assembly were held in 1996, Syed Bashir contested the elections from Pulwama constituency on a Janata Dal ticket against the National Conference candidate, but lost by a thin margin.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiavotes.com/ac/details/32/20091/130|title=IndiaVotes AC: Pulwama 1996|website=IndiaVotes.com|accessdate=8 August 2018}}
In 1999, he along with other leaders founded Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was then headed by the former Home Minister of India and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. In 2002, he contested and won the Assembly Elections from Rajpora Constituency and was made a Minister for Education in the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed led Government.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.in/jammu-and-kashmir/assembly-constituencies/rajpora.html|title=Rajpora Election 2014, Results, Candidate List and winner of Rajpora Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Constituency, Jammu And Kashmir|website=Elections.in|accessdate=8 August 2018}} He later held the portfolios of 'PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control', and 'Roads & Buildings'.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040623/j&k.htm#2|title=The Tribue India|website=Tribuneindia.com|accessdate=8 August 2018}} He again won from the same constituency in the 2008 Assembly Elections.
In July 2005, militants made a bid on the life of Syed Bashir Ahmad at crowded Budshah Chowk in Srinagar when he was on way from Civil Secretariat. He escaped unhurt but two of his personnel security officers (PSO) and a civilian were injured in the shooting incident.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050707/j&k.htm#1|title=The Tribue India|website=Tribuneindia.com|accessdate=8 August 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/07/stories/2005070702191300.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141023073141/http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/07/stories/2005070702191300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 October 2014|website=The Hindu|title=Front Page : Attack on another Kashmir Minister|date=2005-07-07|accessdate=8 August 2018}}
In July 2014, PDP dropped the name of Syed Bashir Ahmad from its list of candidates for 2014 Assembly elections. Soon after that hundreds of his party workers from Rajpora Constituency took to streets and staged a massive protest outside Housing Colony in Pulwama which houses top politicians and legislative members. The protesters amid anti-party slogans castigated Mufti Muhammad Sayeed for ignoring Syed Bashir. These protesters later on drove their vehicles towards Srinagar and staged a protest outside PDP president’s official Gupkar residence and demanded mandate in favour of Syed Bashir.{{cite web|url=http://www.kashmirlife.net/syed-bashirs-workers-protest-outside-muftis-gupkar-residence-61666/|title=Syed Bashir's workers protest outside Mufti's Gupkar residence|date=7 July 2014|website=Kashmirlife.net|accessdate=8 August 2018}} Syed Bashir later revealed that he was not taken into confidence before dropping his name from the list which had earlier included his name as the party candidate from Rajpora constituency and was just told on phone that the candidate was changed.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kashmir-today.net/row-drabus-candidature-pdp-created-devil-deep-sea-situation-syed-bashir/ |title=Row over Drabu's candidature: PDP created devil and deep sea situation for me: Syed Bashir - Kashmir-Today.Net |access-date=23 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023090214/http://www.kashmir-today.net/row-drabus-candidature-pdp-created-devil-deep-sea-situation-syed-bashir/ |archive-date=23 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}
In October 2014, Syed Bashir was expelled from PDP. According to a statement by PDP, Syed Bashir was expelled from the party for holding anti-party activities.{{Cite web |url=http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2014/Oct/9/pdp-expels-legislator-syed-bashir-ahmad-47.asp |title=PDP expels legislator Syed Bashir Ahmad Lastupdate:- Thu, 9 Oct 2014 18:30:00 GMT GreaterKashmir.com |access-date=23 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010153650/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2014/Oct/9/pdp-expels-legislator-syed-bashir-ahmad-47.asp |archive-date=10 October 2014 |url-status=dead }} In an interview to press, Syed Bashir refuted those allegations and said:
"I do not know why I have been expelled. I did not receive any notice from the party stating the cause of my expulsion. I was phoned by a journalist yesterday evening that I have been expelled from the party. They should have exposed my anti-party activities. I never involved myself in any anti-party activity. I didn't speak against PDP. I respected the party symbol even when I was denied the party mandate."{{Cite web |url=https://www.authintmail.com/2014/interview/mufti-sayeed-has-become-pawn-his-own-party-105118 |title="Mufti Sayeed has become a pawn in his own party" - Authint Mail |access-date=23 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023103251/https://www.authintmail.com/2014/interview/mufti-sayeed-has-become-pawn-his-own-party-105118 |archive-date=23 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}
On 30 October 2014, Syed Bashir Ahmad announced that he would contest the J&K Legislative Assembly elections 2014, as an independent candidate. Addressing a press conference at his Sheikhar residence, Syed Bashir said, "Though many political parties had offered me the ticket but I declined them as my workers and supporters wanted me to contest independently. I was left with no option but to respect their aspirations and emotions."{{Cite web |url=https://www.authintmail.com/2014/kashmir/expelled-pdp-leader-contest-independent-candidate-213200 |title=Expelled PDP leader to contest as independent candidate - Authint Mail |access-date=7 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107220324/https://www.authintmail.com/2014/kashmir/expelled-pdp-leader-contest-independent-candidate-213200 |archive-date=7 November 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://kashmirreader.com/expelled-pdp-leader-to-contest-as-independent-candidate-24375 |title=Expelled PDP leader to contest as independent candidate | Kashmir Reader |access-date=7 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107213435/http://kashmirreader.com/expelled-pdp-leader-to-contest-as-independent-candidate-24375 |archive-date=7 November 2014 |url-status=dead }}
On 22 August 2024, Syed Bashir Ahmad rejoined the People's Democratic Party.{{Cite web |url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/latest-news/your-extensive-experience-professional-dedication-will-greatly-contribute-to-our-mission-pdp-on-fresh-joinings/ |title="Your extensive experience, professional dedication will greatly contribute to our mission: PDP on fresh joinings" - Greater Kashmir}}
Electoral performance
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad, Syed Bashir}}
Category:Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party politicians
Category:People from Pulwama district
Category:Janata Dal politicians
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Jammu and Kashmir
Category:Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2002–2008
Category:Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2008–2014