34-year-old young poet Imran Pratapgarhi has been appointed the chairman of Minority department of the All India Congress Committee(AICC). He will replace former Jaunpur MLA Nadeem Javed.Imran Pratapgarhi has got this significant post in just two years of his political career. He is a resident of Pratapgarh and his appointment is being considered important in the wake of upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
In an exclusive conversation with National Herald, Imran Pratapgarhi said he will carry out this huge responsibility with all sincerity and hard work and will work towards strengthening Congress all his life.
Question: Best wishes to you! This is a huge responsibility. This achievement in just two years of a political career is amazing!
Imran Pratapgarhi: Yes. I am 34 years old now. My leaders and the Congress party considered me worthy for this, I am thankful to them. From Manipur to Kashmir, I will interact with the minority communities and tell them how committed the Congress is to this country and her Constitution. It is of course an enormous challenge, but I too will put in all my might. From the very first day, you will feel a pleasant change. We are facing the crisis of a pandemic at present and our priority is to help people as much as we can. I feel that the Congress party is the true custodian of the country and her Constitution. I am thankful for the trust the party has shown in me.
Q: Now, you have completely become a political personality than a poet. Politics come with more and tougher challenges…
Imran: I did not write romantic poetry even in the early days. You must have noticed I always used to raise the voice of the oppressed and the deprived through poetry. I expressed their sentiments through my poetry. Particularly in context of the unfortunate incidents of mob lynching, you saw me standing with Akhlaq, Junaid and Pehlu Khan. I will say that a pressure was created by the ruling authorities when we raised strong voice against lynching. It is true that I made my political debut two years ago by formally contesting elections from Moradabad, but I think my struggle against injustice has been going on for a long time.
Q: So you were doing a great job of making people aware, inspiring and invigorating them through poetry, then why did you feel the need to join politics?
Imran: Those who have heard my poetry understand that there is that pain in me. That pain is expressed. I will tell you honestly, many times tears just start flowing from my eyes. Many times I have cried all by myself while writing those poems. I feel anguished, I want to help the poor, the deprived and oppressed. As a poet whatever I could do on individual level, I have done that. But I understand that for doing it on a large scale, it requires a change in the system. It requires the government to do it. The present regime in India promotes hatred. It has torn apart the economic and social thread of the country. I strong believe that only the Congress party can now save the country and the Constitution. I have a responsibility towards the country and its people and I will remain fully devoted to the country.
Q: The responsibility of the Congress Minority department is huge but your experience in the field of politics is very less. Besides, you don’t have a political legacy. In Uttar Pradesh especially, the minority community has moved a little away from the Congress. How will you manage?
Imran: The trust of the party leadership in me and my good intentions will help me in this task. I will meet and interact with the minority communities all across the country. I will communicate and stay in touch with all sections- the intelligentsia, intellectuals and the common people. We will work towards rebuilding and re-nurturing confidence among people. Uttar Pradesh is my state and I am quite familiar with it. We will take everyone along. I definitely want to make it clear that I have not come here to rest and relax. I will invest all my energy and try my level best and will restore the faith of minority communities in the Congress.
Q: The upcoming challenge of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh seems to be a huge one. After many incidents in the state affecting communal harmony, it is almost clear what the strategy of the ruling party will be in these elections. Do you have any counter strategy for this politics of hate?
Imran: You are hinting at the demolition of a mosque in Barabanki, Aqil Qureshi’s death in Bulandshahr and killing of Faisal in Unnao. Now, let me tell you that after the demolition of the mosque in Barabanki, the first leader who stood up in support of the Muslims there was our state Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu. Similarly, in Unnao our district head Abha Vajpayee was fighting for Faisal in Unnao. This very quality of the Congress is an effective weapon against the politics of hate; when Ajay Kumar is oppressed, Imran fights for him, when Imran is abused, Ajay comes and fights for him. This is the unique quality of the Congress. They know that only love can defeat hatred and Congress talks about this love and harmony only. The BJP govt traps people in the hatred and diverts their attention from the main issue. Because if the hatred ends then people will start raising questions and issues. That is why they have been constantly trying to divide the society, but we will respond with love.
