Mehboob Ali : An Honest Intellectual in Politics

Rajendra Bora

Eighty year old Mehboob Ali, who passed away early Wednesday morning in Bikaner, was basically an intellectual rather than a run of a mill politician. Honesty and commitment was his hall mark. He was like an alien in the today’s breed of politicians.

In a political system which does not allow an honest, independent and impartial person to survive Mehboob Ali, fondly called Mehboob Saheb, was a shining example of a politician who could not be corrupted. He showed his mettle serving as minister for Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in first ever non-Congress government in Rajasthan in 1977 when no tempting offer of money and political pressure could deter him from his crusade against corrupt officials.

He was like a Rishi (saint) having great insight into ills of society. An intellectual we should be proud of. He could call a spade a spade. But he was a misfit. Hindus would not accept him because he was a Muslim. And Muslims would not accept him because of his radical views. But people who knew him loved him and adore him.

People remember him as a minister who rode on bicycle. He used to go to his ministerial office in secretariat from his official residence peddling a bike. On bike he went to attend functions in the capital and frequented his friends’ places. There was no gimmick in it. He was like that only.

Mehboob Ali had a humble beginning and remained humble all his life. But on principles and idealism he could never compromise.

Born in 1931 in village Malkisar in Bikaner district he did his graduation from Bikaner and studied law in Jaipur. He started his career as a peon in Agriculture Department and later served as Maal Babu in Railways. His literary and political leanings shaped his life. He practiced law and edited noted weekly ‘Saptaahaant’ and ‘Gurudeep’.

He was a wanderer in politics because of his unconventional ideas and views. He could win only one assembly election from Bikaner during Janata wave in 1977. After the Janata Party split he remained with BJP and became its state vice-president. It was apparent that a radical like him had no space in a saffron party.Later he joined Congress but there too he was a misfit. He also dabbled with a non functioning Sarvodaya Party.

A noted Delhi weekly listed Mehboob Ali among half a dozen prominent persons in the country who had their distinct mark on society. Others include industrialist Ratan Tata, and activists like Vinayak Sen, and Badal Sirkar.

In the death of Mehboob Ali we have lost a true son of Rajasthan who set an example of a clean political leader of integrity. He was intellectually rich but financially died a pauper.

(The piece published in Hindustan Times on February 24, 2011)