Topis, safas (scarves) and slogans have largely been the trademark of most of the state’s rural and underprivileged Muslims. But of late, the West Bengal unit chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind ,Siddiqullah Chowdhury, seems to be steering a large section of Muslims in the state.

A year ago, Chowdhury was a fringe player, little talked about and little known. But the movement against acquisition of land for industry in Bengal has suddenly catapulted both the Jamiat and its chief into the limelight. Chowdhury has almost become synonymous with the anti-land acquisition movement in the state.

While various sections of the Muslim community see Chowdhury as a “leader in the making”, there are others who believe otherwise. “I have seen him for over three decades. He comes from a well-educated family in Burdwan. Politically, he has been very close to the Congress. But now, he is trying to find an acceptable platform for his targeted audience by organising movements against land acquisition under the banner of the Jamiat,” said Sultan Ali, a poet and a writer for Mezan — the mouthpiece of a well-known Muslim outfit.

Chowdhury’s strength largely comes from the hundreds of madrasas that otherwise have been neglected by the state government. He himself heads a madrasa and holds a degree in theology. When the CM spoke harshly about madrasas a couple of years back, Chowdhury had protested.

That got him the support of around 1,200 madrasas and the teachers, students, guardians and everybody associated with them. “Moreover, a section of Muslims, who were once close to the Left and later disillusioned, also extended their support to him, making him stronger,” said Dr Md Raisuddin, a former state president of Jamaat-e-Islami and a member of the Muslim Personal Law Board.

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