Mohammad Yunus (politician)

Mohammad Yunus
1st Premier of Bihar Province
In office 1 April 1937 – 19 July 1937
Governor	Sir Maurice Garnier Hallett
Succeeded by	Shri Krishna Sinha
Personal details
Born	(1884-05-04)4 May 1884 Penhara, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	13 May 1952(1952-05-13) (aged 68) London, United Kingdom
Political party	Muslim Independent Party

Mohammad Yunus (May 4, 1884 – May 13, 1952) was the first Premier of British India's Bihar province. Back then, the heads of provincial government used to be called Prime Ministers. He governed for three months in 1937, during the state's first democratic election. However, his minority administration never faced the assembly because it had already resigned when the session began.

Early Life and education

Mohammad Yunus, the younger of two brothers, was born on May 4, 1884, in Penhara, a village located in Patna (Bihar). He belonged to a Muslim family that traces its descent back to the Sufi saint Malik Ibrahim Bayu. He was the son of Ali Hassan Mukhtar, and advocate. His grandfather was Mohammad Azam, who served as District Judge of Monghyr (Munger).

Yunus started studying Urdu and Islamic studies from Shah Saheb from Amthua, Jehanbad, who later founded the Amthua Khanqah. He continued his education at the Patna Collegiate School, later travelling to the United Kingdom in the 1920s to continue his education and eventually pass the bar at Middle Temple, London.

His father's name is Maulvi Ali Hassan Mukhtar, and he is an advocate.

Political Career

After the winning party in the 1937 elections declined to form a government, Yunus, the leader of the Muslim Independent Party, was invited to form a government. During his brief tenure as Chief Minister, the legislative assembly enacted a number of significant motions. Bihar Band (Hartal) and several agitators were detained in front of his residence ("Dar-ul-Mallik") on Fraser Road in Patna on the second day of his tenure.Then youth leader Jayaprakash Narayan harshly criticized Barrister Yunus's acceptance to the governor's invitation for formation of the government. His party (Congress Socialist Party) continued protests to the Muslim Independent Party government because it did not have a majority in the house.

As the Muslim Independent Party was the party which got 20 seats from 40 seats reserved for Muslim and congress got only 4 Muslim seats, the Muslim Independent Party wanted to form an Alliance government with congress so a better answer could be given to Muslim League that Hindu and Muslims, these two biggest religious majorities could exist with equal dignity and rights but congress refused to Barrister Yunus's brilliant proposal and did it best that formed the government alone. Congress which was having just 4 Muslim Members assembly out of 40 didn't show any respect of Muslim mandate which was given to Muslim Independent Party in Bihar. Same situation aroses in West Bengal. Which ultimately resulted in partition of India. All of these details may be found in the journal of Barrister Yasin Yunus, his father's eldest son and political secretary. The journal was afterwards with Mohammad Yaqub Yunus, Barrister Yunus's younger son and the founder of the Bihar Muslim Majlise-e-Mushawarat, which is presently with Baber Yunus (Director, Yunus Construction Pvt. Ltd. and son of Late Yaqub Yunus). Following the fall of his minority administration, the first Congress Ministry (headed by Premier Sri Krishna Singh and Dr. A.N. Sinha as deputy premier) was formed.

His eldest son, Barrister Moahammad Yasin Yunus, who inherited his father's judicial heritage while staying out of politics, died in 1947 at the age of 40 while serving as a standing counsel for the Government of Bihar. Most of his political and business legacy was passed down to his younger son, Mohammad Yaqub Yunus (founding president of Bihar Muslim Majlis Mushawarat). Dar-ul-Mallik, his mansion, was afterwards changed into Grand Hotel and in another portion oriental Bank, which was eventually demolished in the late 1990s. His grandson, Baber Yunus, who manages the Yunus Construction Company in Patna, erected the Grand Apartment in its stead.

• At addition to serving as standing counsel for the Government of Bihar in the Patna High Court, Muhammad Yasin Yunus, the elder son, also served as his father's political secretary, particularly during the key time of the Muslim Independent Party's formation and his father's Chief Minister ship. He was appointed as standing counsel to the Bihar government in 1945 and received the letter appointing him as a judge in the Patna High Court as he lay dying in 1946.
• Mohammad Yaqub Yunus, a Patna High Court advocate, was the younger son who founded the All India Muslim Majlis-e- Mushawarat in 1967. He also held the position of President of the AMU Old Boys Association in Bihar for a very long time and led the Aligarh Movement when the Minority Character of the AMU came under scrutiny during the rule of Indira.
• Attended Lahore Session of congress as a delegate in 1908 but later left the Party.² Became Member of the Subject Committee of the 24th Session of the Congress held in Lahore in 1909. The other Members of the Society were Hasan Imam, Mr. Deep Narayan Singh, Dr A N Sinha, Mr. Kishan Sahay and Mr. Parmeswar. Served briefly as All India Secretary of the Muslim League. Political Ideology – Muttahda Qaumiat (United Nationhood) which was in contrast with Two Nation Theory of Muslim League. Became Member of Imperial Legislative Council in 1916 at the age of 32. Became member of Bihar and Orissa Legislative Council in 1921. Elected to the position of the Chief Whip of the Democratic Party in 1921 and remained in the post till 1926. Again, elected as member of Bihar and Orissa Legislative Council in 1932. Twice elected a member of Patna Municipal Board, in 1917 and remained on its board from 1917 till 1923. Presented a scheme of a new constitution before Lords Minto & Chelmsford and Mr. Montague. Many of his ideas found place in the New Constitution. Simon Commission - Represented Bihar Muslim Association and Bihar Landholder's Association as Chief Spokesman before the Simon Commission. Formed Muslim Independent Party in 1936 with the help of Maulana Abul Mohasin Sajjad (Founder of Imarat-e- Sharia, Bihar) and became its Founder President. Avoided all the efforts and persuasions of Mohammad Ali Jinnah to merge the Party with Muslim League before 1937 election. Muslim Independent Party fought election in 1937 with the Congress on seat sharing basis and Became Second Largest Party after Congress in the House. Became Member of Bihar Legislative Council again in 1937 on Muslim Independent Party Ticket from West Patna (Rural) Constituency and became First Premier in 1937: took oath as First Premier of Bihar province on 1 April 1937 under the Government of India Act, 1935. His government had Abdul Wahab Khan as revenue Minister, Kumar Ajit Singh Deo as L.S.G. minister and Babu Guru Sahay Lal as River Development Minister. He also offered a ministerial position to lure Jagjivan Ram, who declined due to pressure from congress leadership for not joining the Government. Qazi Sahab who was Nazim of Imarat-e-Sharia at that time and was also an important leader of Muslim independent party was having a divided opinion over formation of government but Barrister Yunus was firm on forming government because forming a government without giving participation to a party which was representing the second largest majority of the country was a narrow minded approach of congress leaders which could lead to a serious divide between these two communities which we saw in 1947 that congress this rigidity divided the country in two parts. After partition played an active part in the movement for amendments in Custodian Ordinance and worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Jamiat-e-Ulema on this issue. His suggestions found a place in the Minto-Morley Reforms. Was Member of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for 6 years. Founder President of All India Mail-Milap Association which was formed for achieving the larger object of Hindu-Muslim unity on Social Level and above Political Interest and limitations. Was Secretary of Annie Besant's Theosophical Society. J. B. Kripalani founded Kisaan Mazdur Praja Party in 1951. Mahamaya Prasad became state president of party in Bihar. It was the same Mahamaya Prasad who to become M.L.C. in 1951 advised Maulana Manzoor Ejazi to refuse the proposal of congress party to nominate Maulana as an M.L.C. in Bihar Legislative Council. And very next day after refusal of Maulana, Mahamaya Prasad himself accepted the proposal from the party and became M.L.C. Mohammad Yunus actively helped Kripalani and Mahamaya Prasad in formation of the party. Maulana Manzoor Ejazi also joined Kisan Mazdoor Praja party and fought election on its symbol from Muzaffarpur in 1951. In 1951 election KMPP emerged as 3rd largest party of India after Congress and Socialist Party. KMPP and Socialist party later merged to form Praja Socialist Party. Chief Minister of Bihar Mr. Nitish Kumar announced that 4 May, the birthday of Mr. Yunus will be Observed as "Rajkiya Samaroh" from the next year. Nitish was speaking to the audience in a conference, "Mohammad Yunus: Hayat Wa Khidmat" organised by Yunus's great-grandson Mr. Mohammad Kashif Yunus on 60th death Anniversary of Mohammad Yunus 13 May 2012. Mr. Nand Kishore Yadav, the Road Construction minister of Bihar government, was the Chief guest on 4 May 2013 when the Bihar government first time observed "Rajkiya Samaroh" in memory of Mr. Yunus.

Academic and judicial affairs

Yunus moved to England in 1903 to join the Society of the Middle Temple, and on January 26, 1906, he received his bar admission. He was admitted as a Barrister of the High Court of Justice of London on January 27. After just a brief period of practice in England, he returned to India in April 1906, and at the age of 22, he enrolled as an advocate in the Calcutta High Court Bar. In 1906, he began his legal career in the Patna District Court before rising to the position of Senior Advocate. He actively contested matters in the Privy Council of England, the Federal Court of Delhi, the Patna High Court, and the High Court of Calcutta.

Corporate affairs

• Founder of [./Https://www.loc.gov/item/sn93049215/ Search Light Press in Patna], now known as Hindustan Times. In 1924 he started Patna Times as a weekly paper which in the year 1944 became a daily newspaper. Yunus was the Editor and Publisher of the newspaper.
• Founder of Orient Bank India Limited., which had branches and pay offices all over India.
• Founder and Chairman of the Industrial Engineering Developments Limited with branches in Bihar, Bengal and Assam.
• Founded the Great India Development Limited. This Company undertook construction of a large railway project in various Rajputana States, especially Indore and Marwar, and was to link up B.B. C.I. Railway and G.I.P. Railway.
• Founder of Bihar Flying Club, which still existed as of 2011.
• Served as managing director of the Bihar Provincial Co-operative Bank
• Served as Director of the Bank of Bihar.
• Served as Director and Managing Agent of Bihar United Insurance Company.
• Opened Grand Hotel, Patna.

Personal life

His first wife was Bibian Zeenatunissa, a descendant of Abdul Jabbar of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. who passed away on March 19, 1924. On October 5, 1924, he married his second wife, the eldest daughter of the late Habibur Rahman of Irki, Jehanabad, Gaya, who was working as an assistant civil surgeon at the time. No children were born from this marriage.

Poetry

On December 29, 1944, Yunus had a heart attack. During his rehabilitation, particularly during his extended stay in Mussoorie in 1945, he started writing poetry. His best-known poems include "Marsiya," on the passing of Birbal Lal, the justice Manohar Lal's son, "Payam-e-Muhabbat," about the harmony between Hindus and Muslims, and "Kalam-e-Yunus," a letter to young people.

Death

He died of a heart attack while walking down a street in London on May 13, 1952. He was buried in Brookwood Muslim Graveyard in London.

References

• The Hindustan Times daily newspaper, Patna, Sunday, 7 January 1990, Page- 7
• The Sunday Searchlight Magazine, Patna, 12 August 1979
• Toote Hue Tare- Book written by Shah Mohammad Uthmani and published by his academician son.
• Husn-e-Sirat - book written by Shah Mohammad Uthmani which is a Biography of Qazi Sahab-founder Nazim of Imarat-e-Sahria Bihar
• Tazkira-e-Yunus written by prominent journalist Taqi Rahim
• Barrister Mohammad Yunus ke Daur-e-Wazarat ka ek Aks written by Asghar Imam Falsafi
• "Freedom and Partition and Season Changed" written by Syed Tanveer Hassan (Grand son of Sir SULTAN)