Now JD(U) using Ishrat Jahan to corner Narendra Modi

Patna,(BiharTimes): That Ishrat Jahan was born in Patna and had deep roots in the state is no big news as it was already highlighted after she was killed on June 15, 2004. But suddenly the media in Bihar has been reminded of it. They have played the story in a way as if it is revealing something really new.

This news was first reported sometimes after her killing by the Gujarat police. No doubt the media has right to highlight the news once again, but not in the way as if it has never been disclosed and that too with the quote of Janata Dal (United) MP, Ali Anwar. He has been quoted by various newspapers and channels on Wednesday and Thursday. Not only that the media gave a typical slant to the story by stating that Ali Anwar is the leader of the Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, who spoke to Ishrat’s mother over phone a week ago to give his moral support to the struggle of what he now calls the “Iron Lady from Bihar.”

He said though the entire country was with her struggle, “I, as a public representative of Bihar, feel proud of her continuous legal fight for justice. When I learnt that Shamima (her mother) is a native of Bihar, I felt proud that a sister of Bihar is so tough that she is fighting with a strong political power.”

Who is the “strong political power” to whom Ali Anwar is referring is known to all. But what is surprising is that he “learnt” about her Bihari origin after nine full years. What is strange is that Ali Anwar, before plunging into politics during the RJD era, was a senior Hindi journalist.

He also said “with the CBI terming the Ishrat encounter as fake, Shamima today achieved just half success. She will achieve full success on the day political leaders involved in Ishrat’s killing will be brought to book.”

But till a few months back the leaders of Janata Dal (United) were busy condemning the Congress party for using the CBI to settle political score.

There is no doubt that Ishrat’s was born in Shahganj locality of Patna in 1985 and her family moved to Thane in Mumbai in 1993. Her father, Mohammad Shamim Raza, was originally from Khagaul near Patna and mother, Shamima Kauser, had her schooling in Jamalpur (Munger), where her father was an employee in the railway workshop.

Ishrat’s father died two years before the encounter. Her maternal uncle, Mujib-ur-Rahman is an employee of NIT, Patna and her paternal grandfather’s name is Wali Mohammad.