'Heed Nazrul's message' call

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 16

The Congress (I) president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, today called upon the people to fight communalism, the darkest cloud which was threatening society, today.

Inaugurating the yearlong Qazi Nazrul Islam Birth Centenary Celebrations here, Ms Gandhi said the best tribute to Qazi Nazrul Islam would be to use his legacy to promote idealism, democracy and secularism and to imbibe his concept of a secular society.

Quoting extensively from the works of Qazi Nazrul, Ms. Gandhi said it was for us to do whatever we can to promote translation of his works in as many languages as possible. She said the poet's words reflected his rebel personality and it was his restlessness which made him a freedom fighter. He spoke of a casteless and classless society, she said.

The CPI leader, Mr. A.B.Bardhan, said Nazrul Islam's works were weapons to fight for freedom of India. His contribution towards a classless society will always be remembered, he said, describing Nazrul Islam as a poet of the masses.

Senior Congress (I) leader, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, said the poet's message transcended all barriers of frontiers cultures because he spoke for the entire humanity.

Pointing out that Qazi Nazrul's writings were full of passion for freedom, Mr. Sitaram Yechuri, CPI(M) leader, said the need of the hour today was to carry forward this message of secularism which he preached with so much passion.

Prof. Rafiq-ul-Islam, leader of the four-member team from Bangladesh that has come for the celebrations, said Qazi Nazrul -- the national poet of Bangladesh -- had been able to identify the greatest threat posed by communalism in the 21st Century. ``Even 50 years after freedom we in the sub-continent are still fighting each other while the rest of the world is progressing,'' he said.

The President, Mr. K.R.Narayanan, who was scheduled to inaugurate the celebrations, sent a message in which he paid rich tributes to the poet. Messages were sent by the Vice-president, Mr. Krishan Kant and the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Mrs Sheikh Hasina Wajid.

Among others who spoke at the function were the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dixit, chairperson of the Qazi Nazrul Islam Centenary Celebrations Committee, and Mr. Shashi Bhushan, former MP.

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