Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
Encyclopedia
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (born January 12, 1936) is a politician from the state
of Jammu and Kashmir
in India
. He was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from November 2, 2002, to November 2, 2005. He founded the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
, in July 1999 to "persuade the Government of India
to initiate an unconditional dialogue
with Kashmiris
for resolution of the Kashmir problem."
party until 1987. He is said to have brought about the downfall of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference
government, which was led by Farooq Abdullah
, in 1984. In 1987, he quit the Congress party to join V. P. Singh
's Jan Morcha
, which led to his becoming the first Muslim
Minister for Home Affairs
in the Union Cabinet of India in 1989.
He rejoined the Congress under P V Narasimha Rao which he left in 1999 along with daughter Mehbooba Mufti
to form his own party, Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
.
. She was released in exchange for the release of five militants. This started a trend later resulting in the release of more terrorists in exchange for hostages.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has survived several attacks on his life by Kashmiri separatists who oppose Indian rule.
with the Indian National Congress, and was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a term of three years.
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from November 2, 2002, to November 2, 2005. He founded the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
The Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party is a state political party in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It was founded in 1999 by the former Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, and captured power in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in October 2002 assembly elections. Since 2004 it has one...
, in July 1999 to "persuade the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
to initiate an unconditional dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
with Kashmiris
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
for resolution of the Kashmir problem."
Political party affiliations
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had been a member of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party until 1987. He is said to have brought about the downfall of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference
The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference is a State political party in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Led at the time of Indian Independence in 1947 by Sheikh Abdullah, it dominated electoral politics in the state for many decades...
government, which was led by Farooq Abdullah
Farooq Abdullah
Farooq Abdullah , born 21 October 1937 in Soura, Jammu & Kashmir, India), is the son of Sheikh Abdullah, is a doctor of medicine and has served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on several occasions since 1982. He is married to Molly, a nurse of British origin...
, in 1984. In 1987, he quit the Congress party to join V. P. Singh
V. P. Singh
Vishwanath Pratap Singh was the seventh Prime Minister of India and the 41st Raja Bahadur of Manda.-Early life:...
's Jan Morcha
Jan Morcha
The Jan Morcha was founded by V. P. Singh when he was dismissed from his post of Defence Minister and subsequently left the Congress Party in 1987.Together with Arun Nehru, Arif Mohammed Khan, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, V. C...
, which led to his becoming the first Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Home Affairs (India)
The Home Minister, or more properly the Minister for Home Affairs, is a position in the Indian Cabinet, at both State and Union levels. The Home Ministry is one of the most important, powerful and high profile ministry after the Prime Minister...
in the Union Cabinet of India in 1989.
He rejoined the Congress under P V Narasimha Rao which he left in 1999 along with daughter Mehbooba Mufti
Mehbooba Mufti
Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed is the president of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. She is the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his wife Gulshan Nazir...
to form his own party, Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
The Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party is a state political party in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It was founded in 1999 by the former Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, and captured power in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in October 2002 assembly elections. Since 2004 it has one...
.
Attacks on his family and himself
In 1989, within few days of taking office as the Union Minister for Home Affairs, his third daughter Rubaiya was kidnapped by terrorists1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed
The 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed was an act carried out by members of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, a Kashmiri Muslim militant organization, on December 8, 1989 in Jammu and Kashmir. Rubaiya was the daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the then Home minister of India in the V. P. Singh...
. She was released in exchange for the release of five militants. This started a trend later resulting in the release of more terrorists in exchange for hostages.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has survived several attacks on his life by Kashmiri separatists who oppose Indian rule.
Tenure as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed participated in the 2002 assembly election and won 18 assembly seats for his People's Democratic Party. He went on to form a coalition governmentCoalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
with the Indian National Congress, and was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a term of three years.