Badruddin Ajmal is the president of All India United Democratic Fund (AIUDF) and three times Member of Parliament from Assam’s Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency (2009, 2014, and 2019). Apart from being a politician, he is also an established businessman, industrialist, philanthropist, and social worker.
Wiki/Biography
Badruddin Ajmal was born in Ali Nagar village located in Assam’s Hojai district. There is a confusion about his official date of birth. According to one source, his date of birth is 12 February 1950 (age 70 years; as in 2020); however, according to another source, his date of birth is 12 February 1956 (age 66 years as in 2020). Ajmal completed Fazil-e Deoband (Equivalent to Masters Degree in Islamic Theology and Arabic) from Darul Uloom Deoband, UP and joined his family business in 1975.
Family
Ajmal belongs to an affluent business family of the Muslim community. [1]The New Indian Express
Parents & Siblings
His father, Haji Ajmal Ali, was a rice farmer who travelled to Mumbai in 1951 and transformed into a perfumer. Later, he established his own perfume company by the name “Ajmal Perfumes,” which was taken over by his children after his death.
Maulana Badruddin Ajmal has four siblings: Mohammad Amir Uddin Ajmal Ali, Mohammad Sirajuddin Ajmal (former MP), Fakhruddin Ajmal, and Abdulla Ajmal.
Wife & Children
Badruddin Ajmal got married to Rezwana Ajmal on 30 December 1979. The couple has seven children, which is the maximum by any Member of the Indian Parliament. [2]NewsClick
Political Career
In 2005, he formed a political party by the name, Assam United Democratic Fund (AUDF) which was later renamed All India United Democratic Fund (AIUDF) after 2009 Lok Sabha Election. In 2006, he was elected as the Member of Assam Legislative assembly simultaneously from two constituencies- South Salmara and Jamunamukh. Altogether, his party managed to win 10 seats in its maiden election. This was a big breakthrough for Badruddin Ajmal, who was not even recognised by the then CM of Assam, Tarun Gogoi, prior to the election. Then in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Badruddin Ajmal won from Dhubri Lok Sabha seat by defeating the sitting INC MP Anowar Hussain. Since then, he has managed to retain the Dhubri seat in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats and Ajmal’s party, AIUDF) won 3 out of these. After this, his stature in Assam and the politics of the country grew rapidly.
Business
There is no doubt that Ajmal’s political party has emerged as the third most important link in Assam politics; however, his identity is not only because of politics. He runs the world-renowned perfume producing company “Ajmal Perfumes.” In 2011, the company reported a turnover of Rs 1,475 crores. His business is not limited to perfumes, but it is spread from real estate to the leather industry, tea production, health services, education.
Philanthropy
He is the president of an NGO Markazul Ma’arif which runs schools, hospitals, orphanages with the only motto of striving for the upliftment of economically and educationally deprived section of society. Besides that, it also runs many other social, educational, and economic development activities around different places in India. Since it was established in 1982, the organisation has done immense work for the benefit of the people in the fields of poverty, illiteracy, and basic immunisation, especially in Assam and other northeastern states. He is the managing trustee of Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Public Trust, Hojai. This trust is best known for the construction of the multi-crore charitable hospital, Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Hospital and Research Center in Hojai, Assam. He is also the head of Assam’s Jamiat Ulama-e-Assam and Tanzim Madaris-e Quamia — All Assam Non-government Madrasa Board that prepares the syllabus and conducts examinations throughout the state for more than 400 madrasas. He is also associated with a number of other schools, madrasas, and orphanages either as Chairperson or Secretary in different parts of Northeast India. He is the Chairperson of Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Centre (MMERC), Mumbai — an institution that caters to the modern needs of the madrasa graduates by teaching them English language and also encourages research works in socio-religious and economic domains. In 2006 the Ajmal family came out with another noble idea and facilitated higher education for women in Assam through the ‘Maryam Ajmal Women’s College of Science & Technology’ at Hojai. Apart from these, he is associated with several other socio-economic organisations and non-government bodies.
Kids always feel delighted whenever they get new dress from their parents but kids who lost parents feel deprived of this moment. Today I feel inner happiness with inviting orphan students of Ajmal Modern Residential School at Ajmal House & facilitating them with new dresses. pic.twitter.com/0RRSXHaXya
— Maulana Badruddin Ajmal (@BadruddinAjmal) March 11, 2020
Controversies
- In December 2017, Badruddin Ajmal hurled abused and threatened a journalist during a press conference upon being asked whether he would join the alliance with the BJP of the INC. Ajmal received heavy criticism in the aftermath of the incident. Also, the journalist registered an FIR against him, after which he apologised for his behaviour the next day. [3]The Wire
#WATCH AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal in Hatsingimari, Assam threatens to smash head of journalist who asked him if he’ll ally with Congress or BJP in future: Go dogs, for how much money have you been bought by BJP? Go away, I will smash your head. Go register a case against me. pic.twitter.com/XQvp5mZ4it
— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2018
- In October 2019, Badruddin Ajmal sparked a controversy when he blatantly rejected Assam’s two-child policy. He said,
Muslims will continue to produce children, they will not listen to anyone. Our religion and I personally believe that those who want to come to the world will come and no one can stop it.”
- In November 2020, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal was exposed to public contempt when several members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shared a video claiming that people raised Pakistan Zindabad while they welcomed Badruddin at the Silchar Airport. The same day AIUDF held a press conference and rubbished the claims stating it as an attempt by the BJP along with some media channels to malign AIUDF by distorting the actual slogan ‘Aziz Khan Zindabad’ into ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ [4]Alt News
Look at the brazenness of these fundamentalists anti-national people who are shouting PAKISTAN ZINDABAD while they welcome MP @BadruddinAjmal.
This thoroughly exposes @INCIndia which is encouraging such forces by forging an alliance. We shall fight them tooth & nail. Jai Hind🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/CiHZjDweFF
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 6, 2020
Press Statement by AIUDF on cheap politics by BJP, how they along with a section of media distorted the slogan ‘Aziz Khan Zindabad’ into ‘Pakistan Zindabad’. pic.twitter.com/obzPASSLNg
— AIUDF Official (@AIUDFOfficial) November 6, 2020
Net Worth
As per the affidavit submitted by Badruddin Ajmal to the Election Commission of India, he has a net worth of 78 crores, as of 2019. [5]My Neta
Facts/Trivia
- Ajmal and his three elder brothers were born in a madrasa in his village.
- Several times his name has been included in the world’s 500 most influential list for his role in the Philanthropy, Charity, and Development activities.
- His wealth rose by 32 crores in five years (2014-2019) as an MP. [6]The Times of India
- Father of 7 children, Badruddin Ajmal is a Member of the Indian Parliament who has the most number of children.
1. | ↑ | The New Indian Express |
2. | ↑ | NewsClick |
3. | ↑ | The Wire |
4. | ↑ | Alt News |
5. | ↑ | My Neta |
6. | ↑ | The Times of India |