Bengaluru: At the launch of his memoir in Bengaluru, veteran journalist turned-politician Shahid Siddiqui made a stirring appeal to Indian Muslims: embrace the mainstream of Indian society without hesitation. “Some may find this unpalatable,” he said, “but we have never truly accepted our circumstances after Partition, reported News Trail.
We have to live and die in this country.” His book,’ I, Witness,’ traces his journey as editor of ‘Nayi Duniya,’ his foray into politics, and the volatile terrain of identity and power. Described by journalist Sugata Srinivasaraju as a “thrilling read,” the memoir offers a candid look at Siddiqui’s friendships and fallouts — from warm ties with Rajiv Gandhi to testy encounters with Narasimha Rao, and his role as an interlocutor with Narendra Modi
Recalling one charged moment with Modi, Siddiqui narrated how the then Gujarat leader once told a crowd, with his arm around Siddiqui, “A lot of harm has been done to this man because of me.” Siddiqui’s retort, “Let that harm at least bring some good to the country”, left the gathering stunned. Few dared to speak to Modi with such bluntness.
The evening also featured activist-author Aakar Patel, who noted: “Siddiqui ventures where many fear to tread, confronting difficult questions that neither minority nor majority communities want to face.” Chief Guest and former Karnataka Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar added his own perspective, recalling personalities mentioned in the book.
“You wrote about Ruqsana Sultana,” he said. “People stood in long queues for her favour. When livelihood outweighs honesty and integrity, one is forced to bow down. That is the reality of politics.” The launch brimmed with such anecdotes, but also with a sobering reminder: the persistent struggle for equality and dignity that India’s Muslims face, a struggle Siddiqui insists cannot be wished away, but must be confronted head-on.
