New Delhi, December 20 All India Unani Tibbi Congress (AIUTC) here today demanded establishment of separate Unani directorates in the states and a National Unani University in the national capital. Said Hakim Syed Ahmed Khan, General Secretary, AIUTC, the Congress Party that leads the ruling UPA had promised in its 2009 election manifesto to set up a National Unani University. “Therefore, this is high time it fulfill its promise so that it may help in promoting the cause of the Unani medicines in India,” he added. Hakim Syed Ahmed Khan was speaking at the 8th National Convention of the 19-year old AIUTC held at Urdu Ghar here on December 19. It was sponsored by Janata Dardmand Dawakhana, Sambhal (UP).

Presided over by Hakim Ahmed Yasin, Principal, Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, Delhi; and anchored by Urdu literary figure Omair Manzer, the convention was participated among others by Justice Suhail Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI); Chaudhary Matin Ahmed, Chairman, Delhi Waqf Board; Sharifuddin Shariq, Member of Parliament; Dr Obaidur Rahman, scientist, CSIR (Farming), Wasi Ahmed Nomani, senior advocate; Abdul Haque, former Head, Department of Urdu, Delhi University; Maulana Abdul Hameed Nomani, Secretary, Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind; and Hakim Ziauddin Ahmed Nadvi, Honorary Chairman, Al Hikmah Foundation.

Supporting the cause of Unani medicines, Parliamentarian Sharifuddin Shariq who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, assured to raise in Lok Sabha the demand for establishing a separate directorate in each and every state.

Presiding over the convention, Hakim Ahmed Yasin said he had met Chief Minister Sheila Dikhshit Saturday before coming here and she had assured him to announce shortly setting up a separate directorate of Unani Medicines in Delhi. He hoped the assurance would soon be fulfilled. It is to point out that a separate Unani directorate had so far been established in UP only. The AIUTC was demanding to set up separate directorates in other states too.

Speaking on the importance of ilm (knowledge), Justice Suhail Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman, NCMEI, said the Holy Quran began with emphasizing upon seeking knowledge. According to him, there was no difference between deeni and dunyawi knowledge in Quran.

Delivering his lecture on “Quran and Science”, senior lawyer Wasi Ahmed Nomani said about 1000 out of total 6,666 ayats of the Holy Quran dealt with pondering over points relating to science. He asked the audience to think over such verses and get benefited.

Abdul Haque, former Head, Urdu Department, Delhi University, threw light on the deep relationship of great Urdu poet Mohammed Iqbal with the Holy Quran.

2 Hakims, 3 Journalists Get Awards

On this occasion, five awards were given to two persons in Unani medicine and three persons in media for their contribution to the cause of the society. Justice Suhail Siddiqui handed over a memento, shawl and certificate to each winner. It is to point out that senior Urdu journalist Syed Mansoor Agha; Hindi and Urdu media-person Khursheed Alam; and ETV Correspondent Mohammed Qasim Ansari  got the awards for their outstanding services to the cause of the community in particular and nation in general while Hakim Mohammed Ahmed Khan, Deputy Director in a Delhi Unani Hospital; and Hakim Nasir Ahmed of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) were felicitated for their contributions to the cause of the masses through Unani medicines. Expressing his view, Khursheed Alam said such functions indeed strengthened interaction of any group with the society.

Established in 1990, the AIUTC, headed by Hakim A U Azmi and spread in 17 states, has so far organized eight national conventions at different places, including 1. Delhi (1992), 2. Allahabad (1993), 3. Jaipur (1996), 4. Lucknow (2001), 5. Mumbai (2007), 6. Pune (2008), 7. Hyderabad (January 2009), and 8. Delhi (December, 2009).

---A U Asif, Editor, www.fanawatch.com, can be reached at au_asif@yahoo.co.in