On a somber Tuesday, Samajwadi Party veteran and Member of Parliament Shafiqur Rahman Barq passed away at the age of 94. It was at Moradabad’s Siddha Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for physical weakness and a kidney infection, that the senior politician breathed his last. His life had been one of political engagement and sometimes controversy, from his association with India’s former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh to his recent role as a lawmaker.
Born in July 1930, Barq’s political journey was marked by a notable tenure of service, exemplifying numerous electoral victories. His illustrious political career included being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) four times and, emphatically, a Lok Sabha MP five times. Barq experienced electoral ups and downs — he won the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat three times in 1996, 1998, and 2004, and was distinguished as the oldest MP during his time in office. After a loss in 1999, he regained ground by winning the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat in 2009. His election journey showcased his resilience, as demonstrated by his narrow loss in 2014 and subsequent comeback to win the Sambhal seat in 2019 on the Samajwadi Party’s ticket.
Beyond his electoral engagements, Barq was known for his frankness, which sometimes landed him in the heart of controversies. In 2019, he created a stir in Lok Sabha with his remarks about the Indian expression ‘Vande Bharat’, and in 2021, he attracted criticism for his comments on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Despite such controversies, he remained a significant figure in his party and his community up until the end. As the Samajwadi Party mourns the loss of a senior leader, they remember his contributions and extend their deepest condolences to his family, hoping they find strength in this time of sorrow. Shafiqur Rahman Barq’s political legacy will undoubtedly continue to be discussed and debated as an embodiment of the complex tapestry of Indian politics.