Badruddin Ajmal

Maulana Badruddin Ajmal (born 12 February 1950) is an Indian businessman, politician, philanthropist and Islamic theologian from the state of Assam. He is the state-president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind for Assam. He is also serving as the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Dhubri constituency since 2009 and the Founder and President of the All India United Democratic Front since 2005. He is also Chief Executive Officer of a non-profit organization, Ajmal Foundation which established 25 educational institutions, schools, and hospitals.

Biography
Ajmal was born on 12 February 1950 to a Bengali Muslim family from Hojai in central Assam. His family traces their origins to the Sylhet district of eastern Bengal. He is the son of Haji Ajmal Ali, a rice farmer who moved to Mumbai in 1950 to try to succeed in the perfume industry using the oud plant. After the opening of the first store in the 1960s, the Ajmal perfume brand quickly grew to become a large brand in the Middle East.

He holds master's degrees in Theology and Arabic from Darul Uloom Deoband.

Career
The son of the founder of Ajmal Perfumes, he established the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in 2005. He is also the president of the Assam State Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. He is a three-time MP from Dhubri constituency. He has been regularly listed among "The 500 Most Influential Muslims" of the world.

He is the managing trustee of Haji Abdul Majid Memorial (HAMM) Public Trust, Hojai. This trust is best known for the charitable hospital Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Hospital and Research Center at Hojai, Assam. He also established a hospital at Malua near Badarpur of Karimganj, named as Badarpur Hospital. In 2005, he established Ajmal Foundation, a non-governmental organization based in Assam, India, and operating 25 educational institutions across the state.

Since 1995 AD (1415 AH), he has also been serving as the director of Shaikhul Hind Academy, a department of Darul Uloom Deoband.

Political activities
He was the president of Hojai session reception committee of Assam Sahitya Sabha, 2004 and Darul Hadith, Jayanagar Madrassa. Assam Ajmal's political debut came in 2005 after the Supreme Court struck down the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act. Ajmal founded the Assam United Democratic Front, which was renamed the All-India United Democratic Front in 2013.

Before the 2006 Assam assembly elections, Ajmal was politically insignificant. During the 2006 elections however, his party managed to win 10 seats fighting the Congress. he was elected simultaneously from two constituencies – South Salmara and Jamunamukh – by a large margin of votes. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Ajmal won from Dhubri constituency.

In the 2011 Assembly polls, AIUDF won 18 seats and emerged as the largest opposition party in Assam.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Ajmal was re-elected from Dhubri and his party won 3 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2016 assembly elections, however, the BJP swept the polls and Ajmal himself lost the Salmara South constituency. His party was reduced to 13 seats.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Ajmal was the only candidate from his party to keep his seat, winning again from Dhubri. With 7 children, he has most children for any Member of Parliament in India. In 2020, Ajmal announced he and Congress would be in alliance for the 2021 polls.

Controversy
Ajmal's statements have often courted controversy for polarizing Bengali Muslims. Following the 2012 Assam riots, Ajmal claimed the violence was between Bodos and Muslims. The remarks were criticised by an Assamese Muslim group, the Sadou Asom Gariya – Moria Desi (SAGMJ), along with the All Assam Students Union, for ignoring that Assamese Muslim were not involved at all.

On 22 January 2021, at a rally in Dhubri, Ajmal claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had a list of 3500 mosques it would destroy if returned to power at the Centre and that “they will not let women go out wearing ‘burqa’, grow a beard, wear a skullcap or even offer azaan at mosques.” The BJP claimed he was making "communal statements" out of nervousness since BJP "will get majority share of Muslim votes" this election. Congress, with whom Ajmal is in alliance, as well as NDA party Asom Gana Parishad also condemned the remarks.

On October 20, 2023, at an alumni meet in Assam's Goalpara, Ajmal triggered controversy by linking high crime rates among Muslims to their low educational attainment. He later clarified his remarks were meant to emphasize the importance of education, citing global observations of Muslim youth underachieving. Despite facing criticism, Ajmal maintained his stance, blaming societal ills on lack of education and urging youths to prioritize schooling. However, his initial comments comparing Muslims to criminals and highlighting their high incarceration rates were condemned for being insensitive and promoting harmful stereotypes.

On January 5, 2024, Ajmal sparked controversy in Assam by advising Muslims to avoid train travel and stay home during the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya from Jan 20 till Jan 25. Citing potential "untoward incidents," he also labeled the BJP "the biggest enemy of Muslims." BJP leader Giriraj Singh countered, calling Ajmal's statement divisive and highlighting the BJP's inclusivity and invitation to Muslim leader Iqbal Ansari for the ceremony. Ajmal's remarks and the ensuing debate raised concerns about potential security risks and interfaith tensions during the significant event.