@Hindustani78; here is a little more that you can "copy-paste" on the Minister who is launching the great scheme for young people
alias Najma Heptulla the FRAUD Minister for Minority Affairs in Narinder Modi's Govt.
The full episode is in great and factual detail.
Najma Heptulla Photo Morphing
March 29, 2015 at 10:14am
On 29th of March 2005 , a decade ago , Ajay Gupta , the versatile Programme Director of ICCR , walked into my room on the first Floor of Azad Bhawan . Ajay had been associated with the JP Movement of 1977 and was a Comrade in Arms of Prakashvir Shastri , the legendary Orator and Parliamentarian . He had a copy of the book 'Journey of a Legend ' in hand . The book had been in the making for about two years . Prof Syeda Hameed , who had edited a similar volume on Zakir Hussain , and was the Editor of the book had resigned half way . Reasons were not known . Most of the work related to layout had been completed by Arvinder Suri , a talented book designer from Design Workshop , but he was made to leave midway by Najma Heptulla , for reasons at best mysterious. Ajaoy Shouri , who had been awarded the work for Publishing the book after Arvinder left was also made to leave for reasons one could not fathom. Ostensibly he was not on ICCR panel of Printers , although he had Pprinted Coffee Table books for MEA . All this was about to become clear as Ajay smugly kept the newly printed book on my table .
He pointed to the photo of a beaming Najma Heptulla , ensconced on a Sofa with Maulana Azad , purportedly in 4 King Edward Road , adjacent to what is Vice President M H Ansari's residence today . The House was later demolished to build Vigyan Bhavan
'Sir !' Said Ajay Gupta . ' Drama is afoot' .
What happened ? I asked Ajay ?
Ajay is a collector of historical documents . And as if he were Archimedes , he smiled and said , 'Don't you think something is fishy about this book ?
'What ?' I asked , looking at the beaming Najma and Maulana looking at each other .
" You have seen this picture . Now turn to page 79 ."
I did . And here was Shah of Iran sitting with the Maulana on the same Sofa .
The Maulana was strikingly familiar . Because the Maulana on Page One and 79 was unchanged, as if a moment etched in eternity .
What do you think ? I asked Ajay . ' Is the Najma Maulana Photo a Morph ?
'Bisht Sahib thinks it is an impossible Photo . ' said Ajay .
Bisht was the son of Maulana's Chauffeur and had been encouraged to study and make his way up in life by Maulana Himself . As a young man , Bisht had grown up under the same roof as Maulana . He was a part of Maulana's household . He was known and respected for his probity and as an artist .
I called Bisht .
'Sir ! ' said Bisht : ' Maulana was sick and tired of people landing up at his door claiming to be his relatives . I remember Najma as somebody who was never allowed to meet him as she would end up at his door claiming to be his niece . She was 18 at the time and had two Chotis . This is an impossible Photo .'
This had me worried . I had repeatedly emphasized to Najma regarding ensuring the authenticity of Historical records during the course of the making of the book . I was aware of the Controversy about the last 30 pages of ' India Wins Freedom ' Maulana's Biography . And as to how they were sanitised .
My first inclination was to call up Najma . But I thought I must bring it to the notice of my Director General first . The Problem was that he was on his way to Kabul on the inaugural flight of Ariana . And Najma was keen to have the book released on April 17th by Musharraf , who was about to visit Delhi for a Day of Cricket Diplomacy at the Invitation of Manmohan Singh . And the function was expected to be held in Firoz Shah Kotla .
Releasing a book with morphed Photos in a jampacked Stadium ?
I was worried . Very very worried .
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A full day had elapsed . It would be a few days before DG ICCR would return from Kabul . And the last minute rush for Financial Year Closing was enough to occupy my attention .
It was only in the evening that I found time to review the sequence of Events in making of the 'Journey of a Legend' .
It all started on March 20 2003 with a meeting between Najma Heptulla and Sarvajit Chakravarty , our present Ambassador to Slovenia , who headed the Publication Unit of ICCR at the time . The meeting was at her Residence in 4 Akbar Road . It was decided to publish three seminal books on Maulana Azad . First would be a Transliteration/ Translation of Maulana's seminal Work Tarjamanul Quran by Professor Akhtarul Wasey . The Second , a book on Maulana in Parliament by DR Goyal . And Third , a Coffee Table Book , A Collector's item on Life and Times Of Maulana . His Life in Photographs and Quotations . This would be an Authentic Publication on his life . Najma Herself would supervise the work of a Three Member Editorial Board comprising Dr Syeda Hameed , DR Goyal and Prof . Akhtarul Wasey .
My mind went through the release function of Tarjmanul Quran at 7 RCR . Atal Bihari Vajpayee had done the honours at Panchvati . With Advani and Najma at his side . My friend with the Golden Voice , Gazala Amin and I conducted the function . It was considered to be a seminal Work which would help the process of Interfaith Dialogue in India . Every Editor worth his salt had descended at 7 RCR for the function including Dilip Padgaonkar , the man who did the second most important job in India once upon a time .
The Coffee Table Book was to be a work highlighting Maulana's contribution to making of an Independent India. Najma wanted it to be released in a Cricket Stadium . She had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for keeping a slot in Musharraf's one day schedule . I had already commissioned a Colour Canvass of Musharraf's Haveli in Delhi 6 for presentation to Musharraf by Manmohan Singh .
A book released jointly by both Pak President and Indian PM would legitimise History . And a Morph as History ? In the backdrop of Public Controversy on the last 30 Pages of Maulana's Biograpy published in 1988 , his Birth Anniversary when Najma was denied the right to receive his Bharat Ratna as she could not marshal any proof of her kinship with Maulana . In the vvent ,President sent the Bharat Ratna Medallion to Maulana's legitimate heir Nooruddin in Calcutta . There were enough controversies floating around in public Mind about the legendary Maulana . The book was an attempt to set at rest the public controversy . Not add to it .
I instructed Ajay and Bisht to keep the stock of Books delivered safely locked . Away from public access , till such time as the Director General returned from Kabul and decided as to the course of Action .
And then there was the question of the new ICCR Website , which was to show case the Photos in the Book in the Section on Gosha E Maulana Azad . 31st March 2005 was a hectic Day . ICCR was given a multimedia budget of 55 Lakhs on the last Day of the Financial Year . Director General had identified a number of priority areas . I cleared a number of files and it was only in the evening that I could make out a systematic pattern in the way the Book was edited .
The three Scholars who did much of the hard work over the two years to put the Book together , Dr Syeda Hameed , Prof Wasey and and DR Goyal found no mention in the book . They had not even been acknowledged for the two years of toil and research in the introduction penned down by Najma . They received a princely sum of 15 000 each for the monumental effort in putting the bulk of the book together . The Director General Kanti Tipathi was shunted out of ICCR half way . As was Sarvjeet who worked diligently to put together all the administrative work . Design Work Shop and Ms INK Kommunications were long out of the picture , six days after the first dummy was submitted to President ICCR on July 9 2004. The Photographer , Dilip Banerjee who scouted for Maulana Photos from his Archives in Calcutta , and an Expert on his life was gone too .
In the end , just three people saw the book during the final stages of printing : Najma Heptulla , Lalit Sayal the printer and Badaruddin , Najma's steno . Even Atul Cowshish who did the proof reading of the Book was gone long before Najma signed the manuscript as fit for publication.
After the Introduction had been incorporated with the Morphed Photo , Lalit Syal would visit my residence and office often to try and get my approval for printing the book . I steadfastly said no , in absence of endorsement by the three Editors who were appointed . Finally , I agreed after Dr Najma Heptulla signed the Manuscript as Chairperson of Editorial Board and certified that the Book could be printed as she took the responsibility for it's contents .¬
April 1 2005 was a Friday . With the Financial Year Having ended , I was free . I summoned the Publication File No SW/MAKA/2003 from Assistant Publication Officer Ashok Jajoria .
The last communication on the file glaring at me at serial No 118 was, ironically , was the draft of a letter proposed to be written by Najma Heptulla to Manmohan Singh , to release the book . The plain sheet appended at Note No DG /ICCR/239/2005 dated 29th March said :
'I am enclosing a copy of this book for your reference
I feel that the Coffee Table Book on Maulana Azad should be released by a Person of his stature . Keeping this in view , I am requesting you kindly indicate the date and time to release the book . You would kindly recall that I had written to you on this issue earlier also .'
In the earlier letter she had suggested that the book be released at Firoz Shah Kotla in presence of Musharraf , to get maximum publicity in India and Pakistan , during the 6th one day match of the series on April 17 .
A quick call to Sanjay Baru's office indicated that the letter with the Morphed book had already been received . Sanjay was the Media Advisor to the accidental PM .
This gave me jitters .
How could she write to PM knowing that the Photo was a Morph ?
I had spoken to her about the photo when she had called me to check if proofreading was satisfactory . I had told her that the Caption below the Photo in the Introduction ' Najma Heptulla with Maulana after Passing Out of College ' was a bit funny . Firstly , 'Passing Out' has a funny interpretation as you pass out when you are drunk . Nor was it a Military Passing Out Parade Second , it did not clarfy as to whether it was after graduation or after Intermediate College . She agreed and said it was graduation . I told Syal to accordingly modify the Caption and recorded that Dr Heptulla wanted it changed .
The Morph was perfect . I had no reason to suspect it was not genuine .
I asked Lalit Syal to bring the CD of PDF files used to Print the book to my office . I wanted to do a spectrometric analysis on the CD without anyone suspecting . He delivered the copy to my office . I did not let out that I knew about the Morph . He returned from my office smiling .
In the evening he came to my residence with his son on the pretext of leaving a gift on the forth coming Hindu New Year . This was unusual .
I let him leave the gift to hand it over to Pradeep Singh ,the Deputy Director General Administration the Next Day .
I admired both Najma and Lalit Syal's smugness. She on telephone and Lalit Syal in his visit to my residence without invitation . Smug in belief that they had succeeded in pulling off a perfect fraud .
April 2 and 3 were a week end . I decided to hold my piece till Monday and bring it to Director General's notice on Monday .
Till then , Najma and Lalit Syal could continue to live in the Fool's Paradise that they had pulled the perfect April Fool's Joke on the World .
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Saturday April 2 was quiet day . I spent the day mulling over the file relating to making of the Journey of a Legend .
Falsification of History was not a charge that had visited Najma for the first time . In 1988 , she was in the news for having commissioned a dubious publication in 1988 in support of her claim to lobby for and receiving Maulana's Bharat Ratna .
My mind went back to a long meeting in Najma Heptulla residence at 4 Akbar Road on Aug 4 ,2004 .Since the target was to release the book on Nov 11 , 2004 and most of the resarch work was complete the matter was acquiring urgency . The Editorial Board appointed by Najma had stopped meeting since long . Arvinder Suri who had been working on the project through it's infancy and youth was no longer in the picture .
Among the Printers on the panel of MEA , Ms Ink Kommunications was found most credible and technologically appropriate . Their Calendar on Folk Theatre Forms of India had received kudos across the World ,and had earnt the Letter of Commendation from SM Khan the Press Secretary to the President of IndiaSince the book was to be of Historical Impotance Najma , Ajoy Shourie , Anjum , the Curator of Gosha e Azad and myself settled down for a longish meeting . Badruddin , Najma's Steno on loan from Rajya Sabha Secretariat kept the records . My old friend Jayant Mishra , who had served with Najma for long , had shifted to Jaipur as Commissioner of Income Tax and since his departure , Najma's Office had come to a grinding halt .
I dwelt for long on the need for a verifiable Index of Historic Pictures with credit to source to avoid controversies . Ajoy Shouri and Anjum supported me . I suggested that the Index could be attested by Najma and find a reference in the Introduction . After two hours of discussion , Najma verbally approved that the Book would be printed by M/s Ink .
Upon return to Office , Anjum recorded a note in her hand for DG .It was sent to President's Office , in persuance of her instructions of July 9th that she would like to see the final List of Photos and Complete Citations before we finalise the Printer .After the file was sent to President , ICCR's Office , it stayed there for a long time . Ajoy Shouri lost hope of being able to complete the work in time for November 11 release .
I went on a tour , only to find on my return that the work had been awarded to Lalit Syal of Sita Fine Arts who was on ICCR Panel to print Invitation Cards and pamphlets . I was aghast and told DG that I would refrain from any association with the work as a work of Historical Significance can not be awarded to a Wedding Invitation Printer .Thereafter , President ICCR looked after the Publication of the Book directly , assisted by her make shift PA Badruddin and Anjum Afshan .
As I kept looking at the Morphed Photo , with details on the file , The contours of a conspiracy to falsify History became clearer . My research complete ,I slept off contemplating what to do on Monday when I would meet DG .
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Sunday April 4th was a relaxed day . I had all the Documents and Notes in my possession to convince me that Najma Maulana Photo was a Morph .
Since July 9 , the entire Manuscript had been at Najma's Residence in 4 Akbar Road . The only connection the ICCR had with the publication was the release of the funds for publication publication . Rs 2 lakh had been released on 19/11/2004 , as the printer indicated that the deadline of 11 Nov 2003 can not be met and he agreed to Print it by Dec 10 , 2004 . On the day of the new deadline , Syal told Ajay Gupta that he had met Najma on 8/12/2004 and that Najma had told him ' not to make hurry in printing and print the book in a perfect manner ' . Syal told DG that President had agreed to defer printing and wrote to Najma in the matter . Najma wrote back saying ' I never said he can take his own time. I only told him to get a good job done in the time frame '
In retrospect , it was clear that the Lalit Syal had a done a 'Good Job' ( On the Morph at least' and in a 'perfect maner .) '
The book was finally printed and delivered 5 months late on March 14 2005 .
But yes . The Morph was indeed a good job and executed in a perfect manner .
But I needed the advice of somebody who knew India's Political History well . I thought of Satish Mishra who was a veteran Editor with the Tribune for an objective assessment of Najma's Motives . I called him and he agreed to come and meet me at my Office in Azad Bhawan on Monday .
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Director Genenral returned from Kabul and came to Office on Monday the 4th of April 2005 . His immediate reaction after looking at the Morph and Maulana's photo with Shah of Iran was one of disbelief . I pointed out to him that his name has been carried as Publisher of the Book and we will have serious legal problems . He immediately ask his Assistant Brij Guhare to summon Anjum Afshan to his room . Anjum came in . Director General Asked her about the two photos and inquired as to how the Morph happened . She started crying and swearing in the Name of Allah that she was not responsible for it . The photographs had been handed over by Badrauddin in Najma's Presence to Lalit Syal .
This outburst was shocking .
I asked her where the two photographs which were used to create the Morph were ? She trooped out of the room and resurfaced after a few Minutes . There were the two photos . The Original Photo with Shah of Iran and Maulana . And the Original of Najma with an Arab League Diplomat .
I was puzzled . I told Anjum that the Credits of the Book clearly held her responsible for the Photos and their source .She could be imprisoned for 6 and a half years for forgery .
'What was the need to create a Morph ? I asked .
Anjum broke down started crying, calling Najma names .
'That woman is an imposter' She said .' I have been systematically through Najma's entire photograph collections for an year now . She does not have a Single Photo with Maulana . She selected the two photos and asked Badaruddin to give the photos to Lalit Syal who was waiting in the ante room . Badruddin instructed Lalit Syal to merge the two and create a perfect morph .'
This was an astounding revelation .
I asked DG to call Ajay Gupta in . Ajay came . He was asked to record a statement by Anjum detailing the facts . Once the Statement was signed and sealed , Ajay Gupta was asked to record his own Statement . This done , DG asked Brij Guhare to summon Lalit Syal to his office on 5th Morning .
All the excitement was enough for one Morning . I retreated to my room and waited for Satish Mishra to come to my office in the Afternoon .
Satish Mishra of Tribune is a veteran of the Hindi Heartland Politics . He knew and spoke to most politicians by first name , and had a great command of North Indian Politics over almost 4 decades . He had read voraciously on Indian Independence Movement . It was for this reason that he was asked by me to write a Tribute to Maulana on the November 11 , 2003 in The Triibune . His piece ' We need you Maulana' was very well received and Najma herself had complimented the piece saying ' that we need more articles like this aimed at the Muslim youth .
Satish came in the afternoon and we settled down on the legendary Chai Samosa from ICCR Canteen run by Anil Kumar Katyal . I asked Ajay to join us for with a copy of the book . Satish looked at the Morph and started laughing . He said ' Old Leopard rarely changed their Spots . Detailing the History of ICCR's Transfer from Ministry of Culture to ICCR in 1979 . Maulana' Last Will and Testament and the controversy surrounding a similar Publication from a Press in Chandani Chowk in 1988 , when Najma suddenly appeared in Maulana's Family Tree from no where and courted Controversy leading to protracted wrangling on why and who should receive Maulana's Bharat Ratna posthoumously in 1992 , he quipped : ' Najma 's relationship with Maulana is a carefully cultivated Administrative Myth . Not a Judicial Fact . It 's likely that Najma thought of this to convince BJP leadership that she was from the politically important Lineage of Maulana . Maulana was a bachelor and wanted his kin to educate Muslims , not engage in Politics .Her husband, Akbarali A Heptulla, a manpower consultant, was instrumental in the establishment of the newspaper Patriot in the 1960s. This brought Najma close to Indira Gandhi . But there is no credible evidence of her Kinship with Najma . '
He corroborated Bisht's story and said that he doubts if Najma ever met Maulana . In any case , Maulana would never have time for a 18 years old hanger on during his sickness , and that Najma in the photo is in her 40's .
Satish asked me if he could take away a copy of the book for his Library . I said surely , but he must keep it under wraps . He laughed . The book would be banned and withdrawn . But it would be an asset when a Political Obituary of Najma Heptulla is written .' With antics like this , she does not deserve to be anything in India, let alone be the President .'
After the Gyandaan from Satish , I was clear that the matter had to brought to the Notice of Foreign Secretary , particularly since Najma had already written to Man Mohan Singh to release the book on April 17 .
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Lalit Syal came to Director General's Office on Tuesday . DG called me in the Meeting and told me to cover the Meeting . He was asked explain the Morph . Without blinking an eyelid , with total nonchalance , he said that the Morph was created on Najma's Instructions . I asked him who gave him the Photos . He said Badruddin did . After the Morph was created, Najma asked for several refinements . Both the DG and I were taken aback by his aplomb . Not only did he not have any remorse , he was confident that he could get away with it . I asked him to submit these facts in writing . He was nervous now . He said : ' AAP President ICCR se baat kar leejiye .'I told him we will speak to who so ever needs to be spoken to but he should write down in a Statement as to where did he get the Photos and and who approved of the Morph . He was now a bit nervous . He said : Ye to theek ho jayega !
I told him to revert back with a written explanation .He returned the next day with a written Note , stating that he ' received the Photos from ' President's Office . No names .This was hilarious .After Najma ceased to be Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha , both Jayant Mishra her OSD and Ranjan Chaturvedi, her PS had moved on . Najma had a clerk from Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Loan , Badruddin .He came part time and worked out of 4 Akbar Road . So 'President's Office' became a euphemism for Najma and Badruddin .DG asked me to add a record of Syal's Statement on Aprl 5 to his note on April 6 . He than dictated a forwarding Note to Khaliq , his PA . It was diarised by Brij Guhare and forwarded to Syed Akbarruddin the Director FSO in Shyam Saran's Office . It was hand carried by DG given the sensitivities involved and handed over to Akbaruddin for puting it up to Shyam Saran at the earliest .
First half of April 7 was quiet . Director General was summoned by Foreign Secretary in the morning to brief the Minster Natwar Singh and Minister for ICCR Rao Inderjit Singh as they were required to brief PM Manmohan Singh as to why the Book Release has to be called off in pursuance of Najma's letter to PM . At around 2 pm I got a call from Director General that Foreign Secretary wanted to see me . I went and briefed Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran about the sequence of events as they happened . After waiting with Syed Akbaruddin ,the Director of Foreign Secratary's Office , we were told to scan the entire File and the Photos in the Main Frame Computer in Foreign Secretary Office . I was told subsequently by Shyam Saran that External Affairs Minister wanted the 3 Photos to be Released to Hindustan Times .I told Shyam Saran and Akbaruddin that this should be done by Navtej Sarna , the spokesperson . But since the Hindustan TImes Journalist Nilova Roy Chaudhary had done several Articles on Culture and Maulana Azad , it would be appropriate for me to give the photos to her .The same evening , I handed over the photos to Nilova Roy Chaudhary , and told her that any further queries can be directed by Vinod Sharma , the Hindustan Times Buro Chief to Natwar Singh or by Shekar Dutta the Editor to Sanjay Baru 's Office .I told Syed Akbaruddin that this was political Work not part of my brief and it should be done by Navtej or Sanjay Baru .My objection was over ruled . The logic was that PM would be briefed only after the News Item comes out and Spokesperson will confirm the News to Media The same evening , I handed over the photos to Nilova Roy Chaudhary without comments at Le Meridien Coffee Shop , and told her that any further queries can be directed By Vinod Sharma , the Hindustan Times Buro Chief to Natwar Singh or by Shekhar Dutta the Editor to Sanjay Baru 's Office .
April 9 2005 was the a hectic day . Natwar Singh confirmed to Shekhar Dutta about the Morph . He promptly called up Sanjay Baru . Baru confirmed the story . And the HT presses started Rolling after the spectrometric Analysis of the 3 photos .
And on April 10 2005 , the City of Delhi woke up with this half page coverage on front pages of Hindustan Tmes .
You will not find if you Google Hindustan Times Digital Archives .
Because ruling class any society erases , falsifies modifies and morphs History to subjugate a people who do not have a sense of their own History . They are condemned to live in ignorance . They must learn to live with their proud architecture in ruins , their books desecrated , their goddesses insulted and their History perverted .
This month is the Tenth Anniversary of Najma Heptulla Photo morphing Case which has rocked our Parliament , our Judicial System and our curiosity for a decade .
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HT Front Page Dated April 10 , 2005
The Photo of Shah of Iran and Maulana circa 1953
Phot of Najma , aged 40 with an unidentified Arab League Diplomat
The Morph . Maulana died in Feb 1958 . Najma graduated in May 1958
