Baba Siddique is remembered as a friend at all times

He was most popularly seen as a politician who threw glitzy iftar parties and had famous friends in Bollywood; friends and associates mourn him as a man who left too soon

Baba Siddique was a peace-maker, a people’s man, and a person who stood by his friends through thick and thin. He was also a man who threw lavish iftar parties, who went out of his way to help people during the COVID pandemic, and who was seen hobnobbing with the biggest Hindi film industry stars. He famously intervened to end the feud between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. Sanjay Dutt was one of the first persons to visit the hospital on Saturday (October 12, 2024) night.

Siddique was a Congress leader for 48 years before switching over to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Ajit Pawar (AP) earlier this year. He was also a doting father to his daughter Arshia, and son and MLA Zeeshan Siddiqui. As Siddiqui was laid to rest on Sunday (October 13, 2024) night amid State honours, friends and associates mourned him as a man who left too soon.

From his days with the National Students Union of India in the late 1970s as a protégé of renowned actor, the late Sunil Dutt, Siddiqui began his political journey in Mumbai and never looked back. He was a corporator for two consecutive terms (from 1993 to 2003) in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Before that, he worked as a Youth Congress office-bearer in Mumbai.

In the year 1999, he stood for the State Assembly elections, and went on to be an MLA for three consecutive terms thereafter. He worked in different capacities during that period, including as Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies, Labour, and Foreign Direct Investment.

“He was a Muslim leader who didn’t just appeal to the Muslims, but to everyone. He was a secular man,” the late Dutt’s daughter Priya Dutt told The Hindu.

Ms. Dutt recalled Siddique’s association with her family for over four decades. “This has come as a shock for us. Baba was extremely close to my father Sunil Dutt. He had a very long association with our family. My father went through a lot of ups and downs. And the one constant in his life was Baba, who was associated with him since his NSUI days. There was a lot of political upheaval. There were a few problems about my brother. Through all of this, Baba stood by us. He became my brother. He gave me the strength to walk the path. I always saw him doing good work for the community, for his constituency. Whether it be a fire in the slums or any other issue, Baba would rush to the location and help people,” Ms. Dutt told The Hindu.

She said while people may remember his association with Bollywood stars, Siddique was a people’s man who valued all his friends and party workers. “He would hug his political karyakarta, a slum dweller, just the way he would hug a film star. He was a people’s person who was fun-loving, happy-go-lucky. He grew tremendously in politics as a tall leader. He was an astute politician who knew what politics was about. He enjoyed a good rapport with leaders from all political parties. He had a life beyond politics. But he was also very outspoken. He never minced his words. And that is something some people did not like,” she said.

Siddique was still in touch with his college friends and he would go out with them for a few days every year. “He was a family man. He loved living his life. He loved going out on vacation with his family,” Ms. Dutt said.

“The tragic demise of former Maharashtra minister, Shri Baba Siddique is shocking beyond words. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and supporters. Justice must be ensured, and the present Maharashtra government must order a thorough and transparent investigation. The culprits must be brought to book at the earliest. Accountability is paramount,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on social media platform X.

NCP-AP leader Nawab Malik recalled his old friendship with the late legislator. “He was an old friend and he worked with me from our days with the Youth Congress. The entire community has suffered a loss. We are with his family during these times. We are hopeful that whoever has done this [murder] should be punished,” Mr. Malik said.

Published - October 13, 2024 10:18 pm IST