‘Moideen’s personality transcended politics’

There are very few people who are remembered as good politicians and B A Moideen is one of them, former Mangalore University History Prof Surendra Rao said.

Releasing ‘The I within Me’, the English version of Moideen’s autobiography in Mangaluru on Wednesday,
he said that the humanitarian values that Moideen believed in and followed transcended the boundaries of politics.

Terming the autobiography rare, Prof Rao pointed out that the work was not a repository of self-praise (as most autobiographies are).

“Instead, it traces the socio-political developments of his time, in an accurate way,” he remarked.

“It seems that Moideen had a soft corner for his party. This is reflected in his opinions on the Emergency rule in India. But, all other incidents in his life are recorded by him without any prejudice. In all, his life is a lesson that no community can live an island; separated from others. This message is reflected in his work”, Prof Rao said.

Releasing the book, Urban Development Minister U T Khader said that B A Moideen had shown the way for modern-day politicians. “He was known for his idealistic politics. Sacrifices made by him are evident in the book,” he added.

The minister opined that good autobiographies in Kannada should be translated to English and vice versa.

Chief Minister’s parliamentary secretary Ivan D’Souza, journalist Abdussalam Puttige, Beary’s Group of Institutions chairman Syed Muhammed Beary and P A Engineering College Principal Dr Abdul Sharrif were present.