The AIMMM was formed under the shadow of large-scale communal riots in Bihar and Orissa in the early 1960s. The AIMMM delegation had then toured the affected areas to give solace and hope to the victims and to promote peaceful co-existence among communities. The AIMMM has been consistently engaged over the years in promoting communal harmony, Hindu-Muslim unity, national integration and inter-group reconciliation.
A non-political body, the AIMMM does not participate in elections but it has been guiding the Muslim community at the time of parliamentary or assembly elections with the objective of strengthening the secular forces and facilitating due Muslim representation in assemblies and parliament. Its methods for protecting the interests and projecting the consensus of the community have always been peaceful and democratic, within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
At various junctures, the AIMMM leadership has played a decisive role in the formation of apex organisations on critical issues like the AMU Action Committee, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the Babri Masjid Movement Coordination Committee. These bodies independently tackle specific problems in the light of general consensus.
The AIMMM has played a constructive role in resolving critical situations such as those created by the VHP agitation against the Shahi Idgah Masjid in Mathura and Gyanwapi Masjid in Varanasi, Shia-Sunni dispute in Lucknow, large-scale detention of Muslims under TADA and later under POTA and now UAPA, hate campaign against the community and its basic religious institutions, the Masjids and the Madrasas, under-representation of the community in legislatures, educational backwardness of the community, the official programme for the saffronisation of education, crises in the AMU and Jamia Millia Islamia, reservation for Muslims in public employment, particularly in the police and intelligence machinery and higher education, welfare and development benefits.
The Mushawarat had adopted a formal Dastoor (Constitution) in 1965; it was amended in 1967 and had some minor changes in 1987. It adopted a new Dastoor in 2002. Later a new dastoor, formulated by late Syed Shahabuddin was adopted in 2006. At present, AIMMM follows the dastoor (bylaws) of the registered organisation. AIMMM’s new team has been authorized by the general body to get this dastoor revised and amended to suit the new situation and the changing requirements. This task will be complete within a year from June 2024.
The Mushawarat has been constantly endeavoring to build a consensus through consultation among leading Muslim’ organizations including those which are not formally its members, like the All India Milli Council, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board on broad issues of common concern. Joint initiatives were taken at the time of the general and assembly elections and other issues facing the community.
The Mushawarat has been consistently engaged in building bridges with other religious minorities, particularly the Sikhs and the Christians, and with the Dalits who continue to be oppressed in various parts of the country.
AIMMM believes that the destiny of the Muslim Indian community is indivisible from that of the Indian people as a whole and that the country cannot achieve the greatness it deserves without the development and empowerment of all sections of its people.
STRUCTURE
The current structure of AIMMM consists of the following:
1. Governing Body: it consists of a maximum of 21 members. It provides guidance and continuity to the Mushawarat and meets in every quarter of the year.
2. Office bearers: elected for each term as per the organisation’s bylaws (dastoor).
3. General body: it consists of all organizational and individual members and meets once a year. It has the final authority in the issues and policies of AIMMM.
4. State units: AIMMM has state units in a number of Indian states. These function independently and follow the general directions of the central body and the dastoor of the organisaiton.
5. District units: there is provision for district units as well. The new team will try to create district units in some important districts around the country.
