JAIPUR:
Shahnaaz Khan (24) has scripted history on being elected as sarpanch while pursuing MBBS. Shahnaaz was elected sarpanch of
Kaman Gram Panchayat that falls in the Meo dominated area of
Bharatpur district on March 5.
Shahnaaz achieved another feat of becoming a fourth generation member of her family to plunge into politics. She is daughter of Congress leader
Zayda Khan, who was the first Meo Muslim woman to be an MLA, and granddaughter of Tayyab Hussain (Zayda’s father), India’s only politician to get elected MLA from three states—Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
Shahnaaz claimed the sarpanch’s post was earlier being held by her grandfather Haneef Khan for the past four decades.
On being asked how she would balance her upcoming MBBS internship and the responsibilities of a sarpanch, Shahnaaz, who is pursuing her degree from a medical college in Moradabad, replied, “I will be doing my internship from Gurugram which is one-and half hour journey from my village. It makes it possible for me to devote time in the morning and my evening along with Sunday at my village serving people.”
While charting her priorities, she said, her focus is on promoting girls education, sanitation, health and implementing government welfare schemes. “The literacy level of women in my constituency is very poor. My aim to see all girls in schools and to bring enrolment of girls equal to boys. The engagement of community leaders and elders to create a holistic environment for change is also high on my priority list to bring a change,” said Shahnaaz.
She hails from Mewat region that lies in both Rajasthan and Haryana. The region is considered as one of the most backward region in the country in terms of all major indicators—education, health and economics.
Reports say that his grandfather, Haneef Khan lost the post of sarpanch after he was found guilty of forging academic documents last October.
The new law says that candidate contesting for the post of Sarpanch is required to be Class-X pass.
Shahnaaz claimed the sarpanch’s post was earlier being held by her grandfather Haneef Khan for the past four decades.
