On 21st March, the working president of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), Mohammad Hamid Engineer, was arrested in connection with the 17th March Nagpur violence. Hamid was once known as a vocal community figure, and he was part of a delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. However, he now faces sedition and rioting charges for allegedly inciting communal tensions through inflammatory speeches and mentoring riot mastermind Fahim Khan.
Notably, Hamid made headlines in 2022 for his controversial statement against former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Nupur Sharma, threatening her life. Hamid’s arrest was confirmed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Lohit Matani.
From state engineer to a voice for Barelvi Islam
Hamid’s public journey began as a Public Works Department (PWD) employee, where he earned the nickname “Engineer”. In 2002, he entered public life when a theological and administrative battle over a mosque in the Mominpura area of Nagpur drew his attention towards community activism. The mosque in question was traditionally under the Ahle Sunnat Jamaat’s control. However, it was taken over by members of the Tablighi Jamaat, a Deobandi-influenced group named in several past radical activities. The Deobandi and Barelvi schools, which Hamid follows, have theological differences.
The dispute pushed Hamid to establish a religious organisation named Iman Tanzim. Reportedly, it is dedicated to preserving Barelvi Sunni identity and Sufi traditions. In a speech, Hamid had said, “We realised the administration often favoured those with political influence. This led to the creation of Iman Tanzim.”
Hamid was deeply critical of both Wahhabi and Deobandi dominance over Indian Sunni institutions and publicly attacked organisations like the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. He also targeted freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and accused him of sidelining Barelvi interests. His speeches were mostly about Sufi reverence, shrine culture, and loyalty to the Prophet.
In 2009, Engineer launched the Minorities Democratic Party or MDP. The party’s slogan, “Jo Sufi santo ki baat karega, wohi Bharat par raj karega”, made its ideological line clear. Since then, MDP has contested elections across several states but has not made any notable electoral gains. However, it continued to be active on the ground, especially during religious tension.
A rare meeting with Modi – and warnings about Wahhabism
In 2015, Hamid was under the spotlight when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the first Muslim delegation in the PM’s Sufi outreach initiative. During the meeting, he reportedly raised concerns over the growing influence of Wahhabi ideology within key Sunni institutions.
He reportedly told PM Modi, “A radical ideology has become dominant on the Sunni Waqf Board… Many Sunni institutions have been captured where extremist ideology is being promoted. If this ideology takes root in India, it will be very dangerous for the country.”
He also proposed the creation of a separate Waqf Board for the Ahle Sunnatul Jamaat and said, “Let the Wahhabis have their own Wahhabi Waqf Board.” At that time, many thought Hamid was a moderate Sufi voice countering radical Islamist narratives in the country.
From defender of the Prophet to purveyor of threats
He became a person of interest around 15 years ago when his tabloid, Imam Ki Awaz, predicted serial blasts in Gujarat and later in Jaipur. Copies of his publication were sent to top police officials in Gujarat. However, Hamid then claimed that he merely pointed out a growing factional dispute within his community that could lead to bloodshed.
In 2011, Hamid was detained after mob violence erupted in Mominpura over the controversial burial of Sufi saint Baba Mustafa. He allegedly played an important role in the unrest, linked to internal disputes.
Hamid’s radical shift came to the fore in 2022 when he made controversial remarks against Nupur Sharma. He held a press conference in the first week of June 2022 in Nagpur under his party MDP’s banner and issued death threats against Sharma and former Delhi BJP leader Naveen Jindal.
He said, “To attack the honourable Prophet Mohammed and to attack his honour, there is only one consequence of this – and that is death. No one can stop you (from being killed). You are signing a suicide note,” referencing the 2019 murder of Kamlesh Tiwari. He added, “Don’t think that, if the issue is resolved today, you will be spared. So, better you don’t commit blasphemy.”
This was also the period when his party, MDP began to shift from being merely symbolic to more street-level activism, often leading agitations demanding legal action against those accused of insulting Islam.
What led to the Nagpur riots
On 17th March, communal tension broke out in Nagpur’s Mahal area following rumours of the desecration of the Quran. The rumours surfaced at a time when Hindu groups were holding protests demanding the removal of Mughal invader Aurangzeb’s tomb from Khuldabad.
Police stated that MDP’s Nagpur city president, Fahim Khan, played a key role in amplifying these rumours and circulated provocative videos to mobilise mobs across north and central Nagpur. He was arrested on 19th March as the alleged mastermind of the violence.
His arrest turned the police’s focus on Hamid Engineer, who not only defended Khan in public but also made provocative statements on his YouTube channel. He was arrested by the police on 21st March, along with YouTuber Mohammad Shahzad Khan, another MDP member.
