Syed Naseer Hussain

Syed Naseer Hussain was born in a Kannadiga Muslim family on 10 June 1970 in Channagiri, district Davanagere, Karnataka, India. His father is Syed Hafeez, and his mother was Akhtar Unnisa. His father was a traffic inspector with KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) and the President of the KSRTC Employees' Union. His mother retired as the Head Mistress of the Government Urdu Higher Primary School, Cowl Bazaar, Ballari. His parents resided in Ballari, Karnataka. Since childhood, Naseer has been strongly influenced by parent's lives and thinking. His father's life as a trade union leader who fought for equality and inclusion paved the way for his social activism and commitment to fight to social justice. His parents encouraged modern education and were progressive in their outlook. == Education and alma mater ==

He spent his early years in Ballari, Karnataka. Hussain completed his primary and high school education from St.Joseph’s English Medium Primary School and St.John’s High School, Ballari. He demonstrated leadership traits from his early student days. He was the Mass PT Leader (equivalent to SPL), in St. Joseph’s English Medium Primary School. He went to become the President of Young Students Movement (an international organization), while he was at St. John’s High School, Ballari where he was also the President of Interact Club (Rotary). He completed his PUC from Vijayanagar College in Hospet, Karnataka. During this period, he served as the District President of Young Students Movement, Ballari. Hussain graduated from St. Philomena’s College, Mysore with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Economics and Political Science in 1992. He was twice elected as Class Representative at St. Philomena’s College, Mysore, for two consecutive terms; 1989-1990 and 1990-1991 and was awarded Best Class Representative of the Student’s Union, St.Philomena’s College, both times. Thereafter, he was elected as President of St. Philomena’s College Student’s Union with huge margin for the term 1991-1992. The same year (1991-1992), he was nominated as the Secretary of Mysore City Students Action Committee. He obtained his Masters’ degree in Political Science from the University of Mysore in 1994, during which period he was elected as the General Secretary of Mysore City Students Action Committee twice; first in 1992-1993 and subsequently in 1993-1994. In 1996, Hussain enrolled at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (JNU), where he completed his M.Phil and Ph.D in International Relations. Continuing with his winning streak, Naseer was elected as Joint Secretary in 1997-1998, Vice President in 1998- 1999, and President in 1999-2000 of the JNU Student’s Union (JNUSU). He also served as the Vice-President, Karnataka Sanskrathika Sangha (Kannada Sangha) at JNU from 1997-2000. == Educationist ==

For a brief period in the year 1996, Hussain taught Political Science in Devadurga Government College, Raichur District. == In Indian Politics ==

Indian Youth Congress (IYC) Hussain joined the Indian Youth Congress in March 2001. He was appointed as Chief Electoral Officer, IYC and was promoted as the Chief Election Authority, IYC in November 2001. In January 2002, he was given additional responsibility as the Observer In-charge of Jharkhand and Assam. In March 2003, he was appointed as the National Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) He served as a Member of KPCC Manifesto Committee in 2017 for the Karnataka Assembly Elections, 2018. He was appointed Vice President, KPCC on 10 April 2022 and served till 20 August 2023. All India Congress Committee (AICC) In 2014, he became a National Media Panelist of the AICC and appeared on major television channels in four languages. Later on he was promoted as a National Spokesperson of the AICC on December 21, 2018. In October 2022, he was appointed the campaign manager of AICC Presidential candidate, Shri. Mallikarjun Kharge. Subsequently, after the victory of Shri. Kharge, Hussain and three others were appointed as the coordinators of the office of the Congress President on November 11, 2022. On August 20, 2023, he was appointed as a Member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and, thereafter on December 23, 2023, he was made in-charge of the Office of the President of Indian National Congress (INC). On February 14, 2025, he was appointed as General Secretary, AICC, In-Charge of Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. In Parliament Hussain was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka state on 23 March 2018 and was soon appointed Whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha on 11 August 2021. He was re-elected to Rajya Sabha on 28 February 2024. == Public offices held ==

In 2024, while commenting on Waqf Bill he stated that - "The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 is a targeted legislation that aims to designate Muslims as 'second class citizens'". He further while supporting religious rights of Muslims claimed that - "The bill is based on a 'misinformation campaign'". While proposing the Amenment the ruling BJP's Home Minister Amit Shah pointed out that under old law - "There is no provision to file appeals against tribunal decisions in court and that matters can (only) be raised in the high court through writs." It was therefore suggested that Hindu properties and public land could be acquired by the Muslim Waqf board without following due process of law. The proposed Waqf Amendment Bill in spite of strong opposition from the Congress party and its allies, was passed with a majority in both the Houses of Parliament. == Suspensions ==

In his tenure as Member of Parliament, Hussain was suspended thrice for protesting against bills that infringed on social justice and security breach in Parliament. Farm bills (2020) On 22 September 2020, Hussain was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for one week after protesting the passage of the Farm Bills. He and several other MPs had raised slogans and staged a protest in the House over the manner in which the bills were passed, alleging that parliamentary procedures were flouted and the farmers’ interests were sidelined. He was among the eight MPs who raised slogans of protest and demonstrated before Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Rai Singh, for failing to follow House procedures over the passage of farm bills. Labour codes (2021) Suspended for protesting against labour codes. The Farm Laws of 2021 were repealed after fourteen months of agitation by the farmers across the country, and opposition MPs continued to demand compensation for more than seventy of the lives lost during the agitation and for fixing MSPs for different commodities. Following the protests and demands, Hussain and eleven other opposition MPs were suspended for the winter session of the Parliament. Parliament breach (2023) December 14, 2023 - Suspended for protest against 2023 Indian Parliament breach On December 14 2023, a significant security breach occurred at the Indian Parliament when an individual scaled a 20-meter-high wall and entered the premises near the Garuda Gate. The intruder, identified as a 20-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended by security personnel shortly after gaining access. The breach later led to the suspension of 146 opposition parliament members on claims of causing disorder, 95 from the Lok Sabha, and 46 from the Rajya Sabha. The suspensions were later condemned by Human Rights Watch.[xiv] Allegedly, the intruders had gained access to the Lok Sabha with the help of sitting BJP MP. == Public-interest missions ==

== Keynote speaker and guest of honour ==

On 17 May 2021, Hussain performed the asthivisargan, last rites of Prof Savitri Vishwanathan who died of COVID-19. Prof.Savitri Vishwanathan, former head of the Chinese and Japanese Studies Department at Delhi University, was a family friend of Hussain's. During the Covid lockdown, Hussain through AICC helped those stranded in different parts of the country reach their destinations. He was at the forefront in distributing food kits (ration-kits, vegetables) and medicine kits to people in Ballari district, and monitored medical treatment and services for covid affected patients, and operated a dedicated covid relief centre and kitchens that operated 24*7 for the needy and underprivileged. == Personal life ==

Syed Nasir Hussain married Mehnaz Ansari on 6 October 2003. The couple has two sons. == References ==