Eminent lawyer, legal scholar, author and political commentator Abdul Ghafoor Majeed Noorani, known popularly as AG Noorani has passed away in Mumbai. He was 94 years old.
Noorani was known for his books such as The RSS: A Menace to India, Article 370: A Constitutional History of Jammu and Kashmir, The Destruction of Hyderabad, Constitutional Questions in India, The RSS and the BJP: A Division of Labour and The Kashmir Dispute, 1947-2012 among others. He has also been a columnist for many leading newspapers and journals including The Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Dawn, The Statesman, Frontline, Economic and Political Weekly, and Dainik Bhaskar. His column for The Frontline, Constitutional Questions ran for over three decades beginning in the 1980s.
Noorani began his career as a lawyer at the practiced law Mumbai High Court in 1953. He has appeared in court for well-known political leaders like Sheikh Abdullah and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi.
Even as a practising lawyer, Noorani simultaneously wrote on legal and constitutional matters going on to become a leading political commentator and scholar. He will also be remembered as an outspoken voice for civil liberties and progressive politics.
Condolences poured in for the late scholar on social media. Hyderabad MLA and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said in a statement, “A giant among scholars has passed away. I learnt a great deal from him, from the constitution, to Kashmir, to China & even the art of appreciating good food. May Allah grant him maghfirah.”
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar said, “India loses one of its greatest sons — AG Noorani, 94, Supreme Court & High Court Advocate, whose prolific works on the Constitution, laws, politics, human rights, civil liberties, Muslim identity, Kashmir have benefited us for more half a century!
May his soul find eternal peace.”
Vice-president of Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Omar Abdullah said, “Sorry to hear about the demise of A G Noorani Sb earlier today. Noorani Sb was a man of letters, an accomplished lawyer, a scholar & a political commentator. He wrote extensively on matters of law and on subjects like Kashmir, RSS and the constitution. May Allah grant him highest place in Jannat.”
According to a statement by founding editor of The Wire and a friend of the late scholar, Siddharth Varadarajan, Noorani was working on a book on the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya Ram temple verdict despite his illness.