Chaudhary Aftab Ahmed

Chaudhary Aftab Ahmed is an Indian politician, who has served as the Deputy Leader of Opposition of the Haryana Legislative Assembly from 2019 to 2024. He has also served as the Minister of Transport, Tourism, Printing & Stationery in the Government of Haryana and as the Vice-President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee. He is a member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly from the Nuh constituency since 2019.

Early life and family Aftab Ahmed was born on 27 January 1966 in Dhouj village of Faridabad to Khurshid Ahmed and Firdos Begum.

He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from GGDSD College Chandigarh, Punjab University and LLB degree from MDU, Rohtak. He has served Indian National Congress at organisational level in different capacities and also as chief whip of the Congress Legislature Party.

He served as the Deputy Leader of Opposition of Haryana from November 2019 to September 2024.

Controversies

Involvement in instigating 1993 Mewat Riots The 1993 Mewat riots in the southern region of Haryana's Gurgaon district (modern-day Nuh district) erupted following the demolition of the Babri Masjid, triggering violence between the region's Meo Muslim community and Hindus. The unrest began on 7 December 1992, after rumors spread that Hindus in Nuh were celebrating the mosque's demolition, leading to Muslim mobs attacking Hindu temples in Nuh, Punhana, and Pinangwan.

The violence, reportedly instigated by Aftab's father, Khurshid Ahmed, involved hired youth who ransacked and burned temples, and even committed atrocities like burning a cow alive. The police's delayed response escalated tensions, resulting in indiscriminate raids and alleged abuses against the Meo community, with many villagers fleeing their homes.

Tayyab Husain, and his son Zakir Hussain, who was an MLA from the neighboring Taoru constituency, were also implicated by some in the Muslim community. They were political rivals of Khurshid Ahmed and Aftab Ahmed and were accused of exploiting the situation to expand their influence among the Meos.

Politicians Aftab Ahmed and his father Khurshid Ahmed, were booked for instigating the riots and went into hiding, while former minister Tayyab Hussain and his son Zakir Hussain, an MLA from Taoru, were accused by some of exploiting the situation for political gain. Both communities were left distrustful of the police, who were widely criticized for their handling of the situation, and the region, previously peaceful, was deeply scarred by the violence.