Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg

Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg (3 February 192911 June 1982) was a Kashmiri politician who served as the first deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 1975 to 1977 and was a member of Constituent Assembly of India from 1946 to 1952. Beg held a ministerial position in the pre-independence government of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1945 to 1947 and later served as the Revenue minister in the post-independence government led by Sheikh Abdullah from 1948 to 1953. After the dismissal of the Sheikh Abdullah government, Beg established the All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front in 1955,

Beg drafted the 1952 Delhi Agreement, which resulted in the Article 370 of the Constitution of India. He was a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly, which was responsible for drafting the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir from 1951 to 1956. He also drafted 1950 land reforms, including the Big Landed Estates Abolition Act during his tenure as Revenue minister. Beg was Sheikh Abdullah's interlocuter for the negotiations with Government of India represented by G. Parthasarathy, which resulted in the Indira–Sheikh Accord in 1975 and the rehabilitation of Abdullah as the political leader in Kashmir.

Early life and education Beg was born to Mirza Jalaluddin Beg on 3 February 1929 in Anantnag, British India. He was the brother of Mirza Ghulam Kadir Beg and nephew of the landlord, Mirza Ghulam Muhammad Beg, a landlord in Anantnag.

He graduated from Sri Pratap College (SP College) in Srinagar. He later attended Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), where he studied law.

Career Beg began his political career in the late 1930s when he became an active member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, a party led by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

In 1951, Beg was elected as a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly after contesting the 1951 constituent assembly elections. He represented Anantnag constituency from 1951 to 1953.

Princely state Beg joined Sheikh Abdullah's Muslim Conference from its inception. In 1934 elections, he was elected to the Praja Sabha and served as the deputy leader of the parliamentary party. In 1937–38, after Gopalaswami Ayyangar became the prime minister of the state, Mirza Afzal Beg and Girdhari Lal Dogra were appointed cabinet ministers.

Arrest and Plebiscite Front

In 1953, following the controversial dismissal and arrest of Sheikh Abdullah by the Indian government, Beg was also detained. During this period, the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir changed significantly, with the National Conference leadership being sidelined. After Abdullah's release, Beg formed the Plebiscite Front in 1955, advocating for a plebiscite to determine whether Jammu and Kashmir should remain part of India or join Pakistan. This movement reflected a broader sentiment of political disenchantment in the region. The Plebiscite Front, however, created significant political opposition, particularly from pro-Indian factions. It faced social boycotts and political isolation, with many of its members enduring hardships under government repression. Beg officially announced the dissolution of the organization, bringing an end to two decades of political opposition. Following this, Sheikh Abdullah was reinstated as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Following his dismissal, Abdullah described Beg's actions as a "dangerous attempt" to disrupt the unity and discipline of the National Conference. Abdullah had previously named Maulvi Mohammed Yasin Hamdari, a member of the Legislative Assembly, as the chief witness to these allegations against Beg. The chief minister's refusal to engage in peace talks with Beg suggested the conflict and the implications of Beg's public denunciations of the National Conference leadership.

In response to his dismissal, Beg was unrepentant and began to formulate a new political strategy. He announced the formation of a new party called the Inqalab National Conference, intending to challenge Abdullah's leadership. Beg expressed his responsibility to combat what he described as "dynastic rule" and aimed to promote democratic norms in the region. He outlined a 20-point program for his new party, focusing on anti-corruption measures and administrative reforms.

Despite some initial success in drawing crowds to his meetings, Beg faced challenges in gaining widespread support from the electorate. Many constituents, though not known, were apprehensive about openly opposing Abdullah and his supporters due to the prevailing political climate.

Beg believed that any significant challenge to Abdullah's authority would require support from the central government. However, indications suggested that the central government preferred to maintain the status quo in Jammu and Kashmir, refraining from interference in what it considered internal political matters.

Death Beg died on 11 June 1982. He is survived by three sons and three daughters. His son Mirza Mehboob Beg is also a politician in the state.