First-hand narrative: Visiting Mukhtar Ansari's family's Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, house, "Phatak"

 First-hand narrative: Visiting Mukhtar Ansari's family's Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, house, "Phatak"

Mukhtar Ansari image source Quora

Drive through small alleyways and National Highway-31 for 100 kilometers from Varanasi to Muhammadabad, a busy town in the Ghazipur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

With only 40,000 people living there, Muhammadabad is not very proud of itself. Nonetheless, it is the beginning of the Purvanchal Expressway, a six-lane access-controlled motorway that links Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, with Ghazipur.

The Ansari family, who are the descendants of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, are well-known throughout the rest of India for their expansive mansion known as "Phatak." Ansari passed away on March 28 from a cardiac arrest.

"Phatak," Ansaris's house

Myself and two coworkers went to 'Phatak' in October 2023 for a report. A local journalist in Varanasi suggested that we try to set up a video interview with someone at the house even though we didn't have an appointment.

See Also: Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's life and times: An examination of the life and times of eastern Uttar Pradesh's "Bahubali"

We reached "Phatak's" gates at midday. We were shown to a covered platform outside a chamber with the nameplate 'Afzal Ansari' in Hindi by an old man with a beard. Mukhtar's brother, Afzal Ansari, is a Member of Parliament representing Ghazipur, a seat that was once occupied by Manoj Sinha, the head of the BJP and currently serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

One of the attendants said, "Sansad ji araam kar rahe hain, aap intezaar kijiye (Afzal Ansari is resting, please wait)".

We started assembling our cameras and taking some pictures in the interim. The 'Afzal Ansari' nameplate was accepted by the attendant, who let us into the room. Photographs of numerous generations of family members, some by themselves and others with political figures including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, covered the three walls and shelves within. It's hardly surprising that Mukhtar's death has elicited condolences from SP and BSP leaders.

Prominent relatives

The chamber is a reminder of the notable individuals the Ansari family has contributed to the nation, regardless of their political beliefs. Among them is Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, the paternal grandfather who led the Congress party in 1927–1928 and fought for freedom. In addition, the Mahavir Chakra awardee Brigadier Mohammad Usman Ansari, dubbed the "Lion of Nowshera," is the maternal grandfather. In addition, there is uncle Hamid Ansari, a civil servant who was India's vice president from 2007 to 2017.

While we waited for the "Sansad ji" to awaken, we were given tea and sweets. We took it for granted that he had been notified and consented to the interview. We tested a frame, set up a chair, and adjusted the lights and tripod camera to save time. Four individuals occupied a desk adjacent to the space, taking care of guests. In one case, a mother's son's medical expenses came to ₹2.5 lakh. One of the four individuals seized her documents and told her to come back after five o'clock.

"Humare to bhagwan hai, Sansad ji," the woman remarked as she made her way back to the entrance. The region also knows Ansaris for their charitable giving.

Afzal Ansari woke up around 3:30 pm. We were shocked to learn that he was unaware of the interview. He asked us to leave after refusing. Maybe scared, our driver, a local, took off with his car before we could gather our belongings.

criminal history

The Ansaris are a diverse family. It has had two generations of members with criminal histories in addition to some notable members.

 Before his death on Thursday, Mukhtar had spent the most of the previous 19 years in prison. It was said that throughout his final years in prison, he had been running his gang. His wife Afsha Ansari, oldest brother and former MLA Sibgatullah Ansari, incarcerated son and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Abbas Ansari, and younger son Umar have all been charged with crimes. His MP brother Afzal, who is regarded as the family brains, has also been charged. There are pending cases against Atif Raza and Anwar Shehzad, Mukhtar's two brothers-in-law.