{{short description|Indian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Cleanup|reason=needs a copyedit to add missing articles|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kaneez Fatima | image = | office = Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly | constituency = Gulbarga Uttar | predecessor = Qamar ul Islam | party = 25pxIndian National Congress | caption = Kaneez Fatima in 2020 | birth_date = {{birth_date and age|1959|08|21|df=y}}<ref>Kla.nic</ref> | birth_place = Hyderabad,<ref>Government of Karnataka portal</ref><br/>Andhra Pradesh, (present-day Telangana) India | spouse = Qamar ul Islam | term_start = 2018 | term_end = }}
'''Kaneez Fatima''' ({{langx|ur|{{nq|کنیز فاطمہ}}}}) is an Indian politician and 2 time MLA from the Gulbarga North constituency of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Fatima |date=2023-05-21 |title='Congress Will Lift Hijab Ban': Kaneez Fatima, Karnataka's Only Muslim Woman MLA |url=https://www.thequint.com/elections/karnataka-election/muslim-women-needed-in-politics-kaneez-fatima-karnataka-only-muslim-woman-mla |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Government Portal|url=https://www.elections.in/karnataka/assembly-constituencies/mlas-list.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Scroll.in|url=https://scroll.in/article/879147/with-7-mlas-muslim-representation-in-karnataka-assembly-is-lowest-in-10-years|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> She was the wife of a former minister, the late Qamar-ul-Islam who was also MLA from the same constituency in 2013.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/karnataka-election-2018-qamars-wife-brings-his-legacy-into-3-corner-fight/articleshow/63957851.cms|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=The Times of India}}</ref>
She was appointed chairman for Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Limited (KSIC) on 26 January 2024.<ref name="Karnataka: 34 MLAs made chiefs of boards, Shanti Nagar MLA gets BDA">{{cite news |last1= |first1= |date=27 January 2024 |title=Karnataka: 34 MLAs made chiefs of boards, Shanti Nagar MLA gets BDA |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Jan/27/karnataka-34-mlas-made-chiefs-of-boards-shanti-nagar-mla-gets-bda |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120155042/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Jan/27/karnataka-34-mlas-made-chiefs-of-boards-shanti-nagar-mla-gets-bda |archive-date=20 January 2025 |access-date=20 January 2025 |publisher=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
== Constituency == She represents Gulbarga Uttar (Vidhana Sabha constituency) of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Karnataka Legislative Assembly List (SI#188)|url=http://www.kla.kar.nic.in/assembly/member/members.htm|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref>
== Political career == Fatima is a member of Indian National Congress (INC) political party. After the passing away of Dr Qamar ul Islam,<ref name="Kalaburagi: Qamarul Islam's wife to contest polls? {{!}} Kalaburagi: Qamarul Islam's wife to contest polls?">{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=Kalaburagi: Qamarul Islam's wife to contest polls? {{!}} Kalaburagi: Qamarul Islam's wife to contest polls? |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/051017/kalaburagi-qamarul-islams-wife-to-contest-polls.html |access-date=22 February 2025 |work= |publisher=Deccan Chronicle |date=5 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222113342/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/051017/kalaburagi-qamarul-islams-wife-to-contest-polls.html |archive-date=22 February 2025 |language=en}}</ref> Fatima had initially refused to contest but was persuaded by Siddaramaiah, Mallikarjun Kharge and G.Parameshwar.<ref name=":0" /> Besides people of all communities convinced her to contest. Many Gulbarga leaders from Congress MLA Priyank Kharge, MLA Ajay Singh, Wahid Ali Fatihakhwani, Nazar Mohammed Khan, ex-HKE President Basavaraj Bhimalli, etc. supported her and more than sympathy, the election campaign was done by highlighting the contributions of her husband Qamar-ul-Islam and won the election against Nasir Hussain Ustad of JD(s) and Chandrakanth Patil of BJP by 5,940 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=15 May 2018|title=oneindia.com|url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/karnataka-election-results-2018-full-list-of-winners-bjp-congress-jds-2696524.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref>
=== CAA Protest === A massive protest, the largest in North Karnataka, took place in the town of Kalaburagi against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Around 15,000 people gathered for a protest march and came out defying the Section 144 notification that was imposed on the entire state of Karnataka. MLA Kaneez Fatima was the major catalyst in mobilising citizens. All local Congress Corporators reportedly came out in support of the protest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/thousands-people-kalaburagi-turn-protest-against-citizenship-act-114392|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.thenewsminute.com|title=Thousands of people in Kalaburagi turn up to protest against Citizenship Act|date=19 December 2019}}</ref>
== Position held == {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !# !From !To !Position |- |1. |2018 |2023 |MLA (1st term) from Gulbarga |- |2. |2023 |Present |MLA (2nd term) from Gulbarga<ref name="Congress MLA Kaneez Fatima who protested against hijab ban wins">{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=Congress MLA Kaneez Fatima who protested against hijab ban wins |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/congress-mla-kaneez-fatima-who-protested-against-hijab-ban-wins-177158 |access-date=22 February 2025 |publisher=The News Minute |date=13 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222112918/https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/congress-mla-kaneez-fatima-who-protested-against-hijab-ban-wins-177158 |archive-date=22 February 2025 |language=en}}</ref> |}
== Controversy == Fatima had purchased 22 acres of agricultural land near Gulbarga. S K Kantha, the former minister, had filed a complaint alleging that the purchase was illegal and violated Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. The Act prohibits the purchase of agricultural land by any person other than an agriculturist. The Gulbarga tahsildar, in his report to the Assistant Commissioner, stated that Qamar ul Islam runs schools and owns commercial complexes and hence the income of Fatima exceeded Rs two lakh per annum. The Assistant Commissioner set aside the purchase of land by Fatima with an observation that the purchaser had violated the provisions of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act. He has directed the tahsildar to take over the land and mention Karnataka Government as the owner of the land.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-03-21|title=Gulbarga MLA's wife lands in soup|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/236079/gulbarga-mlas-wife-lands-soup.html|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref>
== References == <references />
{{15th Karnataka Legislative Assembly|state=Karnataka}}{{Indian National Congress|state=Karnataka}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fathima, Kaneez}} Category:Karnataka MLAs 2018–2023 Category:Karnataka MLAs 2023–2028 Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Karnataka Category:Living people Category:Kalaburagi Category:1959 births Category:People from Hyderabad, India Category:Women members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Category:Indian Muslim politicians Category:21st-century Indian women politicians