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| India-Pakistan |
| Imam Asks Muslims To Form Politcal Party In India |
| 2003-03-10 |
| Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid on Sunday appealed to the Muslims to stop supporting the "so-called" secular parties, including the Congress and form a separate national party to protect the interests of the community. In a speech laced with questions to many leaders of "secular parties" seated on the dias at rally organised by the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind here, Imam Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari said "Secularism is dead in this country after the Gujarat riots in which hundreds of Muslims were killed. Now it is high time we chart our own course". No mention of any dead Hindus. If secularism is really, truly dead, Muslims are in large trouble, being in the minority. Of course, this kind of truculence can lead to more sectarian violence, more bodies in the streets, and more notoriety for local mullahs. It won't lead to any progress, but then, if people are making progress, the funding from Arabia dries up, doesn't it? Pointing to Congress leader Arjun Singh, he said "it was his party which triggered the Ayodhya controversy. They opened the locks, performed shilanyas and the masjid was brought down during their regime. 1984 anti-Sikh riots were instigated by his partymen". See what I mean about truculence? "What secularism are you and your President (Sonia Gandhi) talking about?" he asked a visibly embarrassed Singh. Directing his ire this time at other leaders Ram Vilas Paswan, Arif Mohammed Khan and Udit Raj who were also present, he said "Paswans and Mulayam Singhs rule after we vote and it is we who are the ultimate sufferers." Alleging that the Muslim community has been "under constant attack ever since independence", the Imam said "we were under a false impression that the so called secular parties would be our saviours. We can no longer lean on them. This over-dependence had weakened the community". |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #1 The Imams need one-way tickets out of the country or....but they cannot be allowed to continue incitement to riot, kill, overthrow the govt, etc etc. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-03-10 20:40:30 |