Maulana Mahmood Madani, Jamiyat-Ul-Ulema-e-Hind general secretary, is a very angry person these days. He feels the secular parties gained power with the support of Muslim votes and later deliberately ignored them. This is no less than betrayal of the Muslims according to the Islamic cleric. He also feels that this tantamount to injustice against Muslims. He blames the secular parties for seeking Muslim votes by creating a fear-psychosis amongst them about the BJP.
Maulana Madani belongs to the group of Jamiyat-Ul-Ulema-e-Hind headed by Maulana Kari Usman representing the Deoband school of Islam. The 49-year old Maulana is known for his straightforwardness and plain speaking. Secular parties have long been on his target for their faulty Muslim policies disturbing the applecart of these secular leaders.
Maulana Madani, engaged at present in exposing the secular parties and unaware of the unrest amongst the so-called secular leaders, is busy in forcefully advocating for the issues of the Muslim community. It is perceived that in case he succeeds in his efforts it would change the course of Indian politics in days to come.
In an exclusive interview, Maulana Madani clarified his stand on various issues related to welfare and progress of Muslims in India. Summarily rejecting the theory that by criticising he is distancing himself from the Congress, the Islamic cleric said that he believed that it was his right to question the wrong policies of Congress in respect of the welfare of Muslim community.
Launching attack on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for not taking immediate and stern action against the culprits of Gopalgarh riots, Madani said the Gehlot government instead troubled those victims of the riot. He said if we failed to raise our dissent on such excesses, it would be injustice. He agreed that the Congress is not like the BJP. But he is worried over their tactics to obtain Muslim votes by creating a bogey of BJP. In the last elections, the Congress made attractive promises to Muslims and obtained their votes. But did nothing for their welfare after returning to power. This is unjust and highly objectionable. How can one remain silent and endure such injustice and discrimination, he asked. And when a leader of his stature raised such questions he is dubbed as supporting Narendra Modi and BJP. This is far away from reality.
Holding UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav squarely responsible for Muzaffarnagar communal violence Madani said the popularity graph of Samajwadi Party was coming down with great speed as Akhilesh Government failed on every front. The Chief Minister should have resigned voluntarily lest the people teach him lessons in Lok Sabha polls, he said.
Madani was against comparing the SP Government with that of Modi’s Gujarat. But if a comparison is to be made then this government could be compared with that of Mayawati’s government, he said adding that law and order was better during the BSP rule and Mayawati government surpassed Akhilesh Government in every respect.
Commenting on growing popularity of Narendra Modi, Maulana Madani said that he was of the opinion that Gujarat is not the only state that made progress. He also feels that a section of Muslims in Gujarat is still underdeveloped and less privileged. However, he saved himself from making any comment on Mamata Banerjee Government in West Bengal saying that time has not come to comment on her functioning. He also evaded reply to a question as who was better protector of Muslims in West Bengal-Left or Trinamool?
Will Muslims support the BJP and Narendra Modi? Maulana Madani says “BJP does not seem to be making any special efforts to seek Muslim votes. They are not doing any serious efforts. If they were really interested towards Muslims they should have started a dialogue with Muslim leaders. They should seriously think over the issue and come out with a clear policy vis-à-vis Mulsims, he said.
The Maulana however did not favour an exclusive political party of the Muslims. Such a move would boomerang, he felt. This is not acceptable to us. He believed that only a truly secular, honest political leadership and party could benefit Muslims. They would be more than happy to extend their support to such a party at the national level. But, unfortunately, at present there is no such party in sight, he said.
—Surendra Singhal
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