Farooq Abdullah has outdone Allama Iqbal and has instantaneously achieved the title “Imam-e-Kashmir”. Allama Iqbal had reportedly called Bhagwan Ram “Imam-e-Hind”. Imam is a person who leads prayers in a Mosque. A number of Muslim leaders have adopted “Imam” as a title that affords them the power to interpret anything in the world. Anything from physics to metaphysics to economics to ecology to the constitution to constipation apart from Hadits and Quran. If someone can interpret Quran, he is competent to interpret anything. Hence Farooq Abdullah becomes “Imam-e-Kashmir”.
In a press meeting, Farooq Abdullah said, “Bhagwan Ram is the God of everyone and he was sent to earth by Allah to show the right path to the people.” Abdullah further added that this “revelation” was made by a Pakistani writer who passed away recently. This “new truth” or “interpretation” about Bhagavan Ram gains importance because it comes from a “Pakistani”. The authenticity and veracity of such a statement by an Indian would have been naturally questionable. Unfortunately, the name of the writer eluded Abdullah. But as Shakespeare would say, “What is there in a name? The one whom we call Imam would be competent in interpreting anything in the world.” Abdullah isn’t just Badshah-e-Kashmir anymore. He is “Imam-e-Kashmir”.
At the ripe age of 85 years, Farooq Abdullah might be prone to forgetfulness. But he remembered his roots to pinpoint precision recently. When reminded of the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, Abdullah re-reminded us that he, too, was originally a Kashmiri Pandit. He quoted his famous father, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah’s autobiography and said, “The great grandfather of my father was Balmukund Kaul.” That settles all the doubts about the familial affiliation between the former Kaul family and the “Kaul Dattatreya Gotra” born “Shiv Bhakt Janeudhari Parsi” family.
What makes things interesting is the interpretation, “Bhagwan Ram was sent to Earth by Allah”. The uninitiated may be tempted to ask, “Which earth? The revolving globe as claimed by uninformed scientists? Or the stationary, flat earth as established by the great scholars of the Kitab?” Only the Imam-e-Kashmir can answer that question because only he is competent to interpret what he has said.
Farooq Abdullah went further during the press meeting and claimed, “Bhagwan Ram is not the God of Hindus alone. He’s the God of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and all the people.” That creates some more doubts again. Will the other Imams of flat earth accept this interpretation? Will they accept Bhagavan Ram as God? Won’t that go against the tenets of the religion of peace? It rises further questions. Will people like the Kanyakumari pastor George Ponnaiah accept this? We must remember he’d told Rahul Gandhi during the inauguration of “Bharat Jodo Yatra” that Jesus is the real and only God. What if George Ponnaiah says, “We are here to interpret Christianity. Who is Farooq Abdullah to declare Ram is God of Christians too?” What if these statements of Imam-e-Kashmir create rift in the wonderful symbiotic relationship between Muslims and Christians of India? Questions, too many questions.
These questions arise because apart from Gandhi inserting “Allah” between “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram”, we have never witnessed the bilateral acceptance of Ram and Allah together in the world ruled by Shariat. Even Allama Iqbal called Ram “Imam”. That is not God but one who leads prayers to only God. The nearest Ram and Allah have come together ironically is in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, only in name. Whatever Indian Hindus do for “Save Gaza” cause, there is no place for Ram in the world of true followers of Allah. Will anything change after the revelations of Farooq Abdullah?
From challenging BJP to amending Article 370 to blaming BJP for the misappropriation of Bhagwan Ram, Farooq Abdullah has come a long way from Indian-occupied Kashmir to Kashmir, that is, India. From opposing the re-settling of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir to claiming “I am a Kashmiri Pandit”, he has done “almost Ghar Wapsi”. Two entities in some kind of trouble because of the new interpretations of Imam-e-Kashmir are Shariat and Hurriyat. Accepting Bhagavan Ram as God goes against Shariat. Hurriyat means freedom. They always wanted freedom of Kashmir from India. With his reconciliatory approach now, what will happen to the already weakened old friends of Farooq Abdullah?
Well, to be fair to him, Farooq Abdullah isn’t alone in this season of mass “Ghar Wapsi” of Indian Politicians. He is in an elite company. Arvind Kejriwal’s grandmother once said, “I don’t want a temple where a place of worship of other people was destroyed.” Today, Kejriwal is organising the Ayodhya pilgrimage for senior citizens when the Ram temple is ready. Once upon a time, not so long ago, Congress had submitted an Affidavit in Court stating “Ram is an imaginary character”. Today, Congress wants its share of credit in the construction of the Ram Mandir. Rahul Gandhi is projected as Ram and PM Modi as Ravan by Congress trolls. As Veer Savarkar had predicted, Congress leaders are wearing their Janeu over their coats. Mulayam Singh Yadav had ordered firing on Karsevaks, killing several Ram Bhakts. His son Akhilesh Yadav now claims to be a Ram Bhakt. It turns out, the famous Bhajan “Ant Me Nikla Yeh Parinaam, Ram Se Badaa Ram Ka Naam” has been proved absolutely spot on. Imam-e-Kashmir Farooq Abdullah has proved it beyond doubt. “In the end, it turns out that the name of Ram is greater than Ram!”
