Lucknow: Muslim clerics in Uttar Pradesh have reacted rather strongly to BJP president Rajnath Singh’s offer for apology to the Muslim community and have said that the apology would be meaningless unless the BJP threw Mr Narendra Modi out of the party.
“The BJP, on one hand, is seeking an apology from Muslims and, on the other, it is projecting Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. Mr Modi is responsible for the post-Godhra carnage in which Muslims were targeted and how can the BJP even expect Muslims to forgive and forget the Gujarat riots or the Muzaffarnagar riots? If the BJP is sincere about extending an olive branch to Muslims, it should first show the door to Mr Narendra Modi,” said well known Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad.
Another Muslim cleric, Maulana Fazlur-rehman Waisi, wanted to know why the BJP was suddenly warming up to Muslims.
“Why this sudden need for an apology? If the BJP feels it has wronged Muslims, it should first set right its policies and its behavior. Besides, I feel that this offer of apology is merely a political stunt because elections are round the corner,” he said.
Maulana Saif Abbas felt that if the BJP president was concerned about mending bridges with the Muslims, he should include issues related to Muslim welfare and empowerment and Waqf properties in the party manifesto. “It is only then that we will believe that the BJP president means what he says,” the cleric said.
Another well known cleric Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said that Mr Rajnath Singh should first clarify on which issue he is seeking an apology.
“He should clarify whether he wants an apology for the demolition of the Babri mosque or the Gujarat riots or the recent Muzaffarnagar riots. Unless he does that, we do not know what he wants. It seems he is merely doing lip service to the community by making such statements,” he said.
Dr Ayub, president of the Peace Party, an essentially Muslim outfit in UP, also rejected the apology offer and said, “The BJP is a communal force that thrives on its anti-Muslim stand. There is no question of accepting any apology because they (BJP) say one thing and do another,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
