Hyderabad: Stating that the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Mr Syed Ahmed Bhukari, was misleading the community, eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Sunday said that the former’s Indian citizenship should be cancelled.
“He was the person who misled the people of the Muslim community from participating in Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, saying that Vande Mataram was being sung in the meeting,” said Mr Jethmalani at a meeting on “Modi for People and People for Modi” held in the city.
He said, “I have thoroughly studied Hindu religion and have equally studied Islam. And nowhere in Islam is a mother disrespected or undermined. Vande Mataram means respect to mother. Then how can he (Mr Ahmed Bhukari) mislead people from going to a meet? It would be good for people of the Muslim community to detach themselves from such a person.”
Last Friday, Mr Ahmed Bhukari had declared his support for the Congress saying that it would “strengthen” secularism and termed communalism as a “bigger threat” to the country than corruption.
Mr Jethmalani said that the Congress was desperate and was trying to impose a communal face on the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
He claimed that there were more educated Muslims in Gujarat than in any other state in the country.
“When Modi took over as Chief Minister of Gujarat, there were only 11 universities. But now there are over 44. It itself shows the importance of education for the people for Modi.
“Gujarati Muslims love Modi. They admired the rehabilitation work he has done in the state for Muslims. Over 28 Muslim organisations supported him in the elections. That itself shows the admiration of Muslim for Modi and vice versa.”
He added that for a clean and secular country Mr Narendra Modi was the right person.
