Bengaluru: An unseemly row has begun over the inauguration of the Haj Bhavan in Bengaluru with the BJP’s minority cell criticising Minister for Minority Affairs and Haj, Roshan Baig for not inviting minority community leaders of the party to the event.
Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, party minority cell president Abdul Azeem came down heavily on Mr Baig for resorting to ‘divisive’ politics.
“We are not demanding that our leaders be made guests but Mr Baig could at least have invited us to the function since Haj Bhawan was sanctioned when B.S. Yeddyurappa was Chief Minister in 2008. Then Minority Affairs minister Mumtaz Ali Khan was responsible for sanctioning the prestigious Bhavan for the Muslim community. But the present government and Mr Baig have made the inaugural programme a Congress party affair,” Mr Azeem alleged.
Mr Baig has deliberately ignored the contributions of the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government and has not invited prominent Muslim leaders of Janata Dal (Secular) either, Mr Azeem claimed. Because of protocol, Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan have been invited but the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Muslim leaders have been ignored he said.
“Mr Baig is also stalling nominations to the Haj Board. Why has the state government not appointed a president to the board so far, it shows Baig’s greed for the post,” Mr Azeem alleged.
Did not ignore leaders of minorities: Roshan Baig
Minorities Affairs and Haj Minister Roshan Baig asserted that he had not ignored community leaders and minority leaders in other parties and had sent invitation to all leaders.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mr Baig said: “I have personally invited Union Law and Justice Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda for the inaugural function. I have acknowledged the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s effort to build Haj Bhawan.The question of protocol does not arise as Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Bharatiya Janata Party leader) does not come under protocol preview. I want all Muslim leaders to attend since it is a community related programme. I would request minority leaders in all parties to attend.”
“There is no truth in the allegations of Bharatiya Janata Party’s minority community leaders who have ulterior motives in criticising me,” Mr Baig added.
