The onus is on the prime minister to do justice to the position he holds, the Shahi Imam said in his Friday sermon
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Amid attempts by Hindutva forces to create communal division by laying claim on several mosques and other Islamic structures across the country, the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Ahmed Bukhari has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak to the Muslims of the country to allay their fears and the insecurity gripping them.
In an impassioned plea, a teary-eyed Shahi Imam said the onus is on the prime minister to do justice to the position he holds.
Delivering the Friday sermon at the historic mosque, an emotionally charged Bukhari appealed to Modi to win the hearts of Muslims by stopping aggressors who are trying to destroy the peace of the country and creating conflict.
Bukhari expressed his concern for the country’s Muslim community. “We are in a situation worse than the one we were in 1947. No one knows which way the country will go in the future,” he said.
Bukhari urged the PM to take immediate cognisance and said, “You (PM Modi) should do justice to the chair you are sitting on. Win the hearts of Muslims. Stop the miscreants who are trying to create tension and affecting the atmosphere of the country.”
Bukhari said, “Understand the pain faced by Muslims and change their present situation, it is imperative.” To do so, he suggested that three Hindus and three Muslims be invited to diffuse the tension.
Bukhari’s appeal followed violent clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area. The petition behind the survey claimed the mosque was built on the site of a former Harihar temple.
Sambhal has remained tense since the survey began on November 19. Similar petitions demanding surveys of mosques have emerged in other parts of the country.
Bukhari expressed concern about the increasing number of mosque surveys. “The government should seriously think about these surveys in Sambhal, Ajmer, and elsewhere. These things are not good for the country,” he said.
Bukhari also pointed to a plea filed in a Rajasthan court, claiming the Ajmer Sharif Dargah was built over a Shiva temple. The court has admitted the petition and issued notices to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Ajmer Dargah Committee, and the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs.
In his address, Bukhari reflected on the historical consequences of communal divisions. “Moments committed mistakes, centuries got punished… how long will the country run like this? How long will Hindu-Muslim, temple-mosque issues continue?” he questioned, emphasising the need for unity and harmony in the nation.
