By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Reacting strongly to the statements wherein leading industrialists of the country have described Gujarat Chief Minister as good prime ministerial matter, Muslim organizations have condemned the industrialists for supporting fascist forces.
Muslim leaders have said that it will be unfortunate for the country if it is led by a person who is responsible for massacres and ethnic cleansing in his state. They expressed the need that the industrialists should be involved in dialogue and convinced that they are seeing just one side of the coin.
In a global investors summit that ended on January 13, three top leading industrialists of the country – Anil Ambani, Chairman, ADAG, Sunil Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Group and Rattan Tata, Chairman Tata Motors – appeared supporting Narendra Modi as the next leader of the country because he has brought unprecedented development in Gujarat.
Talking to TwoCircles.net Nusrat Ali, General Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind said: “Nothing could be more unfortunate for a country if a person who is involved in massacre and ethnic cleansing becomes prime minister.” He said that the thinking of the industrialists and their proposal is absolutely wrong.
He expressed his concern over narrowing gap between industrialists and fascists. “That industrialists and fascists are coming closure is also unfortunate for the country. The government should take notice of the issue and industrialists should also rethink about their own views,” said Nusrat Ali.
Asked if the products of the companies chaired by these industrialists should be boycotted, he said: “People should protest the statement of the industrialists. Rather than boycotting their products there is a need for the society to change the mentality of such businessmen.”
Dr Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Member, Executive Committee, All India Muslim Personal Law Board also describes the statements of the industrialists as “very unfortunate.” Talking to TCN he said: “You cannot see the one side of Narendra Modi – whatever he is doing on developmental issues and investment issues – and on the basis of this you decide that he is the person who is capable of running a country.” Given the fact that India is a plural society with different religions and people, only a person should be at the helm of affairs who respect the diversity of the country, a person who is ready to tolerate all other religions, he said. “As far as Narendra Modi is concerned he is known internationally not for development which is taking place in Gujarat but for the pogrom 2002,” he pointed out.
Dr Ilyas is of the view that these people should be involved in dialogue to help them see the other side of the coin. “We should ask these people to take back their statements. It is not correct that on each and every issue we should come forward and boycott product of a company. These industrialists might be seeing only one side of the coin, not the both sides. We should meet them and engage them in dialogue and convince them that this type of one sided statement is not healthy for the society.”
Abdul Wahab Khilji, General Secretary, All India Milli Council, however, says that people should keep distance from fascists and those supporting the fascists while admitting that in democracy everyone has the right to express his views.
“But it seems that the industrialists have projected Modi as PM just keeping in view their own business interests. But we think that for the sovereignty and security of the country and for democracy and secularism, Narendra Modi can never be a good option,” Khilji says adding that the acts and deeds of Narendra Modi are known to people. Not only Muslims but no peace-loving people will accept him as the leader of the country.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad-based active Musim organization Majlis Bachao Tahreek has given a call for boycott of products of the company chaired by Anil Ambani. In one-page advertisement MBT said Muslims should boycott Reliance phone, petrol and other products. “Anil Ambani’s wish to make Narendra Modi, killer of thousands of Muslims, as prime minister, is like rubbing salt into wounds of Muslims.”
Ex-corporator and MBT leader Muhammad Amjadullah Khan led a protest on Friday in Hyderabad. The protestors burnt the effigy of Anil Ambani for projecting Narender Modi as PM of India. The agitation took place at different places after Friday Namaz at Ujalesha Mosque in Saidabad, Hyderabad. Later another dharna was held at Santosnagar Reliance FRESH and the
police arrested all the MBT leaders when they tried to go inside the shop. Speaking on the occasion Amjedullah Khan appealed to all the Muslims and secular Hindus to boycott all the Reliance products.