Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid mosque announced his support to the Congress and Trinamool Congress parties on Friday stating that it will strengthen secularism in the country.
After meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi a few days ago, Syed Ahmed Bukhari during a press conference on Friday said the Congress has done a lot for the Muslims. “I met Sonia Gandhi and discussed a lot of issues related with Muslims with her,” Bukhari said.
Endorsing Congress, he appealed Muslim Community to vote for the party. “We announce support for the Congress. I support Congress on the condition that they will fulfill promises made to the Muslim community,” he said.
He also announced support to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, a Congress ally, in Bihar.
He, however, stated that it was not a fatwa and he just made an appeal to Muslim community to vote so that communalism considered to be a bigger threat than corruption should not be promoted. “We have to fight against communal forces. It's is not a fatwa that we have issued; it's an appeal. This is just a support and opinion that I have expressed, it is not an order,” he said.
Bukhari had supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. On this, h said that Mulayam Singh Yadav's party had betrayed Muslims. “Voting for the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party will be a waste. SP had even played a role in last year's Muzaffarnagar riots,” Bukhari stated.
On BSP he clarified that the party has showed it could align with anyone to be in power. “We can not support it,” he said.
Slightly hinting on AAP he said that the Muslim community should ensure that secular votes are not divided.
When question where raised over being a community religious head, he should not have been political. Bukhari said, “Under the Indian Constitution there is no rule that a religious head can't have an opinion and express it.”
The Shahi Imam ruled out endorsing the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, saying the former had even played a role in last year's Muzaffarnagar riots.
Reacting to Imam Bukhari's declaration, the BJP said the Congress is desperate to get Muslim votes. “They have become is desperate; they tried to communalize the election. The Election Commission must take cognizance of this communal appeal,” said BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad.
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After meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi a few days ago, Syed Ahmed Bukhari during a press conference on Friday said the Congress has done a lot for the Muslims. “I met Sonia Gandhi and discussed a lot of issues related with Muslims with her,” Bukhari said.
Endorsing Congress, he appealed Muslim Community to vote for the party. “We announce support for the Congress. I support Congress on the condition that they will fulfill promises made to the Muslim community,” he said.
He also announced support to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, a Congress ally, in Bihar.
He, however, stated that it was not a fatwa and he just made an appeal to Muslim community to vote so that communalism considered to be a bigger threat than corruption should not be promoted. “We have to fight against communal forces. It's is not a fatwa that we have issued; it's an appeal. This is just a support and opinion that I have expressed, it is not an order,” he said.
Bukhari had supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. On this, h said that Mulayam Singh Yadav's party had betrayed Muslims. “Voting for the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party will be a waste. SP had even played a role in last year's Muzaffarnagar riots,” Bukhari stated.
On BSP he clarified that the party has showed it could align with anyone to be in power. “We can not support it,” he said.
Slightly hinting on AAP he said that the Muslim community should ensure that secular votes are not divided.
When question where raised over being a community religious head, he should not have been political. Bukhari said, “Under the Indian Constitution there is no rule that a religious head can't have an opinion and express it.”
The Shahi Imam ruled out endorsing the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, saying the former had even played a role in last year's Muzaffarnagar riots.
Reacting to Imam Bukhari's declaration, the BJP said the Congress is desperate to get Muslim votes. “They have become is desperate; they tried to communalize the election. The Election Commission must take cognizance of this communal appeal,” said BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad.
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