The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : No diktat, but Shahi Imam welcomes BJP's `new mindset'

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Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

National

National - Elections 2004

No diktat, but Shahi Imam welcomes BJP's `new mindset'

Ziya Us Salam

NEW DELHI

He has never contested elections, never campaigned for any candidate, yet is said to wield power much beyond the call of his religious duty. Right from the time the Shahi Imam of Delhi's historic Jama Masjid was courted by H.N. Bahuguna, the cleric, whether by intent or accident, has ended up playing a role in political affairs of Muslims.

National leaders such as Indira Gandhi have come and gone, men of lesser mettle such as the Himayat Committee representatives have taken over, but the Imam's political stature has remained undiminished, unaffected by the fate of the leader he backs. Come elections, come political leaders — all of them making a beeline for Imam Bukhari's impressive residence in Urdu Bazaar in front of the Jama Masjid.

The purpose is said to be only to seek his blessings; actually all of them vie for a `fatwa' by the Imam. A single-line fatwa by the religious leader, and the Muslim vote will be in their basket, goes the reasoning. However, it is a belief propped up by myth, perpetuated by stereotypes of the Muslim monolith. The Imam, whether of Delhi's Jama Masjid or of any mosque in a village, has no power to issue a fatwa. That power rests with the Quazi. The Imam can only lead prayers.

The Imam is not a custodian of the community vote, but before every election, the media have a field day, speculating about Imam Bukhari's `fatwa' in favour of one party or the other.

The Imam has, on his part, has not dispelled the myth about his own ability to win elections and has asked people not to vote for a certain party or to give a chance to another.

Interestingly, Imam Abdullah Bukhari, the predecessor of the present chief, Ahmed Bukhari, issued many "appeals" to the masses, but they were couched in the language of diktats and led the media to refer to them as "fatwas". In recent times, Bukhari has supported candidates of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

This time, Imam Ahmed Bukhari, who succeeded his father in office about three years ago, has stated he will not issue a fatwa in favour of any political party this time. "All political parties have exploited Muslims and done nothing for their uplift.

The Congress and other so-called secular parties have always raised fears about the BJP when seeking Muslim votes. Mulayam Singh has taken the Muslim vote for granted. But nobody has done anything for the community's development. I am not issuing any fatwa for any political party."

In the past, his predecessor, Imam Abdullah Bukhari, had thrown in his lot with the Congress and its local nominee, Jai Prakash Agarwal. Mr. Agarwal lost twice from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat under which the Jama Masjid falls.

This time, the Imam is perceived as supporting the BJP in a subtle manner. While he does not condone the demolition of the Babri Masjid by the BJP and its sister organisations and refuses to give a clean chit to the party for the Gujarat riots, he has drawn attention to what he describes as the BJP's "new mindset".

Although he has been reported as having issued an appeal or `fatwa' in favour of the BJP, he denies having done this.

However, he has strongly come out against what he sees as the wrongdoings of the Congress.

"The Babri Masjid was demolished during the Congress regime, but did the Congress apologise for it? On the Gujarat riots also, has the Congress done any groundwork to rehabilitate the victims? The BJP has at least expressed regret over the Gujarat riots and is now open to a judicial verdict in the Ayodhya case. It is having a serious rethink on the place of Muslims in the polity," he says.

Asked to respond to the perception that he has moved closer to the BJP, he replies: "For every Gujarat, the Congress has a Moradabad where the devotees were killed on the day of Id. We have not forgotten that. If I had not responded to one step from the BJP, the doors would have been closed forever. The Muslims have to choose between Jehad, Hijrat (migration) and Sulah (reconciliation). I feel Sulah is the option now."

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