Muslims "sidelined" in Indian politics: cleric
Bukhari called on India's Muslims to form their own party
The chief cleric at India's largest mosque delivered a stinging attack against the country's major parties Friday, calling on India's Muslims to form their own political party less than a week before India's general elections.
Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari of New Delhi's Jama mosque said Muslims in India were "victims of injustice" and have been "tortured and systematically sidelined by all political parties."
"A peaceful, secure and happy life is a distant dream for us," he said in a speech ahead of Friday prayers.
He accused the Hindu-majority that make up the bulk of India's main parties of being either overtly sectarian or otherwise trying to cynically woo the Muslim vote with "false promises."
"Look around and see the situation: some parties have an anti-Muslim agenda, some are trying to show sympathy towards us, but they will never be of any good to us," he said, adding that the Muslim community has lost all faith in the existing political parties.
Muslims vote "secular" to no avail
Bukhari called upon Muslims to group and launch their own party that will work for the community's benefit and accused current parties for using India's largest minority as just a vote bank without serving its welfare.
“Political parties use Muslims just as a vote bank. They are not really bothered about their rights or upliftment and welfare,” Bukhari told Indo-Asian News Service Saturday.
“Muslims in this country have always been secular and have never voted on religious grounds. They have even voted for political parties whose leaders have been Hindus. They even supported the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 1977 and 1989 elections,” he added.
“However, none of the political parties who the Muslims have voted for have done anything for their welfare. This is why I think the community should launch its own political party,” he said.
India's general elections will be held over several phases between April 16 and May 13.
Sikh community: a role model
Bukhari praised the Sikh community in India as a role model for Muslims to follow as it succeeded Thursday in forcing the Congress to withdraw Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, two main candidates, from the poll fray for their alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
“I want to congratulate the Sikh community for being united and forcing the Congress party in changing its decision. Muslims must learn from them,” Bukhari said adding that in unity Muslims would gain political leverage as the Sikhs have.
The Congress decided Thursday after intense deliberations to scrape Tytler and Sajjan Kumar--candidates for north east and south New Delhi areas--for fear their inclusion in the run up tp the April-May polls would upset Sikhs.
Political parties use Muslims just as a vote bank. They are not really bothered about their rights or upliftment and welfareSayed Ahmed Bukhari, Jama mosque imam
He added that educational institutes with a “minority character” should be established in all those places where there is a substantial Muslim population.
Muslims number 140 million in India, making them the largest religious minority in a country of 1.1 billion people. Community leaders have long complained of discrimination, with allegations of harassment increasing in the wake of militant attacks last year in Mumbai that were blamed on Islamic fighters.
I want to congratulate the Sikh community for being united and forcing the Congress party in changing its decision. Muslims must learn from themBukhari, Jama mosque Imam