One common refrain was that there were a lot of other issues — from unemployment to education — on which he could focus instead.
Ram Mandir in Ayodhya Illustrative Pic Source - Wikimedia Commons
The Muslim community in Karnataka is now making its stance clear on the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya being portrayed as a “national” event, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi — the leader of the nation and the custodian of the Constitution — at the helm of its affairs.
With just a few months to go for the Lok Sabha elections, many in the minority community appeared a bit disappointed, watching and witnessing the events around the consecration.
South First spoke to a few prominent leaders of the Muslim community and litterateurs in Bengaluru.
They opined that no doubt India is a Hindu-majority nation, and people could build not just one temple but thousands of them, but a leader of the nation and a custodian of the Constitution should not turn into a leader of one particular religion by building the Ram temple and portraying it as a victory over evil.
The prime minister was also an elected representative after all, and he should be using his office to uphold Constitutional values and bring communities lagging in education, economy, and social and political fields to the mainstream, they added.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) National Committee member and the All India Milli-Council’s Karnataka secretary Syed Shafiulla Saheb told South First that the Supreme Court’s judgement was not in the favour of Muslims.
“Though we did not get justice, we all have collectively decided that we would maintain peace and harmony in the country, and we are simply keeping quiet. However, the Supreme Court judgement clearly states that there was no evidence of any temple that was demolished upon which the Babri Masjid was built 400 years ago,” he noted.
“The court also clearly observed that on the intervening night of 22 and 23 December 1949, the Ram Lalla idol was surreptitiously kept inside the mosque, which was also wrong. The court also ruled that what happened on 6 December (in 1992) — the demolition of the 400-year-old Babri Masjid — was a ‘criminal act’,” he added.
“The then prime minister PV Narasimha Rao had vowed that the Babri Masjid would be rebuilt in the same area. However, the head of the government changed, and everything changed along with it,” Shafiulla told South First.
He added: “The 25 crore Muslims in the country will continue to maintain peace and harmony. But we will not accept or agree to the five acres of land the Uttar Pradesh government is giving us, as it is not a barter system. However, the Waqf leader in Uttar Pradesh has accepted it as he is an appointee of (Chief Minister) Yogi Adityanath.”
The JUH was formed in 1919 to fight against the British and served as an arm of the Congress. After the struggle for Independence ended in 1947, it continued as a social organisation.
Kannada Rajyotsava award-winning poet Dr K Sharifa told South First: “Rama, being a mythological figure and an idol, is a lord for multitudes. Using this sentiment to demolish a 400-year-old mosque and build a temple on its land — making a political gimmick out of the entire issue — is not acceptable and I am against it.”
She added: “Hindus and Muslims were living in harmony, and all of a sudden Muslims became enemies and were victimised. Judges were purchased by the Modi government. How did retired judges become Members of Parliament all of a sudden soon after they retired?”
She noted: “In the Uttara Kannada district, Muslims worship Ganesha, and Hindus mourn with Muslims during Moharram. There was communal harmony earlier, and that was the greatness of the nation. The prime minister has been using religion for political gains, which is a mean mentality.”
The poet continued: “There are other issues to focus on, like inflation, unemployment, housing, education, and health facilities. But there is hardly any mention of such topics by this government.”
She added: “The people of India are observing that the Union government is selling the nation’s assets to corporates like Adani and Ambani. People are also observing the insults hurled at the Shankaracharyas for having an opinion about the Ram temple and its consecration. And last, but not the least, Ram will have Sita always closer to him and he was a leader of the masses. Where is our leader standing?”
Sharifa also said: “We don’t want a prime minister who is wearing eight types of dresses per day and travelling in aeroplanes worth crores. He is not a religious leader; he is a politician. His fake degrees and his promise of granting every citizen ₹15 lakh have vanished in thin air.”
She added: “He worked hard to inject insecurities into the minorities. Politics has hit a new low, and what sustains hatred will not go on for long.”
AJ Khan, the Karnataka unit president of the Dalit and minorities’ organisation Bheem Sena, told South First that the prime minister’s initial motto was “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas” (which he once said meant “Together, for Everyone’s Growth”). And then he did the exact opposite, said Khan.
“He is the custodian of the Constitution and the elected representative of all the Indians. He should not work for only one dharma. He has to work for everyone,” said Khan.
“Let the country build not just one but thousands of temples. But why should it be projected in a way to score brownie points in the political arena?” he asked.
Khan, too, pointed out that there were issues plaguing the population, such as unemployment, education, shelter, and basic facilities.
He told South First: “The troubles the prime minister has taken to appease one religious majority could be as well used to bring to the mainstream communities that are lagging in education, economy, socially, and politically, which is guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Maulana Maqsood Imran Rashidi — the chief maulvi of the Imam Jamia Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in Bengaluru, located near the City Market — concurred with the other leaders when he told South First that Muslims had moved on, having accepted the Supreme Court verdict on Babri Masjid and the Ram temple, whether they liked it or not.
“We have got nothing to do with that now, and the Muslims have decided to not spoil the atmosphere. There is no need for a debate over that now. However, there is no need for such hype and promotion for this temple either. When hundreds of temples could be built and consecrated in the country, why is there so much limelight on the Ram Mandir alone?” the maulvi sought to know.
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