By Muslim Mirror Staff
New Delhi: In a bid to explore the common ground for Ittehad-e-Millat or ‘unity among the community’ leaders of different hues are going to hold a closed-door meeting on Sunday at a hotel in Muslim-dominated locality of Jamia Nagar here.
According to sources, the purpose of the meeting is to infuse new energy and confidence in the community whose youth are caught in the whirl of despondency due to emergence of right wing in the national horizon and “unwise” response of the Muslim organizations to the situation.
Since the meeting is not publicized, one is free to cast aspersions as per his/her reading of the track records of the individuals involved in the day-long deliberation. It is, however, expected that the ‘stalwarts’ will discuss ways of forging unity among the Muslim community, albeit past efforts in this regard did not yield any result prompting critics to term such deliberation as “favourite pastime for some leaders”.
The invite was extended on behalf of the 16 prominent religious and community leaders who head their respective organizations. Among those likely to attend the meeting are Maulana Sayed Rabe Hasani Nadvi, President All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s both factions presidents Maulana Arshad Madani, and Maulana Mahmood Madani, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Engineer Saadatullah Hussaini, rector of Darul Uloom Deoband Mufti Abul Qasim, Navid Hamid, President All India Muslim Majlis Mushawart, Maulana kalbe Jawad, President All India Milli Council Maulana Abdullah Maghisi, and President Ulema and Mashaikh Board Maulana Ashraf Kachhochuvi.
Among the major Muslim organizations that are not going to be the part of the meeting include Popular Front of India, the largest cadre based organization of Muslim community, All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama of Kerala and Raza Academy of Mumbai.
However, it is also seen in the light of upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh which has a sizable Muslim population. “Muslim leaders get out of their slumbers ahead of elections to devise a political strategy unaware of the fact that the timing could be of help to the communal forces,” said a septuagenarian journalist who wished not to be named. However, the sources said the meeting was being planned for the last one year but was extended many times due to the pandemic. Therefore, attributing it to the upcoming UP elections holds no ground.
There could be various reasons for keeping it off press or public, but it is said that “some of the participants” cannot face public other than their “ghettos” as “some endorsed CAA, some remained reluctant and nonchalant” in the nationwide protest against citizenship regime. Only a small number of community leaders came forward to support the activists who were beaten up and arrested by the police. What these leaders were doing when innocent Muslims were being lynched by cow militia? In this context, the Muslim community no more pins hope in such leaders.
Ittehad-e-Millat is a complex issue which cannot be solved in a few hours meeting. It needs, apart from religious leaders, involvement of intelligentsia from different extreme of social sciences and media.
Interestingly three such meetings had been organized by AIMMM (All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat) in last four years to find the solutions of the problems being faced by the community but nothing concrete happened so far.
It need not get an adverse remark. Ittehad e millat is not a few years struggle. Let them get together. May this bring them to a conclusion.
Moreover, if the meeting is confidential and it has not been made public, why on earth are you (Muslim Mirror) making it public?
One thing is common in these three faces. That is Thier tilt for Modi and RSS hegemony during their recent past. They are no longer worth to be labelled as ‘community leaders’. Neither they r worth of being leaders nor the majority of Muslim youth accept them. If they think, their past would be forgetton, they are in their slumbers.
Ironically, they are community leaders and can’t face their own community. Like ‘chor’ they have to sit in a closed chamber to enjoy their encounters and discuss what next they should do that stimulates Modi and they shall revive their loyalty for rising anti-islam Hindutva forces, Modi for instance.
Simplest solution is to increase literacy, education, social and political awareness. But if you do that, young Muslims will start questioning you on what you have done for them. So, same old crying about unity and talk of danger from communal forces will happen.
How can Muslim Unity be achieved by excluding Azam Khan. Azam Khan is still a political force in UP to reckon with. Ignoring Azam Khan may prove very detrimental for Muslim politics in UP.
Azam Khan is behind the bar. Standing behind him in this hour of crisis may help a lot to forge a united political approach at least in UP.
Sitting together alone will it on out their differences. It should have happened much earlier. However, it’s never too late to mend. They should hold such meetings regularly by changing venues for the ease of the participants. Pure politics may be taken up as a solid agenda. No need to dilute it with education and other things every time.
It is very urgent and timely. The overall development of this society is not possible without unity among Muslims socially, politically and sectarianly. The main reason for many among Muslims is the difference in religious group consciousness. It is the religious leaders who have to make the effort to rise above it, they have to accept the sacrifice.
Its better late than never. Hope these meeting bring some results. In my opinion The so called community leaders are in fear of losing their fast slipping ground in the community otherwise why they are meeting now ? this should have done much earlier. Anyway, its good some initiative is taken and hope for some positive outcome.
Good sense of humour that leaders will get together to unite the community arey Baba first let the leaders unite among themselves. people who cannot agree or anything how can they unite the community The leadership both political religious social of Muslims is pathetic and there will be no outcome of this meeting accept some Bull statement which nobody will bother about it hurts but truth always hurts
Such a meeting is the need of the hour. Muslims cutting across sectarian fault lines should support such a move. Criticising the meeting on the pretext of Azam Khan still being in jail is not proper. After these leaders are not responsible for the plight Azam finds himself in !! In fact they are as helpless in this matter as Azam Khan against whom the whole might of the state is being used by a regime which has scant respect for democratic values