After Anna Hazare, it is now the turn of the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari to endorse Mamata Banerjee as a future PM, saying, “She would make a better PM for secular India than others.”
Like Hazare, the Shahi Imam had written to all non-BJP chief ministers on January 30 inquiring about the implementation of recommendations of the Sachar Commission. Only Mamata replied on February 19 detailing the work she had done for minorities.
“After going through the details of developmental work she has done for the development of minorities and Muslims in the state, I personally feel India needs a secular leader like her who believes in work and not lip service,” he said. “I feel she is a secular leader and will not go with BJP or NDA.” Political observers would like to connect it with another development in Delhi where the Shahi Imam severed ties with Samajwadi Party. His son-in-law Umar Ali Khan resigned from the UP cabinet. If the Shahi Imam supports Mamata, it would be a boost to her attempt to go national and blunt the Opposition allegation of a “covert understanding” with BJP. Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed said, “The Shahi Imam has made his own assessment on the minority development works being undertaken in Bengal. He holds a respectable position and if he endorses Mamata Banerjee as the Prime Minister, many people will pay heed.”
Maulana Qari Fazlur Rehman, the senior cleric who leads Red Road Eid Namaz, had a different take. “To me, Mamata Banerjee is a secular leader.”
Like Hazare, the Shahi Imam had written to all non-BJP chief ministers on January 30 inquiring about the implementation of recommendations of the Sachar Commission. Only Mamata replied on February 19 detailing the work she had done for minorities.
“After going through the details of developmental work she has done for the development of minorities and Muslims in the state, I personally feel India needs a secular leader like her who believes in work and not lip service,” he said. “I feel she is a secular leader and will not go with BJP or NDA.” Political observers would like to connect it with another development in Delhi where the Shahi Imam severed ties with Samajwadi Party. His son-in-law Umar Ali Khan resigned from the UP cabinet. If the Shahi Imam supports Mamata, it would be a boost to her attempt to go national and blunt the Opposition allegation of a “covert understanding” with BJP. Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed said, “The Shahi Imam has made his own assessment on the minority development works being undertaken in Bengal. He holds a respectable position and if he endorses Mamata Banerjee as the Prime Minister, many people will pay heed.”
Maulana Qari Fazlur Rehman, the senior cleric who leads Red Road Eid Namaz, had a different take. “To me, Mamata Banerjee is a secular leader.”
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