News Analysis India

Tag: Bengal Imams Association

  • ‘We can’t hold people to ransom by violent protests’: Bengal cleric’s body to Mamata

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Stating that people cannot be held to ransom by violence, an association of Muslim clerics on Sunday night urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee not to grant permission to any more rally to protest against controversial comments on Prophet Mohammad by two BJP leaders.

    The Bengal Imams Association also asked members of the community not to fall into the traps of vested interests and indulge in violence.

    President of the association Md Yahia said in a video statement that violence, arson and attacking properties and police personnel by a section of minority community members in the name of agitation have hurt the economy and caused great hardships to the general public.

    “While the comments of Nupur Sharma and another BJP leader are unacceptable and we are awaiting administrative action, we cannot hold people of the state to ransom by violent protests that are taking place in pockets of Howrah, Murshidabad and Nadia districts.

    Setting on fire properties and pelting the police with stones and being lathi-charged by the police cannot boost the image of a devoutly religious man or his icon,” he said.

    Yahia had on Thursday called for protests inside mosques across the state, demanding the arrest of the two BJP leaders, but said the administration is free to take action against people who are blocking roads and inconveniencing the public.

  • We feel mental state of Bangla Hindus, stand by them at this hour: Bengal Imams Association

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Bengal Imams Association, a representative body of Muslims in the eastern state, has condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh during Durga Puja and called upon everyone to stand by minorities in both India and the neighbouring country.

    The association, in a statement issued on Saturday, said that everyone should have been celebrating the festival of amity and brotherhood in Bangladesh, where at least 32,000 Durga Pujas are organised.

    ALSO READ: Durga Puja celebrations conclude in Bangladesh amidst communal unrest; another devotee found dead

    “Instead, some people with vested interests sowed the seeds of communal poison by circulating images of a stray incident at a pandal in Comilla to carry out large-scale arson at several puja marquees. Knowledge of rocket science is not needed to understand the sinister game plan to create a rift among members of two communities by these forces, who are not glorifying any religion by such acts. Being members of the minority community in India, we feel the mental state of the Hindus in Bangladesh who are a minority in that country. We stand by them at this hour,” Association Chairman Md Yahia said in the statement.

    Md Yahia also called upon people to be alert against efforts to foment trouble by spreading rumours and fake information and images on social media.

    At least four people were killed in clashes between miscreants and law enforcers and several Hindu temples and Durga Puja pandals were vandalised in Bangladesh, following which paramilitary forces were deployed in many affected districts.

    Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while exchanging greetings with Hindus during a recent event at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka, had said that all the perpetrators would be hunted down and punished.

    Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has noted that the government in the neighbouring country has reacted promptly to ensure that the situation was under control and said that the Indian mission is in close contact with the Bangladeshi authorities over the matter. 

  • Congress candidate death: Imams in West Bengal urge EC to hold elections in Samserganj seat post Eid

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Bengal Imams Association, the apex body of mosque committees in the state, on Monday urged the Election Commission to set a date at least three days after Eid-ul-fitr for voting in Samserganj assembly seat, where polls were countermanded following the death of Congress candidate Rezaul Haque.

    Haque, who had contracted COVID-19, died last Thursday. Md Yahiya, the president of the association, said in a statement that Eid is likely to be celebrated on May 14 or one day earlier, on May 13, depending on the sighting of the moon.

    Polling in Murshidabad districts Samserganj constituency, where Muslims make for the major chunk of the voters, should he held at least three days after Eid to “enable everyone cast their ballots”, after having wrapped up all festivities, he suggested.