The Muslim community’s representatives – known for backing All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in every major election so far – have now questioned the party chief.
The coalition of all major Muslim organisations, Milli Ekta Parishad, has asked AITC chief Mamata Banerjee to clarify her position on ‘genocide’ in Gaza at a roundtable conference in the city on Friday.
The Parishad has asked why Ms. Banerjee has not objected to the BJP’s silence at the national level.
The community urged the Centre to condemn the Israeli action in pursuance of the country’s earlier foreign policy.
The representatives of various organisations have also appealed to Muslims and peace-loving people to turn next week’s Eid-ul-Fitr into an event for all and to wear black tag in solidarity.
Tens of thousands of members of the minority community offer Namaz on the city’s central arterial road – Red Road – and the Chief Minister says prayer ritualistically, each year.
This year, the community has urged Ms. Banerjee to issue statements condemning the Israeli action in Gaza. State president of Jamaat-e-Islami (Hind), a constituent of Milli Ekta Parishad, Maulana Mohammed Nooruddin Shah, told The Hindu that the community was not happy with Ms. Banerjee maintaining silence.
“She could have easily called a press conference to condemn Israeli action or could even say a line or two for the innocent people in Gaza, but she has not,” said Mr. Shah.
“It is often said that Ms. Banerjee is doing so many things for the Muslims. But can we not expect this much of compassion (from Ms. Banerjee) when a city is ruined,” asked Mr. Shah.
President of Bengal’s Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, another constituent of Milli Ekta Parishad, a seasoned politician Siddikulla Chowdhury, who was in a anti-land acquisition coalition with Ms. Banerjee a few years ago, expressed similar sentiments and said he expects Ms. Banerjee to ‘divulge the nature of her negotiation with the Central government on Gaza genocide’ issue.
“If we could get two to five lakh people during Red Road’s prayer and can all condemn the genocide, we would be able to send a clear message to the government,” Mr. Chowdhury said. Being a politician, Mr. Chowdhury, however, is known for his usual flip-flops before every election and presently associated with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) of Badruddin Ajmal. Representatives of many other organisations, like the chief cleric of Red Fort Idgah, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and members of Jamaat-e-Ahle Hadis took part in the conference.
While Ms. Banerjee has strongly aligned with the minority community over the last few years, to issue an anti-Israel message from Red Road, may not be easy.
AITC leadership is aware that a consolidation of majority vote is slowly taking shape against the party in Bengal. Hence, many of its leaders feel using minority platform to deliver messages may not go down well with the majority.
However, since the AITC is still enjoying a huge Muslim support, Ms. Banerjee may not avoid Red Road’s prayer next week. Whether she will deliver anti-Israel message remains to be seen.
