Modi on right track to see computer and Quran hand in hand: Muslim delegation

When Narendra Modi reached out to the Muslim community on Thursday as he met a delegation comprising both liberal, progressive and conservative members of the community, the Prime Minister divided opinion among the attendees.

Independence icon Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's grandson and noted educationist Firoz Bakht Ahmed told Mail Today that Modi was on the right track.

"May be most Muslims don't like PM Narendra Modi, but let's not forget many have begun to like him too. Many Muslims are falling in line with what he thinks," said Ahmed.

Narrating what transpired, he said the meeting was extremely cordial with the Prime Minister meeting the Muslim representatives in an informal way.

"PM Modi said he considered Hindus and Muslims as his two children and he will deal with both of them with equanimity and equality," he said.

Delving into PM's vision, he said Muslims need to come out of the mentality of ghettoisation. "He reiterated his vision of seeing the Muslims with 'computer in one hand, and the Quran in the other', but he also said that he was not going to go for the uplift of the community by way of appeasement. He said he will do it under the inspiration of his motto of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'," Ahmed said.Also read | PM Modi, President Pranab Mukherjee congratulate Donald Trump

He also lauded the PM's efforts and pointed at the increase in the Haj quota, more than many Muslimdominated countries. He also cited the financial assistance given to the kite-makers of Gujarat. "The assistance was given to kite-makers and most of them are Muslims. But the assistance was not given in the name of Muslims," he added.

Praising the efforts of the Union minority affairs ministry, Ahmed said, "For a very long time the minority affairs ministry was running on oxygen. It was on crutches since AR Antule was the minister, but look at Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Words don't matter, actions do. Look at the way he has hit the ground. Now, the ministry is running like PT Usha."

Maulana Bilal Ahmed Bijrolvi, on the other hand, described the meet as just a "symbolic" effort which "did not go a long way in bridging the gulf between the Hindus and the Muslims".

Bijrolvi is from Shamli, a district in poll-bound UP infamous for communal disturbances. "I also believe that it is not going to have any effect on the outcome of the UP polls," suggesting that BJP would find no sway with Muslims despite the effort.

Many Muslims feel disenfranchised by Modi's hardline Hindu supporters as some have been attacked by vigilantes for consuming beef or skinning cows since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014.

Bijrolvi accepted that the Prime Minister tried to make the meeting informal and tried to put his guests at ease, even narrating tales of a "Haji" from his village who was extremely venerated by all and sundry, but then dismissed it as only "symbolism".

"We made a number of demands, but the PM did not respond to them at all," he said. "We told the PM that Muslims should be allowed to do 'namaz' at Muslim sites preserved by the archaeological department. We told him Waqf land was being misused; reminded him of what he had promised on bringing science and Quran together and also about the minority status of AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) and preservation of other Muslim institutions. But, the PM gave a long speech without ever addressing any of this."

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Bijrolvi gave Mail Today a letter that he submitted to the PM and which listed his demands. "If you allow minority status for AMU, you will be giving a chance to the Muslims to thank you."

He also demanded that the instant divorce practice of triple talaq be left alone as an institution.

"I also demand that the BJP leaders who are in a habit to give vitriolic speeches be punished," the cleric said.