TMC leaders sent goons to attack me: Syed Ahmed Barkati

You had sat next to the CM at the July 21 Martyrs' Day rally. Why have you not been invited this time?

God only knows. I had been a constant supporter of Mamata Banerjee during her ascent to the post of the Chief Minister and now that she is the CM she has forgotten me. I had extended my full support and cooperation to her when she was in the Opposition.

Are you hurt?

Of course I am and more than that I feel humiliated. I had been assaulted by goons who, I have come to know, had been sent by some of the TMC leaders. I am sure the CM knows about this too. The CM is also the home minister, she could have instructed her police to look into the matter but she didn't. On the contrary, her police had put a padlock on the doors of my office at the Tipu Sultan Masjid.

Did you try to communicate with her?

I have been waiting for her to act. But she hasn't, I don't feel like communicating and humiliating myself further. In the 34 years of CPIM, I had never been treated this badly like the TMC has done and all under the instruction of the CM.

Friday prayer's timing has been altered owing to the July 21 rally. How do you react to that?

It is sad to see that the namaz timing has been changed to accommodate a political rally. It shouldn't have been done, this is blasphemy, it is unfortunate. I have not seen anything like this happen in the last 29 years while I was the imam of the masjid. Now that I am not there, the committee members are doing this.

How do you now wish to fight your ouster as an imam?

The committee cannot fire me like that. The matter is in the court now and I will fight it out legally, myself.