By Online Desk

MEERUT: The exit poll results by various news channels have left a senior cleric at renowned seminary Darul Uloom Deoband upset. The Mufti has now made an appeal to all mosques to recite special prayers for "favourable" election results" on May 23, according to a media report.

“In the prevailing scenario it is very important to pray very hard for peace and prosperity of our country and for the protection of Muslims, mosques and teachers," Mufti Mehmood Hasan Bulandshahri was quoted by the Times of India as saying. The prayers must start three days before May 23, he added.

The top cleric has also appealed to those who have committed sins to atone. "There are too many temptations surrounding us. We must repent for our sins."

This move by the Mufti has been welcomed by the clerics in Deoband. "We welcome the suggestion and all Muslims must follow this religiously. We are very concerned with the outcome of election results," Maulana Ishaq Goar, a Deobandi cleric said.

Goar said that India must elect a government which would take everyone along and work to maintain brotherhood, peace and harmony in society. "Unfortunately, we have a few parties that do politics on the grounds of religion which is not right and they should go."