Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari

Infuriated by the invitation extended by Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while ignoring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Agra Muslims took a drastic step of censuring the so-called royal cleric on Saturday, claiming that if the Imam considers himself above national interest, he should go and live in Pakistan.

Talking to India Today, Ashfaq Saifi, national general secretary of BJP minority cell said that 'Dastaarbandi' is a public function and all members of the public are eligible to attend the function. He said that the Jama Masjid in Delhi is not the personal domain of Imam Abdulla Bukhari that he is transferring to his son, it belongs to every Muslim of the country.



In the guise of this function, Abdulla Bukhari is conspiring to create fractions between Hindus and Muslims.



All India Madarsa Board general secretary Maulana Uzair Aalam said that the Madarsa Board does not support Ahmed Bukhari's step, however I do resent that fact that the Prime Minister has not sent out any greetings on Muslim festivals that took place since he assumed charge, while earlier, all Prime Ministers used to do that. He said that as Prime Minister, Modi should protect the sentiments of people from all religions, instead of practicing right-wing Hindu Nationalism.



Mohd. Israar Ahmed, principal of Madarsa Taleem-e-Quraan said that Ahmed Bukhari should not mix politics and religion and I do not support his decision to invite Nawaz Sharif.



Gyaas Qureshi, social activist demanded that the government should end the title Shahi Imaam as the country is now a democracy, not a Mughal domain. There are thousands of mosques in this country that were constructed by Mughals. He asked that when the Jama Masjid of Agra was also a royal mosque while Agra was the capital of Mughals, then why only Ahmed Bukhari claims this title as his inheritance?

A group of Shiv Sainiks burned the effigy of Abdulla Bukhari on Saturday, demanding that the government should immediately arrest the Imam on charges of sedition. Veenu Lavania, district president of Shiv Sena in Agra said that if someone hates the country he lives in, he is most certainly an anti-national element and should be punished accordingly.