HYDERABAD: AIMPLB spokesman Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani on Monday clarified his remarks on visits to RSS camps, saying they were taken out of context to label him a friend and agent of RSS.
The top cleric and executive member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) issued a video statement to counter the allegations made by Maulana Salman Hussaini Nadvi after the latter was removed from the board over his Ayodhya proposal.
Breaking his silence, Maulana Nomani gave a detailed background of his remarks that he visited RSS camps and personally knows some RSS leaders. He revealed that during riots over Babri Masjid-Ram Janmbhoomi issue in 1990 when Lucknow was under curfew, he had risked his life to reach a hospital to donate blood to an injured Hindu girl. The father of that girl thanked him for saving the life of his only child. He was 'pracharak' of RSS and an incharge of 6 to 7 RSS 'shakhas'.
The cleric said at the invitation of the 'pracharak', he visited RSS camps and discussed with their cadre issues like how the country can be taken on the path of development and how peace and brotherhood could be ensured.
Playing a clip of his speech made in Aurangabad, Maulana Nomani said he cited the example of RSS to advise Muslims to inculcate their good qualities like simplicity and avoid ostentatious marriages and wasteful expenditure.
He argued that there was nothing new in it as many religious scholars and leaders exhort Muslims to ponder over the reasons for the development of western societies and adopt their good qualities in public life like discipline and honesty.
Maulana Nomani said his Rohingya remarks were also in the same context. He wanted Muslims to avoid ostentation in marriages by learning lessons from countries where the community is being massacred and to use their resources for constructive work.
The board member said it was known to everyone that organizations like Bajrang Dal distributed weapons among their cadre in various parts of the country to prepare for Myanmar-like massacres.
"This has been widely reported in media. Everyone knows some organizations are giving terrorism training to their cadre. My remarks were not to provoke Muslims but to wake them from slumber," he said.
He said he had always strived for unity between Muslims and the other oppressed sections of the society by clearing their misunderstandings. "This is not liked by Sangh Parivar and the forces who want to spread Brahminwad and Manuwad. But I had never imagined that one day these forces will succeed in using one of our friends and my childhood friend," he said while referring to Maulana Salman Nadvi.
Maulana Nomani said he still had no ill-will towards him and advised all members of the board to ensure that this chasm is not widened.