NEW DELHI: Just before Hamid Ansari’s term as Vice-President ended on August 11 this year, he stirred up a hornet’s nest by saying “there is a feeling of unease and a sense of insecurity among Muslims in the country”. The RSS will now debate that there’s nothing like a sense of “unease” or “insecurity” among Muslims in India. The RSS’ wing, Muslim Rashtriya Manch, will organise a meeting of ulemas (scholars) here wherein the issue of fear or insecurity among the community will be discussed.Ansari’s statement triggered a debate and drew sharp reactions from many quarters. Many BJP leaders—including incumbent Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, and Kailash Vijayavargiya—said the statement was political propaganda. RSS leader Indresh Kumar said there were no takers for Ansari’s remark within the community.
“I want to ask him (Ansari) why he didn’t realise this earlier while he was at important positions. Muslims have rejected this,” said Yasir Ali Jilani, national convener, Muslim Rashtriya Manch.
Jilani said a meeting of ulemas is likely to be held on August 22 at Haryana Bhawan in Delhi. “Hamid Ansari’s statement has created confusion among the Muslim community. Scholars from many parts of the country have been invited and there will be debates over the issue,” he said.
Other issues such as cow vigilantism and cow protection will also be discussed. RSS functionaries said the meeting will be an opinion-building exercise in the backdrop of recent developments.
Jilani added that “cow sacrifice is a crime and a campaign is being run ahead of Bakrid in which we are appealing to Muslims not to sacrifice cows. They are also being made aware that cow slaughter is banned in many parts of the country and that it is a crime. This will also be discussed by scholars”.
The BJP government has come under attack by the Opposition parties due to violence perpetrated by gau rakshaks (cow protectors). Amidst the controversies, BJP and the Sangh Parivar have made it clear that they support a ban on cow slaughter and condemn vigilantism in the name of cow protection.