Kolkata: Syed Noor-ur-Rehman Barkati was suspended as the Imam of Tipu Sultan Mosque in Kolkata. The trustee board of the mosque sent a termination notice to him on Wednesday. However, Barkati said that the board had no right to dismiss him.
While the trustee board held a press conference at the Calcutta Press Club to announce Barkati’s termination, the controversial imam too immediately called a press conference at the mosque and claimed that the board is conspiring against him.
Arif Ahmed, chairman of Prince Ghulam Mohammad Waqf Estate, which is the custodian of the 165-year-old mosque, denied any political pressure to remove Barkati. He alleged that Barkati had shown disrespect to national leaders and was using the mosque for political purpose and for his own financial gains. He claimed that Barkati was removed after servicing show-cause notice for his speeches to incite people. Barkati has been given seven days to vacate the office.
Barkati has got embroiled in a lot of controversies in the past, for issuing fatwas against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Dilip Ghosh and for making objectionable statements against RSS.