Amid a war of words with Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan, Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid Maulana Ahmad Bukhari today said his fight was aimed at providing better representation to Muslims in the government and the deadlock with SP would end in the next 24 hours.
“The ongoing deadlock will end in next 24 hours. My fight is for ensuring better representation to muslim community in the government”, Bukhari told PTI over phone.
Without taking name of Azam, Bukhari said some persons were diverting the issue by terming it as a personal issue.
Asked why he did not reach Lucknow on the invitation of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bukhari said he could not do so due to some personal reasons and media was creating confusion on the matter.
He said he had written to Yadav for giving better representation to Muslims but in Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Parishad elections the community was ignored.
About the resons of returning SP ticket to his son-in-law Omer Ali for Vidhan Parishad, Bukhari said he was of the view that as per the population two Muslims should be given tickets.
The war of words between the SP leader and the cleric started after Bukhari rejected SP’s offer of fielding his son-in-law to the state legislative council, insisting on two seats for the Muslim community.
SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury refused to comment on the issue, saying “netaji” (Mulayam) would take a decision on it.
Azam had earlier dared Bukhari to contest mayoral polls from Moradabad, saying if the cleric did not forfeit his deposits he would take retirement from active politics.
“I challenge Bukhari to contest election for the post of mayor from Moradabad and win it. If he did not forfeit his deposits, I will leave politics,” Khan had told reporters last week.
“Unka kaam namaaz padhana hai, wahi karein” (His work is lead prayers, and he should do only that), he had said.
—PTI