Maulana Mohammed Kaleem Siddiqui
Host of the programme insisted that I should participate in Islamic programme on Radio Leicester. On his persuasion I visited the studio. At the beginning of the show I conveyed Salam to the audience of Radio Leicester on behalf of Indian countrymen; the country about which Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) had said that he was smelling fragrance of love coming from the soils of India (Mujhe Hindustan ki mitti se muhabbat ki khushbu aati hai).
I said, “Salam full of love! to the people residing in Britain, from the natives of the country of love.” After that I praised the impressive qualities of my country and the countrymen.
Mufti Abdur Raheem the host of the programme asked me to give a piece of advice to the audience and told the audience ‘we will listen to the advice of Maulana in the second part of the programme after the break.’ Then the usual advertisements began on radio. During the break, a sister named Geeta who lived in Scotland, called on Mufti’s number. She wanted to talk to me. Maulana gave the phone to me. She expressed gratitude over my love and compassion towards the country. But with a sigh of grief she said that yesterday she watched a gruesome news on the TV that one of our brothers Pehlu Khan was brutally martyred by some so-called Gaurakshaks. This incident has forced Indians living across the globe to hang their head in shame, she said. Sister Geeta asked me to convey her message to the family of Pehlu Khan that they are not alone who are feeling sad due to the death of Pehlu Khan but Geeta a sister living in Scotland and many like her are mourning Pehlu Khan’s death.
When I returned to the country I had planned to visit Jaisinghpur, the village of my friend Maulana Sirajuddin sahib, to condole Pahlu Khan’s death. But could not find the time. The residents of Pahlu Khan’s village decided to invite Hazrat Maulana Syed Arshad Madani Saheb for the condolence meeting. The authorities had decided to hold a public meeting to condole the death. Coincidentally Hazrat Maulana Arshad Madani Saheb’s visit got cancelled. Keeping in view the situation, my friend Maulana Siraj Saheb told me, ‘You must come or else the situation here may become volatile.’ I cancelled my already scheduled programme and went there.
The ambience was too emotional. It was sea of people as far as the eye could see. Non-Muslims were also present on the stage. Authorities of some farmers’ union or some other organisations announced that they would fight in the Supreme Court till the killers of Pehlu Khan get prosecuted.
Taking the opportunity I conveyed the message sent by sister Geeta on Radio Leicester. And told that the residents of this country need not get disappointed as long as people like sister Geeta are there to mourn the killings of Muslim brethren, from across the seas.
Need of the hour is to counter the hatred spread by the politicians through promulgating the love expressed by peace-loving countrymen.