Mumbai, August 25: Islamic clerics and leaders marched to Azad Maidan to join the anti-graft activists on Wednesday in a show of support for Anna Hazare, which sought to counter the religious colour the campaign was accused of. Addressing the gathering, the clerics said Anna had their full support.
The move comes days after Imam Syed Bukhari of Delhi’s Jama Masjid blasted Anna’s campaign for using slogans like Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Although the clerics who had gathered said they were not comfortable with the slogans, they said the need of the hour was to unite against corruption. Soon, the crowd began chanting “Anna ke char bhai, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai.”
Allama Bunai Hasani, general secretary of the All India Ulema Board, said issues like chants and slogans raised by crusaders of the movement should not be hyped as a bigger issue was at stake. “Islam does not permit worshiping either the mother or the land, but that is not the issue. The main issue is to ensure that the Jan Lokpal Bill is passed. We must not deviate from that. We must remember that this fight goes beyond religion and boundaries and all Indians must unite,” he said.
–Agencies