Giriraj Singh Takes Aim at AIMJ Chief's Comments on Maha Kumbh
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New Delhi, Jan 6 (NationPress) Union Minister Giriraj Singh vehemently condemned Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, the head of the All India Muslim Jamat (AIMJ), for his remarks concerning the Maha Kumbh Mela, which claimed that 55 bighas of Waqf land were allocated for the event, suggesting that these comments are meant to provoke Hindus.
In response to the Maulana's assertion regarding the land, Singh stated, "The Kumbh Mela is a cultural and religious tradition that predates Islam. Such statements aim to incite communal tensions and provoke Hindus."
He further questioned the silence of leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Akhilesh Yadav, asking whether they support such discord. "Do they wish to create a situation akin to Bangladesh in India?" he remarked.
Singh accused certain radical factions of attempting to disrupt national harmony by distorting historical and cultural truths. He emphasized, "The Kumbh Mela is not merely a religious gathering; it is a cultural heritage of India, recognized worldwide. Such inflammatory remarks are intolerable."
The uproar started when Maulana Barelvi, in a video, claimed that the Muslims of Prayagraj displayed a "large heart" by permitting the Mela to occur on Waqf land. He criticized the All India Akhara Parishad's demand to prevent non-Hindus from participating, labeling Hindu groups as "narrow-minded."
Maulana Barelvi stated, "The Akhara Parishad, Naga Sanyasis, swamis, and babas have prohibited Muslims from entering the Kumbh Mela. Conversely, a local Muslim named Sartaz from Prayagraj has claimed that the land designated for the preparations belongs to the Waqf and is owned by local Muslims."
He concluded by saying that while Muslims have shown generosity, Hindu factions are exhibiting narrow-mindedness by excluding Muslims from the Kumbh Mela.
