Uproar in Bengal Assembly over Hakim’s remark at Quran event, BJP demands apology, boycott him

At ‘All India Quran Competition, held in Kolkata earlier his month, Hakim said: “Tara durbhagyo niye jonmeche, jara Islam ey jonmaini… Islam dhormobolombi noi, taader modhye chhorate hobey (Those not born in Islam are unfortunate. They are born with misfortune… it (Islam) should be spread among non-Muslims).”

“We are Muslims, born in a Muslim home, brought up in a Muslim home, our prayer etiquette is known to most people. But those who were born with misfortune, those who were not born in Islam, Islam is also called to them,” Hakim had said.

Calling the minister’s remarks “highly condemnable”, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, said, “He (Hakim) talked about urging people from other communities to convert. We have to fight back against this… We have to fight a Dharma Yuddh (holy war).”

During the Question Hour, as Hakim stood up to answer a question, BJP MLAs, led by chief whip Shankar Ghosh, asked him to apologise and withdraw his statement.

“The matter didn’t take place inside the Assembly. So, it should not be discussed here,” Hakim said.

“I have been a secular person throughout my life. Whatever comments I had made at a religious programme have nothing to do with politics and society. I’ll remain secular and non-communal till the last breath of my life. I will not take secularism lessons from the BJP,” Hakim said, leading to walkout by BJP MLAs.

During the day, BJP MLAs staged walkouts thrice over the issue.

Dubbing it “unconstitutional” and “unprecedented”, Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay urged the BJP legislators to follow the decorum of the Assembly.

Agriculture Minister Shobhandeb Chatterjee said that in his 30-plus years of political career, he has never seen any opposition party act like this.

“Remarks made by somebody at a programme outside have no link to the House. This should not be discussed here,” Chattopadhyay said.

With PTI