Jamiat plans rally in Varanasi on April 19 to remind SP of its poll promises

During the last three months,both Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samjawadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav have held talks several times with Madani to keep him in good humour. “It is true that I have met them several times recently. I have raised the three issues several times. In fact,these issues were included in the election manifesto of SP at my insistence. Now I want that these should be fulfilled,” Madani said.

He said that although Mulayam and Akhilesh say they are committed to releasing youths framed on fake terror charges,nothing had been done. “If they are speaking truth,it may be that officials are delaying the things and spoiling the case. Our agitation will continue and we will raise our demand more vociferously,” he added.

After Jama Masjid’s Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari turned against the SP,Madani gained prominence in the party. He had successfully organised meetings at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on February 23,which was attended by Akhilesh,followed by another in Lucknow on March 17,which was attended by Mulayam.

At Talkatora,Akhilesh had announced that no innocent Muslim will be harassed during his regime. Mulayam,who rarely speaks from paper,arrived in Jamiat meeting at Lucknow with several papers and listed the work being done for the welfare of Muslims. Still Mulayam had to face sloganeering by Jamiat workers. Both the meetings were well attended.

However,Jamiat has not invited any leader for the Varanasi rally. “It is up to them to attend the rally,” Madani stated.

The continuous focus on the three issues by Madani,who is also a faculty member at the country’s largest Islamic seminary Darul Uloom,Deoband,is seen by some SP leaders as a pressure tactics to accomplish a hidden agenda.

But Madani said: “There is no hidden agenda and political ambitions. I am raising only those issues which they had promised in their manifesto. After a year,we can always ask them about the results.”