Jama Masjid Imam to issue fatwa

Most of them, however, feel that the Imam should stick to religion and leave siyasi (political) matters to them. “Gone are the days when the Muslims used to come walking from as far as Ghaziabad and Meerut to listen to the Imam and voted en masse for whoever the Imam wanted. Now they decide on their own,” said Farooq Siddiqui, who owns a shop near Jama Masjid.

The Imam’s declining influence is evident in Matia Mahal, where the JD candidate and sitting MLA Shoaib Iqbal is on a comfortable wicket. His work in his constituency is legendary — providing sewers, electricity, water and helping the destitute. He and Imam are said to have a property dispute and the Imam in his earlier fatwas often hinted at Iqbal’s character. Iqbal won with a comfortable margin in the last assembly elections.

Pointing to the futility of fatwas, Arif Ghori of Matia Mahal says: “The more the Imam says things against the BJP, the more the Hindu vote will get alienated. The Hindus will only vote for the BJP.”

In a constituency like Ballimaran, the BJP might benefit as Muslim votes are going to be divided among parties like the BSP, the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal who have fielded local Muslim candidates.

In Seelampur, the rebel Matin Ahmed, who did not get a ticket from the Congress, is also expected to cut into the vote bank considerably. “To avoid this we are going to organise meetings in every colony to decide on one candidate. Otherwise the BJP will gain,” said Sharif Khan, a resident of Seelampur.