Maya will sit with clerics to discuss problems of Muslims

Many prominent Muslim clerics have been invited to attend the convention. Among those expected to attend are All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Hamidul Hasan, Imam of Lucknow8217;s Tilewali Masjid Maulana Fazlur Rehman Nadawi and prominent Shia cleric Kalbe Javvad.

Ever since Delhi police busted an India Mujahideen module, which comprised youths from Azamgarh, police of different states have visited various parts of the Uttar Pradesh in search of suspects.

The SP has accused the state government of failing to protect youths of the minority community. It has also raised questions over the Jamia Nagar encounter and demanded a judicial inquiry.

BSP parliamentarian from Azamgarh Akbar Ahmed Dumpy8217;s visit to Azamgarh to meet families of terror accused has not mollified other Muslims leader in his party, who are feeling uneasy over SP8217;s renewed bid to consolidate Muslim support at a time when Lok Sabha elections are approaching.

8220;Interaction with the political and religious representatives of the Muslim community is a necessary step for the BSP to assess the situation that has emerged after SP8217;s open support to the terror suspects. Mayawati will try to assuage their feelings by giving them a patient hearing,8221; a BSP leader said.

Mayawati will also talk about the empowerment of Muslims and use the occasion to tell Muslim leaders about what her government had done for the welfare of the community, the leader said. She will try to project BSP as a different party where Muslim leaders do not hold symbolic positions but important assignments. The most obvious example is PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqi.

But while projecting herself as a 8220;benefactor of the Muslim community,8221; Mayawati, however, will shun away from talk of special privileges for the community because the BSP does not want communal polarisation in the state, it is learnt.

Earlier, Mayawati had asked her MLAs not to intervene in issues related with terror suspects or criminals. 8216;The idea is to avoid the involvement of party MLAs in any controversy at the local level over the issue of terrorism,8221; said a party source.

At the same time, she wants genuine concerns of the community be addressed. Two days ago, DGP Vikram Singh had issued circular asking police officers not to illegally detain any person in the name of 8220;interrogation.8221; He directed them to make an entry in the general diary whenever a person was detained.