Opinion On Ayodhya

As the countdown to the much-awaited Ayodhya verdict has begun,RSS journal,Organiser,is carrying related articles prominently.

The Indian Express

September 16, 2010 04:58 AM IST First published on: Sep 16, 2010 at 04:58 AM IST

As the countdown to the much-awaited Ayodhya verdict has begun,RSS journal,Organiser,is carrying related articles prominently. Its latest edition carries a front-page article quoting a prominent Muslim scholar as saying that Babar is not the identity of Indian Muslims.

The article quotes from a speech by noted Islamic scholar Hazrat Syed Mohammad Hashmi Mian in Raipur recently. Its highlight is his observation that Babar came to India for political power while Khwaja Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti arrived for spiritual purposes. Zahir-ud-Din Babar is not the identity of Indian Muslims. Our identity is Khwaja Gharib Nawaz and his spiritual message, he is quoted as arguing. He accuses the Saudi-aided Wahhabi movement of misguiding Indian Muslims: Israel created terrorism among non-Muslims while Saudi Arabia created it among Muslims. He is quoted as saying it was unfortunate the Babri Masjid issue has been complicated so much: Islam has a very wide and open thinking about a mosque. We believe that the whole world is a mosque and we can offer namaaz anywhere. But it does not mean that the every piece of land where we offer namaaz becomes a mosque. If we sit together we can resolve any dispute.

Change in the Valley

Former R&AW officer,R.S.N. Singh,in an article in Organiser views the threats issued to Sikhs in Kashmir as a progression of the Islamic agenda of the Kashmiri leadership and Pakistans ISI. He says: The Hurriyat leadership is upset because the intimidation to Sikhs in Kashmir,for the moment runs contrary to the overall designs of the ISI. The ISI,as can be evidenced from the recent arrests in Punjab,is desperately trying to revive the Khalistan movement. He notes that the separatist or pro-Pakistan leadership in the Valley has now been passed to radical young leaders and the threat to Sikhs is a manifestation of the new radical Islamic movement. Islamic radicalism was clearly discernible in the recent well-orchestrated stone throwing agitational terrorism… This new development has left the moderate separatist leadership worried regarding the so-called freedom movement in Kashmir,as it dents its credibility and international support,especially at a time when Obama is to visit India shortly. The threat to Sikhs for conversion to Islam raises serious questions about the very moorings and character of the movement.

PM on a sticky wicket

M.V. Kamath,in an article in Organisers latest issue,claims that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the first year of his second term is seen as a massive failure due to the growing Naxal problem,the Jammu and Kashmir unrest,poor internal security and lack of coherence among the UPA allies. Kamath predicts that at some point in time Sonia Gandhi may feel compelled to relieve Dr Singh of his duties if,specifically on the Kashmir issue,he fails to deliver. Kamath writes: It is questionable whether the Congress can perform better with Rahul as prime minister,considering that whatever policies Singh has proposed and followed thus far,surely would have been checked out with Mrs Gandhi. One cant think of him doing his own thing in the face of opposition from the party leader… The only question that remains to be answered is whether in the event of Dr Singhs unlikely resignation,Sonia Gandhi will ignore the legitimate claims to prime ministership of,say,Pranab Mukherjee or P. Chidambaram or even Veerappa Moily. Would they dare make claims to the top job? The only one who can and may would be Rahul.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.