A group of Muslim clerics in Mumbai are upset that filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has been asked by some of their community leaders to head a forum that will speak about problems relating to Muslims. The forum, which is likely to be called "Federation of Minority and Youth", will highlight, among other issues, the Maharashtra government's failure to bail out innocent youngsters being held for the 2008 Malegaon blasts.
As the head of the forum, which will act like a pressure group, Bhatt met various Muslim religious heads in Bhendi Bazaar when the latter threatened to boycott the Iftar parties called by the Congress and the NCP. The boycott call was given because Muslim leaders are generally unhappy with the Congress-NCP government for not implementing the recommendations made by the Srikrishna Commission and the Sachar Committee. Bhatt acted as a mediator between Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the clerics. A few clerics told The Sunday Guardian that Bhatt's appointment is a disturbing development for the community and gives a bad name to the Congress. "Mahesh Bhatt has been an advocate of open relationships, sexual exhibitionism and non-chastity. He makes films on sex and prostitution and justifies the making of such films. The fact that Muslim religious leaders are not banking on Muslim Congressmen to take this initiative, shows the low faith that Muslims have on the Congress and other secular parties," said a cleric. Shabbir Ahmed Ansari, president of All India Muslim Other Backward Classes, said, "Who is Mahesh Bhatt to talk on our behalf? He only speaks on issues that get him publicity, like the Gujarat riots. Does he even know that the basic need of Muslims is education and representation in both government and private sectors? To ask Bhatt to 'guide' Muslims is the first sign of the complete bankruptcy of the Muslim leadership of our country." |
Maulana Mohammad Iqbal of Darul Uloom Raza-e-Ghouse said, "Muslim leaders should understand that appointing a filmmaker as a spokesperson for the community does not help. It is time we nurtured our own youngsters so that they can become able political leaders, rather than handing over the platform to someone like Bhatt who talks on several issues and wants the limelight. Since he's in the entertainment industry, this is second nature for him." Dr Azimuddin, president of Movement for Human Welfare and one of the organisers of the Bhendi Bazaar meeting, however, justified the decision to involve Bhatt by saying, "Mahesh Bhatt has been involved in social work for many years. He has been raising a lot of issues related to Muslims, the latest being the dismissal of Sanjeev Bhatt by the Gujarat government. It makes sense to ask him to talk on our behalf." Islamic scholar and president of Jamiat Ulama-E-Maharashtra, Maulana Mustaqeem, A. Azmi said that it is unfortunate that they have to invite Bhatt to speak for them. "But what can we do? The Chief Minister has no time for Muslims. None of our representatives get an appointment with any leading politician. I am not in favour of Bhatt representing us, but he at least manages to get us an appointment with the CM," he said. He added that the Sachar Committee report has confirmed that Muslims are the poorest among all communities, but even Muslims politicians are ignoring this fact. "Muslims do not have any articulate speakers. There is no sound Muslim political leadership. We had decided that during every Assembly session we would invite Muslim political representatives from all parties for lunch to discuss with them the problems in the community. Five MLAs turned up for the meeting last year. No one came this year. Even Salman Khurshid has been a failure. He has created more problems for Muslims than anyone ever did. At least Mahesh Bhatt comes whenever we call him," Azmi asserted. |
