People who had appealed to Congress to ‘Keep Modi away’ cozy up to Modi’s Muslim link
By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Aligarh/ New Delhi: “The biggest problem which Muslims are facing today is that they are not Muslim (enough). They have distanced themselves from Islam.”
One may easily be led to think that this is an observation by a religious cleric or a high level academic known for his philosophical studies. But this comes from Zafar Sareshwala, an industrialist from Gujarat.
Sareshwala sought this opportunity to appeal Muslims to be more Muslims during a seminar organised at Aligarh on the topic ‘Problems of Muslims & Our responsibilities’ on Friday, April 17.
Zafar Sareshwala being honoured at Jamia Urdu, Aligarh on friday, April 17.
At another event ‘Muslims and Modi Government’, not to leave a chance to blow trumpet about how (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is concerned about Muslims, Sareshwala further said: “Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepts that Muslims are deprived of and they must be given equal opportunities. Narendra Modi really desires development of Muslims with all other communities as without their development the nation cannot develop.”
Nothing wrong prima facie. But look carefully and the layers of problems uncover.
The seminar was organised by Jamia Urdu, Aligarh to mark its 76th Foundation Day. Jamia Urdu, Aligarh describes itself in ‘About Us’ of its website: “The future of Jamia Urdu is aptly reflected by its glorious past. It did not limit itself to the award of degrees only; rather it associated every distinguished personality of India in some way or other. However, unfortunately, it remained out of sight of government bigwigs, may it be in the pre or post independence era in Indian history (sic).”
Its past track record is testimony to this claim. And so it came as no surprise that Sareshwala was invited – obviously – for his proximity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his latest capacity as the chancellor of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderbad, the post allegedly gifted to him for his close ties with Modi.
In fact, Sareshwala was also conferred an honourary D Litt degree by Jamia Urdu, Aligarh. More about that later.
Who is Zafar Sareshwala?
Sareshwala is a Gujarat-based businessman, CEO & MD of Parsoli Corporation Ltd. His claim to fame rises from the fact that he is considered as Modi’s highly trusted Muslim adviser. He has played a critical role in Modi’s attempt to reach out to the minorities, from organising conclaves for Muslim business leaders to facilitating kite flying with actor Salman Khan during election campaign.
Zafar Sareshwala speaking on ‘Muslims and Modi Government’ at a private hotel in Aligarh on April 17.
In an interview in 2012 published in TwoCircles.net, Sareshwala had spoken of how he decided to meet Modi after seeking advises from two clerics and how once he met Modi for the first time in London, all his doubts were cleared. According to him, Modi had then purportedly said that the 2002 riot is a blot on his government. (The full interview can be read here: Modi called 2002 violence a blot on his term: Zafar Sareshwala. The clerics, however, had denied that Modi showed any remorse in that meeting.
Since the formation of new government led by Modi at the Centre in 2014, Sareshwala has been trying to build a ‘bridge’ between the government and desperate Muslim groups. Defying all rationale, he was appointed Chancellor of the MANUU.
Since then, it has been a sort of race among Muslim institutions, organisations and NGOs to invite him. He has been invited on at least two occasions at the Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. He was hosted by the students’ wing of the Jamaat e Islami, Students’ Islamic Organisation (SIO) at its head office in New Delhi. In fact, he himself also went to a public meeting of the All India Muslim Personal law Board at Jaipur but was chased away after Asadduddin Owaisi, Hyderabad MP and MIM leader, objected to his participation.
Aligarh’s institutions that invited Sareshwala
It will be an interesting exercise to find out the people who extended an invitation to Sareshwala?
Of course the main seminar was hosted by Jamia Urdu, Aligarh. The other event at a private hotel was organised by Forum for Muslim Studies and Analysis (FMSA) and Muslim Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI).
File photo of an earlier programme organised by Jamia Urdu, Aligarh. (Credit: jamiaurdualigarh.com)
Dr Jasim Mohammad is the director of Jamia Urdu, Aligarh; Farhat Ali Khan is its OSD. These two, along with Professor Humayun Murad and Professor Razaullah Khan, and their other accomplices run not one, not two, but at least four organisations: Jamia Urdu, Aligarh; Forum for Muslim Studies and Analysis (FMSA); Muslim Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) and Millat Bedari Muhim Committee (MBMC). Jasim is also the editor of The Aligarh Movement monthly. (Disclaimer: He has also contributed several articles to TwoCircles.net in the past). Unfortunately, a handful of men apt at managing the media well to their own vested interests.
A report in the Milli Gazette details the rot that has set in Jamia Urdu.
Almost every day, without fail, at least one of these organisations makes sure to send a press statement to all the media organisations, English, Hindi and Urdu, appreciating or condemning something or the other. What is interesting is all these statements, irrespective of which organisation releases them, have quotes from either of the four persons mentioned above. Sometimes, there can be guests invited for programmes, including several office bearers and faculty members from AMU.
Jasim Mohammad’s alacrity with which he invited Sareshwala for honouring him with D Litt within weeks of the latter being given the honourary post at MANUU is not surprising at all. But what is surprising is why should Sareshwala even agree to receive the honourary degree from an organization that is not a UGC recogised or NIOS approved institution? And that too from persons known to have openly opposed Modi or BJP?
Jasim Mohammad, in his exhaustive article in the run up to the general elections in 2014 titled, Contain Narendra Modi march to Delhi had suggested the Congress to work for the welfare of minorities. “This report may open success gates to the Congress, if it can act on it and take up follow up actions. It can stop March of Modi to Delhi, if the community takes it up seriously and arrested its fragmentation right now,” he had written.
Jasim and his cohorts had openly campaigned for Congress along with film maker Mahesh Bhatt during the 2014 general election. The group had also issued a statement noting that there is no question of supporting the BJP.
File photo of a press conference organised in support of the Congress, attended by then UP Chief of the party Rita Bahuguna and film maker Mahesh Bhatt.
In fact, during the election when actor Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan had praised Modi, the same group – under the banner of FMSA – had criticised them for practicing “worse type of political opportunism for the sake of pure commercial gain” (Irony just died a hundred deaths!). A PTI report then had quoted FMSA secretary Jasim Mohammad as saying in the resolution, “Individuals like Salim Khan, supported by the media, were going overboard in praising the so-called Gujarat model of economic growth without verifying the ground realities.”
But that was not to last long. As soon as the government changed, these groups were one of the organisations to issue statements condemning the UPA regime for its negligence and extending cooperation to the new government. Under the Muslim Chamber’s banner, statements were issued umpteen times demanding ban on beef, clearly in an attempt to placate the new saffron masters.
Jasim and Jamia Urdu Aligarh in fact even ‘hyped’ the issue of apparent constitution of a Committee on Urdu language by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) under the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development. It later became clear that, the NCMEI formed no such committee but only agreed to the suggestion made by Jasim to work for the promotion of the language. The expenses as well “infrastructural and secretarial assistance to the Committee will be provided by the Registrar, Jamia Urdu Aligarh,” Muslim Mirror. had reported.
Methodical madness
While welcoming Sareshwala, Jasim Mohamamd invoked Sir Syed Ahmed, founder of Aligah Muslim University (AMU) as he said, “Muslims are facing many problems and have no direction to move. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan had also faced same situation after 1857 mutiny. But Sir Syed was not dejected and established MAO College so that Muslims may educationally empower themselves.”
Comparing Sareshwala with Sir Syed, although falling short of exactly using the same words, he went on to elaborate how Sareshwala had lost everything in 2002 riots in Gujarat but “he did not weep over his destruction but moved with courage ahead.”
A clear case of cozying up with honey-laden words. Not to be outdone, Farhat Ali Khan, OSD of Jamia Urdu, said Congress had heaped upon Urdu more injustice than any other political party.
It was clear from the day’s programmes and the speeches of these men from Aligarh, those who run dial-a-quote establishments, of course would not want to run out of business. They are hence found changing colours to politically realign themselves to make sure that they remain relevant as ‘Muslim intellectuals’ to be quoted in news reports and invited by government of the day to be members in different committees and awarded honourary posts. Holding parties, conferences / seminars and distributing honourary degrees are all part of that game.
While there must be some sort of engagement between the government and Muslim community as a whole, that should be transparent and through proper channels and not via people with dubious credentials who seem to be working only for their own narrow gains.