By IANS,
Agra : Muslim clerics of Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra and Aligarh have appealed to the community to join the campaign for polio eradication and give polio drops to children.
At a conference organised by the Rotary International’s Muslim Ulema Committee here Saturday, the clerics denied they were opposed to polio drops. Over 110 clerics from 15 districts, teachers, doctors, social activists of Bareilvi, Deoband, Shia community, and others resolved to eradicate polio not only from their community but also from the country.
Ajay Saxena, Rotarian and national committee member, said the polio eradication campaign was now gathering fresh momentum and the minorities had been persuaded to support the cause.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Lucknow’s Teele Wali masjid said: “It is a painful sight to see a polio stricken child watching helplessly while other kids play in the field. The day is not far when we will completely eradicate the disease from our country.”
The percentage of polio cases in the muslim community had come down from 30 to 16, the conference was told.
Tabassum, head of paediatrics at the AMU Hospital and medical college, said they had scientifically analysed and found nothing objectionable in the polio drops. “There’s nothing that could be adverse to human health and those who do not give polio drops to their children are endangering the lives of kids.”
Maulana Iqbal Qadri, president of the Sunni Ulema Committee of Uttar Pradesh, told the conference that those going for Haj should take the polio drops and muslim community leaders and religious clergy should associate with the programmes for polio eradication in the interest of the muslim community.