By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Eminent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad on Wednesday gave a clarion call for voting against Congress party in the assembly elections. The appeal may affect the prospect of grand old party of the country which is working for a comeback in the India’s most populous state.
Jawwad even ventured out in several localities of old city in Lucknow and urged the people to defeat Congress candidate. Lucknow which has sizeable number of Shia population goes to poll in fourth phase on February 19.
Maulana Kalbe Jawwad (center)
Jawwad gave his call after he claimed that Congress’s Delhi state government failed to implement High Court order in respect to their shrine Shah-e-Mardan in Jorbagh, New Delhi. “Congress did not provide us any respite despite our repeated discussions with senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh and Motilal Vora in this issue. They only gave us assurance which failed to materialise,” he said.
Jawwad however remained noncommittal over supporting any particular party. However, it is reported that several of his close aide are in touch with Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Jawwad while addressing newsmen in Lucknow on Wednesday also narrated various events which he termed were anti-Muslim and done by Congress.
The Shah-e-Mardan Karabala at Jorbagh issue snowballed into a major issue when Shia Muslims were lathi-charged and tear gas shells fired on January 15 when they insisted on entering through the western gate of the shrine. Police even lodged a FIR against several persons including several Shia clerics.
Later, in a damage control exercise, Digvijay Singh met Jawwad at his residence in Lucknow. Singh assured all possible assistance in solving the issue however Jawwad claimed that he failed to deliver.
Jawwad also personally went to several mohallas in old city of Lucknow and addressed people from his community. He went to Dargah Hazrat Abbas in Rustam Nagar, Kashmiri Mohalla, Sheesh Mahal and other localities. He addressed the people from various mosques in the area for not voting in favour of Congress.
Recently, Jawwad has even distanced himself from ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaving only SP regarding which he has developed soft corner. Many of his aide including Chairman, Shia Central Board of Waqfs, Syed Waseem Rizvi, President, Hussaini Tigers, Shameel Shamsi, former OSD to Chief Minister (CM) Mayawati, Captain Sikander Hayat Rizvi, Kalbe Hussain who is the son of Vice-President, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Kalbe Sadiq had joined SP indicating the change of heart for Jawwad towards Mulayam.