By TCN Special Correspondent,
Ahmedabad: While the United States and European Union have constantly refused to issue visa to Chief Minister Narendra Modi owing to widespread violation of human rights under his rule, particularly in 2002, and his own party BJP did not allow him to address public meetings in the last assembly elections in Bihar under pressure from Nitish Kumar, well-to-do and rich Gujarati Muslims have started warming up to Modi for furthering their own personal and business interests.
After Darul Uloom Deoband’s new vice-chancellor Maulana Ghulam Muhammed Vastanvi repeatedly made statements in print as well as electronic media that Muslims were making economic progress in Gujarat without any discrimination under Modi rule, efforts are now being made by some rich Muslims to patch-up with Modi, without the latter even expressing remorse to what happened to Muslims during 2002 anti-Muslim riots. Muslims hold Modi generally responsible for the 2002 tragedy.
Dawoodi Bohras greeting Narendra Modi
After about 2000 persons, mostly Muslims, were reported to have been killed during 2002 riots, Modi had become a political pariah for Muslims across India and the world over. They never allowed Muslim-baiter Modi to visit any Muslim locality or attend any public programmes of the community.
But after Vastanvi initiated a debate suggesting that Modi of 2011 was different from Modi of 2002, and that Muslims are growing like any other community in the state without any obstruction under the leadership of Modi, it resulted in many self-centred Muslims to issue statements in favour of Modi to strengthen their personal relations with him for promoting their own business interests. Vastanvi hails from Gujarat and is reported to be having very friendly relations with Gujarati Muslim entrepreneurs close to Modi.
So, it was no wonder when many self-seeking Muslims, all with their vested business interests rushed to welcome Vastanvi when he landed at Vadodara airport a week ago from Delhi. While Vastanvi reiterated that Muslims were equal beneficiaries of the developments taking place in Gujarat (sending a subtle political message that Muslims were not discriminated against in Modi’s Gujarat, a statement intended to boost political image of Modi for obvious reasons), among those seen with him included one of Parsoli Corporation’s director Uves Sareshwala. Sareshwalas accused of financial fraud by Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) are among those considered to be closest to Modi. SEBI not only imposed a fine of about Rs. 40 million on various functionaries of Parsoli but also asked to remove Pinnacle Shares Registry Private Limited as its registrar and transfer agent and appoint another registrar and transfer agent.
Narendra Modi with Syedna Burhanuddin in 2008. [Photo by http://akhbar.mumineen.org]
The leaders of the Dawoodi Bohra community on January 26 called on Modi at Surat and invited him to inaugurate Burhani Expo-2011, an industrial exhibition scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad on February 19 and 20, as a part of the centenary celebrations of Bohra spiritual leader, Syedna Muhammed Burhanuddin. Born on 20th Rabi-ul-Aakhir in Hijri 1333 (March 25, 1915), Syedna has completed 100 years of age as per Islamic calendar.
Bohra leaders say that Modi has agreed to inaugurate the Expo, where Bohra industrialists and traders from all over the country, numbering around 300 are expected to participate.
Mainly a business community, Bohras are eyeing Gujarat an investment destination as Gujarat is expected to attract largest investment in the country for the next two to three decades as 40 per cent of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), country’s biggest project to be developed with central government’s funds, will be passing through Gujarat.
Commenting on these developments, human rights activist J S Bandukwala said that the rich and prosperous Muslims of Gujarat were doing a great damage and disservice to their own community.