Nurur Rehman Barkati a RSS agent: TMC

Kolkata: In wake of comments made by the “shahi imam” of Kolkata’s Tipu Sultan mosque, maulana Nurur Rehman Barkati, who refused to remove the red beacon from his vehicle, the Trinamul Congress on Saturday fielded two of its minority heavyweights Firhad Hakim and Siddiquallah Chowdhury in a desperate bid for damage control.

While Mr Hakim rushed to his central Kolkata residence to have a talk with him, state mass education minister and Jamat-e-Ulema Hind leader Sidiqullah Chowdhury on Saturday slammed Mr Barkati for his comments. The Kolkata Police however on Saturday removed the red beacon from Mr Barkati’s vehicle, two days after he asserted that it was his right to use it.

Adressing a press conference flanked by a number of minority leaders by his side, Mr Chowdhury termed Mr Barkati as an RSS agent and said “Mr Barkati is making the hands of RSS and BJP strong by making such comments. He is providing chance for the pro-Hindu parties to propagate against us and win the popular sentiment. If the law and order situation deteriorates, then he has to take the responsibility.”

Mr Chowdhury clarified that whatever the imam had said, was his personal opinion, and not the general feeling of the Muslims. “We are Indians and we live in a secular country and we want the secular fabric to be maintained in it proper dignity,” he added.  

When asked about beacon light that was still atop his vehicle, Mr Chowdhury replied, “I am a minister of this government and we believe that the Modi government has taken a unilateral decision on this issue. We have written to the centre on this. If our chief minister or the government instructs me, I shall remove the light”