Hindus must embrace Islam: Deoband ulema

ALIGARH: Statements and counter statements by Hindu Mahasabha and some ulema of Deoband have led to a controversy in Aligarh. In a programme to mark Hindu New Year on March 18, the Hindu Mahasabha had urged to Muslims to embrace Hinduism. Pooja Shakun Pandey, national secretary of the organisation, stated: “As the ancestors of Muslims were all Hindus, they must return to their original fold and embrace Hinduism.”

“The BJP government has deviated from Hindu agenda and this resulted in its defeat in Gorakhpur and Phulpur,” she added.

Pandey’s controversial appeal led to Muslim ulema calling upon Hindus to “embrace Islam.”

Hindu Mahasabha also released a Hindu New Year calendar wherein mosques and other structures of the Mughal era were referred to as ‘Hindu places’.

“The government should declare India as a Hindu Rashtra and historical buildings that were originally Hindu places and were converted into tombs and others by Muslim invaders should be handed back to the Hindus,” said Pandey.

Maulana Salim Ashraf Qasmi, mohtamim (manager) of madarsa Darul Uloom Ashrafia , said on phone, “If our forefathers were Hindus, then there must have been positives of Islam that drew them to embrace it. Hindus should try to understand benefits of Islam and embrace it for enhancing composite culture of country.”