Bukkal Nawab’s remark draws BJP leaders’ ire

LUCKNOW: BJP leader and MLC Bukkal Nawab on Thursday made an off-the-cuff remark on the Ram temple issue drawing criticism from the party cadre.

Addressing a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) minority cell, Nawab raised the Ayodhya issue saying that a mosque at the disputed site would not serve any purpose as no Muslim would like to offer ‘namaz’ at such a place.

Problem began when Nawab started asking the leaders sharing the dais if they agreed with him.“Aap jayenge wahan, bataiye aap jayenge? (Please tell, will you go there to offer ‘namaaz’?),” he repeatedly asked the leaders sharing the stage.

It was at this point several party members objected to his address and started shouting slogans against him. He had to be ultimately asked to cut short his address.Nawab later claimed that he was misunderstood.

“I was stating the fact that a mosque at a disputed place isn’t fit for Muslims to offer prayers. But some people in the audience misunderstood my remarks,” he said. He accused the protestors of portraying him as the one defending construction of mosque at the disputed place.

However, a leader who was on the dais when Nawab delivered his address, described him as a “loose cannon”.

“He is used to making confusing and controversial remarks and that is why he was opposed,” he said.

BJP minority cell chief Haider Abbas Chand said, “There was a minor issue with his speech but it was sorted out.”

VANDE MATARAM AT BJP MINORITY CELL MEET

Faizan Rizvi, associated with the BJP minority cell, recited Vande Mataram at the meeting two days after Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief Prakash Ambedkar supported his new ally and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s stance on the national song.

Owaisi had opposed the singing of national song by Muslims but Rizvi said he had no issues with it.

UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey and deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma also attended the minority cell meeting.