Exclusive Interview of Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is the Muslim face of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is a party general secretary and a spokesperson. Even his critics admit that he has made a niche for himself.

Spoke to Mr. Naqvi at length on what it was like to be Muslim in the BJP, on whether he had any doubts when the Gujarat riots occurred, and how far the party has been successful in attracting Muslims.

You are the Muslim face of the BJP. How comfortable do you feel in the party?

From the time I joined the BJP in 1986 and today, Zameen asman ka pharak hai (there is a big difference). I feel more comfortable in the BJP now.





There was confusion earlier. Muslims felt this government would be a Hindu sarkar. That perception has been demolished. I'm not trying to say that the BJP is now a hero for Muslims. But, from villain to central role ... Muslims are beginning to think about the BJP's merits and de-merits.

What about the Gujarat riots. Did you wonder which way the party was going? Did you have any doubts?

No. My views were the same as those of the Prime Minister, Advaniji or Venkaiah Naidu. What happened was shameful and inhuman, and there can be no justification ... during the earlier Congress regimes more than 30,000 communal riots took place over 40 years. There was no justification then, no justification for Gujarat now.

I would like to say that if Godhra had not happened and if the riots after Godhra had not taken place, the BJP's regime would have been neat and clean vis-à-vis communal riots. When such incidents took place during the Congress regime, its so-called secular image remained intact. But in the case of the BJP there is this mahaul (atmosphere), our governments have to be more cautious and vigilant.

By a negotiated settlement of the Ayodhya dispute, does the BJP mean Muslims should surrender unconditionally all claims to the disputed site?

The BJP view on a negotiated settlement is clear-cut. Both communities want the Ram temple to be built in Ayodhya.

I am talking about the piece of land on which the Babri Masjid stood.

A negotiated settlement would be better than a resolution through a court verdict, but fears and doubts in the minds of both sides would have to be assuaged ... This dispute can be resolved only by a BJP Government. No other party can settle the dispute. I cannot say anything about the possibility of accepting a temple site outside the disputed area. Negotiations are going on, talks have moved forward. Saying anything now would lead to another controversy.

BJP worker murdered by Partyman in Delhi

A BJP worker was murdered by his party worker in New Delhi on Tuesday night.

Jai Prakash, the victim was stabbed to death by Madhav Prasad, BJP councillor after a fued erupted between them, said sources.

Reports reveal that the reason behind the fight was that Jai Prakash was not working for Madhav Prasad and accused him of the forthcoming MCD polls.

Meanwhile, the police is looking into the matter.BJP is yet to comment on the matter.



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Chandigarh/Dehradun: The fate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is at stake as more than two crore voters are set to seal the fate of 1,989 candidates in Punjab and Uttarakhand, where assembly polls began amid unprecedented security cover today.

Voting started across 19,841 polling stations in Punjab's 117 assembly seats at 8 a.m. Monday, Election Commission (EC) officials said in Chandigarh.




Despite the winter chill, some polling booths, especially in rural areas, saw people lined up for voting before the booths were officially opened at 8 a.m.The assembly polls in both the states are seen as an acid test for the saffron party, coupled with graft charges and anti-incumbency factors.

The BJP is a partner in the SAD government in Punjab, while it enjoys a complete majority in the hill state.

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But what caught the attention were the bar girls, who, wearing skimpy clothes, danced among the crowd and presented vulgar performances.

Hitting hard at the party, BJP Kanpur wing Vice President, Surendra Maithani, said the SP was using cheap tricks to woo voters and they would take up this issue with the election commission.

Mass Surya Namaskar in schools despite fatwa

As Madhya Pradesh government tries to create a world record tomorrow with thousands of students performing the Yogic 'Surya Namaskar' exercise, Muslim leaders have equated it with idol worship and issued a fatwa against it.

Over 10 million people, including 50 lakh students, took part in the mass Surya Namaskar exercise in the morning. The exercise was a brainchild of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.

Islamic organisations had issued a fatwa against Muslim children participating in the exercise equated with idol-worship.

The chief minister, however, dismissed any political motive and said the exercise was voluntary. He said Surya Namaskar was not mandatory but it involved only voluntary participation.

Surprisingly, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh came out in support of Surya Namaskar saying the exercise has no religious overtones.

Reacting to the state government move, the Congress general secretary tweeted: "Match-fixing between BJP/RSS and Jamiat Islami over Surya Namaskar issue in MP. Surya Namaskar is a yogic exercise unconnected with religion."