New Delhi, Dec 6 Muslim clerics on Saturday came down heavily on Congress leader Hussain Dalwai for his remarks questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to gift a Bhagavad Gita in Russian language to President Vladimir Putin during his two-day visit to India.
The clerics said that attempting to create a controversy over the gesture was unjustified and reflected misplaced criticism.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed President Putin in New Delhi with a warm reception and presented him with the Russian edition of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture revered across the world. The gesture was widely viewed as an assertion of India's soft-power heritage and as a symbol of deepening cultural, strategic, and economic ties with a longstanding ally.
Dalwai, however, criticised the move and told IANS, "I do not understand the purpose of presenting the Bhagavad Gita. Religious books should not be used for political and international purposes; if that is the intention, then the Quran, the Bible, and the Guru Granth Sahib should also have been presented."
Reacting strongly, All India Imam Association president Maulana Sajid Rashidi told IANS, "The real reason Congress is declining today is because of people like this, who ask such absurd and nonsensical questions. I want to ask Hussain Dalwai: if you are giving books to others, will you give the Gita? No, you will give the Quran, right? Because you want to promote the Quran, you want people to read the Quran. But a Hindu, according to his faith, will give the Gita; why would he give the Quran?"
"When Congress has to stand for the country, for the things representing the country, its leaders come up with these baseless remarks. This is why Congress has today reached this low point. Congress should take cognisance of this statement and condemn it," he added.
Further criticising Dalwai, Maulana Rashidi said, "A person who is a Hindu by faith will naturally give the Bhagavad Gita. He has no faith in the Quran. If instead there were people like Sajid Rashidi, then they would give the Quran. As you may have seen, Maulana Rashid Mandari has given the Quran to many people. So, the book is given according to a person's faith. Making this controversial is wrong."
He also claimed the visit sent a strong diplomatic message, saying, "This visit should be seen as a befitting answer to America, a country that tried to push India backwards by imposing tariffs. PM Modi has given a strong message to the US by warmly welcoming Putin. In such circumstances, the countrymen should be proud rather than raising baseless questions."
All India Shia Personal Law Board General Secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas also criticised Dalwai, saying a leader from a national party should not "misuse religion to mislead humanity".
Speaking to IANS, Maulana Abbas said, "The Prime Minister gifted the Bhagavad Gita to President Putin as he visited a Hindu country -- India, where Hindus are in the majority. When Putin goes to any Islamic nation, he might be gifted a Quran. In my view, this should not be politicised. This is not a matter of Hindu-Muslim. Responsible authorities need to look into this, and the parties in charge should not misuse religion to mislead humanity."
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