NEW DELHI, 19 April 2006 — Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari has hit headlines again but for the wrong reasons. Mediapersons are up in arms against him and his supporters for having misbehaved with them yesterday outside Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence.
Bukhari had led a 30-member Muslim delegation and presented a charter of demands to the prime minister. When Bukhari and his supporters stepped out after the meeting the media persons gathered there posed several questions to him.
However, when Bukhari started walking away without answering all the questions, mediapersons urged him to stay on for a little longer. A journalist asked a question regarding reservation in Mandal Commission report for backward Muslims.
On this, the shahi imam’s brother turned back and said: “I have seen your report…you better stay in your limits. We will not spare you… we will set you right.”
Some supporters of the imam even tried to hit the correspondent who had posed the question and over the barricade even threw a mike and other things at him.
Mediapersons also complained that security forces present there proved to be of no assistance to them. Instead, they only helped Bukhari and his supporters get away from the scene of conflict.
However, not willing to be ignored, the journalists stayed there till their side of the controversy was heard. At a point, they were also insisting on filing an FIR against Bukhari and getting him behind bars.
In an attempt to soothe tempers, Home Minister Shivraj Patil came out from the Cabinet meeting and assured the journalists that he will look into their complaint. “I will personally look into this. Please have faith in me,” Patil said.
Condemning the incident, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters: “It is the right of the media to ask provocative questions and violence cannot be the answer to it. The press in India has discharged its duty with utmost sincerity and violence is unacceptable.”
Earlier, during his interaction with Muslim leaders, Manmohan assured them that the government is committed to take all necessary remedial measures for removal of educational and economic backwardness of Indian Muslims.
“Whatever has happened in the past regarding minority problems, I cannot do anything, but I can assure you now that the problems of Muslims would be addressed seriously and expeditiously,” he said.
Manmohan pointed out that Justice Sachar Committee had been constituted with the purpose of knowing actual backwardness of Muslims in several spheres, particularly the economic and educational sectors.
