Bukhari greets people on Eid, voices concern over lynching incidents

Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid in Delhi, Imam Bukhari, on Monday greeted people on the occasion of Eid and also expressed his concern over the recurring incidents of lynching.

Bukhari said festivals like Eid and Diwali should be celebrated together by the people in the country and an atmosphere of amity must always prevail.

"I convey my heartiest greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the joyous occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. India is a country where people celebrate Eid and Diwali together. I wish that such an atmosphere prevails for the good of the country," Bukhari told IANS.

Bukhari accused "communal forces" of disturbing harmony.

"We have to see that there are no incidents of lynching. If this is not prevented, the atmosphere will get vitiated. Nowadays people do not feel safe walking on the road," he said.

Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid in old Delhi, Mufti Mohammed Mukarram Ahmed, also expressed concern over the recent incidents of lynching.

Mufti Mohammed Mukarram Ahmed said lynching-like incidents were harming the image of the country.

"Lynching of people by 'gau rakshaks" (cows vigilantes) and others is not good for communal harmony. Killing of people is not accepted in any religion," the Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid said.

He conveyed his good wishes for the prosperity of every individual and said that peace and harmony should prevail in every part of the country, including the Kashmir Valley.

There have been several incidents of lynching over the past two years, starting with a man in Dadri of Uttar Pradesh in 2015 whom the mob accused of storing and consuming beef.

In April, a dairy farmer was killed after attack on him in Alwar district of Rajasthan by self-styled cow vigilantes.

Last week, a teenager was attacked by a group of men and killed while travelling in a train from Delhi to Haryana.

There was also an incident reported from Jammu and Kashmir last week when a senior police officer was targeted outside the Jamia Masjid.

--IANS

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