Panel to determine contribution of secular parties: Bukhari

An eleven-member committee will determine the contribution of "secular" political parties for the uplift of Muslim community ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Bukhari said today.
In a meeting of 500 delegates convened here today, it was decided that a committee would be constituted which would assess the condition of Muslims in terms of employment, reservation and educational facilities across the country.
The eleven-member committee will also look to what extent the promises made by "secular parties" for development of the minority have been fulfilled in order to decide their next course of action in the upcoming Parliamentary elections.

Talking about the issue of Muzaffarnagar riots which was raised in the 'Representative Convention of Muslims', Bukhari said, "when SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said that Muzaffarnagar riots were a result of sectarian politics then why did the UP government not agree to a CBI inquiry?"
"The delegation considers it as a ploy to save the BJP and all other sectarian forces," he said.
Calling BJP and SP as two sides of the same coin, he said, "When BJP President Rajnath Singh fought elections, no candidate was fielded against him by SP. When Dimple Yadav stood for elections from Kannauj both Congress and BJP did not field a candidate against her."

"With no real alternative, the Muslim community must come together and emerge as a strong political force," he said.

The delegation also discussed how the Congress party has "bruised" the community and ruled out 'absolute' support to the party in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
On being asked about extending support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said it was on the agenda of their meeting and the community should not vote for the party.
"AAP has been vocal about corruption. But corruption does not divide the country, communal political does. We need parties to focus on rooting out communal forces," he said.