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Can Arif Mohd Khan give PM Modi his Kalam moment?

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Outspoken, educated in both secular and religious issues, against Islamic fundamentalism, and a career out and out in public life, is best how 71-year-old Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan can be described as.

Khan’s name has been doing rounds as a probable NDA candidate for the Presidential poll due in July. Some BJP leaders point out that Khan fits the bill of Indian Muslims, the way the party envisages, those following Islam but practicing Indian ethos.

Graduating in Arts from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), followed by a law degree from Lucknow University, the Bulandshahar born Khan has always been known for his strong views about orthodox Islamic practices and has advocated for social reforms in Muslim community.

In fact, even after being a student leader at the AMU and starting his political career with former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal, Khan’s claim to fame moment came when in 1986 he famously voiced staunch opposition to the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s move of constitutional amendment to nullify the Supreme Court’s judgment in Shah Bano case.

Khan had opposed Rajiv Gandhi even when he was considered as a close aide of Rajiv Gandhi owing to his intelligence and bright acumen. His defiance of ruling Congress’ official line in this crucial case that went on to alter the Hindu Muslim equation for the country paved the way for his exit from the Congress.

He then joined V.P. Singh’s Janata Dal, which he left after some time to join Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

In his long political career, Khan served once as a member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and four times as a member of the Parliament. He also served as a Union minister in Rajiv Gandhi and V.P. Singh governments.

In 2004, he joined the BJP and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha poll that year. He had left the saffron camp in 2007 but rejoined after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014.

Khan also strongly opposed the practice of Triple Talaq and hence supported the Modi government’s decision to ban it.

Many in the saffron camp believe that his opposition to the Islamic fundamentalism has earned him the post of a Governor in the NDA rule in September 2019.

Many in the BJP believe that Khan’s progressive Muslim image fits well in Prime Minister Modi’s “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas” vision and therefore he stands a good chance to be for Modi what A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was for Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002. However, the decision to field him as NDA’s presidential candidate will be taken by the party’s parliamentary board only after consultation with its alliance partners next month.

Maharashtra

Nitish Rane only practices politics of hatred. Raees Sheikh criticizes Rane for controversial statement on buying from Hindu traders only and accuses him of spreading religious hatred.

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Mumbai: After Maharashtra Fisheries Development Minister Nitish Rane made a controversial statement on buying goods only from Hindu shopkeepers, Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East Raees Sheikh accused Rane of spreading religious hatred among communities. He also challenged Rane to tell who Syed Adil was, the man who was martyred while saving tourists in Kashmir. The Sheikh was referring to Rane’s controversial statement in which Rane had openly advised Hindus to ask about the religion of shopkeepers and buy commodities only from Hindu traders. If there is any doubt about the religion of the shopkeeper, they should be asked to recite Hanuman Chalisa, said Rane, who made the statement during a meeting in Dapoli in Ratnagiri district on Saturday, April 26.

MLA Raees Sheikh said, “The firing by Pakistani terrorists on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22, asking them about their religion, is condemnable. No Muslim in the country supports this cowardly attack. As Muslims, we stand in support of the actions against the country and Pakistan in this matter.” Sheikh added that a local Muslim, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, was martyred while fighting the terrorists and saving the tourists. “After the April 22 attack, local Muslims provided free taxis, food, and accommodation to the tourists, all these services were provided by local Muslims. Prayers are being offered for the deceased in every mosque and dargah of Jammu and Kashmir, then why is Minister Nitish Rane not talking about this?” MLA Sheikh asked. “Making meaningless inflammatory religious statements neither makes one a follower of religion nor a leader. There is no place for religious politics in India. Rane has forgotten his ministerial oath. Such statements are not supported even by his own party. Minister Rane should listen carefully to the speeches made by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat,” the MLA advised Rane, adding that India is a secular country, Sheikh added, “Unlike Pakistan, we do not run the country on the basis of religion, so Minister Nitish Rane’s statement is equally condemnable. Nitish Rane’s business is to do politics of hatred, no one took his statement on halal meat seriously.”

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Maharashtra

A case of gang clash registered in Vakola. Attempt to spread rumors on social media failed, declared a conspiracy and rumor to give religious color.

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Mumbai: The attempt to give a Hindu-Muslim color to the group clash in Vakola Santa Cruz area of ​​Mumbai failed when the police registered a case of rioting in the case of group clash and started searching for the accused. According to the details, at 9:30 last night, Muslim youths were standing, at the same time, youths from another group were also standing here. A minor dispute arose between the two and this dispute took the form of violence, but an attempt has been made on social media to present this matter as a dispute over Hindu-Muslim Pahalgam and burning of the Pakistani flag, while the police have categorically denied it. The police have said that these youths often have small and petty disputes and this youth is also from the area. In such a situation, the police have made strict security arrangements as a precaution and the situation is completely under control.

According to the police, a group clash broke out over a minor issue, after which the situation is now under control, but tension remains, while there has been no Hindu-Muslim violence or conflict here, sectarian elements are trying to spoil the situation, which the police are keeping an eye on. The police said that a case of rioting has been registered after the group clash. The police have registered a case under sections 1889, 115, 191 of the BNS and the search for the accused is also underway. After registering the case, the police are now identifying the accused from the CCTV footage of the area and teams have been formed to arrest the accused. No case has been registered for the Pahalgam terrorist attack or the burning of the Pakistani flag, nor was it a case of this nature, but by giving it a religious color, sectarians in Vakola had spread such a rumor on social media to spoil the atmosphere, which the police have foiled. Advocate Yash Mishra has gone viral on social media in which the violence has been described as the opposition of Muslim youth to the protest of Hindu organizations against the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the accusation of rioting and violence in opposition to the burning of the Pakistani flag. The same police has called it completely false and a rumor.

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Maharashtra

Pahalgam Terror Attack Interrogated from Eyewitnesses of Dombivali

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Mumbai: The NIA, IB have also started interrogating the tourists from Maharashtra who witnessed the Pahalgam Terror Attack. A team has reached Dombivali to interrogate these tourists. The family of Atul Mane, Hemant Joshi, and Sanjay Lele from Dombivali had gone to Kashmir for tourism. In Pahalgam, the terrorists opened fire after asking who was a Hindu. During this, Atul Mane, Hemant Joshi, and Sanjay Lele died and this family has seen these terrorists very closely and is also an eyewitness to this matter.

Therefore, the investigation agencies have entered Dombivali, adjacent to Mumbai, to interrogate them. All the teams first appeared at the Dombivali police station and then left for the family’s house. The police have also intensified their operation against the terrorists and a reward of Rs 20 lakh has been placed on the terrorists. In addition, their identity has been established and a sketch has also been released. NIA sources said that these eyewitness statements can also be recorded to make progress in the case of the terrorist attack and the investigating agencies are also hopeful of getting more clues. After the painful incident, the NIA and the investigating agencies have now started collecting details from tourists from Maharashtra and tracing them.

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