Imam of Kolkata mosque issues fatwa against PM Narendra Modi
Syed Mohammad Nurur Rahman Barkati, the Shahi Imam of Kolkata's Tipu Sultan Masjid on Saturday issued a fatwa against PM Narendra Modi, accusing him of "bluffing" the people through demonetisation. "Everyday people are harassed due to demonetisation?nobody wants him to continue as PM," he said. He had earlier called Modi "communal" and CM Mamata Banerjee a figure of "communal harmony".
Kolkata/New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) The Imam of a Kolkata mosque today issued a fatwa against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of "bluffing" the people through demonetisation, evoking a sharp reaction from BJP which demanded his arrest. Syed Mohammad Nurur Rahman Barkati, the Shahi Imam of Kolkatas Tipu Sultan Masjid, said, "Everyday people are harassed and facing problem due to demonetisation." "Modi is bluffing the society and the innocent people of the country through demonetisation and nobody wants him to continue as the Prime Minister," he said during a joint conference by the All India Majlis-e-Sura and All India Minority Forum here. Slamming the fatwa, BJP National Secretary Sidharth Nath Singh, who is in-charge of partys West Bengal affairs, said in Delhi, "We demand that Mamata Banerjee immediately order his arrest. The fatwa against our Prime Minister is highly condemnable. TMC MP Idris Ali was sitting next to him when he issued the fatwa." Warning of protets if the state government did not take any action against the imam, Singh said, "This is not an issue between BJP and TMC. This is an insult of the Prime Minister by a religious leader considered close to the Chief Minister." 