Enough is enough: Sufi cleric urges unity among Indian Muslims against oppression

AJMER SHARIF: Syed Sarwar Chishti, the custodian of famous Sufi shrine in India’s Ajmer Sharif has urged unity among Indian Muslims against atrocities being committed against them by the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Enough is enough… wake up Muslims, what has happened to you? Our greatest strength is our faith and our religion Islam,” he said in a video message to the community. Chishti also urged Muslims to put aside their sectarian differences and stand united against tyranny. “Muslims are victims of injustice in India… we are heading towards another Karbala,” he remarked.

Muslim are being massacred for eating beef, said the Sufi cleric. “What kind of India this is? What is happening with Muslims in this country? What kind of Independence Day this is for us Muslims?”

The Ajmer Sharif’s Gaddinashin said all six convicts in Pehlu Khan lynching case have been acquitted despite clear evidence in video that went viral on social media two years back. “So who killed him then?” he said while raising questions on India’s judicial system.

His [Pehlu Khan’s] dying statement had not been signed by medical officer and magistrate as eminent lawyer Mr Tulsi said on a private TV channel,” said Chishti, adding that the victim’s two sons are still in custody on cattle smuggling accusations.

On Wednesday, an Indian court acquitted six men of the killing of Pehlu Khan, a 55-year-old Muslim dairy farmer, citing lack of evidence, raising questions over the prosecution’s failure to make its case despite videos of a crowd beating him in the street.

Videos shot on mobile phones in 2017 showed Khan begging for mercy as the crowd set upon him after stopping his truck with cows in the back. He died but his sons survived.

The descendant of famous Sufi saint Khawaja Moeenuddin Chishti, in his video message, also condemned absurd remarks made by the ruling BJP leaders regarding Kashmiri women. Chishti said he respects all religions including Hinduism and does not need to be preached secularism.

Sunita Singh Gaur, a leader of Bharatiya Janata Party’s women wing was removed from her position last week after she encouraged “Hindu brothers” to gang rape Muslim women openly in the streets.

According to a report by the United Nations, violence against Muslims and Dalits is on the rise over the past five years under Modi’s rule. Hindu extremist groups have been carrying out mob violence against Muslims over rumours of slaughtering cows or eating beef amid other crimes of similar nature.