Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Prominent Indian Muslim leader and Member of Parliament E.T. Muhammad Basheer said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot go ahead with his plan to enforce aggressive Hindutva agenda on the pluralist Indian society which is predominantly secular and peace loving. He blamed the disunity and splintering of secular forces for the landslide victory of the Hindu nationalist BJP party by securing just 31 percent vote share in the recent elections. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Basheer, who is also national secretary of Indian Union Muslim League, said that Muslims and other minorities have apprehensions about the hidden agenda of Modi. “The remarks of Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah questioning even the minority status of the Muslim community and the statement of Jitendra Singh, within minutes of taking charge as the minister of state at Prime Minister's Office, that the process of abrogating Article 370 of constitution, which is applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, had already begun, are bad signals about the fate of minorities in the Modi rule,” he said. “Such alarming moves would be harmful to the secular and federal system of India.” Basheer said that his party will join with other secular parties in the fight to safeguard the country's secular fabric by effectively using the parliamentary forum. Basheer described Modi's advice to his ministers to disclose their assets and not to handpick personal staff as merely political gimmick to impress people. Referring to the worst parliamentary representation of Muslims since independence, Basheer said that his party will rise to occasion to shoulder the increased responsibility and tough challenges. “The election results have once again vindicated the position of Muslim League that Muslim minorities can improve their lot only through achieving political power and active participation in decision-making process,” he added.
