'Garba a festival for demons' : Why giving the festival a communal colour?
What has Sufi Imam Mehndi Hussain said?
Sufi Imam Mehndi Hussain, a cleric in a Kheda village came to limelight in 2011 when he offered Narendra Modi, the then Cheif Minister of Gujarat, to wear a skullcap.
Recently while talking about the garba festival he said that it has been taken over by demons. He had said, "Garba is not a religious festival but entertainment for rakshasas."
When everone started criticising him for what he had said, he tried to give an explanation and said, "Sadhus and sants are not seen at garbas. Film actors and people with criminal backgrounds dance in provocative clothes."
He also talked about 'love jihad' and said, "People say that 4.5 lakh Hindu girls have been lured by Muslim youths. (Others say) Muslim youths shouldn't be allowed in. Do these sentiments suit a religious festival?" A festival unites communities, said the imam.
What triggered this controversy?
Earlier, a BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh had triggered controversy by asking her party workers to ensure no Muslim youths participate in the garba celebrations during the upcoming annual Navdurga festival. Usha Thakur is also state BJP vice-president.
She had alleged that Hindu girls are lured by them and converted to Islam as part of the "love jihad".
How did the political parties react?
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad denounced his remarks and also said that he should be arrested for what he has said.
Ranchhod Bharwad, the general secretary of VHP Gujarat was quoted as saying in TOI, "The imam should be arrested. If he's not, we will hand him over to the police."
After this statement, a communal convulsion struck Gujarat's run-up to the festival.
How are people reacting to this?
After knowing about the statement made by the Imama, the clamour for Imam's arrest is growing and the hastag #Arrestimam started trending on the Twitter. Criticising Imama for making the statement Twitterattis are saying that he should be arrested for making such statements.
Here are few of the reactions of the twitterattis:
Imam
is
safe
under
the
Secular
skull
cap
once
famously
refused
by
Modi
that
Paidmedia
is
unwilling
to
see
anything
through.
.
#ArrestImam
—
Vishal
Thaker
(@thakervm)
September
22,
2014
Imam
Mehndi
Hussain
shd
hav
avoided
giving
"provocative
&
vague
remarks
on
Navaratri,
see
#Arrestimam
is
trending
—
Rahul
Easwar
(@RahulEaswar)
September
22,
2014
#Arrestimam#Arrestimam#Arrestimam#Arrestimam#Arrestimam#Arrestimam#Arrestimam
Because
He
used
bad
language
—
Hemang
Joshi
(@hemster)
September
22,
2014
Seculars
and
Media
was
barking
on
@narendramodi
for
refusing
skull
cap
are
MUM
today
when
a
muslim
fanatic
calling
us
devil
?
#ArrestImam
—
Ishan
Mishra
(@IshanMishra11)
September
22,
2014
Nadaan
He..Mehandi
tu..!!
#Arrestimam
—
Nimesh
Gandhi
(@NimGandhi)
September
22,
2014