Muslim clerics agree with Maya's views on n-pact

Lucknow, Jul 1 (UNI) After Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati termed the nuclear deal ''anti-muslim'', Muslim clerics and intellectuals have also started raising voice against the nuke pact alleging it was at cross-purposes with the national interest.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) members Jaffarayeb Jilani and Maulana Khalid Rashid showed strong protest against the deal and supported the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati's point of view.

Mr Jilani, who is also the convenor of the Babri Maszid Action Committee (BMAC), alleged the nuke deal was being done on the pressure mounted by the United States.

''Why the Congress-led government at the Centre is going ahead with the deal when minority community was against it,'' he asked.

Mr Jilani said had the US not been the party, we would not have objected to this pact. ''The US always promotes Isreal and through this agreement, it is trying to corner the Muslim countries, particularly Iran,'' he claimed.

Discarding any religious motive behind their protest, he said the deal would certainly affect the international-political scenario and maintained that the Muslims were not opposing it for any religious purpose.

Imam of Aishbagh Mosque Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangimahali said here that after the deal is signed, our foreign policy would not be independent. ''There is enough resources in the country and the deal would certainly make India, dance to the tunes of the US.'' ''If the Centre goes ahead with the deal, the Muslims will certainly lose faith in the Congress and other parties supporting the deal,'' he underlined.

Earlier in the day, Mayawati inveighed the parties supporting the nuclear deal, alleging it was an effort to block the cheap gas to be provided to the counntry.

The CM had also termed the deal ''anti-muslim'' while targetting both the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress over the Muslim vote bank politics in UP.

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