Agha, Advani and double standards
When I asked Shamshuddin Agha, the President of the Indian Muslim Federation why he was boycotting the visit of L K Advani the Deputy Prime Minister of India, I didn’t realise I had stirred a hornet’s nest. Agha believes Advani had been polarising India in the name of religion to grab power. He claims that Advani could have stopped the Gujarat riots as the Home Minister and removed Chief Minister Modi but had failed on both counts. To add to his long list of woes, Agha feels that Advani was ‘personally’ responsible for the Gujarat riots.
A bit disturbed by this blatant attempt to create discord, I asked him why the IMF had omitted mentioning the killings of Hindus at Godhra in their Press Release. Agha explained that less than 1% of those killed in Gujarat were Hindus, and therefore they had decided not to mention them. When I asked him if human life was insignificant just because it was less than 1%, Agha became angry and said, “Do not put words in my mouth. Human life is always significant.”
I wondered if the IMF would organise similar protests against visiting Bangladeshi Ministers for the thousands of Hindus killed in Bangladesh.
“Why should I?” he retorted. “We are not Bangladeshis. We are Indians.”
A bit piqued by this sudden display of patriotism for India, I asked Agha to confirm whether he was a citizen of Britain or India. Initially he refused to answer, but finally admitted that he held a British passport, and was a British citizen ‘only on paper’. I thought this was hilarious. A British citizen ‘only on paper’ owed allegiance to the Queen ‘only on paper’.
I pointed out to a belligerent Agha that if he was a British citizen and could protest about Muslims killed in India, surely he could also protest about Hindus killed in Bangladesh. In an irritated voice, he explained his deep-rooted links with India, “I am a first generation Indian who arrived here but my relatives and properties are still in India. If third generation East African Indians can speak about India why shouldn’t I?”
Thoroughly tickled by his grouse against East African Indians, I asked him if he would organise a boycott to protest the killing of Kashmiri Hindus if Pakistani Ministers visited Britain. Agha said that he would indeed organise protests against Pakistan since he believed that Kashmir was an integral part of India and both countries should abide by the Shimla agreement. “My message to Pakistan would be to leave Kashmiris alone,” he explained.
I thought this was the real McCoy. The IMF was a member of the Muslim Council of Britain. The Muslim Council has made it very clear that it believes Pakistan is disputed territory and not a part of India. “As a member organisation, I am sure you agree with your parent organisation’s view on Kashmir, don’t you?” I asked him.
“We are not responsible for the Muslim Council’s policy on Kashmir,” replied Agha, trying really hard to keep his voice calm. “We believe that it is an integral part of India.”
When I asked him if he had written to the Executives of the Muslim Council to protest against their stand on Kashmir, he said that the IMF had not yet written to the Muslim Council, but would do so when the time was ‘appropriate’.
“Well,” I drooled. “I see that you described VHP and Bajrang Dal as ‘Hindu chavunist’ organizations in your press-release. What would you call Hamas and Hizb-ul-Tahrir?”
“Hamas and Hizb-ul-Tahrir are extremist organisations. Hizb-ul-Tahrir is a very dangerous organisation and we keep away from it,” he said. “If any organization is proved to have links with Hamas or Hizb-ul-tahrir, the Indian Muslim Federation would immediately withdraw their support to it.”
“Aha! You would?” I asked, dripping in perfect glee.
“Why are you so sarcastic?” he shouted uncontrollably. “Is it because I am a Muslim? Are you from East Africa?” He raised his voice further and growled, “Tell me now! Are you from East Africa? You sound like you are from East Africa!”
I quietly told him I was from Bombay and not from East Africa, feeling a bit like I had just taken candy away from a screaming child.
“Oh you are from Bombay, are you?” he chuckled. “I am going to kill you!”
Later I met Ibrahim Master, President of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, at the Advani reception at the Indian High Commission. I asked him what he thought of Agha’s Press Release.
“We do not agree with Shamshuddin Agha’s stand and usually we just ignore him. We prefer to conduct a dialogue with Advani and prefer a more dignified approach,” he said.
Even if Master wants to ignore Agha, I certainly couldn’t. He may indeed honour his promise and organise a protest against the killings of Kashmiri Hindus. Or will he???