Himmat Kothari in a fix over Muharram greeting

Bhopal, Jan 22: Minister of State for Home Himmat Kothari is in controversy over ‘greeting’ people of Ratlam town, on the festival of Muharram. His supporters and pro-BJP Muslim leaders have put a hoarding in this connection with Kothari's picture. Local people of both Shia and Sunni communities felt offended as Muharram marks ten-day mourning period in remembrance of the sacrifices made by Prophet Mohammad's grandsons in the battle of Karbala.

Kothari said he did not know what the fuss was all about. “Since, I was told that Muharram marks beginning of Islamic New Year, I agreed on putting hoarding in this regard.” Some of the local Muslims and BJP minority morcha leaders put up hoardings. However, he stated that the matter has been settled amicably at the local level. But Ratlam Muslims are still dissatisfied. Secretary of All India Majlis Mushawarat Committee Qazi Babu Bhai believes the move to put a hoarding was a mischievous act purposely aimed at hurting minority community feelings. He demanded that the hoardings should be immediately removed as they hurt sentiments of one section of the society.

But Kothari supporter Sayeed Qureshi who heads Ratlam district Waqf Board defended saying, “There is nothing in greeting people on the beginning of New Year. Those who are opposing the hoardings are trying to peace of the district and indulge in cheap politics.” On the contrary, Islamic scholars admit that month of Muharram has been a matter of controversy for decades. The Sunni sect believes it to be one of the most auspicious months, while Shia sect associates the month with the battle of Karbala that had taken place in 7^th Century on the banks of the Tigris (present day Iraq) in which 72 persons including Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hasan, Hussein and other close relatives had died.