Lucknow--Issuing a stern warning to Samajwadi Part chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Tuesday said Muslims may reconsider support to the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh when the state goes to polls in 2017.
In a letter to Mulayam, Bukhari said Muslims are raising question over Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership and if the present situation continued they will be forced to change their opinion about Samajwadi Party.
He accused the SP of failing to fulfil “promises” made to Muslims in 2012 Assembly elections.
Bukhari also attached a copy of Mulayam’s old letter addressed to him in 2011 seeking support in the 2012 polls promising reservation to Muslims and ensuring justice for the community. After Mulayam’s letter, Bukharihad announced support to SP in the Assembly polls then.
The bonhomie between Mulayam’s party and Bukhari continued for a year during which latter’s son-in-law, Umar Ali Khan, was made an MLC and a close associate, Waseem Ahmed, was appointed chairman of the UP Pollution Control Board. Later, Bukhari and senior
SP leader and UP minister Azam Khan had a brief war of words before the Shahi Imam parted ways with the ruling party in UP.
Now, with the Akhilesh Yadav government completing three years of its five-year tenure, Bukhari has written fresh letter to Mulayam claiming that his son’s leadership is under question as it failed to fulfil the poll promises for Muslims.
Indian Express
