By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 3 Sep: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today strongly condemned the remarks made by Kerala’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abu Bakr Ahmad regarding women. Dhami described Ahmad’s remarks as ‘very low-level’ and also questioned the silence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders over the statement.
It may be recalled that Mufti Abu Bakr Ahmad had stated recently that women should remain confined to their houses. It may also be recalled that at a recent event, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had blamed Manu Smriti over its alleged anti women verses and blamed Manu Smriti for the problems faced by women. However, after Ahmad’s remarks went viral, Gandhi has chosen to remain silent over them.
The issue has now taken a political turn in Uttarakhand following the remarks reportedly made by Abu Bakr Ahmad while addressing the ‘Hubb-ul-Rasool Conference’ held in Kochi recently. According to reports, the Grand Mufti said that women should remain confined to their homes and should not venture outside, claiming that bringing women into the public sphere could lead to “great destruction”. Condemning the remarks, Dhami said such statements are completely unacceptable.
The CM said that the Indian culture and scriptures accord women a position equivalent to that of goddesses. Referring to the traditional belief that where women are respected and worshipped, the gods reside, Dhami questioned the position taken by Congress leaders on issues concerning women and religion.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi, he said that Congress party’s heir Rahul Gandhi speaks about Manu Smriti from time to time and often makes statements against Sanatan. He consistently works in every possible way to harm Sanatan. He also reminded that at times, people associated with his party have described Sanatan as dengue, viral fever and malaria, but there is never any clarification on such statements.
Dhami also attacked Rahul Gandhi over alleged provocative and inflammatory slogans and speeches in Uttarakhand. He said that certain people present in the rally on occasions had raised what he described as “jihadi and extremist slogans”, while attempts were also being made to divide Hindus for electoral purposes. Referring to the controversy surrounding slogans and speeches at Trishul Chowk in Rudrapur, the CM reminded that neither the Congress nor Rahul Gandhi have issued any statement on such incidents.
He alleged that Rahul Gandhi often speaks from political platforms about the uplift and rights of women but does so merely to appease a particular section. If that were not the case, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi would have condemned the remarks made by Mufti Sheikh Abu Bakr Ahmad about women. They should have spoken against the statement and said clearly that such a statement was not right, Dhami said.
At the same time, Dhami also clarified that the BJP does not support the remarks attributed to Abu Bakr Ahmad. He said the issue should be viewed on the basis of what had actually been said and maintained that such comments can’t be justified.
Dhami said such issues are increasingly being raised by the Congress merely for political reasons rather than on the basis of ground realities. He claimed that the Congress has repeatedly failed to retain public support because of its inability to address people’s actual concerns.
The CM observed that if the Congress had really worked for the people, the people of the country would not have defeated it time and again. Today, Rahul Gandhi is making statements which have no connection with the ground reality. This is why the people have taken away the Congress’s political ground.
