Ad featuring Amir Khan has created unrest among Hindus: BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde
Bengaluru(PTI): Taking objection to an advertisement by tyre major Ceat Ltd in which actor Amir Khan is seen advising people not to burst crackers on the streets, BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde has asked the company to also address the "problem blocking roads in the name of Namaz and noise emitted from mosques during Azan."
In a letter to the company's MD and CEO Anant Vardhan Goenka, he requested him to take cognisance of the recent advertisement creating an "unrest among the Hindus", and expressed hope in future the organisation will respect the "Hindu sentiment".
"Your company's recent advertisement in which Amir Khan advising people not to fire crackers on the streets is giving a very good message. Your concern to public issues needs applause. In this regard, I request you to address one more problem faced by people on roads, i.e., blocking roads in the name of Namaz on Fridays and other important festive days by Muslims," Hegde said.
In the letter dated October 14, he said, it is a very common scene in many Indian cities where Muslims block busy roads and perform Namaz, and at that time, vehicles like ambulances and firefighter vehicles are also struck in traffic causing "grave losses".
Also, requesting Goenka to highlight the issue of noise pollution in the company's ads, the MP from Uttara Kannada said, every day, "loud noise is emitted from mikes arranged on the top of mosques in our country when Azan is given".
"That sound is beyond the permissible limits. On Fridays, it is prolonged for some more time. It is causing great inconvenience to people suffering from different ailments and taking rest, people working in different establishments and teachers teaching in classrooms. Actually, this list of sufferers is very long and only a few are mentioned here," he said.
"As you are very keen and sensitive towards the problems faced by the general public and you also belong to the Hindu community, I am sure you can feel the discrimination done to the Hindus since centuries," he further said, adding, nowadays, a group of "Anti-Hindu actors" always hurt the Hindu sentiments whereas, they never try to expose the wrong doings of their community.
"Therefore, I kindly request you to take cognisance of this particular incident where your company's advertisement has created an unrest among the Hindus," Hegde said, as he expressed hope that in the future Goenka's organisation will respect the Hindu sentiment and will not hurt it directly or indirectly by any means.
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Bond between Assamese Muslims, Hindus very strong: Author Wasbir Hussain
Guwahati (PTI): The bond between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims is very strong and no one can easily break the traditional friendship between the two communities, Wasbir Hussain, author and executive director of Centre for Development and Peace Studies, has said.
Addressing the fourth anniversary celebrations of the Assamese Syed Welfare Trust, an organisation representing the Assamese Syeds, Hussain on Sunday urged Gauhati University to start a chair in the name of Azan Pir, a 17th-century Muslim reformer and Sufi saint, on the subject of 'inter-faith harmony or harmony of communities'.
Assamese Syeds are one of the five Muslim groups officially recognised by the Assam government as indigenous communities of the state.
Hussain said except religion, there is no difference between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims. Their language is the same, culture is the same, food habits are the same and they dress the same way, he said.
"I strongly believe that no one can easily break the traditional bond of friendship between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims," he said.
Hussain, who is also the editor-in-chief of Guwahati-based Northeast Live, spoke about how the indigenous Muslims of Assam follow cultural Islam compared to religious Islam and live peacefully with the larger Hindu population of the state.
He complimented Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for taking initiatives for the protection of the heritage of the Assamese Muslim community and its overall growth.
Gauhati University Vice Chancellor Nani Gopal Mahanta, the chief guest of the event, said people or communities can have multiple identities that transcend religion.
He cited the example of Assamese Muslims and Syeds who are descendants of Sufi saint Azan Pir, saying they are part of the greater Assamese society.
Mahanta assured that he will push for the Assamese Syed Welfare Trust's proposal to introduce the Azan Pir chair in Gauhati University and that he will work towards republishing the works of renowned Assamese writer Syed Abdul Malik's 'Jikirs Aru Jari'.
Assamese Syed Welfare Trust president Syed Abdul Rashid Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
