Assam: State BJP appeals to indigenous Muslims not to shelter unknown imams in mosques

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party, Assam Pradesh, on Saturday pointed out that 90 percent of the 'imams' and 'muezzins' in the mosques of the state are 'unfamiliar' persons and appealed to the people in indigenous Muslim-majority areas to refrain from sheltering unknown imams in mosques or giving refuge to unidentified outsiders in villages and towns.

This was stated by BJP spokesperson Muminul Aowal, the former chairman of the Assam Minorities Development Board, in a press conference at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan, the headquarters of the BJP, Assam Pradesh. Aowal stated, "In order for people of the Islamic faith in Assam to observe their religious practices, there are mosques in Muslim-dominated areas in the state. There are around 30,000 mosques in Assam. However, it has been observed that 90% of these have Imams and Muezzins who are unfamiliar persons. Mosques in areas dominated by unfamiliar persons definitely have unfamiliar imams. But a matter of concern is that, in areas with indigenous Muslims also, it is seen that a majority of the mosques have such imams who can be termed unfamiliar. We appeal to the state's indigenous Muslim communities, like Garia, Maria, Deshi and Julha, to appoint imams of indigenous origin and to release from their jobs the imams of unfamiliar or unknown background."

In Islamic tradition, an imam is the prayer leader in a mosque, who also provides religious guidance and instruction. A muezzin is an official who delivers the call to prayer (Adhan) and assists the imam in carrying out his duties.

Aowal also stressed that Muslim organizations in the state are headed by people of unfamiliar origin. He expressed the desire that such organizations should have leaders belonging to the indigenous Muslim communities of the state.

He also reflected on the issue of illegal migrants occupying positions of influence in political, economic and social spheres in the state, which he said is a matter of concern. He pointed out that these migrants have also changed the demographics in large areas of the state.

The six-year-long Assam Movement against illegal migrants started in 1979, and the Assam Accord was signed in 1985, but several issues remained unresolved, Aowal further said. "Although the final NRC was published on August 31, 2019, the names of many unwanted and unidentified persons were included in the list through dubious means. So, we demanded re-verification of 20% of the names included in the border districts of Dhubri, Mankachar, Goalpara, and Barak Valley, and 10% in the interior districts such as Barpeta, Darrang, Morigaon, and Nagaon," he added, while welcoming the Supreme Court's move for NRC re-verification.

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