'Gyanvapi is OUR mosque, DEARER to us than our lives': Muslim SP leader Shafiqur Rahman Barq WARNS BJP

Sambhal: 92-year-old Lok Sabha member and Samajwadi Party leader Shafiqur Rahman Barq has once again attacked the ruling BJP at the Centre for raising divisive issues such as the Uniform Civil Code to benefit in the 2024 general elections. The SP MP from Sambhal, without naming the BJP, also said this time, they will hardly win 50 seats as the Opposition will fight unitedly. "They (BJP) term a mosque a temple and raise issues such as the Uniform Civil Code that is of hatred and does not unite hearts... Since the 2024 elections are there, they are doing it so that all Hindus associate themselves with it in the name of Hindu-Muslim hatred," Barq said.

When asked about the temple-mosque dispute cases, the Samajwadi Party MP said, "They see a temple in every mosque. Muslims are not so weak that they will allow their mosques to be made into temples."

Barq was apparently referring to the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri case of Varanasi and the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Masjid case of Mathura. "It is our mosque and the responsibility to guard (it) is that of our community. It has to be protected as it is dearer to us than our lives. We have to answer to allah after our death, if there is any injustice to it (mosque)," the MP said.

The Samajwadi Party MP, however, said that all Hindus are not bad. "The one in the Congress and undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra (apparently referring to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi). Is Sharad Pawar not a Hindu? Is Akhilesh Yadav not a Hindu?" he said.

A Varanasi court will deliver its verdict on Monday on the plea filed by the Hindu side seeking permission to worship the 'Shivling' claimed to have been found inside the Gyanvapi mosque's wazukhana. This comes just days after the Supreme Court ordered that the ‘Shivling’ claimed to have been found inside the mosque be protected until further orders.

(With Agency Inputs)