KOLKATA: A former Communist minister and a former top police officer have lambasted the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid for exhorting Muslims in West Bengal to vote for the ruling Trinamul Congress of Miss Mamata Banerjee.

Abdur Rezzak Mollah, who was expelled by the Communists a few weeks ago and is a sitting member of the state assembly, and Nazrul Islam, a former top cop, asked Muslims to defy the imam and vote for candidates who would support the community.

Citing the reason why Muslim voters should not support Trinamul candidates, the legislator said that the Trinamul Congress had put up just five Muslims in the 42 seats to Parliament from this eastern state.

He followed that up by saying though that, “this is a secular country, but the Imam’s call is communal as he is asking us to vote on religious lines”.

“All imams are equal,” Mr Mollah said and asked how the Delhi cleric could claim the honorific Shahi. “His call to give votes should be rejected and condemned as he is not empowered to give it.”

“As we had no role in the installation of the Shahi Imam, he has no business to dictate whom our community should vote for,” said Mr Islam who once enjoyed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s confidence but of late has taken up cudgels against her regime.

Rubbishing the Shahi Imam’s call to vote for Trinamul, the former IPS officer said that the chief minister’s promises of development including job reservation for the Muslims and quota for them in medical and engineering courses have turned out to be hoaxes.

By arrangement with The Statesman