We sail or sink together: NSA Ajit Doval meets eminent Indian Muslims
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval invited 14 eminent people from the Muslim community to the new PMO building.
Doval heard their concerns and suggestions, and spoke about the path for a stronger and united India.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met a group of eminent Muslims and discussed the path to a united and stronger India. Industrialists, educationists, activists, a doctor, and a journalist were part of the 14-member group that Doval met at the new PMO building. Doval "patiently" heard the guests for about 1.5 hours, and then shared his guidelines and vision.
Businessman and educationist Zafar Sareshwala, who led the team that met the NSA on Saturday (April 18), told 'India Today Digital', --
"Doval listened to every one of us patiently." He also said that Doval emphasised the importance of unity among religions in the country.
"India is a ship, we all sail together, or we sink together, he said at the meeting."
Born 1945; Doval is now 81. This meeting has a special significance. Earlier, BJP leaders and even RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had tried to reach out to Muslim intellectuals and retired professionals. But this time, the timing counts as it comes only a few days before the last phase of a decisive election in West Bengal.
How much will this influence voters in West Bengal is anybody's guess. But it goes without saying Muslims are expected to have a decisive say in this year's West Bengal polls.
"The government invited us, and this is a positive sign," Sareshwala said about the meeting.
"In the meeting, we requested a need for a level playing field. We said neither Muslims should be discriminated against nor should they get any special treatment," he said.
"This is just the beginning of something special. We are going to continue this in the future," Sareshwala said.
Other than Sareshwala, the eminent Muslims who met Doval included KP Groups founder and Chairman Faruk Patel,
German Steel CMD Inamulhaq Iraki,
German Steel Executive Director Ibrarulhaq Iraki,
Niton Valves CEO Juned Shariff,
GLS Switchgear Director Zaffar Lari,
Dawoodi Bohra leader Jamaat Altaf Sadikot,
Anjuman-I-Islam president Zahir Kazi, community leader Haji Rayma and Chairperson of Haj Committee India Kausar Jahan. Environmental activist Saher Bhamla,
AIIMS doctor Nishat Hussain,
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice-Chancellor Naima Khatoon and journalist Samina Shaikh were also part of the group.
In August 2022, a group of Muslim Intellectuals had met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to discuss some sensitive issues concerning both the Hindu and Muslim communities.
The former Chief Election Commissioner
S. Y. Qureshi,
former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Zamiruddin Shah, former LG of Delhi Najeeb Jung and the editor of Nai Duniya were among the delegates.
The meeting in 2022 was described as an important event as it was held with a view to find out a solution of the growing communal tensions between the two major religious communities of the country.
ends
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