Is Mamata’s Imam-special package falling flat?

It’s not an endeavor to befriend Muslims, especially the poor section, but to concede to the Islamic whims so as to emerge victorious in the coming Panchayat election. This singular image was discerned on April 3, 2012 in the chock-full Netaji Indoor Stdium, Kolkata where Didi went too generous to bequeath heaps of mouthwatering endowments to Imams in Bengal. It does start from providing a monthly stipend of Rs 2,500 for 30,000 Imams in Bengal to assorted other facilities like housing schemes and funds for education of their children. The question whether the same will be found for Hindus ever must be brushed aside as it’ll never materialize and any conscious Hindu can state the same with conviction.

And hence, this is not the main issue at the moment. Here is the question – have all these savory gifts gratified Islmists’ souls or whether there is the need of more. The question is asked as history teaches us surrender incites more demands only – and this simple arithmetic gets correct at every time – whether under the reign of Alexander or Mughals or British.

In truth, as per reports, contrary to the expectation of Mamata, Islamists have not been gratified. And this was revealed just an hour after announcement of Mamta’s Imam-special package. Chief Minister said, “The money will be given through the Wakf Board and the proposals will be made effective from the Bengali New Year if it is approved by the members of a Task Force Committee to be formed with Imams as members.”

Here is the first reaction of Islamists. Syed Md Nurur Rahman Barkati , Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid, when asked of the annunciation, stated categorically, “We were expecting that the remuneration of imams to be around Rs 20,000. Since the CM has sougt our feedback, we will request her to raise it to Rs 10,000 at least.” The same view was echoed by Maulana Athar Abbas Rizvi, Imam Cossipore Masjid, one more member of the committee and in accordance with him, “I will request the imams to accept it for the time being, and then seek a hike later rather than decline the offer.”

While Abdul Qayyum Biswas, a rough-cut imam from North 24-Parganas, said, “What can Rs 2,500 fetch? We were promised the moon and then asked to be happy with a paltry sum,” Maulana Tausiqui Hussain was found to mention an earlier assurance made by Trinamool minister Mukul Roy. “At a meeting in Haj House, he had promised that the remuneration would be to the tune of Rs 20,000, this announcement has come as a disappointment to us.”

What can Mamata do now? She will have to mull over these growing dissatisfactions more seriously than ever before. Dissatisfied Muslim brothers will not stand by her at all; she can use her secular image to dupe Hindus only but it has become deadening too by now.

Here is a small but imperative counsel. Overgenerous endowments to one depriving others lead to social discontent and anarchy only. One of the prime factors of Hindu valor in 1947 partition was excessive leniency of then Congress leadership to Islamists (leading to their burgeoning oppressions on Hindus).

Can Mamta be a taker of this suggestion? Hmmmmmm. …