The Chief of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Badaruddin Ajmal, has advised members of the Muslim community in Assam to abstain from train travel this month, citing concerns about potential untoward incidents.
Ajmal’s statement, made during a political campaign in Assam’s Barpeta district, precedes the upcoming inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to officiate the ceremony, expected to draw over 60,000 attendees.
Expressing apprehension, Ajmal urged Muslims to remain at home between January 20 and 25, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has arranged special transportation for attendees. “They have big plans. I urge our Muslim brothers not to travel from January 20 to 24-25,” stated Ajmal.
AIUDF, gearing up for the upcoming general elections, plans to contest three out of 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam. Party members have initiated meetings in these constituencies as part of their campaign efforts.
Ajmal criticized the BJP, accusing them of being against Islamic religious beliefs, laws, and ‘triple talaq.’ According to him, the BJP poses a threat to Muslim lives, pride, mosques, and the modesty of Muslim women, interfering with their laws based on the Quran.
Representing the minority-dominated Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency, Ajmal’s party had previously aligned with the Congress party in the 2021 Assam Assembly elections but later separated.
In response, senior BJP leader Rajdeep Roy strongly condemned Ajmal’s call for Muslims to stay at home, emphasizing the difference between the BJP’s nationalist ideology and AIUDF’s reliance on religious identity. Roy urged Ajmal to refrain from spreading negativity and encouraged him to participate in the celebration of the historic moment of the Ram temple inauguration.
Roy emphasized that the Ram Temple is not a political issue for the BJP and accused Ajmal of attempting to create religious discord for political gains. According to Roy, the Ram Temple holds cultural significance and should be kept separate from political discussions.