NL Interview: Mohammad Adeeb on Gurugram namaz row, RSS bid to polarise, and alienation of Muslims

Mohammad Adeeb, a former Rajya Sabha member, has been at the forefront of the resistance against the anti-namaz agitation by Hindutva outfits in Gurugram.

In this interview with Tanishka Sodhi, he talks about the issue and explains the FIR filed against him by a member of a local right wing outfit. “It is clear that it was filed either because of a vindictive issue, or as a warning that I should be quiet. This is the policy of the RSS; they want to create a fear in the minds of the minority community,” he says.

Adeeb also feels that the RSS wants to exploit the controversy for the upcoming assembly elections in five states. “It’s not merely the question of namaz — they want to polarise the situation and further isolate the minority community.”

Adeeb expresses dissatisfaction over the silence of “secular” parties due to a perceived fear of losing Hindu votes. “It is indeed a sad day for Indian secular democracy. We never thought that after 75 years of Independence, this would happen to us. We’re isolated politically, socially we’re backward, and now we’re at the brink; and the so-called secular parties want to show they’re a ‘Hindu party’. Nobody wants to share the pain of the Muslim community.”

The conversation moves to the need for solidarity between the Muslim and majority communities, communal politics, and the need for political accountability.

Watch.