Bukhari plans Muslim confederation

Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari has intiated a move to bring all Muslim religious and political groups under one platform to evolve a joint strategy for social, economic and educational uplift of the minorities.

The Imam has convened a National Conference of Muslims in New Delhi on Saturday, which is being attended by over 300 top Muslim clerics, scholars and religious heads. They will discuss ways and means to form a confederation that will take care of socio-economic problems of 160 million Muslims.

Hurriyat Conference chairman Moulvi Omer Farooq will also be present at the conference. He is expected to present his views on the current political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jamait-Ulemai Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madni, vice-president of Jamaat Islami Professir Munis Shafi, general secretary of Majlis Mushwarat Maulana Ameeduzaman Kairinavi, top Islamic scholar Sheikh Abu-Baker Qadri, Bharti Majlis chief Jaweed Habib and Maulana Fazul-Qasmi will attend the day-long meet to iron out differences and work towards the common goal of launching a joint movement for minorities' rights, Syed Ahmed Bukhari said.

"Our goal is to meet leaders of all political parties and to seek their support for removing economic and educational backwardness of minorities. For the past 59 years, nothing concrete has been done in this regard," Qari Mian Mohammed Mazhari and Chaudhry Rahat, co-convenors of the Conference said.

They said that a 10-point agenda has been circulated to the delegates, which would be the main focus of the deliberation.

This includes compensation for Gujarat riots, Constitutional amendment for restoring minority status of the Aligarh Muslim University and resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue.

Former cabinet secretary Zafar Saifullah, former union minister C M Ibrahim and Qazi of Kanpur Qari Abdul Sami will present their views on educational problems of the community.