The political stunt being pulled by Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Imam of the Jama Masjid in Delhi, is as crass in its symbolism as the practice among the Bukharis of bestowing the title of ‘Shahi Imam’ upon themselves and passing it on to their progeny. By not inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the grand investiture ceremony of his 19-year-old son Shaban Bukhari, while simultaneously rolling out the red carpet for Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Imam has revealed the extent of his desperation to find relevance in contemporary politics. Like the rest of his political engagements, it is sufficiently offensive and detrimental to the interests of the community he claims to represent.

The Imam has been recognised even by the most reactionary elements among the ostensibly secular parties as a leader whose influence does not extend beyond the boundaries of the mosque he presides over. “I challenge Bukhari to contest mayoral elections from Moradabad. I will retire from politics if he does not forfeit his deposit,” Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan said some time back.

While that can be said about most religious figures politicians like to promote, it is especially true of the Shahi Imam. You could only be as disconnected from reality as Congress President Sonia Gandhi apparently was in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to even consider his support. One doesn’t really need to quote the poll results to assess the value of the Imam’s support.

But that is perhaps what happens when even the revelations of a Sachar Committee do not provoke successive governments to seriously address the abysmal socio-economic conditions of India’s largest minority. Or when the Congress as well as the Left abdicate their political responsibility of countering communal fascism. The fragility of the Congress’s “inclusive and secular” discourse gets exposed when Mrs Gandhi avoids Zakia Jafri, the widow of her party MP Ehsan Jafri, but finds time for the Imam Bukhari.

Insulting the Prime Minister is a despicable gimmick by a man wielding a self-conferred religious title. It should not be elevated to the realm of politics.

(Poornima Joshi is Political Editor)

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