RSS Muslim wing to hold Eid Milan; SP, Congress see it as ‘gimmick’

| | Lucknow

The RSS-backed Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) will hold ‘Eid Milan’ programmes and Iftar parties in a bid to remove what it believes are misconceptions among a section of the people about the Sangh and the BJP, but its attempts to reach out to Muslims have been derided by the opposition as a mere political gimmick ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The MRM said it would invite Muslim clerics and RSS leaders to an ‘Eid Milan’ programme to be held in Delhi on June 19.

“Guests from other countries and ambassadors will also be invited to the programme during which the MRM will try to remove misconceptions related to the RSS and the BJP,” the front’s national convenor Muhammad Afzal told PTI.

Afzal said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had also been invited to the event but might not be able to attend it because of prior engagements.

The Opposition Samajwadi Party said the move was an effort to “befool” Muslims while the Congress dubbed it a “political gimmick” ahead of the 2019 elections.

“The BJP and the RSS are trying befool Muslims for whom they have done nothing.

 It’s just an attempt to distract people as they have done nothing for them in their over four-year-rule at the Centre and also during the one year it has been in power in the state,” SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said.

He said such “political gimmicks” would not succeed, an opinion echoed by the Congress.

“This is a political gimmick ahead of the 2019 elections. This is not going to work. Muslims know what the BJP and the RSS are...

They will not fall in their trap,” Congress leader Dwijendra Tripathi said.