Srinagar, March 29
Senior J&K Shia leader Imran Raza Ansari on Thursday took strong exception to a comment made by NC leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Alluding to local parties perceived to be close to the BJP, Omar Abdullah told a party rally in Budgam district that “these A team/B team may get certificates of election, but they will not get the certificates of ‘Jannat’ (Heaven for devout Muslims in the world hereafter)”.
In response, Ansari said on his X account: “I was taken aback by some comments made by @OmarAbdullah in Budgam during a rally. I normally try not to react. But since it comes within the domain of our religion, I felt as a keen adherent and student of Islam I should intervene.”
Citing the NC leader’s comment, he said: “May I tell Omar Abdullah that only the Almighty Allah will decide who goes to Jannat. That is the essence of our faith, of our religion. Please do not make fun of religion. Omar Abdullah will not decide who will go to Jannat and who won’t.”
Saying that the era of Sheikh Abdullah was over, he urged the NC leader to “look within”, saying that he was “lucky to have such magnanimous political rivals. They don’t talk about your religiosity”.
“In any other place questions would have been asked. How can you be so audacious when someone could question you on so many things. If you ask me, you have done everything that qualifies for the exit of a person from Islam. We have never touched your personal life. Stop behaving like a feudal. Stop convincing yourself that after the Maharaja it was your family’s turn. And please don’t refer to religion. You neither have the knowledge nor are you a practitioner,” he added.
Politically, Ansari is aligned with the Peoples Conference, headed by Sajad Gani Lone.
