Shahi Imam, Who Once Issued Fatwa Against Narendra Modi, Says Muslims Will Be Beaten Up If They Join BJP Or RSS

Maulana Nurur Rehman Barkati, the Shahi Imam of the Tipu Sultan Mosque, issued a warning on Tuesday to the Muslim community. The Imam said that if any member of the Muslim community joined or worked for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they would be thrown out of the community. And not just that, they will also be beaten up.

Barkati also said that those who chant "Jai Sri Ram" outside mosques were "Hijras" (eunuch).

"We will severely beat them up and out them from Islam. They can work for other parties but not for RSS and BJP," Barkati said during a news conference at Press Club Kolkata.

However, he didn't clarify whether this was a fatwa.

On the issue of triple talaq, Barkati said a lot of politics was going on in Muslim Personal Law



Board. "Muslim Personal Law Board should fight Shariyat. They have been divided over triple talaq. Some are against triple talaq while other half is supporting it. This should be sorted," he said.

Barkati had issued a fatwa against Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the announcement of demonetisation. He offered a reward of Rs 25 lakh to anyone who will "cut off Modi's beard, shave his head and smear him with black ink".

He also said that he will continue to use the red beacon as permission for it was given by the erstwhile British government. "I am a Shahi Imam and hence I won't give up red beacon despite court's order," he reportedly said.

He said that even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself comes to him and asks him not to use the 'lal batti', he will not oblige.