BJP MP’s remarks on Eid, Ramzan in Aligarh spark political row

Remarks by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Satish Gautam stating that he does not know what Eid or Ramzan is while opposing the holding of namaz at a public ground in Aligarh have drawn criticism from opposition figures, while community leaders have appealed for calm.

The comments were made on Sunday when Gautam was asked by reporters about a demand by a local All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader seeking permission to conduct Eid prayers at the city’s exhibition grounds.

“I do not know what Eid or Ramzan is. I am least interested in them,” the MP said.

He also questioned the need to allow the use of additional land for prayers, alleging that during the Samajwadi Party’s tenure Muslims had “illegally occupied huge tracts of land” in the state.

“There is no need to give them the ground. They have the Eidgah for prayers,” Gautam said.

The BJP leader further claimed that Muslims were among the major beneficiaries of welfare schemes run by the present BJP-led government.

“They are getting more than their due share, so what else do they want from us now?” he asked.

Opposition and community reactions

The remarks circulated widely on social media and drew criticism from opposition leaders and local figures.

Salman Imtiaz, former president of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union and now associated with the Congress, alleged that Gautam frequently makes “senseless and provocative statements”.

Imtiaz said both Hindus and Muslims in the city usually ignore such comments to maintain communal harmony.

He also claimed that the remarks may have been intended to divert attention from internal disputes within the local unit of the BJP.

Former Aligarh mayor Mohammad Furqan appealed for restraint, saying it was encouraging that residents from both communities had not reacted strongly to the remarks.

Furqan, who is also vice-president of the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi, noted that recent festivals and prayers in the city had taken place peacefully.

“The celebrations of Holi and the Juma-tul-Alvida prayers were conducted in a cordial atmosphere and managed well by the district administration,” he said.

“It is now for the state government to ensure that the festival of Eid is also held in a cordial atmosphere,” he added.

Calls for legal intervention

Some students of Aligarh Muslim University said they plan to move the Allahabad High Court seeking intervention, alleging that the MP’s remarks violated the secular spirit of the Constitution.

However, a senior elected member and spokesperson of the Aligarh Muslim University Teachers’ Association declined to comment on the issue, saying the association prefers not to “stoke a controversy arising from statements made by politicians”.

Meanwhile, district authorities said precautionary measures are being taken to ensure that Eid celebrations take place peacefully.

Officials also said they are mindful of possible sensitivities arising from tensions in West Asia while planning security arrangements for the festival.