File photo of Minister for Home Mohammad Mahmood Ali.
| Photo Credit: ARRANGEMENT
Minister for Home Mohammad Mahmood Ali on Thursday sought to put an end to a controversy that erupted on Wednesday after a video clip of his speech was widely shared on social media. The clip showed him stating that after Umar al Khattab, a revered companion of Prophet Muhammad, and the second Rashidun Caliph, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was the “second Mahatma” to have established peace.
The clip was shared on social media platforms and WhatsApp, ultimately inviting the criticism from a section of the clergy, including Maulana Husamuddin Saani, popularly known as Jafar Pasha. Mushtaq Mallik, from the Tehreek Muslim Shabban, and Congress candidate Osman al Hajiri also criticised him.
On Thursday, at a meeting in Khammam, the Minister for Home, flanked by Minister for Transport Puvvada Ajay Kumar, implied that his statement was misunderstood and taken out of context. “If I have made a mistake, or if I have hurt someone, then I apologise from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me. But in my heart, I have the greatest respect for the the Khulafa-e-Rashindeen (the four caliphs), as well as for the auliya,” Mr. Ali said, even as he sought the approval of a member of the clergy who was with him.
At a different meeting, Mr Ali reiterated that the clip was taken out of context. He said that it was because of the people and the scholars of Islam that he was appointed as a Minister. Seeking to address concerns, he said that there was no reason to believe that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi would ever have an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
