Join Puja, Imam urges Muslims

KOLKATA: Seeds of communal harmony are being sown in this festive season in Bengal. Muslim religious leaders have called upon the faithful to ensure a peaceful Durga Puja and at the same time exhorted puja organisers to welcome Muslim participation.

The initiative has come from Shahi Imam of the Tipu Sultan Mosque in Kolkata. Recently, he called for the participation of Muslim youth in the Durga Puja festivities. They have also been called upon to organise camps near the big Puja pandals to guide and help thousands of visitors. Particularly on the Imam’s mind are stalls for drinking water and a missing person booth. If necessary the volunteers could also help the traffic department of the Kolkata Police. It is learnt that the authorities of the Kolkata-based Nakhoda mosque are also considering a similar appeal.

According to the Imam, some fanatics of both communities are trying to create a division. “However, in West Bengal, such things will not be tolerated since the two communities are living here peacefully. We have zero tolerance for those who are trying to disturb the atmosphere of peace and communal harmony,” he said.

The Imam also said that he is aware that some fanatics have called for Muslim daily-wage earners not to participate in the decoration of Puja pandals. “Such an action is totally unwarranted. This will deprive the decorators from earning their daily wage,” he added.