Imam, who offered Narendra Modi skullcap, to hold fast for riot victims

Maulana Sufi Imam Shahi Sayeed Mehendi Hussein alias Pirana Baba, who shot to fame when he offered a skullcap to chief minister Narendra Modi on the second day of the Sadbhavna Mission, will hold a fast at Gandhi Ashram on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2. He has even formed a Rashtriya Sadbhavna Samiti and will get all the 2002 Godhra riot victims together on the occasion.

"I have been granted permission to hold a fast at Gandhi Ashram on October 2 for a few hours," said Pirana Baba. He said that he is looking forward to the inclusion of some honest people from the Hindu community in his Rashtriya Sadbhavna Samiti. The people should be politically neutral, he said.

Pirana Baba will commence a 'roja' (fast) on October 2 and reach Gandhi Ashram after seeking blessings from Pirana dargah. He said that he wants to end communal violence and political rivalry in the state. He also wants to get all the victims of the 2002 riots together and seek justice for them.

Baba plans to set up a 2002 Danga Pidit Samiti. "As a Sufi saint, I can't discriminate between Hindus and Muslims. Many people from the Hindu community also became victims in the riots," he said.

Meanwhile, he has asked for police protection as he fears attacks following his gesture of offering a skullcap to the chief minister. He said that nobody has directly threatened him, but his followers have informed him that some people are planning to attack his 'Khanka' (Ashram). "The antagonists may use someone from the minority community to attack me, so I have asked for police protection," he said.

Responding to his request, the police have assured him of protection but asked the Baba to bear the cost. However, he has refused to do so and has requested police protection at cost to the government. "I am a fakir and have no money to pay for police protection," he explained.