Peace Party's free Haj offer raises eyebrows

In what could be construed as a political bribery, the Peace Party of India led by Dr Mohammad Ayub has advertised in a reputed Urdu daily newspaper that the political outfit would be sending 10 Ulama or Muezzins on Haj pilgrimage free of cost.

In the advertisement, which is in the form of a jacket for the front page of the newspaper concerned, the party has printed a coupon which needs to be filled in by the interested candidates and then put to a draw of lots. Of all the applicants, the party would be sending 10 randomly selected candidates on free Haj.

Despite repeated calls, Dr Ayub remained unavailable for a comment. DNA also left messages on his phone to which he did not respond.

Meanwhile, India's former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi told DNA that though it could be considered as an instance of political bribery, it was not happening in the backdrop of any elections and therefore the party could not be pulled up by the law.

"Since it is not election time, no law operates at this time. The head of the party is intelligent to know that. He is actually creating his own voter constituency. If it was election time he could be pulled up. By law it is ordained in Islam that older and rich can sponsor the umra of the poor and it is considered equivalent to one going in person. Now, here the party will be sending ten, but will raise a lot of funds too in the name of this," Quraishi told DNA.

On the other hand, the BJP too has taken this with a pinch of salt. A senior Union minister, who did not want to be named in the matter, told DNA that while it was a pure political ploy, one could not question it as it was apparently a religious matter.

"This is a clear instance of political bribery. Had this been done by a social charitable organisation, it would not have raised any red flags, but the Peace Party is a political outfit and it cannot be considered an instance of charity," the minister said.

POLITICAL BRIBERY?

This is a clear instance of political bribery. Had this been done by a charitable organisation, it would not have raised any red flags, but the Peace Party is a political outfit, said a Union Minister.