Members of Ahlus Sunnath Wal Jama'ath met actor turned politician Rajinikanth on Sunday at his residence, to discuss his stand and statements made regarding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The meeting was set up by the actor himself, after the Jama'ath demanded an explanation for his statement against those 'instigating' protests.
On February, even as protests were underway in full swing across the state against CAA, Rajinikanth had cautioned students who were taking part in agitations. He claimed that the CAA will not affect Indian Muslims in any manner and advised students to not fall prey to political parties which were attempting to promote their own agenda.
The actor had further said a few political parties with vested interests were making this an issue and that some religious leaders have joined them in this (misguided) effort.
"We immediately wrote to him regarding this statement of his blaming religious leaders," says Khaja Mohinudeen Baqavi, the President of the Ahlus Sunnath Wal Jama'ath. "We asked how he could make a generalised statement like this and speak against protests when he didn't take into account the arguments we had against the Act. It was not right to make such statements without listening to our side of the story," he adds.
Two weeks after the letter was sent, the Jama'ath, which has atleast 10,000 members received an acknowledgement regarding the letter.
"Rajinikanth called us and appreciated us for the letter we sent and said he wanted to meet us in person and discuss the issue," says the President. "We went to his residence at 11am and spoke till 12.15 pm," he adds.
In the course of discussion, Khaja says that the members pointed out that any law made on the basis of religion should not be allowed in the country. They further showed the actor articles written by legal experts and journalists regarding the religious discrimination in CAA. When Rajinikanth asked them what they had against the 'Census', they elaborated on the issues.
"We told him we have no problem with the regular Census which is done every ten years. However the National Population Register (NPR) has questions that are unnecessary. Where do we go get birth details of our parents?" he asks.
Rajinikanth, according to Khaja, was receptive to the issues raised and preached peace.
"He said that he wanted all religions to live together happily and said he would do anything to ensure this," says the Jama'ath leader. "His words were comforting and he seems to have seen the issue form our prospective too."