Delhi Minority Commission chief Zafarul-Islam Khan's Facebook post creates controversy; BJP seeks action against him

The Chairman of Delhi Minority Commission, Zafarul-Islam Khan, has raked up a big controversy with his Facebook post, where he threatened "Hindutva bigots" of complaining to "Arab countries and the Muslim world" about the "hate campaigns and lynchings and riots in India".

New Delhi: The Chairman of Delhi Minority Commission, Zafarul-Islam Khan, has raked up a big controversy with his latest Facebook post, where he threatened "Hindutva bigots" of complaining to "Arab countries and the Muslim world" about the "hate campaigns and lynchings and riots in India". The DMC Chairman also said that "bigots will face an avalanche".

In one of his social media posts on Monday, Zafarul-Islam Khan wrote, "Tablighi inmates and many others have completed 28 days in corona isolation, rather detention centre, which is twice the mandatory 14 days quarantine period for corona suspects as per US and WHO guidelines. Keeping people in isolation, who tested negative and spent twice the mandatory period in corona isolation centres, is tantamount to illegal detention."

In another post, he wrote, "Govt happy to take plasma of Tablighis but lock them inside flats like hardcore criminals." He also termed quarantining Tablighi Jamaat workers as "illegal detention". 

Tablighi Jamaat members have drawn flak for the alleged spread of coronavirus to different parts of the country after the religious sect organised a congregation in Delhi`s Nizamuddin area last month.

On Tuesday, Khan wrote in his recent social media post, "Thank you Kuwait for standing with the Indian Muslims! The Hindutva bigots calculated that given the huge economic stakes involved, the Muslim and Arab world will not care about the persecution of Muslims in India."

"Bigots forgot that Indian Muslims enjoy huge goodwill in the eyes of the Arab and Muslim world for their services over centuries to Islamic causes, excellence in Islamic and Arabic scholarship, cultural and civilisational gifts to world heritage," Khan added.

Mentioning names like "Shah Waliullah Dehlavi, Iqbal, Abul Hasan Nadwi, Wahiduddin Khan, Zakir Naik", Khan said they are "respected household names in the Arab and Muslim world."

Warning "Hindutva bigots" in his post, the DMC Chairman said, "Mind you, bigots, Indian Muslims have opted until now not to complain to the Arab and Muslim world about your hate campaigns and lynchings and riots. The day they are pushed to do that, bigots will face an avalanche."

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at Zafarul Islam for his controversial post on social media.

BJP spokesperson Sonkar Shastri said that Zafrul Islam is trying to tarnish India`s image in the Arab world. He demanded from Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal removal of Islam from the post of chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Pravin Shankar Kapoor today wrote a letter to Commissioner of Delhi Police SKN Srivastava, drawing his attention to a Facebook post written by DMC Chairman Dr Zafurul Islam Khan, demanding legal action against Khan. 

In the complaint sent by e-mail, Kapoor has been said that Khan in his Facebook post has called all Hindus fundamentalists and haters as well as murderers.

Kapoor stated that such social media posts of a person holding a constitutional post like the chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission can provoke people from both Hindu and Muslim communities, which can affect the law and order situation of Delhi.

BJP MLA Vijendra Gupta has written to LG demanding immediate expulsion of Zafarul-Islam Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission for spreading hate and bigotry and misusing his constitutional office for anti-India activities.

In a statement issued today, the DMC chief, however, said that he has not complained against his country to any foreign government or organisation, nor does he intend to do so in the future. 

"This tweet is in the background of how the issues of Muslims have been dealt with in our country, be it lynching, riots, media-bashing or redressal of their problems in political and administrative processes," Khan said, adding that while he never complained about India to any other country, he was vocal about the problems in the country.

Notably, Khan had earlier written to the Delhi chief minister about the discrimination being meted out to the Tablighi Jamaat members at quarantine centres.

In the past, the DMC Chairman had termed the Triple Talaq Bill as "wrong" and a "great injustice" to the Muslim community in India, especially on the Muslim male population.