Patch-up bid: Ibrahim comes to city today

IN A last-ditch effort for patch up between the People?s Democratic Front (PDF) led by Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad and the UP United Democratic Front (UPUDF) floated by Delhi Jama Masjid Imam Ahmad Bukhari, former Karnataka minister CM Ibrahim and Rahat Mahmood Chaudhury will be arriving here on Saturday to hold talks with Jawad.

IN A last-ditch effort for patch up between the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) led by Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad and the UP United Democratic Front (UPUDF) floated by Delhi Jama Masjid Imam Ahmad Bukhari, former Karnataka minister CM Ibrahim and Rahat Mahmood Chaudhury will be arriving here on Saturday to hold talks with Jawad.

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While Kalbe Jawad told the Hindustan Times that he was open to talks, Bukhari said that CM Ibrahim had some proposals to break the deadlock. Chaudhury said that he would meet other Muslim leaders to chalk out a further action plan.
However, the major concentration would be on rapprochement with Jawad. But Bukhari group is hostile to two constituents — the National Muslim League of Mohd Suleman and the All-India Muslim Forum of Nihaluddin Ahmad- of the PDF, but there seems to be no possibility of any talks with them. The Bukhari group holds the Muslim Forum and the NLP responsible for lack of unity.

While the Bukhari group said that the two were blocking the way to unity, Nihaluddin and Suleman dubbed him (Bukhari) as of no consequence in UP.

It is learnt that Jawad could be offered either deputy chairmanship of the supreme council of Ulema, which would control UPUDF or presidentship of the UP unit. Jawad said that he had already received a call from Ibrahim for a meeting and would welcome any initiative for unity in the community. Chaudhury said that there would also be a discussion about the setting up of office in Lucknow.

Bukhari had invited Jawad to Delhi meeting on June 10 but he refused to attend it because it was with a rider. Bukhari had asked Jawad to disband the PDF and disassociate himself with the Muslim Forum and the NLP. Jawad did not accept the conditions. However still there appears to be no change in the situation, as Bukhari’s antipathy towards these organisations is well-known.

But Bukhari said that Ibrahim, who is chairman of supreme council, wanted to take up the issue with Jawad.