The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Minority Morcha meeting in Lucknow was marred by protests when party MLC Bukkal Nawab courted controversy with his remark that ‘no one will read namaz at the disputed site if a masjid is constructed’. According to a report in The Indian Express, the attendees took strong exception and started hooting Bukkal, forcing him to issue a clarification.

“Kaha ja raha hai ki waha Ram mandir nahi, masjid bana di jaye. Chaliye hum bhi keh rahe hai ki masjid bana di jaye. Chhodiya Mandir ki baat nahi karte hai bhajpa ke hai kehte hai masjid bana di jaye. Jab ye masjid taiyaar ho jayegi to usmein namaaz padhne jayega kaun? Vivadit jagah ke upar namaz padhna haram hai. Islam ke andar saaf-saaf likha hai agar koi vivadit jagah hai, agar koi namaz padhta hai to wo janna nahi jahandum mein jayega wo,” he said in Hindi.

(It is being said that instead of Ram Mandir, a mosque should be constructed. Okay, I am also saying construct a masjid. Even if a mosque is built on the disputed site, who will go there to offer namaz? In Islam, it is clearly written that offering namaz at a disputed site is forbidden… he will go to hell.)

When his remark triggered hooting and protests from the attendees, he said: “Hum masjid banwane ki baat kar rahe the…mandir banwane ki baat kar hi nahi rahe.” (I am speaking about the construction of a mosque, not temple).

“I was trying to explain issues on which we are constantly targeted. I was trying to explain in other words that even if the demand for a mosque is fulfilled, any prayers offered at the disputed site would not serve any purpose. Anyone who does so will go to hell,” he said later.

Speaking to ANI outside the event venue, Bukkal reiterated that reading namaz at the disputed place is against the Islamic principles. He said that there was no major protest.

“I was trying to explain something and was asked to speak about the organisation, so I continued with other topics…A temple will be built in Ayodhya or in Pakistan or Afghanistan? I am in favour of Ram temple in Ayodhya, not 100 per cent, but 1000 per cent,” he said.

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The MLA added that he will donate Rs 10 lakh when a temple is constructed in Ayodhya. The meeting was attended by senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma.

Bukkal was earlier with the Samajwadi Party but he joined the BJP after 2017 Assembly polls that saw firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath becoming the Chief Minister of the most populous state. Bukkal was sent to Legislative Council from the BJP’s quota soon after.