My Open Letter to Noted Journalist MJ Akbar

By: Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi

Dear Sir,

Your decision to join the BJP, an opportunist and undisciplined political outfit is extremely unthinkable. The BJP is a party where its prominent leaders like Mr. LK Advani and Jaswant Singh are being thrown just like a wastepaper. It's known to all that Mr. Advani, a veteran leader and ex-PM-in-waiting couldn't get a ticket for LS elections according to his own choice; while Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitly, Nrendara Modi got tickets to fight the LS elections from the safest constituencies according to their own choice. Further more, Mr. Jaswant Singh, founding member of the BJP and ex-Defense Minister in the BJP-led NDA government is crying for a ticket to fight LS elections, but yet couldn't manage the one and his efforts are in vain. Now he is likely to quit the party. Mr. MJ Akbar, you have joined such party. You can think about your future as a member of the said party.

Sir, you are a reputed and noted journalist and a known thinker, after knowing the history of the Babri Masjid and having the knowledge of its demolition in 1992, how can you think that the BJP, a political wing of RSS will bring the country out of the crisis. You are dreaming in the day-light, as I think.

You know the sufferings of the victims of 2002 Gujarat riot. Knowing the pains of those victims, you wrote your famous article "Why Modi Deserves Nishan-e-Pakistan?" published on 31st March, 2002, in Arab News (Why Modi deserves Nishan-e-Pakistan Arab News -- http://www.arabnews.com/node/219568#.Uy6Oupak-T6.twitter via @Arab_News) that is yet available at the website, then how could you dare to praise the Merchant of Death as you did at the time of joining the BJP in your statement!

Mr. Akbar, the BJP has used and threw many distinguished personalities of their times just like a wastepaper, as I mentioned few names in the above line. When such eminent people have such values in the BJP, then what about you. I have the same fear for you. But that worst time is unknown and most unknown to you. Maybe, that time is 16th May, 2014.

Mr. Akbar, you must remember that you had been the spokesperson of the Congress Party and you were elected as a LS MP from Kishanganj, a Muslim dominated constituency in Bihar, at the ticket of the Congress in 1989. At that time also you joined the politics just before the LS elections. In brief, actually you are cashing your reputation to get a Ministry or at least a Rajiya Sabha seat and you forgot your community, as I think. But in my humble opinion, your reputation is bigger than a ministry. Your prestige is more valued than a Rajiya Sabha seat. What you will gain is less important that what you lose. Anyway, this is your personal decision, we can't stop you.

(The author is an alumnus of Darul Uloom Deoband, India and presently teacher of Moon Rays Trust School, Zambia, Africa. He can be reached at qasmikhursheed@yahoo.co.in)