Sacked Barkati gets attacked in mosque, claims ‘RSS hand’

A day after his official termination from the post of imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid on Esplanade in central Kolkata, Syed Md Nurur Rahman Barkati was injured after he was allegedly attacked by one of the protestors who demanded that Barkati vacate the masjid premises.

“I was leading the namaz of ‘asar’ (the prayer said at around 4.30 pm), and after the namaz someone hit me from behind, on my head. I suspect it is the handiwork of RSS who is taking the advantage of the situation created by the masjid committee,” claimed Barkati

Adding pressure to Barkati, members of Tahaffuz- E- Masjid Committee conducted a press conference on Thursday saying that the committee which had removed Barkati had rightly done so and Barkati should accept the decision.

“If he doesn’t budge, then legal action would be taken against the renegade imam. He had faltered in his duties as a religious leader and had been more inclined towards politics. If he accepts his mistake and mends his ways he might be appointed as the imam of one of the 494 masjids under our association,” said Maulana Sharafat Abrar, convenor of the committee.

He added that Barkati had brought a bad name to the …read more