'Hamare Khilaf Ladai Karo, Hara Sakte Ho...: Kolkata Mayor On His Open Call To Convert People To Islam

After stirring controversy over his “non-Muslim” remarks, the Mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim on Saturday clarified his statement and claimed that he is a “secular person who respects all religions”. He further challenged the BJP to fight against him in the areas belonging to Hindus and defeat him.

The row erupted after Hakim, who is also considered to be a close aide to Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, openly called people to convert to Islam and said non-Muslims are unfortunate and need to bring Iman in them to make Allah happy.

Responding to his “need to spread Islam among non-Muslims” statement, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said, “It was not a controversial statement…I am a secular person…I give respect to all religions…I am not concerned about what the BJP says. Hum unko (BJP) kehte hai aao hamare saath ladai karo, Hindu ilaake mei hamare khilaf ladai karo. Humko agar hara sakte ho, hum rajneeti chhod denge (I challenge them to fight with me in Hindu areas. If they will defeat me, I will leave politics).”

Kolkata Mayor’s Open Call To Convert People To Islam

TMC leader Firhad Hakim, while addressing the ‘All India Quran Competition’ on July 3,  stirred a massive controversy after he openly called people to convert to Islam. “Those who are not born in Islam are unfortunate! They are born with misfortune. We have to bring them under the fold of Islam,” the Kolkata Mayor said during the event.

“We need to spread Islam among non-Muslims. If we can bring someone on the path of Islam, then, we will prove to be true Muslims,” Hakim added.

BJP Hits Back

Lashing out at the Trinamool Congress, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took to X and attacked the ruling TMC for “extreme appeasement politics in West Bengal”.

“The TMC’s penchant for extreme appeasement politics in West Bengal is an open secret. The party’s relentless appeasement politics has paid off, as evident from the successive electoral victories and subsequent post-poll violence, which have emboldened the TMC, making it more audacious and haughty than ever,” Maviya wrote in a post on X.

Further referring to the recent video in which a TMC leader was seen assaulting a man and a woman openly, Malviya wrote, “The brazen act of publicly flogging a woman by TMC’s JCB in a manner akin to Sharia Court punishment and the reprehensible defense by TMC’s Chopra MLA, Hamidur Rahman, asserting such actions are typical in a ‘Muslim Rashtra,’ have already incited a political maelstrom and bears the testament to the TMC’s ‘underlying agenda’.”

“Now, TMC heavyweight and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim openly acknowledged this ‘underlying agenda’, by brazenly advocating the conversion of ‘ill-fated non-Muslims’ to Islam to ostensibly please ‘Allah’. These flagrant incidents portend an ominous future, where the TMC’s policy of appeasement will intensify, heralding a day not far off when West Bengal is wholly converted into a ‘Muslim Rashtra’ under ‘Didi’s Anuprerona (inspiration),” he added.