When the entire country is seething in anger as to how Vijay Mallya fled the country without paying off Rs 9,400 crore to banks he loaned and its further revelations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasn’t spoken a single word on it. Instead, he had a lot of praise for the Dawoodi Bohra Muslims for its contribution to the country. Modi said at a function organised by the community at the Saifee Mosque in presence of its religious head Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin in Gujarat.
Modi said that ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ concept which means the world is one family lends India a different identity among the other countries in the world. “The concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam gives a distinct identity to India from the rest of the world and the Bohra community is an example of it,” he was quoted as saying by the NDTV.
Being the first Prime Minister to attend and deliver lecture at the function, he said that the community has always worked for peace and also mentioned the fact that the community once worked with Mahatma Gandhi. “My relationship with the Bohra community goes way back. I always felt at home with them. Even today the doors are all open for them,” the Prime Minister was quoted by the same website.
“Due to your contribution, many villages in Gujarat received drinking water. The community contributed to development in Gujarat,” Modi said.
However, Dawoodi Bohras are a sect among the Shia Muslims and this was the day of their annual gathering called Ashara Mubaraka. This is the very day they honour Prophet Mohammad and remember martyrdom of his grandson Imam Husayn.
The Prime Minister also heaped praise on the community as a whole for its honesty in business and trade thereby setting examples for others to follow.
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