Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Syed Waseem Rizvi has been in the news for his inflammatory statements and staunch support to the construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Recently, he said that Muslims who are not in favour of the temple should go to Pakistan. In an exclusive interview to THE WEEK, Rizvi clarifies his statement that madrassas produce terrorists which had created a controversy and explains his reasons for supporting the construction of Ram temple.
The temple should be built there, and it will surely come up there, he says. About his comment that Muslims who are not in favour of building the temple at Ayodhya should go to Pakistan, Rizvi said that India is an apt place for secular Muslims and not for Muslims who are hardliners.
Rizvi claims that when he went to a madrassa in Shahjahanpur in western Uttar Pradesh a few years ago, he found that the students were being taught only "extreme religious things." He further said that when he asked a ten-year-old student to recite ‘ABCD’, the boy was unable to do so.
Threats have now become a part of my life, he says, adding he is no longer scared of it. He also explains his reasons for favouring the construction of the temple and claims that like-minded secular people from his community do support his views.
Rizvi also reveals his future strategy as far as the temple issue is concerned.
(Grab a copy of February 18 issue of The Week for the full interview)