NEW DELHI – Top Indian Muslim historian Irfan Habib in trouble forcriticising PM Modi.
Indian historian Irfan Habib has been criticising Prime Minister NarendraModi ever since parliament passed the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) last month. Time and again Habib has said the legislation isdiscriminatory and has instilled fear and humiliation in the minds ofMuslims.
A lawyer in Aligarh, India on Tuesday delivered a notice to eminenthistorian Irfan Habiblinkforcriticising both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shahduring a recent speech at the Aligarh Muslim University.
Aligarh Civil Court advocate Sandeep Kumar Gupta said he felt Habib’sspeech was “against the unity and diversity of India, and challenges itssovereignty”.
Gupta pointed out he had taken note of Habib’s “poisonous statements”linkonPrime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah, early 20th century nationalistHindu leader Veer Savarkar and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS (anational volunteer organisation widely regarded as the ideological parentalbody of the ruling BJP). The lawyer has sought a reply from Habib and apublic apology.
The notice came a day after Professor Habib used the platform of theAligarh Muslim University (AMU) to accuse Prime Minister Modi and HomeMinister Shahlinkofattempting to divide the nation along communal lines – Hindus and Muslims –through the implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) which has led to nation-wide protests for more than a month.
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“Whenever you listen to Modi or Amit Shah, they are criticising orattacking the Muslim community. Shah should change his name as the wordShah is Pharsi (Persian). They describe Muslims as insects. Who are they todo so? I even have a doubt about Modi’s understanding of history. He has noknowledge of history. He thinks Indian historians are fools and that theyonly talk about kings and dynasties,” Professor Habib said in his address.
The historian further went on to say that both Modi and Shah were aiming totake Sarvarkar’s two-nation theory to its logical conclusion in spite ofthe fact that it had been legally acknowledged that the latter had had analleged role to play in the 1948 assassination of Father of the NationMahatma Gandhi.
A section of netizens welcomed the notice sent to Professor Habib, sayinglegal action should be takenlinkagainstpeople such as him. Some said he should be physically assaulted for hislatest comments, Sputnik has reported.
