After converting to Hinduism recently, Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board’s former chairman Waseem Rizvi is now Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi. In an exclusive interview with DH’s Mohammed Safi Shamsi, Rizvi puts his claim forward on fighting what he considers ‘orthodoxy’ in his erstwhile community and counters his ‘pro-BJP’ image as largely perceived by the Muslims. Edited excerpts.
You converted to Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism). What’s your next course of action?
You are familiar with what conditions it happened, and how it happened. I have been talking to them (the Muslim community) about reforming Islam. Whenever I talked of reforms, of humanity, and asked them not to fight over Ram Janmabhoomi and return without a court case, I was expelled (from my faith, Islam) with an excuse that I was supporting Hindus. They expelled me at least 20 times in the past four and a half years. There were threats to kill me.
When you say ‘they’, are you referring to Shias, specific organisations or groups?
I was talking to the Muslim community. When I talked about Quran, I wrote to 57 Muslim organisations. On the Ram Janmabhoomi issues as well, I contacted everyone but received no response from anyone.
Do you support any political party? Have you joined any, or are joining any party?
I was in the Samajwadi Party. I was expelled 10 years ago. I have had confrontations with maulvis. They got me expelled from the party as the Akhilesh government came into power. I ceased my political career. But as of today, my political thought is clear - I oppose all those regional or national parties that indulge in politics through Muslims’ votes.
Do you support BJP?
Yeh to baad ki baat hai… (This discussion is for the future). My statement is only this that I am opposing them (the parties in politics based on Muslim votes). And I am trying to reinvigorate Hindutva… wake up politically, socially, commercially.
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