Kolkata, July 8: Firhad Hakim, the Mayor of Kolkata, has ignited a political firestorm following his recent comments during a Quran memorisation event. Hakim, who also serves as the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister, suggested that those not born into Islam were born with misfortune and advocated for inviting non-Muslims to embrace Islam.
During the inauguration of the All India Quran Competition on July 5, Hakim stated, “Those who were not born with Islam were born with misfortune. It will please Allah if they believe in Islam… by inviting them, Islam should spread among them.” He further emphasized the perceived blessings of being born into Islam and the path to paradise it promises.
Hakim’s remarks have been met with sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. They accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of engaging in extreme appeasement politics. BJP MP Dr. Sukanta Majumdar condemned Hakim’s comments as highly inappropriate, while Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP’s IT cell, warned that the TMC’s hidden agenda aims to convert West Bengal into a “Muslim Rashtra” under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.
The controversy has added fuel to the already heated political climate in West Bengal, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the state’s ruling party and the opposition.
