N-deal is not a religious issue: Muslim body

The Uttar Pradesh state unit of Jamait-e-Ulema Hind has passed a resolution disassociating the Muslim community from controversy over the Indo-US nuclear deal and condemned political parties for using the issue to garner Muslim vote bank.

In a meeting held in Lucknow on Sunday night, the organisation took strong exception to the manner in which the community is being dragged into a political controversy.

"The decision whether the deal is in national interest or not is for scientists and politicians to decide. It is wrong to link the community with the controversy," JeUH secretary Kalimullah Khan Quasmi told PTI.

"There is a concerted effort to link the deal with the Muslim vote bank, but this is not a religious issue," Quasmi said.

He said that the organisation is not in favour of giving the issue unnecessary importance and added that the political parties dragging the community into the controversy should also desist from the same.

Last week, a group of senior Muslim clerics and scholars had thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for her
stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal.