Jaipur : The decision of a senior IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre to embrace Islam after he was denied promotion as Chief Secretary of the state has invited criticism from various quarters in the Pink City.
Umrao Salodia, a Dalit officer sent an application for voluntary retirement after the state government denied him a promotion and extended the term of the present Chief Secretary C S Rajan by three months.
“The decision of Salodia to renounce his religion and embrace Islam has no relevance. He belongs to the Scheduled Caste and I wish he had continued to remain a Dalit and serve the SC and ST even after retirement. He has unnecessarily linked religion with his official job and accepting Islam is an unacceptable mix. Salodia was selected in the IAS as he belonged to the SC category and now, he has renounced it.
Now, after having cashed in on the privilege of being a Scheduled Caste by getting into the IAS, he has chosen to renounce his religion only smells of opportunism” said former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. State Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria also criticised the decision of Salodia to renounce his religion on flimsy grounds and said that it was an unwise decision taken by a senior bureaucrat.
The Chief Kaji of Jaipur Khalid Usmani said Salodia has announced that he has embraced Islam, but who is going to confirm it.
“Those who embrace Islam have to prove it by their deeds and there are rituals to be followed and then one should stick to the principles and tenets of Islam. Salodia will have to prove that he has turned Muslim. Even if he has turned Muslim he will have to follow the religion like a true Muslim. But the big question remains whether he has really become a Muslim,” said Kaji Khalid Usmani.
Mufti Akhlaq-Ur-Rahman of Jamaitul Alia reacting to Salodia’s step said that If a person embraces Islam only to achieve a limited aim of getting promotion will not be acceptable.
He said only those who truly follow the preaching of Prophet Mohammed and follow the principles of Islam in true letter and spirit are allowed to embrace Islam. Salodia has claimed that he has embraced Islam, but his actions do not support his claims.
Father V P Singh, a Reverend, said Salodia decided to change his religion after he felt hurt that he was denied the promotion,but such a person will not be allowed to accept Islam religion if he failed to follows the tenets of Islam.Salodia’s mother however supported her son’s decision and said he tried to press his point for promotion, but the Chief Minister did not give him audience and he was forced to go for VRS and embrace islam. She praised the decision of her son.
