Mumbai: The Memon community requested a riot-free Maharashtra in a courtesy meeting with chief minister Eknath Shinde. The All India Memon Jamat Federation also requested CM Shinde to avoid changing the name of Ahmednagar respecting the history of Ahmad Nizam Shah.
On Wednesday, the Memon community organised a courtesy meeting with the CM at his official residence where the community put forth a series of issues for the minister to look into. The Memons requested the CM to call for a danga-mukta Maharashtra citing that riots are damaging people’s wealth that they have gathered after working their entire lives.
“Memons are a community indulged in business. Our entire life we add up wealth and all of it is wiped out when we become victims of communal riots. We have requested the chief minister to take actions against those who instigate riots, irrespective of their religion and community. We should all live with peace and communal harmony to prosper as a society,” said Iqbal Memon Officer, president of AIMJF.
The community also requested CM Shinde to reconsider changing the name of Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar. “Ahmednagar was named after King Ahmad’s name who fought the Mughals and spread communal harmony in his time. He constructed temples for Hindu communities and facilitated business for all the communities. The Government should not change the name of such a history-rich city,” said Officer.
Hindu businessmen from Surat also joined the community’s meeting with the CM to display communal harmony. Around 109 people participated in the meeting to exchange Maharashtra Day wishes with the CM. The Memons invited Shinde to inaugurate the community’s newly-built hospital in Palghar and also attend the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession that is carried out from Khilafat House in Byculla to Mohammad Ali Road.
“This iconic procession has a history of eminent personalities, including Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi visiting it. We also award people from different communities for their work to ensure communal harmony and the chief minister’s visit will prove as a symbol for unity,” Officer added.
AIMJF also requested the CM to resume the works of Urdu Bhavan in Byculla which was halted due to political reasons, and also requested to liberalise the conditions for the Maulana Azad fund for the minorities.
