Mansooruddin Faridi/New Delhi

A day after RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat tried to assuage Indian Muslims, an intrusion at a madarsa in Karnataka has not gone down well among Muslim community.

Close on the heels of RSS Chief’s Muslim outreach a communal incident inside Bidar madarsa has strengthened an opinion among a section of Muslim community that some forces are out there trying to widen the gap between Hindus and Muslims.

Prominent Islamic scholar Professor Akhtar Al Wasey says that it seems that two parallel forces are active in the country. One is led by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who is trying to improve the situation, saying that Muslims are not in any danger from Hindus, there is no need to fear. While the other force is that which is active in some states and is spreading hatred and poison against Muslims. Such force is trying to terrorize Muslims. And incidents of this nature are condemnable. He said: “You cannot scare millions of Muslims.”

It may be recalled that tension erupted in Karnataka's Bidar district on Thursday night when a large group from the Dussehra procession entered the premises of Mahmood Gaon, a historic madrassa, and performed puja. After which the local Muslims complained to the police.The police have registered a case against nine people while taking action. It is worth noting that this seminary has been declared as a national heritage.

Wasey added said that in these circumstances, the government and the RSS should take cognizance of such activities because it will not be good for the country. It is a sad incident. If these people do not belong to BJP or RSS, then what is more alarming is how could such incidents be allowed to happen.

Maulana Mufti Muhammad Makram Ahmad, Imam of Delhi's Fateh Puri Mosque, said that it is a condemnable incident, they are creating sedition. Action should be taken against them under stringent provisions of law. Such people are not the enemies of the Muslims, but the enemies of the country.

Such incidents give negative publicity.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government are trying to raise the bar and have made India a powerful country but and these elements are bringing a bad name to the country.

Maulana Mufti Makaram said that the mischievous people need to be reined in because on the one hand, while the RSS is talking about improving the communal environment of the country, these forces are working against it. He said that we have to understand that this cannot be the way of development and prosperity of the country. This is the path to disgrace. He said the sad incident, tells us about the ground realities. But Muslims have to act with patience. The question is not just about arrests and filing of cases, but about the message that it conveys that there is a large section in the country that wants to collapse the bridge between Hindus and Muslims even before it is built. “I say that strict action should be taken against whoever is involved in anti-national activities whether he is a Muslim or a Hindu. The security of the country is paramount. Which will strengthen only by communal harmony.”

Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, a prominent scholar of Mumbai, said that what happened is condemnable, such actions are disappointing. Now we are waiting for RSS or government to give a clear message against it.

He said mischievous elements need to be identified and the government should take action against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act so that they learn a lesson. If they are arrested in a trivial case and then released, then this type of incidents will not stop. He said that it is the incompetence of the local government and the administration that such an incident took place.

Naveed Hamid, head of Muslim Majlis Mashawarat termed the incident as a political game and said that what is happening in Karnataka is a “political game of votes.”

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Muslim political leaders including Assaduddin Owaisi have also condemned the attack at the Muslim institution. Though the local police took prompt action against the mischievous persons.