Meerut: In Kotla, a Muslim majority locality in Meerut, the twin Khan sisters are a bit of an odd pair. They love singing verses from the Gita. In fact, one of them, Alia, 15, even came second during a competition in Lucknow last week, winning a cash prize of Rs 25,000 from chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Some Deoband ulemas here expressed unhappiness and said what the girls were doing is un-Islamic. Alia, however, remained unfazed. “Why does everything boil down to a Hindu-Muslim divide? There is no harm in following good examples from scriptures of other religions. I will continue doing what I love. How can reciting verses make me a lesser Muslim anyway?” the minor shot back.
In a Gita recitation contest that was organized last Saturday, Alia had emerged as the second best in the state. She was even dressed as Krishna at the event that took place on Lucknow.
Speaking to TOI, Deoband ulema Maulana Arshad Farooqui, however, said, “Reciting slokas is not allowed in Islam.”
Principal Durgesh Maheshwari of the Seth B K Maheshwari Girls’ Inter College, where the sisters study, said, “We have 1,823 students in our college, of which 960 are Muslims. Alia have always shown immense promise and dedication. We trained and encouraged her to participate in the contest. It is disheartening that in the name of religion this matter has been politicised. Should we now have separate classes for Hindu and Muslim students?”
Though facing bricks and bouquets, the girls’ parents have been their strongest supporters. “We have taught our daughters to respect all religions. I do not see any harm in their reciting slokas from the Gita. What is so wrong in that? My husband also wanted to be a classical singer but could not become one. Now he wants his daughters to train as classical singers. I do not want my daughters to become the target of politics. They are preparing for their Board exams. I want them to concentrate,” said Afroz Khan, the girls’ mother.
Their father, Shahid Anwar Khan, is a khadi clothes merchant and keeps travelling for exhibitions.
Delhi Gate police station in-charge, Vijay Gupta, said, “We are keeping an eye on Alia for her safety.”
Sandeep Rai is a veteran journalist with two decades of experienc...
Read MoreSandeep Rai is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in the reporting field. He heads the Western Uttar Pradesh bureau, managing Meerut, Bareilly & Agra circles. His areas of interest are wildlife, politics and special reportage.
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