Salaam Mumbai

I am glad that a fatwa from a cleric in Bareily against Salman Khan for attending a Ganesh Puja festival found absolutely no takers among the Muslims. Their complete indifference towards this fatwa marks a resounding dismissal of the fundamentalist clerics forever anxious to wield undue power in the name of their religion. The cleric was obviously clueless that a festival like Ganesh Puja has risen well above religion in Mumbai and is celebrated with equal joy by Hindus, Muslims and people of other religions.

The Lalbagh Ganesh idol is a perfect example, since it takes 24 hours to cover the distance of 10 km before immersion. The idol passes through many Muslim neighbourhoods, and to observe thousands of Muslims pouring out on the streets to celebrate and beseech the Lord for the fulfillment of their desires while offering sorbet to other people is a sight to behold. A large number of Muslims in the city perform Ganesh Puja in their homes. Film star Shah Rukh Khan does Ganesh Puja for seven days. That is the social fabric that Mumbai has, and no fatwa can dare to destroy it.

The writer is a Congress MP in Rajya Sabha