On Friday (June 24), it was reported that an Islamic organisation named ‘Association of Muslim Professionals’ (AMP) has reportedly appealed to the Muslim youth to join the armed forces under the newly launched ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
“We support the Central government’s Agnipath scheme also like other ones. Our message will be passed on to eligible Muslim youths by noted clerics and Imams of the mosques in various cities. A special appeal will be made for this by them in the Friday prayers,” it was quoted as saying.
Columnist and lawyer, Divya Kumar Soti, was the first to point out the divisive and radical mindset harboured by the President of the organisation, Aamir Edresy.
A Muslim organisation, the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) is in news for running a campaign through mosques asking Muslim youth to join Army through Agnipath. Meet its President and know what kind of indoctrinated Muslim youth are going to become Agniveers. pic.twitter.com/43LmYcGXhs
— Divya Kumar Soti (@DivyaSoti) June 24, 2022
Besides Edresy, other members of the Association of Muslim Professionals are also seen casting aspersions on the integrity of security forces.
Divya Kumar Soti tweeted, “Here, the General Administrative Head of Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) is insinuating Government hand in Pulwama terrorist attack and is accusing our security forces of habitually killing Muslims during any communal violence. Imagine people with this mindset in Army.”
The columnist also pointed out how over 300 mosques in Kanpur, where Islamists unleashed mayhem under the pretext of blasphemy, had appealed to the Muslim youth to become Agniveers.
300 mosques in Kanpur ask Muslim youth to join Indian Army in large numbers through Agnipath. Dr. Ambedkar, wherever he is, must be extremely worried. pic.twitter.com/vhPgVIdSIX
— Divya Kumar Soti (@DivyaSoti) June 25, 2022
Peddling radical Islamist ideas
The Director of the Association of Muslim Professionals, Aamir Edresy had been a vocal proponent of Islamist ideas. In 2015, he was seen endorsing an article by leftist propaganda new outlet, The Hindu, which termed the hanging of terrorist Yakum Memon as ‘inhuman’ and ‘unconscionable.’
It is a well-known strategy of Islamists to downplay the atrocities and heinous crimes committed by their co-religionists and stir public sympathy for them at the same time.
A year prior, he was seen batting for a religion-based reservation in India. Aamir Edresy had dubbed those opposed to such divisive ideas as ‘BJP and Shiv Sena agents.’
While appealing for reservation for Muslims, he sought the opinion of his co-religionists who voted for the BJP during elections.
Following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August 2015, the Gulf nation allotted land for the construction of the first Hindu temple. Dismayed by the development, Aamir Edresy had raked up the dispute surrounding the Babri Masjid.
“There are a lack of Masjids in India too and one of them is Babri Masjid,” he had tweeted. As per estimates, India is home to about 3 lakh mosques. Instead of questioning the lack of temples in the UAE, Edresy raked up the issue of the demolished Babri Masjid to draw false equivalences.
Following the controversy over the wearing of ‘Hijab in classrooms‘ in Karnataka, the director of the Association of Muslim Professionals cast aspersions about the existence of a larger conspiracy behind it.
“All of us know that in last many years, the Girls Education graph has increased significantly in the Muslim Community & that is creating an issue in the minds of few. Last 30 Years overall Educationally the Muslim Community has progressed a lot and that is also an issue for them,” he wrote.
He subtly accused the Hindus of depriving Muslim children of education. “They don’t want us to get educated, they don’t want us to progress…Let us not keep this issue limited to #Hijab. Let us create an Educational Revolution. Let us create Educational Institutions all across India. In all Cities, all Districts, all Villages & in all Mohallas,” he insinuated.
They don’t want us to get educated, they don’t want us to progress…
— Aamir Edresy (@aamiredresy) March 2, 2022
Let us not keep this issue limited to #Hijab.
Let us create an Educational Revolution.
Let us create Educational Institutions all across India. In all Cities, all Districts, all Villages & in all Mohallas.
Mobilising protestors during CAA and holding the State to ransom
After the Indian government passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (Act) to fast-track the citizenship of religious minorities illegally staying in India, Islamists from across the country took to the streets to hold the State to ransom.
The likes of Shaheen Bagh ‘sheroes’ set up road blockades and brought life to a standstill. With complete disregard for the inconvenience caused to local residents and daily commuters, they held the State hostage under the pretext of saving the Constitution of India.
Aamir Edresy was among the Muslim ‘intellectuals’ who glamorised the idea of mobs taking to the streets. He claimed that history would be a testimony to the struggle that they exhibited by squatting in the middle of the road.
#CAA व #NRC के विरुद्ध 20वी सदी के भारतीय इतिहास का ये सबसे अज़ीम आंदोलन है जो समानता, सहिष्णुता और सौहार्द की सलामती के लिए संघर्षरत है।
— Aamir Edresy (@aamiredresy) December 31, 2019
काश कि इस इतिहासिक क्षण का गवाह बन पाता।
Such glamourisation of unruly behaviour meant that more Islamists were prodded and encouraged to be a part of the historic movement at Shaheen Bagh. Aamir Edresy was also at the forefront of mobilising protestors by sharing information about protest venues and timings through his Twitter account.
Massive Women’s Protest
— Aamir Edresy (@aamiredresy) January 15, 2020
Against #CAA #NRC & #NPR
At YMCA Ground, Agripada, Mumbai
At 6PM On Friday, 17th January
Let’s join in Large numbers!!!
Organized By:
Mumbai Citizens Forum pic.twitter.com/4wqxF6XxOu
After the so-called ‘peaceful protests’ culminated in the deadly anti-Hindu riots of Delhi, the likes of Aamir Edresy watched in silence. Coinciding with the visit of Donald Trump to India, Islamists rampaged through the National Capital in February 2020.
There were no words of condemnation from his ilk. Instead, the narrative was spun overnight to suggest a Muslim pogrom.
Nevertheless, Aamir Edresy was active again at the time of anti-farm law protests. He suggested that the farmer protestors must seek inspiration from the Muslims of Shaheen Bagh. “CAA protests were a big success, let’s not undermine it,” he gloated in a tweet on November 2021.
On the same day, the President of the Association of Muslim Professionals pointed out how mass mobilisation coupled with street power can make the Centre bend to your demands.
“Government officially didn’t take any decision on National NRC and NPR so far and repeatedly told that they will not implement NRC. This was only because of nationwide protests and mainly the ‘Shaheen Baghs” across India. This was a big success. Alhumdulillah,” he said.
Despite being well aware as to how the Shaheen Bagh protests turned out, Aamir Edresy had no qualms about the violence, vandalism and the loss of lives. Instead for him, it was a successful experiment that forced the government to crawl.
Fan of the Congress party
Aamir Edresy was seen endorsing the Congress party on social media. In December 2014, he was spotted alongside Congress leader Digvijay Singh, infamously known for launching a book that blamed RSS for orchestrating the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
“With Senior Congress Leader and AICC General Secretary Mr Digvijay Singh in Delhi after a good meeting,” he wrote on Facebook
In November 2015, Edresy was seen cheering the victory of Mahagatbandhan, comprising of JDU, RJD and Congress, in the Bihar elections.
“It is the victory of democracy and the people of Bihar. This is the victory of tolerance over intolerance. The victory in Bihar is not merely an election win, this is the victory over the hate and fascist ideology of the RSS and the BJP,” he had posted on Facebook.
In a tweet in 2018, he revealed about his meeting with Congress scion Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and his discussions concerning the nation. “It is always (a) pleasure to meet him and discuss the issues concerning our nation. Will share the pics soon,” his tweet read.
“Hate can never win over love…Long live Rahul Gandhi”, Aamir Edresy was seen batting for the Congress leader.
After the news that the Association of Indian Muslim Professionals has extended support to the Agnipath scheme spread like wildfire, the organisation distanced itself from the government initiative.
In a Facebook post, it wrote, “There are some news reports doing the rounds in the Media that Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) is in favour of the AGNIVEER scheme and one of our Chapter Member has been quoted for the same.”
“Kindly note that the statements doing rounds in the media is in the personal capacity of our member and not the official version of the organization,” it added.
The Facebook post concluded, “AMP is still studying the scheme & its feasibility and will come out with a statement once we have a suitable viewpoint or when it is necessary. Until then we request AMP Members & Volunteers to refrain from making any undue statements and cause any confusion.”
Despite the clarification, concerned citizens are worried about the future of the Indian armed forces if Islamists, supported by the likes of the Association of Professional Muslims, make it to the esteemed institution.
Given that the Director of the organisation espouses Islamist ideas, and mobilises large-scale street protests that later culminate into violence, the induction of youth supported by this outfit can thus be detrimental to the internal security of the country.
