New Delhi: A delegation led by Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, chief of the All India Imam Organisation, a little known outfit, comprising some 30 unknown Muslim clerics, mostly Barelvis, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday and lauded his 'vision' for Muslim youths.
The delegation members appreciated Modi's leadership over the last one year, and said they wanted to forge a partnership for progress and development with the prime minister, according to an official release.
"They said that the Muslim community had rejected the divisive politics of vote-banks, and was interested in development," the release said, adding they lauded Modi "for his vision of Muslim youth with a Quran in one hand and a computer in the other".
They also congratulated him for the country's success in the adoption of the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations.
Modi on the other hand told the delegation that he does not believes in politics "which seeks to divide people on communal lines" and will never speak "communal language".
Modi said that the "politics of majority and minority had caused a lot of damage to the country", said a PMO release.
He said that employment and development were solution to all problems and he was focused on delivering them.
He cited initiatives in skill development taken by the union government and the work done by him as Gujarat chief minister in fields such as education of the girl child, and revival of the kite industry.
"The prime minister appreciated the gesture of the leaders, to take time out to meet him, even on the busy festive occasion of Shab-e-Barat," the release said.
Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were present on the occasion.
Modi had met a similar delgation of Barelvi Muslims in April this year.
No representative Muslim organisation of Indian Muslims have so far met Modi ever since he became prime minister a year ago.
Efforts by Zafar Sareshwal, considered close to Modi, to convince the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) president to meet Modi have not resulted in a positive response.
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