An old video of Union Minister Piyush Goyal reciting the Islamic kalma (La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah) at an event in Mumbai has caused a social media storm. The video is from an event organised by businessman and educationist Zafar Sareshwala in 2016.
File Photo: PTIIn the viral video, Goyal is heard saying, “I have just remembered and I’ve taken permission from Zafar Bhai if I could start from that small sentence that I had learned long ago. This was ingrained in my system so deeply that every morning when I perform puja, I recite that sentence too. La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah.
His confession resulted in a loud cheer from the audience. Goyal went on to add, “In reality, the power of every religion is that they teach us to coexist with everyone around us. Only then a country progresses and only then such a beautiful atmosphere is created.”
No sooner did the video from 2016 surface on social media, it caused a Twitter frenzy with users hailing the union minister for his religious tolerance.
BJP’s Piyush Goyal: “Every morning during puja I recite [the Shahada]: La ilaha illallah Muhammadur rasulullah.
[“There is NO god but the Allah, and Muhammed is His messenger”. Also translated as, “NO one has the right to be worshipped but Allah”; 37:35] (h/t @manakgupta) pic.twitter.com/r4CvvNgHy2
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) July 22, 2019
ये कब हुआ..!!! ? रोज़ सुबह पूजा करते हुए कलमा पढ़ते हैं पीयूष गोयल – “ला इलाहा इल्लल्लाह मुहम्मदुन रसूलुल्लाह” pic.twitter.com/fxDOS2BaB3
— Manak Gupta (@manakgupta) July 22, 2019
अरे तो इसमें चौंकने वाली क्या बात है। यही तो हिंदुस्तान है। https://t.co/2KiSyHluQW
— Rubika Liyaquat (@RubikaLiyaquat) July 22, 2019
This is the reality of this great country #India ! We are the true image of Unity in Diversity https://t.co/Zh9Dp5eCFh
— zafar sareshwala (@zafarsareshwala) July 22, 2019
This is for the hate mongers who day in and day out heap abuse on the holy #Quran and anything #Islamic! Listen in to the words of honourable @PiyushGoyal ji one of the most important ministers of the @PMOIndia @narendramodi ji https://t.co/dodohmOvHe
— zafar sareshwala (@zafarsareshwala) July 22, 2019
Has anyone told him that this is all you need to say to become a Muslim? https://t.co/EfLGVt1Yso
— Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) July 22, 2019
The kalma that Goyal claimed he recited every morning during puja is part of the five tenets of Islam. One cannot be considered a Muslim without reciting and believing in the message of this kalma.
Goyal isn’t the only BJP minister to have attended Sareshwala’s programme. In 2016, the then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley too had attended the programme, held in Mumbai.