West Bengal: Furfura Sharif Peerzada Threatens To Bring Kolkata To Standstill If ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui Is Not Released From Jail

Islamic outfit Indian Secular Front (ISF) has warned of choking Kolkata if jailed party legislator Naushad Siddiqui is not immediately set free by Kolkata Police.

Naushad Siddiqui was arrested following the violence that erupted in parts of South 24 Parganas district and Esplanade area of central Kolkata on Saturday (Jan 21) after activists and supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) fought a pitched battle with the workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress and police. The ISF has launched a protest in the city alleging an attack on its workers allegedly by TMC men led by local strongman and former MLA Arabul Islam in Hatishala.

Peerzada Abbas Siddiqui Furfura, an influential Muslim cleric from Furfura Sharif in Hooghly district, floated ISF in the run-up to the state assembly polls 2020. A supporter of Trinamool earlier, the fiery cleric is now trenchant of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, holding her responsible for "corruption and underdevelopment of Muslims".

The Peerzaadas of Furfura marched to the police headquarters in Lalbazar in Kolkata on Tuesday (Jan 24) morning demanding the release of their party legislator. They were initially denied permission to meet the jailed legislator, but later, police allowed three Peerzaadas to meet their brother Naushad.

Addressing the media, Peerzada Qasim Siddiqui said they were not permitted to talk to Naushad separately and had to speak in front of the police.

On Monday (Jan 23), Peerzada Qasim Siddiqui threatened to bring Kolkata to a standstill if Naushad was not released from police custody.

"All our devotees, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Christians, Dalits, Adivasis, prepare to come to Calcutta in the coming days. The next day, we will come to Kolkata. Show how many policemen you have and how many sticks." Peerzada Qasim Siddiqui issued an open threat to the police.

ISF An Emerging Political Force In Bengal

West Bengal has been recently witnessing the rise of aggressive Islamist politics. One influential player is the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, headed by Siddiqullah Chowdhury, who is currently a powerful minister in Mamata Banerjee's cabinet. Tablighi Jamaat has also managed to build a significant following.

As a key Islamic seminary, Furfura Sharif holds sway over the Muslim community in parts of the state.

After repeatedly hinting that it will tie-up with Assasudin Owiasi-led MIM, ISF formed an alliance with Congress and CPM-led Left Front to fight the 2021 state election. While Left Parties contested in 165 seats, Congress fielded candidates in 92 constituencies, ISF entered the fray in 37 seats.

Though Peerzada Abbas Siddiqui Furfura, who maintains a prominent presence on social media, drew huge crowds at meetings, his party won only one seat. His younger brother Naushad Siddiqui was fielded from the Bhangar constituency in South 24 Parganas district. emerged victorious. He was the only winning candidate of the Left-Congress-ISF alliance.

A video of Abbas Siddiqui Furfura, wherein he was heard appealing to the crowd to pray to Allah so that he could send a deadly virus to India that kills 50 crore people, went viral on social media.