New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is keen on registering its presence at the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), an institution established to promote Islamic culture. Dr Majid Ahmed Talikoti, the national convenor of the RSS-backed Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), contested for the presidential post in the IICC’s governing body elections held on Sunday, August 11.
His candidature has led to discomfiture amongst several members who argue that the Sangh’s entry into the IICC is a threat to the centre’s idea and purpose and bodes ill for its future.
Located at the prime location of Lodhi Road in Delhi, the IICC conducts elections for its governing body every five years. Besides the president and the vice president, seven members for the Board of Trustees and four members for the Executive Committee are also contesting. The results are expected to be announced on August 14.
Notably, businessman Sirajuddin Qureshi, who has won the presidency for the last four terms, has come out in support of Talikoti. Qureshi is now contesting for the position of the Board of Trustees in Talikoti’s panel. In the 2019 elections, Qureshi had defeated Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to get the job. Talikoti’s candidature has gained strength with Qureshi’s support.
The elections
Seven candidates are in the fray for the position of president.
The main contest is between Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, MRM’s national convenor and renowned cancer surgeon Talikoti, retired IRS officer Abrar Ahmed and entrepreneur Asif Habib.
According to the IICC’s Memorandum of Articles (MOA), no one can hold a position after the age of 75. This has cast a shadow on Salman Khurshid’s chances, as he will turn 75 in three years, which may necessitate a midterm election, say some members, which most members wish to avoid.
As many as 2,054 members, including former Union Minister Mohsina Kidwai, Congress leader Karan Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad, MP Tariq Anwar, columnist Shahid Siddiqui, various national and international personalities, bureaucrats, intellectuals, and entrepreneurs, are among those who will choose. The IICC has over 4,000 members, many, including several life members, have been disqualified from voting due to non-payment of annual membership fees.
Muslim Rashtriya Manch and Talikoti
The Muslim Rashtriya Manch was established in 2002 with the support of then RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan. RSS members are actively involved in MRM’s activities, with the senior RSS pracharak Indresh Kumar being its official mentor and guide.
MRM represents the RSS’s worldview, as its actions are in furtherance and consonance with the Sangh Parivar’s activities. When the UP government recently asked shopkeepers to display nameplates during the Kanwar Yatra, MRM supported the move.
Dr Majid Ahmed Talikoti. Photo: Ankit Raj/The Wire
Professor Shamsul Islam, who has taught political science at Delhi University, told The Wire, “The RSS has officially created 43 organisations, as mentioned in their 1999 book ‘Param Vaibhav Ke Path Par,’ though they later retracted the book. Their list included organisations like Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Hindu Jagran Manch, which advocate for the exclusion of Muslims and the creation of a Hindu nation. The Muslim Rashtriya Manch was also part of the list.”
Professor Islam added, “Indresh Kumar brought in some 10-12 Muslim intellectuals into the Manch, many of whom later became professors, vice-chancellors, chancellors, and governors. The organisation targets a small group of Muslims.”
Regarding Talikoti’s candidacy in the IICC elections, Professor Islam said, “These individuals align with the RSS because they seek to benefit from it. Many of them are businessmen. The IICC is already under the RSS control; they frequently invite Ajit Doval and Indresh Kumar to their events.”
He added that since the Centre is located on Lodhi Road area, one can only operate under the RSS’s influence. Else, it would face the same fate as the Waqf Board.
In a conversation with The Wire Hindi, Talikoti, a resident of Karnataka, was critical of Congress leader Salman Khurshid, mindful of him being his chief rival in the contest.
On July 25, 2022, a video of an event titled “Aao Jadon Se Jude, Bharat Ko Karein Tirangamayi” was posted on the Facebook page of “Muslim Rashtriya Manch Telangana.” In the video, Talikoti is seen sitting next to Indresh Kumar on the stage. The caption describes him as MRM’s national convenor .
Photo: Facebook/Muslim Rashtriya Manch Telangana
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch assigned Talikoti the task of mobilising votes for the BJP. An ANI report dated April 22, 2024 detailed the Manch’s plans about the campaigning and his role in it.
Commenting on his candidacy, Dr Gulrez Sheikh, formerly associated with MRM, told The Wire, “The Muslim Rashtriya Manch represents Muslims. It is only fitting that he is contesting the election… It is true that MRM is linked with the RSS’s ideology. The RSS has always advocated for bringing Muslims into the mainstream. If MRM is doing it (connecting Muslims to the mainstream), they should be congratulated.”
Currently, a spokesperson for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh , Sheikh added, “MRM is a social organisation, but many of its cadre are also politically active. This is good for both the country and the Muslim community.”
Member’s Concerns
Regarding the potential entry of the RSS into the IICC, Asif Habib says, “There are some people who believe that Muslims are not good for India. This is their misconception. This is where the centre’s role becomes crucial—if someone from another religion has incorrect information about Islam, it should be addressed through dialogue and discussion.”
Asif Habib’s panel includes engineers, former bureaucrats, doctors, academics, chartered accountants, lawyers, senior journalists, and social workers. Asif’s team emphasises that the IICC should not become a hub of politics.
Asif Habib. Photo: Ankit Raj/ The Wire
Former bureaucrat Khwaja M. Shahid, who is running for the Board of Trustees from Asif’s panel, sees the RSS’s entry into the IICC as a threat. “The very existence of the IICC is at risk. Certain political groups and ideologies are attempting to take control of the institution.”
History of the India Islamic Cultural Centre
The India Islamic Cultural Centre has been involved in promoting Islamic education and culture while strengthening mutual understanding among various religious groups. It was established with the help of prominent figures such as Justice Hidayatullah Ansari and Badruddin Tyabji.
Indira Gandhi laid the foundation stone of the India Islamic Cultural Centre on August 24, 1984. But it was operationalise donly decades later. It was after twenty-four years, on June 12, 2006, that the Centre, built at a cost of Rs 16 crores, was inaugurated by the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
