Nagpur: In a significant move aimed at bolstering its minority outreach ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Syed Talef Taji, the ‘sajjada nashin’ (custodian) of Tajbagh Dargah in Nagpur, a revered Sufi shrine in central India, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This development was reported in a local English daily on Monday.
Taji, who hails from a lineage spanning four generations descended from the Sufi mystic Tajuddin Baba, revered by both Hindus and Muslims, cited a message from Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the impetus behind his decision to join the saffron party.
The timing of Taji’s association with the BJP coincides closely with the recent unveiling of the proposed Sufi Corridor blueprint at Tajbagh. During this event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare initiatives for minorities took centre stage, with Modi himself being projected as “Rehnuma-e-Azeem” (a great leader). The Sufi Corridor initiative aims to develop shrines like Tajbagh and Ajmer Sharif to attract pilgrims from across India and abroad, emphasizing the promotion of communal harmony. Tajuddin Baba, a saint from the 19th century, is particularly revered for his role in fostering interfaith understanding.
Taji clarified that his decision to join the BJP stemmed from a desire to serve the people, emphasizing that he was previously unaffiliated with any political party. This move follows a similar engagement with the BJP by Pyare Khan, President of the Tajbagh Trust, who was invited to Delhi by Prime Minister Modi for discussions on the Sufi Corridor.
The inclusion of Taji, a custodian of a prominent Sufi shrine, into the BJP fold underscores the party’s efforts to expand its appeal among minority communities, leveraging initiatives such as the Sufi Corridor to demonstrate its commitment to inclusive governance and development.
Before joining BJP, Taji was appointed chief of Sufi Samvad, a group of religious leaders in Maharashtra. He said, “My ancestor, Tajuddin Baba, was revered by all communities. People living in the vicinity of Tajbagh are extremely poor and there’s a need to provide education and healthcare facilities. The Tajbagh shrine is spread over an area of 84 acres and extensive development work has been planned in the area.”
Along with Taji, custodians of other Dargahs (Sufi shrines) in Nagpur also joined BJP, which has reached out to Muslims through Sufi leaders even during past elections. The state has sanctioned over Rs 300 crore for developmental work in Tajbagh in recent years.
During the event, a meeting of Muslim Booth Level Officers (BLOs) of BJP was also held. BLOs have been asked to begin a door-to-door campaign in predominantly Muslim areas and educate people on Modi’s welfare schemes, said Mohsin Zafar Khan, chief of the party’s minority cell.
