Lucknow, Oct 13 (IANS): Continuing in its attempt to connect with the minorities, the BJP in Uttar Pradesh has started the ‘Sufi Samvad Maha Abhiyaan’ under which its leaders interact with clerics and caretakers of mosques and mausoleums.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, who attended the ‘Sufi Samvad’ initiative at the party office on Thursday, said that the party has been connecting with all, unmindful of caste or community and ensuring that the poorest of the poor are benefitted.

“The idea is to ensure that government programmes and policies reach all and thus we have now started this initiative through which we would also connect with clerics and others, as under the BJP’s rule, policies are tailored to cater to each section of society,” he said.

The BJP’s minority wing chief Jamal Siddiqui said there were about 10,000 small and big mausoleums in the state. To connect with the decision-makers of these places, the party had appointed an incharge and five co-incharges for the Sufi campaign in all districts.

“All these places have caretakers. No government in the past ever approached them to learn about their issues or ever created awareness about government policies among them. We have decided to do that. Since these people or the clerics, whom also we would approach, are among the community’s faith keepers, we do not intend to get them enlisted with the party. That is because such people are beyond parties and politics. Rather, we aim to explain to them how BJP governments have undertaken a series of measures for all sections of society,” Siddiqui said.

He added that many mausoleums are visited by people of all religions and walks of life and thus awareness among the caretakers of these places would help create wider outreach.

Sufism implies introspection and those considered ‘Sufis’ experience spiritual proximity or oneness with God through this.