A Leeds imam dismissed as a government adviser after joining the fight to ban a film about the Prophet Mohammed's daughter has claimed his sacking was a "red herring" to disguise the failure to tackle Islamophobia.
Qari Asim, who was made an MBE in 2012 for building community harmony in the city, said he had been subjected to 'anti-Muslim hatred' since the Government announced it was removing from his role as an Islamophobia consultant.
Michael Gove's Levelling Up Department said that after protests against the film The Lady of Heaven, supporting the campaign "to limit free expression" precluded him from continuing.
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But speaking to The Northern Agenda politics newsletter, the 44-year-old said the decision was a "convenient excuse used by the government to potentially cover up their failure in the last three years" to come up with a definition for Islamophobia.
This was the task he was appointed to help the Government achieve on July 23, 2019, the day before Boris Johnson became Prime Minister.
As Deputy Chair of the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group he was set to lead the process for establishing a definition of Islamophobia, something that in recent years has been hotly contested.
In 2019 the Government rejected the definition put forward by a cross-party group of MPs that "Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness."
James Brokenshire, who at the time was Communities Secretary, said in 2019 the Government was "wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that Muslims are not targeted for hatred, persecution or discrimination". And he said: "Qari Asim's appointment ensures that we develop an effective definition of Islamophobia which commands widespread support."
But the Leeds community leader's removal from the role, and the working group, means the Government "have potentially closed the door on having a definition which captures anti-Muslim prejudice".
He said: "From my perspective, my involvement in the Lady of Heaven film is a red herring. It's a convenient excuse used by the government to potentially cover up their failure in the last three years."
He told how despite writing a number of letters to Mr Brokenshire's successors, Robert Jenrick and Michael Gove, as well as lobbying the Prime Minister in person "the Government hasn't engaged with me at all in respect of this role".
Although the Government promised a second adviser to join him in his work this never happened, and terms of reference for his role were never drawn up.
No meetings ever took place with government officials to discuss the definition though he raised the issue when meeting Ministers on other subjects.
Qari Asim wrote to Mr Gove on November 4 but didn't get a response. In the letter he said "the delay in providing me with terms of reference to start the work to define 'Islamophobia' is causing deep concern at grassroots levels and even amongst some senior faith and civic leaders".
And he added: "As you are aware, many Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum have expressed disappointment at the lack of progress made in the last couple of years, but at the same time deep confidence in my skill-set and experience of working with a broad range of communities to tackle hatred."
Qari Asim, imam of the Makkah Masjid mosque in Leeds, was told his appointment as deputy chair of the government's Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group had to end in a letter from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.
It said: "Your recent support for a campaign to limit free expression - a campaign which has itself encouraged communal tensions - means it is no longer appropriate for you to continue your work with government in roles designed to promote community harmony."
The solicitor was told his actions were "a clear effort to restrict artistic expression" and that the campaign had "led to street protests which have fomented religious hatred".
The first the imam heard about the decision was through the media and he said had the department contacted him first he would have explained his actions.
And he said: "They subjected me to anti-Muslim hatred and trolling online, receiving comments such as 'you should be on the first plane to Rwanda'. 'This is not Iraq, Iran, Syria. What are you doing in this country?' Those kinds of very derogatory remarks."
The Conservative Party has been accused of failing to tackle Islamophobia within its ranks for a number of years.
The Conservatives' first female Muslim cabinet minister, Dewsbury-born Baroness Warsi, has also long decried her party's response to the issue, accusing it of "turning a blind eye" and becoming "institutionally Islamophobic".
And last year an independent review said Boris Johnson's comments about women wearing the burka have given an impression that the Tories are "insensitive to Muslim communities"
The lack of progress on defining Islamophobia was raised in Parliament last year by Lord Mann, who was appointed the Government's anti-Semitism adviser on the same day as Qari Asim.
He asked in the Lords: "Imam Qari Asim, whom the Government appointed to assist with this in 2019, has been a magnificent ally in the fight against anti-Semitism and had a huge impact in West Yorkshire on Covid vaccinations in the Muslim community. Would it not be in the Government’s interests to find more work for Qari Asim to do?"
Tory Minister Lord Greenhalgh responded: "As someone who has spent time with and engaged with Qari Asim—I met him in my previous role as Faith Minister—I recognise that he has much to contribute and I am sure we will continue to make best use of his undoubted reputation and track record."
Responding to Qari Asim's criticism, a government spokesperson said: “Mr Asim’s Government roles, including as an Independent Adviser, have been withdrawn with immediate effect.
“This Government is firmly committed to tackling the unacceptable scourge of anti-Muslim hatred and promoting community cohesion, while standing up for the values that define our country - including freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship and belief, democracy, the rule of law, and equal rights.”
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