Well the nutters on both sides came out for this one all very divisive not least because of the way the council communicates certain events. The problem with this religious post on social media from Oldham Council isn’t the acknowledgment of the celebration it’s the elaboration on those celebrations that makes a statement as if this is accepted fact and Arooj Shah’s misuse of a public building for her friends and allies. As I have pointed out before the council communication team only ever elaborate on the details of religious celebrations for events in the Islamic calendar. The post should have read “Tonight the Civic Centre tower is lit in green to mark the Muslim celebration of Mawlid un-Nabi, we send our best wishes to all those celebrating” The councils job is to acknowledge the celebration not to then promote the unsubstantiated ideas and claims about prophetism that underpin it. It has emerged that it was at the direct request of Oldham Council leader Arooj Shah that the tower was illuminated at a cost of £1,169. Four days earlier was Yom Kippur the most important event in the Jewish calendar for that religious celebration Arooj Shah made no request to illuminate the civic centre and the council did not acknowledged the event on social media. Shah clearly thinks she is entitled to create a monotheistic communication policy at the council can you imagine how ridiculous it would seem if when the council acknowledge Christmas celebrations they elaborate with nonsense about it being Jesus the son of gods birthday who is also his own father or if during Hindu festivities they elaborated how Ganesh was given an elephants head after Shiva chopped his real head off. Arooj needs to keep this thinly veiled religious based canvassing out of Oldham politics. Arooj Shah’s dubious and purposeful reinstatement into Oldham politics is already questionable what isn’t up for debate is that her invisible friend was not voted into office and it is a violation of public sector rules to promote your chosen religion using public resources. It’s also now emerged that Arooj Shah arranged for her personal allies to attend the switching on of the lights but left out Muslims from opposition parties and members of the public and the question needs asking once again where are the women?
