JAKARTA — Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board, Nasyirul Falah Amru (Gus Falah) emphasized that Ganjar Pranowo’s broadcast of the call to prayer on television is not a practice of identity politics.
Furthermore, he explained that the definition of identity politics is when there is an ‘attack’ on figures, candidates or groups with certain ethnic, racial, gender or religious identities.
“Identity politics that must be rejected is capitalizing on racial, ethnic, gender and religious differences for certain political purposes,” said Gus Falah.
Regarding the appearance of Ganjar Pranowo in the call to prayer broadcast on the television station, according to the Chairman of PBNU, in fact there was absolutely no attack whatsoever on the identity of other figures or groups.
Likewise, the Deputy Minister of Religion (Wamenag) of the Republic of Indonesia, Saiful Rahmat Dasuki, also considered that the broadcast showing the white-haired man in the call to prayer did not fall into the category of identity politics at all.
In fact, for him, the call to prayer is part of religious communication.
“In my opinion, it doesn’t (enter identity politics),” said Saiful.
Moreover, the call to prayer itself is part of a normal ritual, namely to commemorate daily prayer times.
Because according to the Deputy Minister of Religion, identity politics only occurs if, for example, it is clearly stated that there is a certain identity.
“What is the call to prayer, it’s just part of the syiar, except if the identity is I ‘A’ you ‘B’, an attribute, it (the call to prayer) is just part of a normal ritual to commemorate the days,” said Saiful.
Meanwhile, the General Chairperson (Ketum) of Sahabat Ganjar (Saga), Gus Nahib Shodiq, assessed that the appearance of the man born in Karanganyar Regency in the call to prayer on television was simply an invitation to worship and contained preaching.
The reason is, he considers that the true personality of Ganjar Pranowo himself is indeed a religious person and adheres to religious practices.
“Mr Ganjar is a religious figure and is devout in carrying out his worship as he does in his daily life. Nothing is wrong. “This is da’wah in visual form, this is an invitation to worship, and this is not identity politics,” said Gus Nahib.
Not only religious, but the 54 year old man is considered to be a figure with a polite, populist personality and is also very close to the ulama and Islamic boarding school students.
“Mr Ganjar Pranowo and his wife Mrs Siti Atiqah are religious figures. “Mrs. Siti Atiqah is the granddaughter of an important Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figure, KH Hisyam A. Karim, who is the founder of the PP Riyadus Sholikhin Kalijaran Islamic Boarding School, Karanganyar, Purbalingga,” he said.
