Jamaat officials flag priorities in the Union Budget and rising communal and caste-based violence
NEW DELHI – One of the country’s premier Muslim organisations, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), has expressed deep concern over the reported tariff arrangement between India and the United States and the manner in which information related to this deal has been emerging.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, JIH chief Syed Sadatullah Husaini said, it was weird that when Parliament was in session, neither it nor the people of India were taken into confidence regarding the finer details of this agreement. “Alarmingly, information about the deal is coming primarily through social media reports and statements issued by American officials, rather than through transparent disclosures by the Government of India. Public statements from the United States suggest that India may reduce tariffs on American goods to zero, while the United States would impose tariffs of around 18 per cent on Indian exports,” he said.
Husaini said if these claims are accurate, they raise serious questions about the balance and fairness of the agreement. “It is particularly concerning that the tariff levels now being projected as a success are, in fact, higher than the tariff rates that existed earlier,” he said.
The Jamaat, he said, is also worried about indications that India may open up its agriculture sector, which has so far enjoyed tariff protection, potentially impacting farmers’ livelihoods and food security. The lack of clarity regarding claims about India’s oil purchases from Russia has further added to confusion, as there has been neither official confirmation nor denial from the Indian government, raising concerns about sovereignty and independent decision-making, he said.
Referring to the Union Budget 2026–27, Husaini said, “While the government has emphasised macroeconomic stability, capital expenditure and fiscal discipline, the budget falls short in addressing employment generation, social sector needs, widening inequality and the growing burden of public debt.”
The record capital expenditure of over ₹12.2 lakh crore, he said, may support long-term infrastructure creation, but “it has limited immediate impact on employment and household incomes, particularly for informal workers, rural households, women and youth.”
He further noted that social sector spending remains subdued, with Union government expenditure on health and education remaining far below stated national policy goals. Persistent under-utilisation of funds in welfare schemes and rising dependence on borrowing, with interest payments accounting for a significant share of total expenditure, constrain fiscal space and crowd out essential social spending. JIH reiterated that economic growth without adequate investment in human development and social justice cannot lead to inclusive and sustainable progress.
On the issue of communal and caste-based violence, Malik Moatasim Khan, Vice-President, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, strongly condemned the growing incidence of violence and discrimination against religious minorities, Dalit communities and other socially marginalised groups. Citing reports that documented 1,318 hate speech events in 2025, of which 98 per cent targeted Muslims, along with numerous caste-based atrocities across the country, he said that such incidents reflect a disturbing erosion of constitutional values and social harmony.
Referring to the incident in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, the JIH Vice President said, “Some courageous youth attempted to protect a Muslim trader from a communal attack. However, instead of arresting the perpetrators of communal unrest, the police filed an FIR against these youth, making a mockery of law and order.”
Malik Moatasim Khan reiterated that unchecked communalism and caste hatred endanger the nation’s democratic fabric and social cohesion. He called for swift investigation and accountability in all cases of communal and caste-based violence, stronger legal protections, robust enforcement of existing laws, and sustained educational and civic initiatives to promote pluralism, mutual respect and justice.
