Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), a prominent religio-cultural organisation of Indian Muslims, has expressed grave concern over the disturbing rise in communal violence, lynching incidents, and demolitions across various regions of the country after the Lok Sabha elections.
At the monthly press conference here on Saturday, the JIH demanded an immediate end to the communal targeting of Muslims. It said the government must take a firm stand against the heinous acts of violence and ensure the safety and security of all citizens.
“We demand strict implementation of the clause within the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023 that prescribes severe punishment for mob lynching, extending from life imprisonment to death. We demand its stringent and unbiased implementation to serve as a deterrent against such barbaric acts. We demand a comprehensive statement by the Home Minister of India on the above issue with a comprehensive commitment by the Government of India to ensure that the targeted mob lynching incidents, illegal demolitions, and hate crimes against the Muslim community are immediately brought to an end,” JIH Vice President Prof Salim Engineer said.
He also hoped that with substantial numbers in the Lok Sabha, the INDIA alliance MPs and those in the Opposition will strongly address the above concerns in Parliament.
On the new criminal laws which came into effect on July 1, the JIH official said simple amendments to the IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act would have been more appropriate than rewriting the entire laws.
Nadeem Khan, Secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), said: “Under the new laws, it is discretionary for the police to register FIRs for crimes punishable by 3 to 7 years of imprisonment, potentially leading to corruption and making it difficult for marginalised sections to file FIRs. Furthermore, the new laws allow police to request custody for up to 15 days anytime during a 60 to 90-day period. This could result in longer detentions and misuse of power, undermining civil liberties.”
The APCR official further said it appears that the new laws may lead to a “police state” where “jail will become the rule” and “bail the exception”. Khan said the APCR would be approaching the Supreme Court against the various draconian portions in the new laws.
JIH National Secretary Maulana Shafi Madani, expressed grave concern over the sudden decline in public safety in the country. Talking about the Kanchanjunga Express train accident on June 19, 2024; he said that the accident resulted in the death of 15 passengers and injuries to more than 60. “This tragic event underscored that no lessons had been learned from past mistakes, nor had any corrective measures been taken,” he said.
Similarly, the fire in a Gaming Zone in Rajkot Gujarat led to scores of young men losing their lives. Another tragic incident was the Delhi Airport accident on June 28, where a canopy collapsed, and killed a taxi driver. The tragic stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, claimed the lives of over 120 individuals, the majority of whom were women.
Maulana Shafi Madani called on the government to implement stringent measures to avert similar accidents in the future. He asserted that public safety should always be the topmost priority of the government.
