The two-day meeting of the organisation’s Governing Council presents several significant proposals.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, a premier Muslim organisation in the country, has called for a separate legislation to counter Islamophobia by punishing those who incite violence.
Addressing the organisation’s two-day governing council meeting here on Thursday, Jamiat chief Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani said “the country cannot thrive on hatred.” The meeting was attended by nearly 1,500 members and prominent Islamic clerics and scholars from across the country. The meeting also passed a resolution against the “growing hate campaign.”
In-depth discussions were held at the meeting on the escalating hate campaigns and Islamophobia in India, the ongoing genocide by the Israeli government in Palestine, and other pressing issues, followed by the approval of several resolutions. Forthcoming sessions will address various political and social issues, including negative propaganda against Islamic madrasas and the imposition of non-Islamic practices and Hindu culture on Muslim children in schools.
Maulana Madani condemned the rising incidents of mob lynching and the spread of propaganda against the Muslim community, terming it detrimental to the nation’s fabric and its global reputation. He highlighted the concerning rhetoric from responsible individuals targeting the Muslim community with statements like “ziyada bacchhay paida karte hain” (they produce more children) and “ghuspathiya” (infiltrators), calling it against the national interest to target such a significant part of the population.
Maulana Madani called upon the youth to remain vigilant against misleading forces, warning that vested interests might exploit their emotions to spread despair and hopelessness. He advised them to reject short-term temptations and focus on long-term goals, striving to make their presence felt in educational institutions, art spaces, and sports fields. He stressed the importance of participating in government recruitments and establishing training centres to facilitate this, highlighting that working within the system is more effective than seeking change from outside.
Maulana Madani also called for increased dialogue and mutual understanding with all communities to dispel misconceptions, asserting that hatred can only be countered with love. He reiterated the need for separate legislation against Islamophobia, urging the government to implement a concrete and effective plan to curb hate speech and hate crimes.
Maulana Mufti Abu Qasim Nomani, Rector of Darul Uloom Deoband, cautioned against systematic efforts to lead young Muslims away from faith and towards apostasy. “Some provincial and central governments are not only attempting to push Muslim children towards apostasy under the guise of education and culture but are also resorting to coercion, which is highly condemnable,” he said.
Maulana Muhammad Salman Bajnauri, Vice President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, highlighted the grave issue of Palestine, stating that the Israelis have committed atrocities against Palestinians, aligning themselves with inhuman acts. He expressed deep sympathy for the oppressed Palestinians, noting that the Jamiat has always focused on the Palestinian issue.
Other notable speakers included Mufti Syed Muhammad Salman Mansoorpuri, Maulana Sidiqallah Choudhury, President of Jamiat Ulama Bengal; Maulana Abdullah Maroofi, teacher at Darul Uloom Deoband; and Maulana Aqil Qasmi, President of Jamiat Ulama Western UP. The meeting was conducted by Jamiat’s General Secretary Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi and Mufti Muhammad Afan Mansoorpuri, who presented the secretary’s report detailing Jamiat’s significant services.