Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has strongly denounced the arrest of Maulana Umar Gautam and Mufti Qazi Jahangir Alam Qasmi.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad recently arrested them on several charges. Now they are being investigated under police custody.
In a statement issued to the press on June 23, JIH Vice President Prof. Mohammad Salim Engineer has strongly condemned their arrest and called it completely against justice. He said, “The manner in which they were arrested and are being implicated in serious charges and the way a section of the media is overreacting, it clearly shows that attempts are being made to exploit public sentiments by creating a charged atmosphere of fear, intimidation and hatred for political mileage.
“Such attempts to divert attention from the real public issues to create a sentimental atmosphere in view of the UP Assembly elections to be held eight months later, are very regrettable.”
The JIH Vice President further said, “In a democratic country, who can force someone to change his religion? Islam does not allow it at all. Our Constitution gives every citizen the right to choose, practise and propagate the religion of his choice. No one can deprive him of this right. Making unfounded allegation of terrorism and threaten to invoke stringent laws like NSA and seizure of property are tantamount to challenge the democracy and the Indian Constitution.”
Urging justice loving people, organisations and the political parties to raise their voices against such injustices, Prof. Salim Engineer said they should take steps to protect the rights of citizens. We hope that the UP government will rectify its mistake by immediately issuing an order to release the two scholars and we also expect that the court will soon give justice in this case.
Reacting on the issue, Maulana Kalbe Jawad, a renowned Shia scholar, said to News18, “The arrest by UP ATS is not correct many times and there should be a fair investigation of this whole matter. Also, it should be kept in mind that no innocent person is punished.”
Maulana Jawad further said, “The statements of those who have been converted should be recorded. Were they really forced to convert to Islam or did they convert their religion voluntarily? If a person voluntarily converts his religion, then he cannot be made guilty in the Indian Constitution, because every religion has the right to promote its religion as per the Indian Constitution. Whether it is Hinduism, Muslim religion or Christianity, there is complete freedom in any religion to propagate its religion.”
These arrests have earned wide condemnation. Those who have condemned the arrests of Maulana Umar Gautam and Mufti Qazi Jahangir Alam Qasmi include Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, former Chairman Delhi Minorities Commission; and Students Islamic Organisation of India, etc.