Jamaat-e-Islami Hind held a session of its Central Council of Representatives (Markazi Majlis-e-Numaindagan) at its headquarters in New Delhi from 4 to 7 April 2013. One hundred forty-eight representatives, including 19 ladies, from all over the country participated in the session. On the concluding day the Council adopted the following resolutions:
- 1. Arrests of Innocent Muslims under the pretext of counter terrorism:
This session of the Central Council of Representatives (CCR) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expressed its grave concern and distress that in spite of the Government functionaries promising to Muslim leaders and JIH leaders, during the latter’s representations to the Government, that the arrests of innocent Muslims under the pretext of countering terrorism will be put to an end and the police and secret agencies will be restrained, this process is still continuing while in several cases the courts of law have acquitted Muslim youth.
The CCR welcomes the statement of Union Home Minister that fast track courts will be set up to dispose of cases related to terrorism. Also, the CCR intends to warn the Government against this promise eventually remaining a mere poll gimmick of UPA dispensation.
The CCR seriously feels that the Governments at the Centre and in States have adopted soft attitude towards the cases of Hindutva terrorism so much so that no action has been taken so far against the RSS leaders named in the charge-sheet of Swami Aseemanand. Likewise, no action has been taken so far against Abhinav Bharat, Bhonsala Military Training Institute and Ram Sene even after their terrorist activities having come to light. This is also a matter of grave concern that Col. Purohit is still drawing his salary from the army. On the other hand, an organisation of Muslim youth has been a victim of renewed bans and swords of a fake organisation named Indian Mujahideen and anti-terrorism Act, UAPA are hanging over the heads of Muslims and Adivasis. The CCR severely condemns the move the Government, having created the havoc of terrorism, once again wants to establish National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which had been strongly opposed by human rights organisations and certain state governments. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind strongly opposes any move of this kind.
The CCR also expresses deep anguish over the disquieting fact that our national media publishes the concocted stories dished out by the police and secret agencies, without any investigation and added bites. On the contrary, when Muslim youth are acquitted by courts of law, the media keeps mum on their innocence and the police excesses.
This session of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s CCR demands from the Governments at the Centre and in States:
i) To stop forthwith the practice of arresting Muslim youth under the pretext of countering terrorism;
ii) To establish fast track courts as soon as possible and all the cases of terrorism be handed over to them;
iii) To club all the cases filed against one person in different States and all these cases be heard at one single place;
iv) To annul Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) forthwith as it has been a source of violation of fundamental human rights instead of prevention of terrorism;
v) To compensate duly the persons who have been acquitted by courts of law and take solid measures to rehabilitate them;
vi) To book with similar charges the police personnel found guilty of implicating innocent persons in cases of terrorism and arrest them;
vii) To take action on Nimesh Commission Report, withdraw false cases levelled against Khalid Mujahid and Tariq Qasmi and release them forthwith; and
viii) To establish a Judicial Commission for high level enquiry into all big cases of terrorism and issue White Paper on all cases of terrorism.
2. Prevention of Communal Violence Bill (PCVB):
This session of CCR expresses its grave concern over the fact that the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill (PCVB), which was given final shape by the Select Committee of Parliament and the Central Advisory Committee of UPA, could not be tabled in the Parliament for debate and discussion so far.
The CCR feels that now when the ogre of communal riots has come once again to light with all its devastations and a chain of riots, big or small, has started in different parts of the country, the significance and need of this law has come to the fore with all its seriousness. The need is that while on the one hand the rioters should be dealt with an iron hand and the rehabilitation of victims be ensured, on the other hand the police and administration should be subjected to due punishment for their indifferent and biased attitude.
Likewise, it is also needed that the Government keeps its long overdue promise of launching Anti-Riot Force with full representation of minorities and weaker and oppressed sections so that biased attitude of the police and secret agencies could be contained.
This session of CCR demands from the Union Government to get the Bill adopted in the current Budget Session of Parliament after correcting the objectionable portions of it in accordance with the amendments suggested by Muslim and human rights organisations.
3. National Food Security Bill 2013:
This session of CCR of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind takes the approval of National Food Security Bill by the central cabinet as a pleasant move and expects that the Government would ensure the adoption of this Bill in the current Budget Session. In a country where on the one hand there is a considerable increase in production of food grains and go-downs prove insufficient while on the other hand a big chunk of population in the country is victim of starvation, such a law is an inevitable need. This session is pleased that many discrepancies in the 2011 document were removed and even the controversial proposal limiting the facilities to be given to breastfeeding mothers to their first two kids only was withdrawn.
But, to this session,the present draft of the Bill, despite these modifications,is still below the expectations of the people. The Government has not accepted all citizens’ right to food as yet and even after the enactment of this law a big chunk of the population in the country would remain deprived of the fundamental right to food. Thus the Government is practising evasion in determining the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and its proper standards. Even in the latest draft the citizens of the country have been divided into privileged and general categories. According to it, a total 35 kilograms of food grains will be given to only 2.5 crore (25 million) viz. 10% families. This is a very small part of the poor population of the country. Besides, 57% population has been ensured 5 kgs food grains each – which is not sufficient from any angle. According to acknowledged standards, an adult requires 14 kgs of food grains and a child 7 kgs every month. The present offer of 5 kgs food grains each is not enough to meet the need even of a child. While 33% population of the country has been kept out of the purview of this law. Itis feared that a large number of poor population will remain deprived of the benefits of this law as long as all the citizens are not ensured 35 kgs of food grains every month.
This session wonders that despite repeated demands basic food ingredients like pulses and oil have been kept out of this provision. By any standard only cereals do not fulfil the requirements of complete healthy food. The Government is presenting excuse of lack of resources while there is no difficulty in the availability of resources if preferences are set right.
The Bill has no provision for the fulfilment of food requirements of the deprived, homeless, mentally and physically handicapped and waifs. For such persons the availability of food grains on the basis of ration card or Aadhar card is not possible nor can they benefit from these grains. The Government did not accept the proposal of providing such persons with ready food prepared in community kitchens. It shows that the Government is not considering the fulfilment of basic food requirements for such a deprived and hapless section of society to be its responsibility.
The way States have been granted freedom of phased implementation and the way a deadline for total implementation of right to food has been evaded show that this law will be put beneath the carpet of bureaucracy in many States. The need is that all the provisions of the proposed law are implemented with a clear deadline and fixed plan in all States.
This session of CCR demands from the Government to bring in the said improvements in the Bill before tabling it in the LokSabha and to ensure all citizens total healthy food and clean food grains, etc. on the principle of Universal Public Distribution System.
This session of CCR of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also thinks that the time has come for the Government to accept Right to Livelihood as a Constitutional Right on the bases of right to total food, clothes, house, medical facility and education.
4. The Scenario in Bangladesh
This session of CCR of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expresses its concern over and severely condemns the way the public awakening in the neighbouring country Bangladesh – which was basically a movement to demand better employment opportunities and reform in the standard of living – has been given anti-Jamaat-e-Islami colour and the way the cases of war crimes of 1971 have been revived after establishing war crimes tribunals and the way efforts were made to create an air against Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) on the basis of one-sided, baseless so-called verdicts.
The CCR also deems it necessary to make it clear here that Sheikh MujiburRahman, during his regime, had withdrawn all the cases by declaring general amnesty in all the matters related to 1971. Similarly, it should also be clear that the present functionaries of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami were not held guilty even at that time. This session feels that this movement of Awami League dispensation and anti-Islam circles in Bangladesh is in fact a movement against Islamic system of life itself, not against any particular organisation; and Islamic values are being targeted under the pretext of opposing BJI. This session appeals to Sheikh HasinaWajid and her government not to become instruments of anti-Islam forces, to withdraw forthwith the cases filed against the BJI functionaries and other innocent persons, and to release all those arrested by dissolving war crimes tribunals. This session also appeals to international organisations, the movement of Non-Aligned countries, SAARC and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to make efforts to keep the Bangladesh government from this oppression and excesses.
This session also appeals to the Government of India to maintain its relations not only with the ruling party but to establish cordial and friendly relations with the opposition parties Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) as well. This is the need as well as tradition of foreign policy of countries that every government maintains cordial relations with both the governments (ruling political parties) and opposition parties of other countries.
This session of CCR of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns in severe terms the attacks on the Hindu minority of Bangladesh and on temples. However it wonders that these attacks are being attributed to an Islamic religious movement, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami while it has also severely condemned these attacks. The CCR thinks that the Government of Bangladesh should subject the guilty to due punishment only after unprejudiced investigation into these attacks.
The CCR is also astonished at the attitude of the national media that it is not only not presenting a true portrayal of the situation prevailing in the neighbouring country but also did not present before the citizens of the country the concern and feelings of the international human rights and justice organisations over the war crimes tribunals; and that it has adopted the way of advocating the stand of Government of Bangladesh one-sidedly.
5. The Oppressed Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar
The process of violence and subjugation against the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar is going on. Disquieting information tells us that the government over there is looking at this situation as the silent spectator. The news also has it that the police are helping Buddhist rioters in middle Burma and western state of Rakhine. The United Nations Council for Human Rights has held the government of Myanmar responsible for the prevailing situation. Despite its appeal to bring the situation under control, the government is not taking any action. It is unfortunate that the international forces that always stand concerned about the religious minorities living in Muslim countries and take proper action whenever they want, are totally silent over the violence and oppression committed against the Muslim minority in Myanmar.
This session of CCR of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind looks at this entire scenario with grave concern and appeals to all justice-loving countries, international peace organisations as well as the Government of India to make use of their diplomatic relations with the Government of Myanmar to impress upon them to stop the killings so that the situation over there might be brought to normal and the refugee Burmese Muslims taking shelter in many countries including India might return to their houses.
This session also appeals to the Government of India to provide every possible facility and basic needs for the Rohingya families taking shelter here.
This session appeals to the UN High Commission for Refugees to India to provide full refugee status for the Rohingya refugees staying in India so that they might get the basic needs of life easily.
This session of CCR expects of the Ministerial level session of OIC slated to be held in Jeddah on 14 April 2013 that they would take important and practical decisions on the Muslims of Myanmar; and the Muslim countries would impress upon the Government of Myanmar to bring the situation under control and take effective measures to rehabilitate affected Muslims.
This session also calls upon the Muslim organisations and institutions as well as human rights groups to come forward for the betterment of the life of Rohingya Muslims taking refuge in India and to provide them with basic needs of life.
6. Condolence
This session of CCR of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind pays tribute to the services rendered by the leaders, elders and active workers of JIH who while discharging their duties breathed their last during this period. Their passing away is a great tragedy not only for the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind but also for the country and the Muslims. Maulana Muhammad ShafiMoonis, Dr.FazlurRahmanFaridi, Dr. Abdul Haq Ansari and Mr. Syed GhulamAkber were not only associated with the noble mission of Islamic Movement but also remained active till their last breath. They have left behind peerless examples of practical struggle and self-sacrifice.
This session of CCR prays to Allah the Exalted to grant acceptance to the yeomen services rendered by these revered persons, raise their status and bless them with the choicest places in the Paradise, and bless the Islamic Movement and the Muslim Ummah with able persons to replace them. Amin.