In the wake of the volatile situation witnessed in our country today, the Mira Road chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind held a panel discussion on the issue of Mob Lynching on 5 August. The panellists included Dr. Azimuddin, President of Movement for Human Welfare, Adv Shahood Anwar, Maulana Abdullah Islahi, Adv Francis and Adv Tauseef, while the panel was conducted by Mirza Kamran Baig.
Dr. Azimuddin explained that mob lynching was first witnessed in the USA in the 1800s wherein several hundred whites and blacks killed each other. In the Indian context, he averred that they belonged to fringe elements of the ruling party. He also pointed out that mob lynching is never spontaneous; everything is always planned and evidence is planted.
Adv Shahood felt that it has gained more visibility today because of social media and the hunger of 24×7 news channels. He was apprehensive of the fact that the attackers are becoming very audacious and emboldened and are not even concerned about their faces being shown on camera.
Adv Francis linked this phenomenon to the chain of events that include ghar wapsi, food restrictions and incidents of targeted communal violence where churches have been vandalised and sisters immolated and raped. He stressed that people of all minority communities should come together and unite to stand behind every victim.
The panellists also discussed the suggested provisions of the Manav Suraksha Kanoon (Masuka) which include providing a proper definition of lynching and making the SHO accountable, given the fact that the police is known to have been complicit in most of the cases that have been recorded so far.
While Adv Tauseef lamented that victims are unable to get any justice because IPC laws are not applied and implemented properly, Dr. Azimuddin was confident that public unity can override parliamentary majority and influence the judiciary.
Maulana Abdullah, when asked about the expected response of Muslims at this hour, said that they should take a leaf out of the life of the Prophet ﷺ and present a high moral character to win over others.
All the panellists were unanimous in concluding that the only solution to this crisis lies in uniting on a common platform and showing resilience against those evil elements of society that wish to tear apart the social fabric of our country. The compere wrapped up the panel with the haunting lines penned by Martin Niemoller in the post-war era:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.