Indian Muslims’ representative organisations including Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadis-e-Hind and All India Milli Council have severely condemned the highly provocative statement made by US Republican Party candidate Tom Tancredo that the US should strike Islamic holy places, including Makkah and Madinah.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Syed Arshad Madani termed the statement “very unfortunate”.
“It aims, of course very brazenly, at garnering support of anti-Islam and anti-Muslim elements in the American presidential election,” he said.
Maulana Madani also drew the attention of peace-loving, particularly Muslim, countries to devise a strong strategy to counter the diabolic designs of those who love to create such a highly provocative situation.
He further said that any delay in this regard would create a very chaotic situation at the global level.
The organisation’s general secretary Maulana Syed Mahmood Madani said the statement shows that the Republican Party of President Bush has hatched a plan to accelerate its aggressive anti-Islam moves to further its imperialistic designs.
Condemning Tancredo’s statement in the possible severest terms, Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadis-e-Hind general secretary Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salfi said, “No wise, civilized and justice-loving person in the world can tolerate that a sacred place of worship of any religion should be attacked.”
He further said that Tancredo’s highly irresponsible advice to the American administration is in fact his unsuccessful attempt to garner the support of few people having negative traits.
“It is tantamount to instigating the sentiments of Muslims and encashing, in the name of combating religious hatred, the sharp reaction it might cause in the Muslim world,” he added.
Imam Shahi Jama Masjid Delhi Maulana Syed Ahmad Bukhari termed Tancredo’s statement “highly mischievous”. He also called upon the Union Government to acquaint the Bush administration with the hurt feelings of crores of Indian Muslims and seek unconditional apology from it.
Those who voiced similar condemnations include All India Milli Council general secretary Dr Manzoor Alam, Indian Union Muslim League president GM Banatwala, All India Minorities Conference president Pyare Mian, Majlis-e-Ahra president and Imam Ludhiana Jama Masjid Maulana Habibur Rahman Thani Ludhianvi, All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Haq general secretary Maulana Muhammad Ejaz Urfi Qasmi, Imam Qasim Islamic Education and Welfare Trust secretary Maulana Yusuf Anwar Qasmi, All India Tanzeemul Muslimeen general secretary Maulana Habibullah Hashmi, and All India Tanzeemul Ulama president Mufti Athar Javed Qasmi.