The Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Omari said that it is not permissible for Muslims to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. In this regard he supported the fatwa issued by Darul-Uloom Deoband. Addressing the media in the monthly press meet at Jamaat headquarters in New Delhi on 2 April, Maulana Omari said that there is no provision in the Constitution of India which talks of compulsory recitation of a particular slogan.
Earlier JIH Secretary General Muhammad Salim Engineer said that the issue of nationalism is deliberately being raked up by the communal and fascist forces to polarise society and damage the unity and integrity of the people of India. Their ploy is to declare all those who do not subscribe to their ideology as anti-national.
The real objective behind this façade of nationalism is to acquire and retain political power by targeting minorities and all those who oppose their divisive ideology. Another reason seems to be the upcoming assembly elections in which the fascist forces want to reap electoral benefits by polarising society on communal lines.
They seem to be following this divide and rule policy as they are afraid to face the electorate on their development agenda because of the miserable performance of the NDA government at the centre for the last two years. It is a typical fascist tactic to force people to prove their nationalism and patriotism through violence and intimidation.
The merciless killing of Muslims in the name of cow vigilantism in Latehar (Jharkhand) and the demand for compulsory recitation of certain slogans have tarnished the image of India in the comity of nations besides exposing the true agenda of those holding the reins of government at the centre.
Talking about the recent acquittals of Abdul Karim Tunda and Himayat Baig, whom security agencies dub ‘terrorism masterminds’, the JIH leader said that the Jamaat has always been of the view that when someone commits a terrorist act, only then can one be held guilty and liable for arrest and punishment and the fundamental principle of justice is to hold a person innocent unless proved guilty.
The Jamaat firmly believes that Muslims and especially their youth have been framed unjustly on charges of terrorism and are being made scapegoats for the heinous and diabolical agenda for the forces who do not want to see a united and progressive India. It is appalled at the incompetence with which the investigating agencies conduct the investigation of cases of such a grievous nature, involving the integrity and security of the nation.
Instead of booking the real culprits responsible for taking so many precious lives, the security agencies have caught innocent people and imposed grievous charges against them thereby protecting the guilty and jeopardising the security interests of the nation. JIH demands that such officers be awarded very harsh punishment and should not be allowed to go scot-free.
Dr. Salim Engineer also condemned the terror attacks in Brussels and Lahore and called them as attacks on humanity. Islam does not allow killing of innocents and gives great importance to the sanctity of life.
He also expressed anguish at the collapse of a flyover in Kolkata and expressed condolence at the death of 24 people in the terrible tragedy.
The Jamaat feels that the lack of moral values and the absence of a sense of accountability has led to a culture of corruption that has caused great damage to the country. Piety and fear of punishment in the Hereafter is required to end this menace as mere stringent punishment to those who aid and abet corruption is not enough.