Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Mumbra organised the concluding programme of 10-day Campaign on “Maharashtra ka Vikas, Niyay aur Sadbhavna ke Sath” at Zamzam Hall, Kausa, Mumbra on 21 September.
Khurshid Anwar, President Thane unit of JIH, reminded the audience of the history that Muslims ruled over India for more than 800 years and during this period all the communities Hindus, Sikhs and Christians lived as brothers and no communal violence existed during the period. The development during this period was all-round and India made substantial progress in all the spheres.
Thereafter it was the British who ruled over India and during this period the problem of communalism rose as the British relied on the policy of Divide and Rule among Muslims and Non-Muslims. Muslims, especially the learned religious scholars, played a significant role and sacrificed their lives in securing the Independence from the British in 1947.
The division escalated over a period of time resulting in the formation of RSS around 1925 and later of its political wing Jan Sangh and many other political affiliations resulting in the culmination of forming the current Government, promising Achche Din which we is yet to see the light of day. We are noticing that in the name of Development, Education is being Saffronised and commercial properties are being developed on waqf properties, etc. He further said that we Muslims are the vicegerents (Khalifa) of Almighty Allah and our responsibility is to eradicate evil and establish righteousness in this world.
Faisal Madni, Principal Jamia Islamiah, Kausa, Mumbra, thanked JIH Mumbra for conducting this programme at a very appropriate time and prayed for the success of the campaign. He said that during the last Lok Sabha elections the Hindutva forces succeeded not because of their development agenda but the 29% electorate did not divide while the 71% electorate divided among several political parties. He emphasised that unless we do not understand the importance of vote we will not be able to create the desired political stability required for bringing the secular government in Maharashtra.
Shafiqur Rahman of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind reminded that 66 years have passed since Independence but we have not understood the importance of vote. The community understands the importance of ration card, kerosene procurement and many day to day requirements, etc., but do not go to vote for good candidates who can be instrumental in framing policies. He further stated that we have to unite and give importance to vote for a good candidate collectively so that our votes are not divided and a secular candidate gets elected.
Prof. Javed Shaikh, President local unit of JIH said there are several problems we are facing daily. These problems are to be solved at our own end as we are responsible for our own plight. Any decision taken today for electing a candidate will have its effect for the next five years; and therefore our vote has tremendous potential to make a positive change. He further said that unity amongst us is very essential and this unity should result in selecting with consensus of a single good candidate. The objective of our Millat is more important than our personal and organisational goals and this is the period where we have to set aside our differences and take a unified decision. We have to work on long term goals and not on short term goals and in this connection JIH, Maharashtra has prepared a manifesto which may be read and circulated.
Mr. Siraj, President Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ), in his presidential speech, stated that we have been listening the word Development and Vikas since Independence but in reality our community has not realised its effect. Day by day the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer and we do not have the parameters to measure the growth of development. He cited statistics that on the Human Development Index India ranks 134 in the world rankings while under poverty and hunger we rank 94, far below the African countries, which is because 90% of our wealth is concentrated in 10% of our population and 10% wealth is concentrated in 90% of our population.
He was surprised to note that there are only 140 families under BPL in Mumbra which is far far less than the reality as we are aware and know several widows live pathetic life and deserve financial assistance. We do not have a Good Garden nor a hospital in Mumbra which shows that we lack in basic requirements in Mumbra. We do not know of the several schemes formulated by the Government right from the birth of a child to the death of a person. We are not aware of the Right to Education scheme under which free education is provided from 1st to 8th standard and we have to demand from the Government free education up to Post Graduation level.
He finally concluded his speech by saying that we have to understand our Rights and demand the same from the Government and this is the right time where we have to shape the future.
Mr. Abdus Salam of JIH proposed vote of thanks.