Senior leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) expressed grave concern over a large number of youths abdicating their Indian citizenship, democracy facing great crisis, fundamentals of democratic institutions being compromised and over-increasing hate-filled atmosphere in the country, inflation and GST and MGNREGA problems. Jamaat leaders were addressing media persons at its monthly press briefing at JIH headquarters on August 6.
National Vice-President of Jamaat, Mohammed Salim Engineer, while addressing media persons, said, “More than nine lakh Indians, mostly youths, have renounced their Indian citizenship since 2014 and settled down abroad – over six lakhs during the last five years alone.
He added, “Youths are invaluable resources of the country. Even after 75 years since we won our Independence, have we not been able to build a nation that is strong and stable enough for Indians to return and settle down here after their professional or business stints abroad? Youths are invaluable assets of a country and it is a serious issue if they are fleeing India to settle abroad. This brain drain is a very serious issue.”
Prof. Salim expressed grave concern over the steadily declining political class’s commitment to sustaining the principles of probity and integrity in public life. Democracy in India under the current political regime is facing a serious crisis. This has contributed to the emergence of power play in politics and misuse and abuse of public institutions and agencies by the government.
He added, “If agencies start working at the behest and the diktats of the party in power and its ideological leanings then this is a gross violation of the Constitution and against the very fundamentals of a democracy. In a healthy democracy, the administration, the police, the bureaucracy, and various state agencies and institutions are autonomous and they are not supposed to act in a partisan manner.”
JIH Vice President also expressed concern over the suppression of the media which is regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy. These days a great number of media houses are working as spokespersons of the government. Those media outlets that are highlighting important issues, criticising government policies are being silenced and hounded.
JIH Vice-President S. Ameenul Hasan, while responding to a query on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), argued, “Why should there be UCC only? Why not uniform income policy, housing policy so that nobody will sleep on the sidewalks or pavements or footpaths and to ensure that nobody slept hungry. To ensure that everyone may live in dignity, the Government should give each family at least one home and a job for the head of the household.”
He added, “The government is not very serious in solving problems of the people and only trying to divert attention from genuine concern of the people and their issues.”