Clerics on Sunday said repeatedly raising past disputes over ancient places of worship is not appropriate for peace and harmony in the country. During a meeting convened by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in Deoband, the clerics asked the community to remain patient, and said that India belonged to them too and those who were asking Muslims to go to Pakistan, can go there themselves.
Maulana Mahmood Madani said, “We had the choice of going to Pakistan but we chose to stay back here. Those who want to send us there now, can go themselves.” Madani refused to accept the uniform civil code (UCC) and said that it was against the spirit of Constitution which grants freedom of religion to every citizen. The meeting also passed resolutions on the Gyanvapi dispute and the UCC.
The clerics cited the places of Worship Act 1991 and said that some people were deliberately creating controversies on the issue. “We will not tolerate any interference in matters of Shariat,” they said.
The Deoband-based prominent Muslim body on Saturday also accused the BJP government of protecting people engaged in poisoning the majority community’s mind in the country. Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind made the allegation, expressing concern over the alleged spread of communalism and saying that the government is turning a blind eye to the people spreading hatred against the minority community in various meetings. It claimed that the country’s unity is being hampered in the name of “false nationalism”, which is dangerous not only for Muslims but the entire country.
Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, in a meeting of its management committee, also passed a resolution urging the Centre to “forthwith stop activities of such elements, spreading communalism and messages which are not only against Muslims and Islam but all people believing in democracy, justice and equality”. The resolution claimed that “the country is burning in a fire of religious animosity and hatred”. An effort is on to incite people of the country against each other, it claimed.
It alleged that an effort to trigger this “black storm of communalism” is on under the protection of the present ruling party and the government with no stone being left unturned to poison the mind of the majority community of the country. It said, “Obscene and baseless charges are being spread against Muslims, ancient Muslim rulers and Islamic culture and civilization.” “The relevant governments on the other hand are encouraging such people by either siding with them or leaving them to roam free instead of taking legal action against them,” the Muslim body said in its resolution.
Spreading communal hatred and inciting the religious feelings of the majority community against minorities with a motive to continue one’s political hegemony are not only against the loyalty to and interest of the country but an open enmity with it,” the resolution said. “If fascist bodies in the country feel that the Muslim community will surrender before this oppression, they are sadly mistaken,” it added.
