By Pervez Bari,
Jaipur, 22 March 2015: If Muslims, who constitute nearly one fifth of country’s population and this is no small a number, are not taken into confidence with inclusive growth then India cannot stride on the path of development in a meaningful manner, said Maulana Syed Mohammad Rabey Hasani Nadvi, president of All India Muslim Personal Board (AIMPLB) while delivering his presidential speech in the three-day 24th general session of the umbrella Muslim body here in Jaipur on Saturday.
“For this the communal harmony between the majority and the minority communities should be the hallmark of development with granting full rights to the minorities and this is the duty of the government of the day to ensure it,” said he while addressing over 400 delegates from all over the country at the campus of the seminary Jamea-Tul-Hidayah.
“It is necessary to make it crystal clear in front of those who hold the reins of power today that whatever Constitutional rights Muslims have as a citizen of free India they should confer upon them in a democratic manner. It is mandatory for the government of the day to honour the Indian Constitution to accede to all the religious and citizens rights of the Muslims and others of the country,” he said.
He urged the government to ensure Constitutional rights to Muslims and other minorities.
“The Muslims being citizens of India strive to claim their religious rights righteously and it is the duty of those in power to oversee that Muslims achieve this in a judicious and friendly manner without any ill feelings. This would strengthen brotherly relations among the communities leading to communal harmony and national integration which in turn would be beneficial for the country.”
He, however, expressed apprehension that the BJP government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to abandon the secular and democratic character of the Constitution.
“…the new government at the Centre has aspirations to take the country into a new direction while abandoning secular and democratic character of the Indian Constitution. This would be suicidal for the country, “Maulana Rabey said.
Earlier, Maulana Mohammad Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi, who is rector of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya and convenor & president of the Organising Committee of AIMPLB meeting, delivered the welcome address.
