While condemning the incidents of violence in Manipur, Haryana and killing of Muslim passengers in a Mumbai by a RPF jawan, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has said that organized crime against minorities seems to have become a new normal in India. The JIH also feels extremely concerned about missing of over 10 lakh women and girls from different states during 2019-21 at a time when the government has given the slogan of “Beti bachao, Beti Padhao.”
India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, one of the leading organisations of Indian Muslims, on Saturday expressed serious concern over the prolonged violence in Manipur in Northeast, failure of the state government in preventing violence in Nuh and Gurgaon districts of Haryana, cold-blooded murder of three passengers on religious grounds and a Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan on a running train in Maharashtra, missing of lakhs of women in just two years, and gagging of media in the last one decade in India.
The Jamaat made its observations at a press conference addressed by its leaders at its headquarters here. Those who addressed the press meet were JIH Vice-presidents Prof. Mohammad Salim Engineer and Malik Moatasim Khan, national secretary Mohammad Shafi Madani and national secretary (women’s wing) Mrs. Rahmathunnissan A.
On Manipur
Prof. Salim said the violence in Manipur could have been averted if timely and effective steps had been taken.
He said the Manipur incident indicated the atmosphere of insecurity and discrimination that India’s minority face.
More than 150 persons were killed and hundreds of churches and properties belonging to minority Christians were completely destroyed in the violence in different parts of Manipur.
He demanded that the government must be held responsible for its failure to protect the lives and properties of minorities.
“The violence in Manipur highlights several issues that minorities in India face, including insecurity, increased discrimination and marginalization and lack of representation in governance and political space,” said the JIH leader.
The most disturbing aspect of the Manipur violence was that women belonging to Kuki minority were disrobed and paraded, before their gangrape.
“The incident exposes the moral depravity of the rioters and the nadir they can reach in their hatred for people who they perceive as “enemies” and “foreigners,” Prof Salim pointed out.
“This jingoistic mindset is a product of relentless media narrative being peddled by the IT cells on social media and mainstream electronic media,” the JIH vice-president opined.
He said that incessant hate campaign against minorities had led to attempts at “ethnic cleansing” and turned thousands of citizens into refugees in their own country.
On Haryana
Mr Madani, who visited parts of violence-hit areas of Haryana, said that it was unfortunate that those taking part in a religious rally were armed and raising provocative slogans that allegedly resulted into violence.
He also criticized the state government for demolishing the houses of those who were suspected to be involved in the violence in Nuh.
However, he said the state government’s action smacked of anti-Muslim bias because the administration selectively bulldozed the houses of Muslims, leaving behind the houses of Hindus involved in the violence.
He condemned the attack on worship places, including mosques, in Gurugram and other places.
He demanded adequate compensation for the families of those killed, including Maulana Saad, an Imam at Gurugram’s Sector 57 mosque, who was murdered, and the mosque was set ablaze during the violence.
He called for an immediate high-level enquiry into the matter and strict action against police officials who failed to protect the citizens.
Mr Madani also expressed concern over the biased arrests of Muslim youths instead of apprehending the real culprits responsible for the violence.
He said, “There is a climate of impunity in Haryana as anti-social elements indulge in violence because they feel assured that no action would be taken against them as they enjoyed political patronage.”
On Jaipur-Mumbai Train Incident
Condemning the cold-blooded murder of three Muslim passengers and a RPF jawan by another RPF jawan, Mr Malik Moatasim Khan said it was a hate crime as the accused constable hunted out passengers who resembled Muslims and then shot them in cold-blood.
He felt that it is in the chain of organized violence against Muslims which seemed to have become a new normal in the country.
“The radicalisation and polarisation coming from the upper echelons of our power centres have resulted in this sorry state of affairs,” he remarked.
“It seems that identifying the perpetrators of hate crimes especially those against Muslims as mentally unstable and psychic has become the standard operating procedure to ward off any allegations of radicalization against a particular community,” the JIH leader pointed out.
Mr. Khan said, “The incident is deeply worrying as those in authority have appointed such “mentally ill” and “short-tempered” individuals and armed them with guns and entrusted them with the safety and security of our citizens.”
“Reports about the accused praising the Prime Minister and the UP Chief Minister after the killing is extremely troubling and damaging,” the JIH vice-president said, adding “the climate of hate and malice in the country has been created by the policies of exclusion, majoritarianism, division, hate and polarisation further exacerbated by a pliant media, jingoistic films, literature and books leading to such incidents.”
Mr Khan demanded compensation for the families of the victims and suitable employment for their kin.
He also called for an independent high-level judicial enquiry into the incident and the awarding of punishment to the guilty.
On Women and Missing Girls
Secretary (women’s wing) Rahmathunnissan, addressing mediapersons, expressed grave concern over more than 13 lakh girls and women missing during the period from 2019 to 2021 as per report compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Quoting figures from the Union Home Ministry, she said that over 10.61 lakh women over 18 years old and more than 2.51 lakh girls below the age of 18 were reported missing during this period.
Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest number of missing females, with nearly two lakhs reported missing, closely followed by West Bengal.
NCRB report, she said, claimed that Madhya Pradesh reported missing of over 1.60 lakh women and 38,234 girls. The West Bengal reported 1,56,905 women and 36,606 girls missing between 2019 and 2021.
Among the Union Territories, Delhi had the highest number of missing girls and women. The national capital reported that 61,054 women and 22,919 girls went missing between 2019 and 2021.
She said that the government slogans like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” have remained mere slogans.
Mrs. Rahmathunnisan, a former principal, opined that “the best way to prevent sexual crimes against women is to develop a society based on morality and ethics.”
“Only a society that respects the dignity of women, promotes modesty and decency and discourages vulgarity and licentiousness can prevent women from being exploited and becoming a tool for the market forces to earn profits at the expense of her honour and self-respect,” she elaborated.
She called upon the people of India to avoid treading the path of the West, which deprived women of their true dignity in the name of freedom and liberty.
“Women must get their due rights and be empowered but not at the cost of their modesty and distinctive role in the family,” the JIH (women’s wing) chief said.
On Media under Pressure (CSDS and Lok Neeti Report)
JIH vice-president Prof. Salim also expressed serious concern over the recent Lokniti-CSDS media survey that showed that the majority of media in India was working under pressure under the present political dispensation and being prevented from discharging its duty as a watchdog of democracy.
