India Tomorrow
KOZHIKODE—Expressing a serious concern concern over the recent spate of bulldozing of mosques and madrasas in different parts of the country, particularly in BJP-ruled states, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) president Syed Sadatullah Husaini has said that this trend would not only harm Muslims but the nation as a whole.
He made these remarks while addressing a mass rally and fraternity conference titled “Resist Hindutva Racism” organized by the JIH Kerala unit on February 14.
Attended by thousands of men, women and children, the conference voiced its opposition to discriminatory agenda and anti-Muslim hate campaign unleashed by the right-wing forces in the country.
Huge banners highlighting key issues facing the Muslim community, including attempts to forcibly grab the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura, apart from instances of anti-Muslim violence across India, were also displayed. Among the speakers also included Abdul Batin Nomani, Imam of the Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Masjid who refuted the allegation that Gyanvapi mosque was built on the site of demolished temple.
In his keynote address running for 18 minutes, the JIH chief said that although the Muslim community is facing very tough times for quite some time in India, they must boldly resist atrocities.
At the very outset, he said that “this rally against communalism, hatred and racism is a declaration that we will not allow this country to move on to the path of fascism. We will not allow this country to go on the path of atrocity, inequality, discrimination and communalism. We will not allow this country to take to the path of lawlessness.”
“I am sure that this declaration will help to wake up the people of the country and it will be an important medium to knock at their conscience,” Mr Husaini announced.
Quoting historian Arnold Toynbee who, according to him, said, “Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder.” The biggest indicator of such a suicide is that hatred is cultivated among people and groups. They are made to fight each other. Spreading hatred becomes the real agenda, more than the development and progress of the nation. This is a sign that the country has moved on the path of suicide.”
He pointed out that no country would become powerful by only wealth, and a country could not become Vishwaguru (World leader) by diplomacy only.
He pointed out that unity is the first requisite for a country to become strong and powerful. People should have confidence and trust in each other. There should be a feeling of security among all sections of society. There should be equality, justice and the rule of law, which are “the biggest strengths of the countries.”
He said that those who corrupt the country’s judicial system, make the people fight each other and spread hatred, are the biggest enemies of the country.
Stating that “communal and fascist forces and those who spread hatred and communalism, are the biggest enemy of this country,” he pointed out that “hatred, communalism and dividing people have, of late, become a shortcut way to winning elections.”
He pointed out that those who spread hatred are treated heroes in contemporary India.
The JIH chief said that “it is unfortunate that there is going on a competition of hate speeches among many chief ministers of the country. There is a competition going on for delivering hate speeches.”
“Does anybody think that this fire of hatred would harm Muslims alone?”, he asked, and replied, “Not at all.”
He warned that everyone’s hand would burn in this fire of hatred.
“A whole generation is being raised in an atmosphere of hatred. This hate-mongering is not a trivial thing in this country where there is a large population of youngsters,” the JIH leader commented.
He said, “A terrible fire is being fanned and it will engulf not only Muslims. This will turn the entire nation into ashes.”
JIH president said that the law was being made a source of hatred, atrocity and discrimination.
He said, “Bulldozer politics has become a terminology and it is defaming our country in the world. Selective application of law has become a pattern. There are so many incidents where one house is selected for bulldozing in the name of removing encroachment.”
He pointed out that those who gave an open call for genocide were moving scot-free but Mufti Salman Azhari was jailed under stringent sections for just one sentence.
Referring to the recent demolition of 800-year-old Akhondji mosque in Mehrauli, he said that hundreds of acres of land in Delhi are under encroachment but a 900-year-old mosque was all of a sudden demolished which was built when there was no DDA (Delhi Development Authority), nor was the forest department and their rules.
“The same is the case in Uttarakhand. Government statistics says that twelve thousand hectares of land is encroached but a mosque and madrasa were demolished overnight while the case is still in the court”, said the JIH chief.
He said that despite having the Places of Worship Act, Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and other mosques were being targeted. He said “this is very dangerous situation.”
“It must be said that this trend is going to hurt not only Muslims. This trend will demean the courts of this country, and defame them in the world. This will end the rule of law”, cautioned Mr. Husaini.
He said that there was a golden opportunity to focus on education and the economic development of the country, to end poverty, to remove inequality, to develop those sections that are left behind, and take all along on the path of development. He said that all these opportunities are available in abundance even today. He pointed out that there was a huge young force that could be used as a demographic asset and dividend.
He opined, “Had there been constructive and visionary leadership, it could have united the people together and taken the country to achieve the highest level of development by using this historical opportunity. But what a pity that people are made to fight each other at this important juncture. Walls of hatred and division are being erected among the citizens. There is an attempt to create deep trenches of religion and race. There is an attempt being made to turn the youths into a demographic disaster by injecting them with the poison of hatred.”
He told the audience that “at a time when the darkness of atrocity, injustice and hatred is deep, their awakening is a new dawn in the country.” He congratulated them for this rally.
He said that this rally was a declaration from the Muslims of India that they would face the situation head-on. “We will not bend, we will not get scared, and we will not allow this country to go on the path of destruction. It is our religious duty to save this country from destruction”, asserted Mr. Husaini.
He added, “We were boon, we are boon and we will be boon for this country. We would enlighten this country. Problems of this country would be solved by us. We will rise as a solution and asset for this country.”
He said, “There is an attempt to create fear and frustration among us. But remember that the most important tool of communalism and fascism is this fear.”
The JIH leader said that the present developments were undoubtedly a matter of concern for Muslims but they were neither disappointed nor scared at all. The Muslim community, he said, got strength from trial and tribulations.
Turning to the communal forces, Mr. Husaini said, “The more you make your tests tough, the more powerful we will come out.”
He said, “We will not get bogged down or disappointed by difficulties, neither will we settle down with the situation. Instead, we will knock at every heart and soul. We will awaken the conscience of each and every citizen and try to create an environment of positive change.”
The most important thing needed in such circumstances, Mr Husaini said, was to keep perseverance, that is, to continue efforts to achieve target despite difficulties and opposition.
“Whatever may be the situation, we will stand like a rock on our Iman (faith), religion and principles. This is the most powerful resistance,” he told the audience.
The other important thing, he said, was “winning the hearts and minds of people.”
“The hearts and minds are won by service, love and contacts. They are won by bringing truth to the fore. This is the antidote to the hatred,” the JIH leader said.
He asked Muslims to talk to everyone; Hindus, Christians and Dalit brethren. He asked the audience to tell the people how big danger is this fascism.
He asked the Muslim community to move ahead in education and skills and be a contributor. He appreciated the Kerala Muslim community for their work in the fields of education and finance. He wanted Muslims in rest of India to emulate the Kerala Muslim model.
If a community is financially weak, he said, it would be vulnerable to all sorts of assaults. But it would not be as easy as it is now if the community was educationally and economically strong.
He said that resisting atrocity was not only “our need but it is also our religious duty.” He added, “We must resist not only when Muslims face atrocities, but also when a Dalit, an Adivasi, a Christian or a Hindu brother is targeted.”
