New Delhi, July 7: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has called on Opposition parties to respect the electoral mandate and oppose hate, violence and atrocities against Muslims and other minorities. Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), has announced plans to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court against three newly implemented criminal laws.
During monthly press briefing at Jamaat’s headquarters on Saturday, Professor Salim Engineer, Vice President of JIH, expressed grave concerns over the rise in hate and violence post-election. He noted an increase in incidents of mob lynching and bulldozing of properties, attributing these actions to elements who feel emboldened to pursue a hate agenda without fear of governmental resistance.
“Opposition parties should respect the mandate and raise their voice against atrocities towards the Muslim community, including minorities,” Engineer stated, emphasizing that the violence appears to be driven by revenge for losses in the Lok Sabha elections, with the attackers feeling politically marginalized and targeting Muslims in a planned manner. Engineer stressed that the government should serve all citizens equally, irrespective of their voting patterns.
Addressing the implementation of new criminal laws, Prof. Salim Engineer criticized the hasty passage of the legislation in Parliament, noting that it occurred while over 100 MPs were suspended. He argued that the laws, intended to protect people’s rights and liberties, have instead increased police power and diminished individual rights. He called for a review of the laws and their referral to the parliamentary standing committee, insisting that they should not be implemented in any state until a thorough review is completed.
On the NEET controversy, he pointed to significant irregularities and failures by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in conducting the exam. He described the cancellation of the UGC-NET 2024 exam as a serious blunder likely to affect the futures of many students, urged the government to prioritize an impartial inquiry and suggested an independent audit to ensure transparency and restore trust in the NEET (UG) 2024 examination process. He also advocated for the decentralization of exams, proposing that state governments conduct them.
Nadeem Khan, National Secretary of APCR, highlighted serious flaws in the three criminal laws and announced the intention to file a PIL in the Supreme Court soon. He asserted that the violence against the Muslim community across India is politically motivated and criticized the silence of Opposition parties as criminal. Khan noted that such violence occurs in both BJP-ruled states and those governed by secular parties, with perpetrators often from right-wing groups.
Shafi Madani, JIH National Secretary, detailed several tragic incidents, including those at railways, airports, and the Hathras Satsang tragedy, emphasizing the lack of sincere government efforts to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators. Madani called for the government to ensure the safety of all citizens and act judiciously in protecting people’s lives.
