New Delhi, Aug 27: At a press conference here today, leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s Women’s Department expressed serious concern over rising incidents of crimes against women and moral degradation. They also announced launching of the month-long national campaign “Morality is Freedom” in September to find the root cause, create awareness and find out solutions aimed at creating a values-based society.
Rahamathunnissa A., National Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, expressed deep concern over the continued harassment, growing number of sexual assaults, violence, and ever-increasing cases of homicide against women and girls in India.
“The deeply ingrained social inequalities, misogyny, prejudice, and discrimination against women within Indian society complicate matters, particularly when it comes to sexual violence against marginalized women, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, and women with disabilities. Incidents, such as the RG Kar Hospital rape-and-murder case in Kolkata, the gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old Dalit girl in Gopalpur (Bihar), the rape-and-murder of a Muslim nurse in Udham Singh Nagar, and the sexual assault of two kindergarten girls in a school in Badlapur prove that the mindset and attitude towards women and girls in our country needs serious introspection.
“Another striking aspect of this disturbing trend is personified by Bilkis Bano’s arduous struggle for justice. Her case stands as a stark testimony to the systemic bias and insensitivity entrenched in our institutions. The efforts of political establishments to secure the release of convicted criminals further reveal the disturbing complicity of politicians in such heinous acts,” she noted.
“We strongly believe that these atrocities against women are only but a symptom of a widely spreading disease that is affecting the peace and progress of our nation. The root cause of this menace is the decline of moral values. The lack of moral values in society leads to problems such as the objectification of women, sexual exploitation and abuse, widespread consumption of pornography, extramarital affairs, and infidelity, increased use of alcohol and drugs, suicides, increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), rise in abortions, increase in sexual violence and rape, sexualization of culture, breakdown of the family unit and the normalization of immorality that is fast eroding the moral fabric of society,” she added.
Shaista Rafat, JIH National Secretary, announcing the launching of a month-long campaign in September 2024, said, “The campaign aims to create awareness of what is real freedom and how it is linked with morality. Only by following moral values can one attain real and lasting freedom and fulfillment in life.”
She added, “Awareness programs will be organized involving educationists, counselors, lawyers, religious scholars, and community leaders at the national, state, district, and grassroots levels. Special programs will be organized at campuses to educate students and the youth on the importance of following moral values for lasting joy and freedom and relieve them from the clutches of the pseudo-liberal ideologies that entrap individuals into false notions of freedom and make them slaves of immoral behavior. There will be special programs involving scholars from different religions to bring into public debate the common moral values in every religion and culture. Focus would be to change the mindset because unless and until the mindset changes, no reform is possible.”
During the program a book, “Morality is Freedom,” by Rahamathunnissa A published by JIH Women’s Department and another book, “Graceful Strength: Islamic Morality for Women,” by Dr Shadab Munawar Moosa published by The Board of Islamic Publications were also released. The logo of the nationwide campaign was also released during the press conference.
