Mumbai: Against the backdrop of the Qureshi community’s peaceful strike, ongoing for the past month in Maharashtra, the Federation of Maharashtra Muslims (FMM) held a press conference at the Press Club of India here Wednesday.
During the conference, the oppression faced by the Qureshi community and the assaults and violence committed by illegal “cow vigilante” groups were strongly condemned. The economic losses suffered by farmers and the state government due to the strike were also highlighted.
The Federation emphasised that the Qureshi community forms a vital part of the state’s agricultural and livestock economy, yet is currently a victim of harassment by self-styled cow vigilantes. Legally authorised cattle transporters are being stopped, their vehicles seized, false FIRs filed, and in some cases, they have been subjected to violence. The Federation noted that in certain incidents, valuable lives have been lost.
Key Demands of the Federation of Maharashtra Muslims in this regard include 1. Immediate ban on illegal cow vigilante groups and strict legal action against them, 2. Government protection for the Qureshi community and legitimate livestock traders, and 3. Compensation for farmers affected by the strike.
A delegation from the Federation met with the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Ajit Pawar, to present these demands. Mr. Pawar listened to all the issues attentively and sympathetically, and promised to convene a joint meeting with the Director General of Police, Ms. Rashmi Shukla, without delay.
Accordingly, an important meeting was held at Mantralaya, where Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in the presence of DGP Rashmi Shukla, held detailed discussions with representatives of the Qureshi community. The issues were taken seriously, and several key decisions were made.
Key Decisions from the Meeting:
- The police department will soon issue an official circular to curb the activities of illegal cow vigilante groups, and
- To resolve transport-related issues, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has contacted Union Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari directly and scheduled a separate meeting.
The Federation of Maharashtra Muslims welcomed these steps and expressed hope that the government would fulfil its promises at the earliest, deliver justice to the Qureshi community, and rescue farmers from the ongoing economic crisis.
Key representatives present at the press conference and meeting are Maulana Mehmood Daryabadi – General Secretary, All India Ulama Council, Mumbai; Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi – Vice President, Shia Personal Law Board; Advocate Abdul Majeed Qureshi – Secretary, Jamiat-ul-Quraish; Mohammad Javed Qureshi – Vice President; Munawwar Ahmed – Vice President, Jamiat-ul-Quraish, Pune; Fareed Shaikh – President, Aman Committee, Mumbai; Maulana Anees Ashrafi – President, Raza Foundation, Mumbai; Hafiz Iqbal Choonawala – Member, Muslim Personal Law Board; Shakir Shaikh – Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind; Abdul Mujeeb – Coordinator, FMM; Humayun Shaikh – Department Head, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mumbai; Asif Qureshi – Qureshi Community Representative, Mumbai; Fayaz Qureshi – Aurangabad; Siraj Qureshi – Aurangabad; and Arif Chaudhary – Pune.
Political leaders present are Hasan Mushrif – Minister, Government of Maharashtra; Nawab Malik – Former Minister; Sana Malik – MLA, Mumbai; and Najeeb Mulla – Former Minister.
Senior government officers present are Rashmi Shukla – Director General of Police (DGP) and Devendra Bharti – Police Commissioner.
