Mumbai: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Maharashtra has strongly condemned the recent provocative statements made by Maharashtra minister Nitish Rane and has called for immediate legal action against him.
In an official statement to the media, JIH Maharashtra President Maulana Ilyas Khan Falahi criticized Rane’s remarks, labeling them as “unfortunate, inflammatory, and divisive.” He stated, “As a minister, Nitish Rane is not only violating his oath of office but also disregarding the Constitution and judicial system of the country. He already faces 38 criminal cases, including 22 related to hate speech, inciting communal tensions, and spreading instability. His recent statements, in which he attempted to link madrasas to terrorism and cast suspicion on Muslim institutions across the state, are completely unacceptable. Such comments are not only an attack on minorities but also on the constitutional values of the nation.”
Refuting Rane’s allegations about a madrasa in Akkalkuwa, Falahi clarified, “This madrasa has been government-registered since 1997 and provides education to over 15,000 students, including 1,250 Hindu students. Additionally, 25 Hindu teachers are employed there. The institution offers education from kindergarten to postgraduate levels, including ITI, D.Ed, B.Ed, Unani medical courses, engineering, law, and other professional programs. It is a crucial educational hub that empowers thousands of students. Associating such an institution with terrorism is a deliberate attempt to defame madrasas, demoralize students and teachers, and marginalize minorities from mainstream society.”
Maulana Falahi further urged the Maharashtra government to take serious note of Rane’s “irresponsible and inflammatory statements” and initiate legal proceedings against him. “Despite a police complaint being lodged, no FIR has been registered yet, which is a concerning pattern. Failure to take strict action against such statements poses a severe threat to social harmony. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind strongly condemns this divisive politics and hate-driven rhetoric and calls upon people of all communities to stand together in the interest of peace and justice.”
