New Delhi: Senior leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) held a press conference at the organisation’s headquarters, raising concerns over three key issues: the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the state of public education in India, and the ongoing flood crisis across multiple states.
Addressing the media, JIH Vice President Malik Mohtasim Khan expressed serious concern over the passage of the Amendment Bill relating to Vande Mataram. He stated that while JIH upholds respect for the country’s constitutional institutions, certain stanzas of Vande Mataram invoke the motherland as a deity and associate it with specific goddesses. These elements, he said, are incompatible with the monotheistic beliefs of Islam. He noted this concern is neither new nor sectarian and has been acknowledged within India’s democratic and constitutional framework.
Khan pointed out that although the Bill does not explicitly compel the singing of Vande Mataram, it criminalises acts deemed to constitute insult or disrespect towards the song. The vague and subjective nature of these terms carries a serious risk of misuse. He referred to the Supreme Court’s landmark Bijoe Emmanuel judgment, which affirmed that respectful non-participation based on genuine religious belief is constitutionally protected. Patriotism, he said, cannot be measured by participation in a particular song, slogan or symbolic act. JIH urged the Government to review the legislation and introduce explicit safeguards to protect national symbols without compromising fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
On education, JIH Vice President Prof. Salim Engineer noted that the resignation of the Union Education Minister following the NEET controversy reflected deep public dissatisfaction. He cited a recent NITI Aayog report showing that nearly 94,000 government schools closed over the past decade, averaging 25 schools every day. He called for raising public expenditure on education to at least 6% of GDP, restoring scholarships, strengthening government schools, reforming examination systems, protecting institutional autonomy, and building an inclusive framework for value education rooted in constitutional principles.
On floods, Prof. Engineer expressed concern over devastation in Assam, Odisha, Gujarat and Kerala, urging governments to prioritise disaster prevention, scientific river management, early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure alongside immediate relief efforts. He appreciated JIH volunteers engaged in relief work and appealed to governments, organisations and citizens to assist flood-affected families.
